The Grass is Always Greenberg: Recent Episodes
Greenberg Glusker LLP
Greenberg Glusker’s Cannabis Industry Group presents “The Grass is Always Greenberg,” a potcast hosted by Priya Sopori, Steve Stein, Michelle Mabugat and Alexa Steinberg.
Episodes offer insights on cannabis laws and regulations, business trends, and feature notable guests.
This isn’t a law school lecture hall. This podcast is an opportunity for everyone, from cannabis investment funds, brands, cultivators, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, to learn more about the industry.
Greenberg Glusker’s Dan Stone joins Alexa Steinberg to discuss essential points to consider – and pitfalls to avoid – in any cannabis venture’s first dealings with labor unions. Unionization ultimately depends on employees’ desire to join, but an LPA can set the tone for your interactions with the unions. From picking the right union(s) to sign with, to carefully reading LPAs and negotiating for reasonable and favorable terms, this episode provides a guide to your first steps.
We recently passed the five-year anniversary of recreational cannabis being legal in California. But the industry isn’t exactly popping the (CBD-infused) champagne. There are a lot of lessons to be learned from California’s roll out of legal pot. Join Greenberg Glusker attorneys Steve Stein and Michelle Mabugat as they explore what has gone wrong, what can be done to get things back on the right track, and more on this edition of The Grass is Always Greenberg.
On September 20, 2022, Greenberg Glusker’s Michelle Mabugat moderated “Entering The Cannabis Industry: Licensing, Regulatory Policy & Getting Projects Off of the Ground,” part of BISNOW’s California Cannabis CRE Conference. The panel, which included Michelle Garakian (Interim Exec. Director, City of LA Dept. of Cannabis Regulation), delves into topics including zoning, Social Equity, LA’s “Phase 3 Round 2,” key factors in planning and teambuilding, and more on this edition of The Grass is Always Greenberg.
Greenberg Glusker Employment Partner Karina Sterman joins Priya Sopori, Steve Stein and Michelle Mabugat to discuss new legislation enacted in California, AB 2188, which affects the ability of employers to discharge or refuse to hire employees based on their off-duty use of cannabis. While the law does not take effect until 2024, Karina outlines what implications this legislation has for employers, how they will need to adapt, and more on this edition of The Grass is Always Greenberg.
Greenberg Glusker bankruptcy and financial restructuring partner Keith Banner joins his colleagues Alexa Steinberg and Steve Stein for a look at the intersection of cannabis and bankruptcy law.
Can cannabis companies obtain protections under bankruptcy law? If not, why? What alternatives do cannabis companies have to filing for bankruptcy? And what might the future hold? Keith answers these and other questions on this edition of The Grass is Always Greenberg.
California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed a slew of laws that could reshape California’s cannabis industry. In the first of a series of episodes analyzing these laws, Greenberg Glusker attorneys Priya Sopori, Steve Stein and Michelle Mabugat provide an overview of what Governor Newsom signed and how it will impact licensed operators.
Tax relief for cannabis businesses, as provided by California’s new AB195 law, is the focus for this edition of The Grass is Always Greenberg. Greenberg Glusker’s cannabis attorneys Priya Sopori, Michelle Mabugat, Alexa Steinberg and Steven Stein cover the great impact the new law, popularly known as The Trailer Bill, will have on the cannabis industry.
They will discuss how AB195, which took effect at the end of June, could benefit cannabis cultivators and distributors but hurt consumers and others.
Tax relief for cannabis businesses, as provided by California’s new AB195 law, is the focus for this edition of The Grass is Always Greenberg. Greenberg Glusker’s cannabis attorneys Priya Sopori, Michelle Mabugat, Alexa Steinberg and Steven Stein cover the great impact the new law, popularly known as The Trailer Bill, will have on the cannabis industry.
They will discuss how AB195, which took effect at the end of June, could benefit cannabis cultivators and distributors but hurt consumers and others.
In Part 2 of a two-part series, The Grass is Always Greenberg features another excerpt from the 2022 Cannalaw Summit: Weighing the Risks and Rewards of Celebrity Branding in the Cannabis Industry.
Greenberg Glusker’s Priya Sopori and Alexa Steinberg discuss, as panelists, the future of cannabis marketing, Will the new frontier feature endorsements from star athletes? Will the cannabis industry join the ranks of sneakers, soda, cars, and clothing as a “jewel of the celebrity endorsement dollar?”
