Our latest featured speaker is Barbara Adams from Clark Hill LLP!

Barbara will be on the faculty panel at our upcoming 13th Annual California Superior Court Boot Camp in San Francisco on November 8! Barbara first spoke for us at our 2013 Legal Editing seminar, and has returned to speak at our 9th Annual CA Superior Court Boot Camp, 2015 Jury Selection seminar, and our 12th Annual California Superior Court Boot Camp! Seminar attendees have raved about her presentations, and we can’t wait to have her back!

Barbara R. Adams specializes in the defense of toxic tort and product liability litigation involving asbestos, lead, food toxins, underground tanks, and other chemicals in personal injury, property damage, and long-term/latent injury litigation actions. Ms. Adams has completed numerous jury trials in most of the Bay Area Superior Courts, otherwise successfully resolved complex cases, and has participated in the development of complex litigation rules for the Superior and Federal courts.

Ms. Adams also has significant experience and expertise in appellate law. She has filed and defended appeals, writs, and petitions before the California Courts of Appeal, the California Supreme Court, and the Federal Courts of Appeal. Ms. Adams handles appeals in which she has not been involved in the underlying litigation.

You can read Ms. Adams’ views on toxic tort and chemical exposure issues at her blog, Toxics Defense.

Ms. Adams received her B.A. in Political Science from California State University at Fullerton in 1977 and her J.D. from the University of Santa Clara School of Law in 1981. She is admitted to practice in California, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. District Court for the Northern and Eastern Districts of California.

Our latest featured speaker is Dante Tosetti!

Dante will be on the faculty panel at our upcoming Recreational and Medical Marijuana Law and Business in California seminar in Los Angeles on November 1-2! This is Dante’s first year speaking with us, and we can’t wait for his presentation!

Dante Tosetti is a regulatory compliance and risk management consultant to financial institutions. He has over twenty years of risk management experience within private equity, the Federal Reserve and commercial banking. Dante has been covered by the Wall Street Journal, American Banker, Fortune, Geekwire, Reuters PE Hub, and Credit Union Management Magazine for his expert analysis on banking the nascent cannabis industry in a safe and sound manner. He has presented his views on banking marijuana related business at the Power of Collaboration Global Summit at the United Nations in New York and Innovation Project at Harvard University in Cambridge. He also presented at the Cannabis Banking Working Group convened by California State Treasurer John Chiang, the California Bankers Association’s Directors Conference and Bank Counsel Seminar, and the Trigild Fall Conference.

Dante is currently a Regulatory Liaison for a bank which was under a BSA related public enforcement action. Dante was formally recognized as “instrumental” to the bank’s successful release from the public enforcement action. Dante is also consulting for the City of Oakland, City of Berkeley, City of Richmond, and County of Alameda’s feasibility study for a public bank initiative. He consulted to a lobby group pursuing marijuana related banking legislation in the State of Colorado. He has been a regulatory advisor to a marijuana related Fintech startup. He was an invited guest to the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco’s cannabis affinity group to discuss marijuana banking policy.

Prior to his independent practice, Dante was the Director of Treasury Compliance with Privateer Holdings, Inc. a global private equity firm shaping the future of the legal cannabis industry. As Director, he oversaw the firm’s compliance with laws and regulations, the Department of Justice Cole Memorandum and corresponding FinCEN guidance. He fostered and established first of its kind relationships with banks, credit unions, insurance providers and merchant service providers in the United States, Canada and the EU. Prior to Privateer, Dante was a Bank Examiner with the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco where he led and supported safety and soundness examinations of community, regional, and large banks throughout the nine western states. He was responsible for the evaluation of a bank’s financial condition and operating performance, including capital, asset quality, earnings, liquidity and sensitivity to market risk, assessment of management performance and the effectiveness of risk management practices and control environment, including internal audit, accounting, and credit review. Other roles included review of the investment portfolio, CRE concentrations, and BSA/AML compliance. He received his credentials from the Federal Reserve Board of Governors as a commissioned Bank Examiner. Prior to the Fed, Dante was a commercial banker with credit related responsibilities including underwriting, elationship management, portfolio management, and distressed debt.

Dante earned a degree in Business Administration from the University of San Diego and is a graduate from the Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington. He resides in Northern California.

Our latest featured speaker is Amir Sadr from Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP!

Amir will be on the faculty panel at our upcoming Recreational and Medical Marijuana Law and Business in California seminar in Los Angeles on November 1-2! This is Amir’s first year speaking with us, and we can’t wait for his presentation!

Amir is a real estate transactional attorney with extensive experience in all aspects of real estate transactions, including commercial leasing, real property acquisitions and dispositions, development, and management of real estate assets.

