Marijuana Law Forum

[Anonymous User]

So, if you got a very lucrative offer to join a "premier" marijuana firm right now, would you do it? Would it "taint" your resume away from biglaw forever? What if it were corporate work for marijuana clients, not licensing/regulatory work? Would you worried about being disbarred for aiding "illegal activity"? HALP. This is real.

[MKC]

Dear Client,

Everything you're doing is illegal under Federal law and ole' boy Sessions is coming for you. You should stop growing marijuana.

Sincerely,

Lawyer Who Doesn't Want to Counsel Clients to Continue Performing Illegal Acts Because Ethics.

ETA: You can be their lawyer, you just can't tell them how to continue breaking federal law, which seems like it would be the focus of the practice area.

ETA2: ***This is not legal advice and you should consult a qualified weed ethics lawyer in your state.

[Anonymous User]

ETA: You can be their lawyer, you just can't tell them how to continue breaking federal law, which seems like it would be the focus of the practice area.

Yeah--that's the issue. MJ is legal in my state and the state's bar has issued an ethics memo saying it's fine to practice for these clients. But what if I need to opine on a deal--that's MY signature (on behalf of the firm) on that opinion! And couldn't the feds prosecute me? Of course the people who are interviewing me are telling me not to worry, but I'm leaving a blue-chip, Ivy-League type background and ending up in jail is not in my career goals plan. But damn, it's a lot of money and not very high billables.

[pancakes3]

lol.

[MKC]

Also you're not supposed to ask for legal advice on TLS, even if it's weed law and sounds like a joke.

[flashdril]

ETA: You can be their lawyer, you just can't tell them how to continue breaking federal law, which seems like it would be the focus of the practice area.

Yeah--that's the issue. MJ is legal in my state and the state's bar has issued an ethics memo saying it's fine to practice for these clients. But what if I need to opine on a deal--that's MY signature (on behalf of the firm) on that opinion! And couldn't the feds prosecute me? Of course the people who are interviewing me are telling me not to worry, but I'm leaving a blue-chip, Ivy-League type background and ending up in jail is not in my career goals plan. But damn, it's a lot of money and not very high billables.

the billables are the only thing that won't be high.

folks,,,

[runinthefront]

So, if you got a very lucrative offer to join a "premier" marijuana firm right now, would you do it? Would it "taint" your resume away from biglaw forever? What if it were corporate work for marijuana clients, not licensing/regulatory work? Would you worried about being disbarred for aiding "illegal activity"? HALP. This is real.

To answer the strict question-- "would you do it?"--I probably would only if I did not have any intention to ever practice as a lawyer for the federal government.

[BigZuck]

What kind of garbage firm makes their lawyers sign their own name on their opinions?

Also this isn't real so stop being fake

[joanneofarc]

There is no such thing as an elite marijuana boutique.

[A. Nony Mouse]

There is no such thing as an elite marijuana boutique.

Sure, but that's not what the OP called it.

Also not sure why this would be fake; there are plenty of lawyers/legal issues relating to the MJ industry in states where it's legal. (I also have a reallllllly hard time seeing the feds prosecuting a lawyer for the industry, barring some other kind of misconduct; I feel like you'd get a cease and desist if prosecution policies change in the state.)

[PorscheFanatic]

How good is the money?

[Anonymous User]

I assure you this is very much real, and I have to decide by tomorrow. Of course, just when I was getting comfortable about how it was risky but a great opportunity, the Sessions memo came out.

The money is same as biglaw for base, but lower billables (1500 year).

I know I would not sign opinions as an associate, but as the only corporate lawyer for the firm in my state, my arse would surely be the one who is opining on this state's law, from a corporate perspective.

I would actually appreciate TLS's thoughts, for real. And I'm not asking for legal advice--more about what your own personal risk tolerance of working for a firm like this would be, and whether you feel that there is legit resume taint. Thanks.

[Desert Fox]

I say go for it. Starting at the bottom of a new industry is the best way to be become a $$$$$$ lawyer.

Just be careful to avoid conspiracy, etc.

[SmokeytheBear]

Super awesome opportunity. We were asked by some potential clients to help them structure a fund for some marijuana investors.

Also, my firm only signs opinions as the firm; no individual.

[PorscheFanatic]

I assure you this is very much real, and I have to decide by tomorrow. Of course, just when I was getting comfortable about how it was risky but a great opportunity, the Sessions memo came out.

The money is same as biglaw for base, but lower billables (1500 year).

I know I would not sign opinions as an associate, but as the only corporate lawyer for the firm in my state, my arse would surely be the one who is opining on this state's law, from a corporate perspective.

I would actually appreciate TLS's thoughts, for real. And I'm not asking for legal advice--more about what your own personal risk tolerance of working for a firm like this would be, and whether you feel that there is legit resume taint. Thanks.

Is this Colorado/California? If you're in a noon-major market making $180k with 1500 billable requirement, take that in a heartbeat. Even in a major market, take that in a heartbeat. If it's southern CA and you're averse to the riskiness, PM me so I can apply.

Also, if you eventually left for other jobs, I'm sure your type of work would come up, but at least your firm name is presumably something like "[Last Name] & [Last Name], LLP," not "Pot Smoker Defenders, PLLC." So, if you do other non-marijuana work while you're there, you may be able to hide the marijuana stuff from your resume and future employers, or at least take the emphasis off of it. Obviously, people familiar with the firm will know, but you could always move to a different legal market. I wouldn't have the slightest clue who the top marijuana firms are, and I live/work in CA.

[Anonymous User]

I do some marijuana work. This is going to vary a little state to state, but in my state, a corporate marijuana lawyer probably wouldn’t have to know much about marijuana law. There is a complicated licensing and regulatory framework, and some unique L&E issues, but that’s about it. If that’s the case in your state, I imagine the work would be pretty transferable outside of the industry.

As a caution, however, I do worry about marijuana boutiques. The work is extremely boom and bust in my state. This may not apply to you, but as an example, licenses are batched out here. When a batch drops, everyone is insane. In between batches, licensing attorneys who do not have a developed licensing or land use practice are dead. This may not apply to you personally, but it may apply to the firm.

Take all this with a grain of salt, because I am certain you’re not in my state. No one is paying anywhere near $180k here for anyone below senior associates in marijuana work and they have 1800-1850 minimum requirements at the very least.

[pancakes3]

hold up, i thought this was a marijuana firm like... a company in the mj industry. are there *law firms* that are so specialized that their entire practice is work for mj companies?

what's a marijuana boutique? just name some general names bc i'm genuinely curious.

[A. Nony Mouse]

you can always just google "marijuana law firm" or the like

http://vicentesederberg.com/
https://hoban.law/
http://cannalawgroup.com/
https://emergelawgroup.com/

(also https://www.duanemorris.com/practices/cannabis_law.html
http://www.foxrothschild.com/cannabis-law/)

[sublime]

I would so long as I was convinced that the firm was stable and didn’t want to work in the govt.

[whats an updog]

I would so long as I was convinced that the firm was stable and didn’t want to work in the govt.

Same. Agreed with the above poster too who said that getting in at the beginning of the industry is a possibly huge bonus so long as the firm itself seems stable.

[Anonymous User]

I interviewed for a summer position at a semi big firm that bragged about their "Marijuana law" practice. The partner went on a rant about how the Feds should legalize it, and how marijuana is less harmful than alcohol, etc. To be honest, he seemed a bit unhinged.

I don't think it's a resume taint per se though. If you like the culture/fit, and the money is reasonable, I would say go for it.