Marijuana

AG Jeff Sessions may be doing more posturing than threatening when it comes to marijuana enforcement.

What will future DOJ marijuana enforcement look like?

The top 10 highlights for marijuana in 2017. What will the new year bring for cannabis and the law?

He says he's 'always had a soft spot for cannabis.'

* Matthew Riehl, the gunman in the Colorado shooting this weekend who killed a deputy sheriff and wounded four police officers and two civilians, was a former lawyer in Wyoming whose alma mater, Wyoming Law, warned students about his “suspicious behavior” in early November. [Denver Post; Laramie Live]

* In his 2017 State of the Judiciary Report, Chief Justice John Roberts focused on court emergency preparedness, but included an addendum about sexual harassment within the judiciary, announcing that proper procedures must be in place to “ensure an exemplary workplace for every judge and every court employee.” No mention of the recently retired Judge Alex Kozinski was made. [Washington Post]

* Joel Sanders, the former CFO of failed firm Dewey & LeBoeuf who was convicted on securities fraud and conspiracy charges, has reached a settlement with the SEC, but the agency will move forward with proceedings against Stephen DiCarmine, the firm’s ex-executive director. [New York Law Journal]

* As usual, the new year brings with it a slew of new laws. In some states, voter ID laws will go into effect, while in others, police won’t be able to arrest people for immigration enforcement purposes. Plus, pets will be treated more like children after divorces in at least one state. [CNN]

* Speaking of new laws, marijuana is now fully legal in California, and if you’re 21 or older, you can now purchase and possess up to an ounce for recreational use. This a “monumental moment” for the Golden State, but don’t forget that the Feds still consider the drug to be an illegal Schedule I narcotic. [Los Angeles Times]

* Is SCOTUS walking back its landmark commitment to equal rights for the LGBTQ community? Considering what could happen in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case and the high court’s refusal to grant cert in Pidgeon, it seems like it. It’s not as if this hasn’t happened before. ::coughBrownvBoardcough:: [New Republic]

* A federal judge ruled that an American ISIS suspect who’s been detained as a “enemy combatant” in Iraq for the last three months is, in fact, entitled to a lawyer, and called the Trump administration’s quest to deny counsel in this case “both remarkable and troubling.” [New York Times]

* Everything really is bigger in Texas: According to the ABA, there are just 0.8 percent more first-year law students this year than last year, but entering classes at law schools in the Lone Star State were 4 percent larger than they were last year. Hopefully all these students will be able to lasso themselves jobs. [Texas Lawyer]

* Lawsuits have been rolling out ever since Apple admitted that it was slowing down iPhones with older batteries, and one of them was filed by two students who currently attend USC Law and hope to get the suit certified as a class-action. This is an absolutely awesome use of winter break. [RT]

* Which states are likely to legalize marijuana in the new year? Vermont, New Jersey, and Michigan may soon end their prohibitions on cannabis, either through legislative means or by puff-puff-passing a voter referendum. [Forbes]

* If you’re a journalist with three years of experience and cover the legal profession in your reporting, consider applying to be a fellow at Loyola Law School’s annual Journalist Law School. There is no cost to attend. The application deadline is February 9, 2018. [Journalist Law School]

* Judge Thomas Griesa, the Southern District of New York jurist who oversaw the Argentine debt battle in federal court, RIP. [New York Law Journal]

It is only a matter of time before we start seeing cannabis franchises proliferating.

We finally know what L.A’s licensing process and operational requirements will be in 2018.

Many cannabis businesses lack any sort of policies to address workplace harassment.

* After about two weeks of silence, President Trump has finally spoken out about the sexual misconduct allegations that Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore is facing. Seeming to indicate support for the accused child molester, the president said, “Roy Moore denies it. That’s all I can say,” before he ripped into Moore’s opponent. [AL.com]

* “Practically every law school in the country is offering more tuition discounts or scholarships than they did pre-2010.” Now is apparently a great time to apply to law school, if only because it’ll wind up being cheaper than it’s been in years. [U.S. News]

* Biglaw is getting in on the green rush in Canada ahead of its nationwide legalization of recreational marijuana. Dentons, Cassels Brock, and Stikeman Elliott each have roles as counsel in a huge cannabis deal in the Great White North. [Am Law]

* Another federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from banning transgender people from serving in the military, ruling that the ban “cannot possibly constitute a legitimate governmental interest.” We can’t wait to see the president’s angry tweets about this. [Reuters]

* When it comes to parental leave at Biglaw firms, staff members are really getting the short end of the stick. In fact, at some firms, hourly staff members aren’t even considered for parental leave benefits. [Big Law Business]

* Judge William M. Hoeveler, legendary jurist (S.D. Fla.), RIP. [Miami Herald]

Be sure to read the rules again and again before pursuing your California cannabis license.

These are the cannabis risk factors that should be present in every California PPM to avoid anti-fraud issues.

* Per recently filed FEC paperwork, the Republican Party’s campaign arm has severed financial ties with would-be Alabama senator Roy Moore thanks to his allegedly pervy predilections. If there’s no grass on the field, the GOP won’t play ball, but this man will probably still be elected. [The Daily Beast]

* Starting today, members of the public will be able to access briefs and relevant case documents from the Supreme Court’s website for the first time in history. This will be pretty cool for a day or two, and then people will go back SCOTUSblog, to the OG of high court documentation. [Washington Post]

* After seeing a five-year nose-dive, the number of LSAT-takers has ticked upwards ever so slightly over the course of the past two years. Law schools are probably thrilled given the dearth of quality applicants, but this is likely little comfort for the LSAC given the unexpected rise of the GRE. [Law.com]

* Late last week, a judge ruled favorably for Kerrie Campbell in a discovery dispute in her gender bias case against the now-defunct Chadbourne & Parke. Campbell will be able to review the personal email accounts of the firm’s former leaders for any documents relevant to the case. [American Lawyer]

* A 12-year-old girl who suffers from debilitating seizures and was forced to move from Texas to Colorado for treatment is suing Attorney General Jeff Sessions in an effort to legalize medical marijuana nationwide. The government has already lost its first motion to dismiss her case. [The Hill]

Prosecutors would have an uphill climb if they truly wanted to go after a U.S. resident for investing in a foreign marijuana business that intends to serve that foreign market.

For those who'd like to get high on the high seas...

Do your due diligence, lest you waste your time and money.

Your cannabis company won't receive any tax benefits or meaningful liability protection by registering in Delaware.

Uncertainty remains as to the legality of CBD products, but America's big box stores are still trying to sell them.

Thus far, the FDA has kept its nose out of state-legal medical cannabis, but it remains a sleeping giant.

The name of the game in California cannabis mergers and acquisitions should be buyer beware, and then some.