Examining the SAFE Banking Act’s Potential Impact on the Cannabis Industry

May 31, 2020

Jon Avidor

By: Jon Avidor and Liam McKillop Last September, the Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act of 2019 (the “SAFE Banking Act”) garnered enough votes in the House of Representatives to pass through to the Senate. This was an important first step...

Crypto Mom’s SEC Safe Harbor Proposal for New Token Offerings

April 20, 2020

Steve Masur

By: Steven Masur and Cameron Ashby During the 4th International Blockchain Congress in Chicago, Hester Pierce, Commissioner for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) (aka, the “Crypto Mom”), announced the “Token Safe Harbor Proposal,” or the “Proposed Securities...

COVID-19 and the Force Majeure Clause

April 9, 2020

Steve Masur

By: Steve Masur and Ilana Faibish Does COVID-19 constitute a force majeure event under my contract? The COVID-19 crisis has resulted in significant disruptions in most industries. A great many companies are struggling to meet their obligations under their...

Secretary of State Office Deadlines Update

March 24, 2020

MGA

As we navigate these challenging times, we remain focused on supporting you in the weeks and months ahead. To that end, we have been monitoring Secretary of State offices for updates on filing deadlines and requirements. Here is an...

How Private Keys Create Flexibility, Security, and Risk within Digital Exchange Platforms

March 4, 2020

Jon Avidor

By: Jason Gershenson and Armando E. Martinez As cryptocurrency exchange activity continues to grow, it becomes increasingly more important to understand how to protect these assets. Storing cryptocurrency safely is often confusing for first-time and even experienced buyers. Popular...

Cannabis Advertising Laws: The States’ Way or the Highway

January 22, 2020

Jon Avidor

By: Sarah Siegel and Liam McKillop As cannabis continues to be classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act, federal law prohibits any written advertisement placed in a newspaper, magazine, on the internet, or in any...

A Limited Shield of Privacy for New York Residents

November 19, 2019

Steve Masur

By: Steve Masur and Cameron Ashby New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the Stop Hacks and Improve Electronic Data Security Act (the “SHIELD Act” or the “Act”) into law on July 25, 2019, nearly two years after the bill...

The Hazy Relationship between the FDA and CBD

November 7, 2019

Jon Avidor

By: Sarah Siegel and Liam McKillop Walking around New York City, it could be easy to be under the impression that the sale of certain CBD products is legal. You can walk into your local convenience store and buy...

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do: Big Tech and the Coming Antitrust Assault

November 1, 2019

Rob Griffitts

By: Rob Griffitts Big tech has been under assault by Europe’s regulators for years now, but until recently, not much has been happening in the US.  But after a series of scandals, most notably Facebook’s privacy issues with Cambridge...

LA’s Social Equity Program: Transforming Past Wrongs for a Just Future

October 2, 2019

Jon Avidor

By: Eric Lightman and Kathryn Jones It is no secret that minority communities have been adversely affected by the War on Drugs.  Though the need for prison reform has recently come to the political forefront, it has not solved...

What the FUCT: Can the USPTO Still Deny Your Vulgar or Offensive Mark?

September 23, 2019

Steve Masur

By: Steve Masur and Cameron Ashby The Supreme Court recently struck down a federal law that banned trademarking words and logos that are “immoral” or “scandalous”. The court reasoned that this federal requirement for registering marks was a form...

The CBD’s of Trademarks

September 9, 2019

Jon Avidor

By: Jon Avidor and Joshua Weisenfeld Recent cannabis legalization in 11 states has pushed congress to more formally address the issue of federal regulation and decriminalization. On December 20, 2018, Congress continued this process and moved forward with partial...