Amir has served a wide variety of real estate clients, including national and regional commercial landlords and tenants, real estate investment groups, individual investors, property management companies, and developers. In his representation of his clients, Amir has drafted and negotiated all types of agreements for a variety of office, industrial, retail and medical properties, including, lease agreements, purchase and sale agreements, property management agreements, and other related contracts.

Amir has developed a diverse practice relative to the emerging California cannabis industry which includes advising and representing commercial real estate owners and investors intending to transact business with cannabis operators. Amir’s experience includes the application of the Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (“MAUCRSA”), the relevant provisions of Medical Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (“MCRSA”), Adult Use of Marijuana Act 2016 (“AUMA”) and various local city and county regulations. Amir represents various commercial owners and investors in connection with the lease and sale of real property to some of the largest cannabis operators in California. Amir has also lectured and written articles on the regulatory framework governing medical and recreational cannabis in California and addressing the opportunities and risks for commercial property owners.

Amir graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, summa cum laude, with a degree in Political Science. He received his J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law, where he served as the President of the Real Estate Law Association, the Executive Officer of External Affairs for the UCLA Moot Court Honors Board, and Executive Scholarship Editor of the Journal of Law and Technology.

Our latest featured speaker is Irán Hopkins from Akerman LLP!

Irán will be on the faculty panel at our upcoming Recreational and Medical Marijuana Law and Business in California seminar in Los Angeles on November 1-2! This is Irán’s first year speaking with us, and we can’t wait for her presentation!

Irán Hopkins is a Partner at Akerman, where she advises clients across a range of industries in all aspects of real estate and business transactions and day-to-day operations, including structuring ownership and joint ventures, equity investments, capital structure and debt financing, M&A transactions, commercial contracts, service and use agreements, purchase and sale of real estate, commercial and residential leasing, development, property management, insurance and business succession planning, disputes and risk management, branding, licensing, intellectual property rights.

Ms. Hopkins is an expert in California cannabis, working with landlords, tenants, lenders, legacy operators, new operators, investors, and other stakeholders in the cannabis industry in all aspects of real estate transactions, business operations, getting products to market, and regulatory compliance with California law on a local, county and state level.

Our latest featured speaker is Jonathan Havens from Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr!

Jonathan will be on the faculty panel at our upcoming Recreational and Medical Marijuana Law and Business in California seminar in Los Angeles on November 1-2! This is Jonathan’s first year speaking with us, and we can’t wait for his presentation!

Jonathan Havens is co-chair of the Cannabis Law Practice at Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr LLP.  He also serves as vice chair of the firm’s Food and Beverage Practice and is a member of the firm’s Life Sciences Practice.  Jonathan’s unique perspective on cannabis regulation is informed by his congressional, federal agency, and national and international law firm experience.

He counsels state cannabis license applicants and awardees, ancillary service and product providers, investors, management companies, and various other entities that are affected by federal and state marijuana laws, such as long-term care facilities and higher education institutions.

Before entering private practice, Jonathan served as a regulatory counsel with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where he focused on compliance and enforcement related to promotion, advertising, and labeling.  Prior to law school, Jonathan held legislative and government affairs positions in which he managed several areas of policy and drafted legislative proposals, and facilitated the development and execution of strategic communications to members of Congress and their staff aides.

Our latest featured speaker is Michael Chernis from Chernis Law Group!

Michael will be on the faculty panel at our upcoming Recreational and Medical Marijuana Law and Business in California seminar in Los Angeles on November 1-2! Michael first spoke for us at our 2017 Marijuana Law conference, where attendees’ evaluations said he was very informative and gave a fantastic presentation. We are excited to have Michael back!

Michael Chernis is one of California’s premier experts on marijuana legal issues whether it’s criminal, civil, federal, or business related. His law firm, Chernis Law Group P.C. in Santa Monica California, serves the varied needs of collectives, dispensaries, deliveries, cultivators, manufacturers and other medical cannabis clients, including a number of leading cannabis brands.  His experience as a federal criminal defense attorney gives him a unique perspective on federal enforcement issues as they pertain to the cannabis industry.  As Policy Director of the Los Angeles Cannabis Task Force, he has been at the forefront of driving ballot issues and working with lawmakers to enact changes in the law that will benefit existing and prospective stakeholders.

Our latest featured speaker is Bryan Bergman from The Hemp Counsel, A Practice Area of Bergman Law Group!

Bryan will be on the faculty panel at our upcoming Recreational and Medical Marijuana Law and Business in California seminar in Los Angeles on November 1-2! This is Bryan’s first year speaking with us, and we can’t wait for his presentation!

