Overview

Legalized recreational and medical use of marijuana is now prevalent among a significant majority of United States jurisdictions.  Because of this sea change in statutes, the cannabis industry is now the fastest growing industry in North America and presents cannabis growers, retailers and service providers with unique issues and opportunities as well as requiring the consideration of those more traditional business and legal issues.

Pullman has developed a team of skilled attorneys to assist medical and recreational marijuana, cannabidiol (CBD), and other hemp clients in need of advice ranging from regulatory compliance, intellectual property licensing agreements, supply agreements, facility siting issues, acquisitions, mergers and sales, and equity investments and structurings.

Our attorneys were among the first in Connecticut to help growers navigate the permitting process with the Department of Consumer Protection after medical marijuana was legalized in the state in 2012.

Our team offers a full range of legal services that intersect with businesses, industries and government entities. These include cannabis business formation, licensure, corporate structuring, fund formation, debt and equity financing, tax, real estate acquisitions and leasing, zoning and land use, labor and employment issues, HIPAA and intellectual property protection.

Our Business and Finance attorneys help growers through the application and approval process and continue to represent one of the first four Connecticut producers when called upon to assist with its expansion plans. Our Tax attorneys have obtained two favorable tax rulings from the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services, confirming the exemption from the Connecticut Sales and Use Tax of medical marijuana testing services. Additionally, our Labor and Employment Law attorneys routinely advise traditional employers on how laws related to the use of medical and recreational marijuana affect employment policies and practices.

*Cultivating, possessing and selling cannabis are all still illegal under United States federal law. Our firm limits its services to advising our clients with respect to the meaning and application of the laws and regulations in Connecticut and other states in which we are admitted to practice where cannabis has been legalized. This firm will not provide advice that is intended to assist anyone in a violation of federal law.

Andy Glassman - CT Cannabis Chamber of Commerce Award

Andrew Glassman, chair of the Cannabis, CBD and Hemp practice at Pullman & Comley (pictured second from the left), has been named 2022 Attorney of the Year by the Connecticut Cannabis Chamber of Commerce. Glassman was recognized at the sold-out “Together We Grow 2022” event on Dec. 7 at the Hartford Club.

News & Insights

News

Case Studies

  • Under the new recreational use statute, our attorneys are:
    • Assisting Social Equity Applicants(SEA) and other non-SEAs applying for the lottery
    • Advising numerous licensee hopefuls with completing their applications for licensure
    • Setting up cultivation facility entities and assisting clients in the filing of applications
    • Seeking licenses on behalf of Joint Ventures.
  • Pullman was a leader in the early days of the medical cannabis space in Connecticut, when it was first legalized in 2012. In December 2021, we sold a dispensary to Verano Holdings, a publicly-traded (in Canada) multistate operator.
  • Over the past year we have been involved in the sale of a medical cannabis producer and have handled purchases and sales of interest in producers and dispensaries.
  • Employers receive guidance from our Labor and Employment attorneys on recommended changes to their workplace policies to accommodate the new laws governing recreational cannabis use.
  • Municipalities turn to us for counsel on planning and zoning issues as well as tax revenue opportunities.

Industry Contact

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Andrew Glassman Quoted in Hartford Business Journal on the Emerging Cannabis Industry in Connecticut

Andrew Glassman,co-chair of the Business Organizations and Finance practice, spoke with the Hartford Business Journal about new business opportunities as a result of the legalization of recreational cannabis in Connecticut. 

To read the full article, please visit the Hartford Business Journal website.

Megan Carannante Talks with the Connecticut Law Tribune on How Employers Have the Upper Hand with Legalization of Recreational Marijuana

Megan Y. Carannante, co-chair of Pullman & Comley's Labor, Employment Law and Employee Benefits practice, spoke with the Connecticut Law Tribune about what the legalization of recreational marijuana means for employers. 

To read the full article, visit www.law.com.

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