M&A in Cannabis: Compliance, Agreements, and Insolvency Solutions

Hilary Bricken | Husch Blackwell LLP

Hilary Bricken is a partner at Husch Blackwell, LLP based out of its Los Angeles office. Licensed in California, Washington, Florida, and Wisconsin, she is one of the premier cannabis business and regulatory attorneys in the United States. For the last 14 years, Hilary has helped cannabis companies of all sizes with their corporate, regulatory, and M&A issues.

Every year since 2014, Hilary has been named a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers Magazine, and in 2022 Hilary was named as a Top 50 Up and Coming Woman Rising Star for Southern California. In 2015, the Puget Sound Business Journal selected Hilary for its Top 40 Under 40 list for business and leadership, and in 2017 the American Bar Association named her a Top 40 Under 40 “On the Rise” attorney in the United States. In 2018, Hilary was honored by National Law Journal as a “Cannabis Law Trailblazer.” Starting in 2022, Hilary has been named by Chambers as a Band 1 cannabis business attorney for the Western United States.

In addition, Hilary was a columnist for Above the Law from 2015 until 2019 where she featured content on cannabis policy and regulation. Hilary is a regular contributor to her firm’s Cannabis Law Now blog and is the host of her firm’s Cannabis Law Now podcast.

Max Riffin | Prince Lobel Tye LLP

Max Riffin is a partner in Prince Lobel’s Business Transactions practice group.

His practice primarily focuses on representing businesses, investment funds, and investment advisers, helping them navigate complex transactional and regulatory matters. He provides counsel to public and private companies on general corporate and governance matters, private equity and venture capital transactions, debt and equity financings, private placements, mergers & acquisitions, spin-offs, and other strategic transactions. Max also works with U.S. and non-U.S. investment advisers, open- and closed-end investment companies, including private equity, venture capital, hedge funds and other private investment pools, and broker-dealers on everything from federal and state securities regulatory compliance matters, and governance issues to launches, investments, capital raises, and M&A deals.

Max also works as outside general counsel to businesses in a variety of industries, including technology, life sciences, cryptocurrency/blockchain/digital assets, and represents clients in the cannabis industry on a national basis. practicing for less than eight years.

He was recognized as a “Rising Star” in Business Litigation by Wisconsin Super Lawyers from 2014 to 2019 and received the 2015 Michael Best Litigation Practice Group Outstanding Community Service Award. Additionally, Adam is a proud member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society.

Session I – M&A in Cannabis: Key Legal Insights for Successful Deals and Compliance – | 2:00pm – 3:00pm

• Evolving Legal Landscape in Cannabis M&A
• Market Trends and Deal Structures in Cannabis M&A
• Identifying and Addressing Legal Pain Points
• Transferring Licenses in Cannabis M&A
• Intellectual Property (IP) Protection in Cannabis Transactions
• Valuation of Cannabis Assets
• Key Provisions in Cannabis M&A Agreements

Break | 3:00pm – 3:10pm

Session II – Legal and Regulatory Compliance in Cannabis M&A and Insolvency Proceedings| 3:10pm – 4:10pm

• Legal and Regulatory Compliance in Cannabis M&A
• Legal Strategies for Managing Risks Arising From Non-Compliance
• Drafting Enforceable Cannabis M&A Agreements: Key Legal Considerations
• Cross-Jurisdictional legal issues in M&A
• Distressed Sales, Receiverships, and Other Insolvency Proceedings Available to Cannabis Businesses.