Bryan M. Bergman has been practicing for over a decade with experience in complex business transactions, civil litigation involving complex issues surrounding real estate, business and family law disputes, and assisting cannabis businesses, real estate owners involved in the cannabis industry, investors, and ancillary cannabis service companies in California. His services range from providing assistance in entity strategy and formation; contract negotiations and drafting on a wide variety of deals including real estate, investment, management, distribution/sales, and employment issues; license application preparation; regulatory compliance; organizational structuring; and trade association formation and management. Mr. Bergman prides himself on being a trusted advisor with a substantial network of cannabis professionals available to assist his clients in matters that Mr. Bergman cannot provide services for his clients personally; including working with cannabis industry professional consultants from a variety of professions including legal, financial/accounting, labor, political consulting/lobbying, real estate, banking, business development, media, social media, and brand marketing.

Bryan received his undergraduate degree from Tulane University and his law degree from UC Hastings in San Francisco, California, where he was a published in a distinguished law journal, was president of the Sports and Entertainment Law Society, worked closely with the school administration, and was responsible for organizing charity concerns to benefit the First Five Foundation and created MCLE panels that were attended by over 500 individuals. Mr. Bergman regularly speaks on cannabis-industry related topics and has a wide variety of personal interests outside of the industry and legal profession including adventure sports, music, and travelling.

Our latest featured speaker is Elaine Weiss from Weiss & Kahn, P.A.!

Elaine will be speaking for us at our upcoming Immigration 101 South Florida Conference in Fort Lauderdale on October 18-19! This is Elaine’s first year speaking with us, and we can’t wait for her presentation!

Our latest featured speaker is Dilip Patel from Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney!

Dilip will be speaking for us at our upcoming Immigration 101 South Florida Conference in Fort Lauderdale on October 18-19! Dilip is a repeat speaker who has consistently received great evaluations, and we can’t wait to have him speak again!

With more than 30 years of legal experience, Dilip Patel has built a strong practice which deals with all aspects of immigration law. Dilip focuses on assisting individuals and families, as well as U.S. companies that hire foreign nationals for temporary or permanent work. Using his background in the IT industry and corporate transactions, Dilip is able to provide counsel on issues related to relocation of highly skilled workers. He also provides assistance to investors from abroad who wish to live in the U.S. for the purpose of managing their businesses.

Dilip’s career began in London where he worked in one of the city’s oldest law firms for five years before moving to the United States and settling in the Tampa Bay area. Since then, Dilip has worked in the international and business department of one of Florida’s largest law firms and served as general counsel and vice president of a large IT company before opening and managing his own firm. Most recently, Dilip worked in the Tampa office of a Florida-based firm in their Corporate Practice Group where he practiced immigration and corporate law.

Dilip is Board certified in Immigration and Nationality Law by the Florida Bar and has been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® since 2006. In 2018 and 2015, he was named Lawyer of the Year in Immigration Law by The Best Lawyers in America® and in 2016 was selected by his peers to the Tampa Magazine’s Top Lawyers list for Immigration Law. Additionally, Dilip has received the AV® distinction, which is the highest available mark for professional excellence from by Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings.

A frequent speaker at the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s conferences and author of immigration-related articles, booklets and newsletters, Dilip is involved in a number of organizations in the Tampa Bay area including serving on the board of directors of the INDO-US Chamber of Commerce.

Our latest featured speaker is Maria Mejia-Opaciuch from Carlton Fields!

Maria will be speaking for us at our upcoming Immigration 101 South Florida Conference in Fort Lauderdale on October 18-19! This is Maria’s first year speaking with us, and we can’t wait for her presentation!

Maria Mejia-Opaciuch has more than 25 years’ experience providing comprehensive legal services related to U.S. immigration and nationality law for businesses of all sizes, families, and individuals. Her clients include Fortune 100 companies in the banking, financial services, pharmaceuticals, technology, and specialty chemicals industries.

Ms. Mejia-Opaciuch assists clients with their immigration programs and policies. She has extensive experience working with human resources staffing agencies to bring foreign national employees to the United States and keep them in the country with valid employment authorization on either long- or short-term assignments, using the various nonimmigrant temporary work visas available under U.S. immigration laws. She offers a breadth of knowledge and experience in processing residency applications to keep foreign nationals in the United States indefinitely.

She has designed best practices for regulatory enforcement programs including Form I-9, E-Verify, no-match, and public access folder record-keeping requirements for H-1B visa holders. Ms. Mejia-Opaciuch has assisted in mock investigations at various company sites to prepare corporate clients for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration, or Immigration and Customs Enforcement site visits. She has also trained and educated human resource professionals on I-9 or U.S. Department of Labor compliance and regularly conducts mock I-9 audits to ensure compliance. Ms. Mejia-Opaciuch’s services complement those of the firm’s immigration group, specifically with regard to EB-5 programs and foreign investments as a means to emigrate to the United States, consular processing, and waivers.