The Grass is Always Greenberg alters its format for a special two-part series covering the 2022 Cannalaw Summit: Weighing the Risks and Rewards of Celebrity Branding in the Cannabis Industry.
Greenberg Glusker’s Priya Sopori and Alexa Steinberg were featured speakers at the event, attended by over 100 cannabis industry specialists. Part 1 excerpts their discussion about issues such as endorsement envy, trademark and copyright enforcement and the risks of tying a cannabis brand to a celebrity.
Tax relief for cannabis businesses, as provided by California’s new AB195 law, is the focus for this edition of The Grass is Always Greenberg. Greenberg Glusker’s cannabis attorneys Priya Sopori, Michelle Mabugat, Alexa Steinberg and Steven Stein cover the great impact the new law, popularly known as The Trailer Bill, will have on the cannabis industry.
They will discuss how AB195, which took effect at the end of June, could benefit cannabis cultivators and distributors but hurt consumers and others.
The Grass is Always Greenberg welcomes Greenberg Glusker Environmental Law Partner, Sedina Banks, to discuss changes to California’s Proposition 65, officially known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986.
Sedina shares her views with colleagues Priya Sopori, Michelle Mabugat, Alexa Steinberg and Steven Stein on how changes to Proposition 65 are likely to impact the cannabis sector and why it’s “the law that everyone loves to ignore” but shouldn’t.
If California Senate Bill No. 1326 passes, licensed cannabis companies will be able to engage in interstate commerce. Is this the much-needed solution to California’s over-supply problem or a Pandora’s Box of more trouble?
In this edition of “The Grass is Always Greenberg,” Priya Sapori, Michelle Mabugat, Alexa Steinberg and Steven Stein take a hard look at AB 1326—including its enforceability and implications for the California Cannabis Industry, as well as its likely impact on competition and the economy.
4-20 is considered a national holiday for cannabis. It has become a big business day for the cannabis industry and a day to mark how far the cannabis sector has come.
This edition of “The Grass is Always Greenberg,” celebrates the occasion with four updates on significant regulations and litigation impacting cannabis businesses and use.
Greenberg Glusker’s Priya Sopori, Michelle Mabugat, Alexa Steinberg and Steven Stein provide insights and foresights into these important developments on this noteworthy day.
In this edition of “The Grass is Always Greenberg,” Greenberg Glusker’s Alexa Steinberg and Steve Stein discuss the latest trends in cannabis litigation and how cannabis cases often have special considerations.
Steve also shares what he learned at the Cannabis Industry Civil Litigation and ADR conference put on by ADR Services and the International Cannabis Bar Association, including partnership disputes, breach of contract claims, landlord-tenant disputes and issues relating to real property.
California’s Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) has set forth proposals aimed at simplifying and streamlining regulations to refine and strengthen the Golden State’s cannabis framework.
In this edition of “The Grass is Always Greenberg,” Greenberg Glusker’s Alexa Steinberg, Michelle Mabugat and Steve Stein discuss the proposed regulations and what their potential impact will likely be on consumer protections and on how cannabis licensees operate and do business on a daily basis.
Why can sports gambling sites, beer and alcohol brands and crypto companies advertise during the Super Bowl when cannabis companies cannot?
Greenberg Glusker’s Steve Stein, Alexa Steinberg and Priya Sopori, in this edition of “The Grass is Always Greenberg,” look at one cannabis company’s attempt to generate a discussion about these issues by trying to advertise during the Super Bowl, and address what cannabis companies should consider in promoting their products, including on social media.
2022 marks the 5-year anniversary of recreational legality in California, but the Golden State is still trying to figure out how to regulate the market and play catch up with the industry. In our inaugural episode of the year, “The Grass is Always Greenberg” looks at what we can expect to see in 2022.
Greenberg Glusker’s Michelle Mabugat, Priya Sopori, Alexa Steinberg, and Steve Stein discuss what we can anticipate in cannabis banking, taxes, licensing, and enforcement.
Does the punishment fit the crime? That is the burning issue in a Mississippi case that “The Grass is Always Greenberg” examines in depth.
