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News Articles

Cannabis, Illinois and Social Equity—The Third Pillar of Legalization or Political Expedience?

Traditionally cannabis licensing depended primarily on the applicant’s ability to demonstrate capital and trustworthiness. By having capital, the applicant demonstrated business acumen and financial wherewithal…

Read More 2019-09-05

D.C. Circuit finds Chemical Manufacturers Are Not Liable Under False Claims Act for Failure to Disclose Health Risks Associated with Chemicals

U.S. ex rel. Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP v. BASF Corp.,___F.3d___, Case No. 18-7123 (D.C. Cir. July 5, 2019). The District of Columbia Circuit Court has…

Read More 2019-09-05

U.S. Supreme Court Delivers Major Constitutional ‘Takings’ Decision Applicable to All Federal, State or Local Ordinances Throughout the Nation

Knick v. Township of Scott, Pennsylvania,___U.S.___, 139 S.Ct. 2162 (U.S. June 21, 2019). On June 21, 2019, the United States Supreme Court delivered a major…

Read More 2019-09-05

Trump Administration Undertakes Historic Rollback of Protections for National Parks

Since January 2017, the Trump administration has undertaken over 100 actions that have the potential to threaten America’s National Parks. From rollbacks of the federal…

Read More 2019-09-05

Facing Sea Level Rise, California Coastal Commission Tests Powers for “Managed Retreat” of Homes along the Coastline

  The California Coastal Commission (Commission) is charged with protecting the state’s beaches from the effects of overdevelopment. Yet with climate change projections predicting rising…

Read More 2019-09-05

California Court Upholds Programmatic EIR Analyzing Hydraulic Fracturing throughout the State

The California Department of Conservation, Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) prepared a programmatic Environmental Impact Report (EIR) studying the environmental impacts of…

Read More 2019-08-07

Ninth Circuit Addresses How the National Historic Preservation Act Applies to Delayed Mining Project

InHavasupai Tribe v. Provencio, the Havasupai Tribe, along with several environmental groups (plaintiffs), challenged a mining operation (Mining Project) near the Grand Canyon, claiming the…

Read More 2019-08-07

City of Los Angeles Pushes Forward with Cannabis Licensing Social Equity Program

After California legalized recreational cannabis for adults in late 2017, leaders in the City of Los Angeles (City) made it their goal to give entrepreneurs…

Read More 2019-08-07

Federal Bankruptcy Court and Ancillary Cannabis Businesses in Colorado—A Difficult Combination

Cannabis sales in the United States is a peculiar phenomenon if viewed through the lens of the federal government and federal law. But what happens…

Read More 2019-07-04

Illinois Legislature Votes to Legalize Recreational Cannabis

On Friday, May 31, 2019, legislators in the State of Illinois voted to legalize the recreational use of cannabis. Background On May 31, the Democratic-controlled…

Read More 2019-07-04