October 26, 2016
ShareKelley Kronenberg’s Regulated Substances Practice Group Sponsors The Medical Marijuana Business Networking Group
The Firm is preparing for Florida’s Upcoming Medical Marijuana Vote
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Kelley Kronenberg, a full-service business law firm, is gearing up for Amendment 2, the Florida constitutional amendment that legalizes the use of medical marijuana. This November, Florida voters will get a chance to vote on Amendment 2, which would create an expanded medical marijuana program in the state.
The law firm created a Regulated Substances practice group in advance of the first medical marijuana legalization vote in 2014, which came very close to passing. The issue is back on the statewide ballot this November; the new Amendment 2, known as the Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative, was reworked to satisfy some objections to the original ballot language. Recent polls show that it expected to pass this time. Should the Amendment pass, Kelley Kronenberg is ready to assist its clients.
On November 2, 2016, the law firm will sponsor the Medical Marijuana Business Networking Group Breakfast (MMBNG) http://www.mmbng.eventbrite.com. The event is co-sponsored by Phyto Partners, an investment fund focused in the legal cannabis space. This event will serve as a networking and education forum on the current state of the marijuana industry, and what Floridians and entrepreneurs can expect if Amendment 2 should pass on November 8, 2016. The networking breakfast will take place at Kelley Kronenberg’s headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, and is designed for attendees who are interested in, or actively involved in, the Florida medical marijuana industry and the opportunities and challenges it creates.
“We formed the Regulated Substances Practice Group because we anticipate that many of our clients will have questions about the legalization of medical marijuana and its impact on their businesses and companies. We are prepared to give them the best advice possible, and offer guidance on the issues that will emerge,” said Howard L. Wander, Principal Partner and Chief Operating Officer, who leads the practice group. “The clash between the law and the workplace could significantly impact how businesses traditionally handle labor issues that arise from the legalization of medical marijuana. We believe there will be legal questions related to employers’ and workers’ rights, HIPAA Compliance, human resource policies, a Drug Free Workplace, workers’ compensation claims, general liability, and the regulatory maze associated with the manufacturing, ordering, distribution, marketing, sale, administration and consumption of various regulated products.”
The firm’s Regulated Substances Practice Group will assist clients with possible issues that may arise from the legalization of medical marijuana as it relates to their businesses, including potential workers’ compensation claims, labor and employment matters, litigation, and general liability matters.
From the outset, firm attorneys and personnel have been intricately involved in state legislation, legal issues and analysis related to Florida’s medical marijuana regulation and related business operations. In addition to Wander, other attorneys in the group include Partners Tom Mersch and Angelo Filippi, and Attorneys Michelle Suarez and Jason Handin.
The legal team is assisted by non-lawyer, Seth Hyman, who actively lobbied for a Florida law that legalized a non-eutrophic strain of marijuana to help people like his daughter Rebecca. She has a rare genetic disorder that makes her prone to constant violent seizures. Trying to make the most of his family’s situation, Hyman has become one of the most visible faces in Florida’s burgeoning medical marijuana industry.
“It is impossible to know all of the legal issues that might arise if Amendment 2 passes,” said Wander. “But, I do know we have a highly-competent team in place to handle them when the time comes.”