Greenberg Glusker’s Michelle Mabugat, Priya Sopori, Alexa Steinberg and Steven Stein discuss the matter of a 36-year old black man convicted of possessing slightly over one ounce of marijuana (the state’s term), a felony in Mississippi. He received a mandatory life sentence without parole while many states are legalizing cannabis, raising the issue of proportionality.
Does the punishment fit the crime? That is the burning issue in a Mississippi case that “The Grass is Always Greenberg” examines in depth.
Greenberg Glusker’s Michelle Mabugat, Priya Sopori, Alexa Steinberg and Steven Stein discuss the matter of a 36-year old black man convicted of possessing slightly over one ounce of marijuana (the state’s term), a felony in Mississippi. He received a mandatory life sentence without parole while many states are legalizing cannabis, raising the issue of proportionality.
The Cannabis industry is expanding all over the country, especially towards the east coast where more and more states are legalizing its use. In this edition of “The Grass is Always Greenberg,” Mike Goral, National Cannabis and Hemp Tax Partner in Charge at Armanino LLP joins Greenberg Glusker’s Michelle Mabugat, Priya Sopori and Steven Stein to discuss the many ramifications of this eastward expansion, including the complex tax issues, market trends and why it’s not good to bury cash in the backyard.
The Cannabis industry is expanding all over the country, especially towards the east coast where more and more states are legalizing its use. In this edition of “The Grass is Always Greenberg,” Mike Goral, National Cannabis and Hemp Tax Partner in Charge at Armanino LLP joins Greenberg Glusker’s Michelle Mabugat, Priya Sopori and Steven Stein to discuss the many ramifications of this eastward expansion, including the complex tax issues, market trends and why it’s not good to bury cash in the backyard.
MJBizCon is the largest and most anticipated event of the cannabis business year and was held in person for the first time since the start of the pandemic. Michelle Mabugat, Priya Sopori and Steven Stein participated in the events surrounding this year’s conference in Las Vegas.
In this podcast, they’ll share what they saw and learned—from the exponential growth of vendor services within the cannabis industry to the geographic expansion of cannabis businesses and their consumer base.
For cannabis companies, banking is anything but business as usual. In this edition of The Grass is Always Greenberg podcast, special guests Stacy Litke and Paul Dunford of Green Check Verified join Greenberg Glusker’s Alexa Steinberg, Priya Sapori and Steve Stein for a wide-ranging look at the unique challenges cannabis businesses face when they need financial institutions for common transactions.
If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em? In the wake of the industry’s evolution, many cannabis companies are contemplating corporate consolidation. In this edition of The Grass is Always Greenberg podcast, Alexa Steinberg and Michelle Mabugat investigate the reasons behind the rise of mergers and acquisitions in the cannabis space.
They discuss valuations, state and local licenses, and the regulatory requirements unique to these transactions, as they caution against the deal-breakers that will surely end them.
If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em? In the wake of the industry’s evolution, many cannabis companies are contemplating corporate consolidation. In this edition of The Grass is Always Greenberg podcast, Alexa Steinberg and Michelle Mabugat investigate the reasons behind the rise of mergers and acquisitions in the cannabis space.
They discuss valuations, state and local licenses, and the regulatory requirements unique to these transactions, as they caution against the deal-breakers that will surely end them.
Now that many states have legalized recreational cannabis, hosts Priya Sopori, Michelle Mabugat, Alexa Steinberg and Steven Stein debate whether federal legalization is on the horizon in this edition of The Grass is Always Greenberg.
Over/unders are offered on when it will happen, while the hosts ponder whether they can count on Congress or if their best bet is on the high court. #WhatWouldJusticeThomasDo
Join us on the “Grass is Always Greenberg” podcast for an essential look back at how the cannabis business survived, and even thrived, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Find out how cannabis became an essential business leading to a record-breaking year with a “crazy increase in retail sales.”
Hosts Priya Sopori, Michelle Mabugat, Alexa Steinberg and Steven Stein share their insights and experiences over the past 15 months while looking ahead to the post-pandemic period.
The first episode of our podcast introduces you to our hosts, Priya Sopori, Michelle Mabugat, Alexa Steinberg and Steven Stein, along with the Cannabis practice at the law firm of Greenberg Glusker.
Tune in while they chat a bit about themselves and the firm’s Cannabis practice and answer the cringe worthy question: What is it like to tell your parents you practice cannabis law?