Practice Management

I know there are jokes to be made, but this is a very real and very serious legal practice and niche.  California attorney Johnathan Griffith alerted me to this area.  I live in Texas and frankly have not followed the trend of medical marijuana too carefully -- until now.  

Whether it is legal or not, there is certainly a trend toward the de-criminalization of marijuana is some form in many states. According to ProCon.Org, 14 states have enacted laws that legalize medical marijuana, and two states have passed laws that are favorable towards medical marijuana. If you are interested in the work being undertaken to reform marijuana laws in the United States, you obviously want to follow Norml.Org. There is the Canadian-Medical-Marijuana.Com. You can buy seeds from Amsterdam. There is the Los Angeles Cannabis Clubs.

The Cannabis Law Group in Orange, Los Angeles and Riverside, California is the product of attorney Damian Nassiri, and he represents medical marijuana incorporation of collectives, growers, mobile dispensaries and doctors, represents those prosecuted in regard to compassionate use of marijuana, and compliance issues. There is John C. Lucy IV of Portland, Oregon as well. Jeffrey Steinborn's website discusses the problems of the ill defined law in Washington state. The Kroger Law Group reviews the law on its Patient's Guide to Medical Cannabis site. Stiley & Pikutovich describe themselves as "two troublemakers with law degrees" on their site LegalJoint.Net. Bruce M. Margolin bills himself as the "nation's foremost authority on drug and marijuana law". There is Colorado Criminal Defense and Medical Marijuana Legal Counsel Warren C. Edson's site. The Law Offices of Stewart Richlin has one of the most informative sites, and I have posted one of his videos below.

I do not use marijuana. However, one of my goals is to report and inform on legitimate legal practice niches around the country. No matter what your opinion of this movement, this is such a niche and it deserves come consideration by you as an attorney looking for a practice area. This is because people, medical personnel, companies, non-profits and others need representation. Not just criminal representation as a niche, although that is a possibility, but all facets of the emerging law. When you think about it, just as with alcohol compliance and enforcement issues in which attorneys are heavily involved, in states that have legalized medical marijuana, the process is going to be highly regulated. Mistakes are going to be severely punished. Compliance issues are important. And, this means well meaning lawyers are needed to advise and represent. Further, because the enforcement issue is sever, legal fees for this service will likely be a premium for those lawyers that know or can learn the topic well.