Shenker, Russo & Clark is a powerhouse licensing firm in New York State, with extensive experience in both the liquor and cannabis industries. Our Licensing and Government Affairs teams work together to provide crucial services and insight into a rapidly-changing landscape, where speed and accuracy are everything.
- Regulatory & Licensing
- Licenses to grow, process or dispense adult-use marijuana, medical marijuana and hemp
- Assessment of business and individual risks under federal and state cannabis-related laws, regulations and guidance
- Administrative matters pertaining to licensure
- Government Affairs
- Initial consultation to understand your needs and issues
- Ongoing consultations with the client to formulate an appropriate and comprehensive government affairs plan and provide updates
- Lobbying all pertinent State legislators and officials
- Meeting with relevant state legislators to advocate on your behalf
- Drafting of any specific legislative, legal or regulatory language
- Participating in all necessary meetings with state officials to advocate for the desired measures
- Providing detailed bill tracking, regulatory tracking and analysis, email updates, and action recommendations
- Providing counsel and compliance services with respect to the vast array of lobbying filings with the Commission on Ethics & Lobbying in Government and other local lobbying entities. Theresa Russo, the Co-Managing Partner of SRC is one of the State’s premier Lobby Law Compliance Attorneys and has provided legal assistance on many lobbying compliance matters for SRC clients
- Corporate
- Corporate formation and structure, addressing complexities resulting from state-specific statutes and the conflict between federal and state law
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Partnership and operating agreements
- Public and Community Relations
- Real Estate and Construction
- Zoning and land use
- Leasing and landlord/tenant matters
Meet our SRC Cannabis Practice Team Leaders
- Theresa Russo
- Doug Clark
- Ruben Lindo
- Phil Bolen
- Erin Hammond
- Mike Relyea
What is the MRTA?
The Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) was signed into law by New York’s Governor Cuomo on March 31, 2021. The MRTA regulates use (for adults 21 and older), production, and sale of marijuana in New York. It also establishes the Office of Cannabis Management.
What is the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM)?
The OCM is an independent sector of the alcoholic beverage control division responsible for licensing cultivators, processors, distributors, and dispensaries. The OCM will promulgate rules and regulations for adult-use. The OCM’s Acting Executive Director is John Kagia and the Chief Equity Officer is L. Simone Washington. The OCM is overseen by the Cannabis Control Board (CCB): Jessica Garcia (chair), Hope Knight, Crystal Rodriguez-Dabney, and Brad Usher.
The OCM holds regular meetings, recordings of its recent meetings can be viewed on their website.
Cannabis Compliance and Government Affairs The OCM Board approved the application individuals will need to complete to apply for a conditional adult-use retail dispensary license. The full 51-page draft application can be found here: https://cannabis.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2022/07/caurd-mockup_0.pdf