The California Lawyers Association is hosting its first Summer Cannabis (Law) Series.  The Summer Cannabis (Law) Series is being hosted on the first Thursday of July, August and September.  The program will feature speakers discussing a wide range of cannabis related topics from workplace implications, intellectual property rights, environmental and real property issues, and the licensing and regulatory framework of cannabis in California.  We will also be featuring a session on the criminal implications of expungements and the federal prohibition on cannabis.  

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Panel 1: The California Cannabis Rush: The Interplay Between Cannabis, Environmental Laws and Regulations

1:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. | 1.25 Hours MCLE

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Since the Passage of Propositions 215 and 64, there has been a myriad of new laws and regulations passed relating to Cannabis.  But like (and in some case unlike) any other agricultural crop there has been confusion about what is required for those who want to enter the industry in terms of compliance with existing environmental laws and regulations. This panel will discuss some of the state and local permitting schemes and their requirements with a focus on water, CEQA, and land use issues.

Panel 2: Protecting Cannabis IP in an Uncertain Legal Landscape

3 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. | 1.25 Hours MCLE

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This panel will discuss the specific intellectual property issues faced by the cannabis industry in the current landscape and discuss the impact of the legality of cannabis on IP rights.  The discussion will include tips and tricks regarding trademark protection for cannabis brands, considering the USPTO’s prohibition against the registration of marks for goods or services that are unlawful under the federal Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”), such as marijuana. They will also discuss the protection of trademarks for hemp-based and hemp-derived CBD goods and services in view of the enactment of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (“2018 Farm Bill”).  The panelists will also explore strategies for patent protection of cannabis-related goods.  The discussion will be rounded out with a discussion of trade secrets, copyrights, licensing, and the difficulties involved in enforcing cannabis-related intellectual property in federal court.  This practical panel will offer advice and best practices for securing IP rights as the landscape evolves.