Cooper Levenson, P.A.

Various states permit the medicinal use of marijuana with legalization or legalization efforts underway for recreational use or marijuana in these and other states including New Jersey. Regardless of its use, the consumption of marijuana is prohibited by federal law and significant confusion exists regarding the interplay between federal and state laws permitting medicinal and/or recreation use of marijuana.

Cooper Levenson’s pro-business attorneys have been working on issues related to the cannabis industry since 2001. Throughout our sixty years of practice, firm attorneys have of successfully representing businesses, entrepreneurs and health care facilities in regulatory compliance, tax counseling, business formation, transactional and organizational matters, employment, real estate and zoning, and many other areas of law and have deep expertise in working within regulated industries.

Cooper Levenson attorneys bring extensive experience in guiding clients through every type of matter encountered by businesses to the cannabis industry. We strive to provide first-class legal services and to become a trusted advisor and partner to our clients.

Firm attorneys have been deeply involved in all aspects of the legalization and operation of cannabis related businesses in Nevada having testified before the legislature as the laws were being developed, created and registered complying businesses, represented marijuana entities in financing transactions, prepared applications for approval, represented businesses in contested matters before applicable Nevada authorities and the Courts and provided ongoing representation in day to day matters.

In New Jersey, firm attorneys have represented lenders to one of the six approved alternative treatment centers in New Jersey in structuring their investments for regulatory compliance, equity conversion alternatives, and related matters. Firm attorneys also represent New Jersey banking institutions on regulatory requirements related to accepting deposits or making loans to marijuana related businesses given federal treatment of marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug, applicable FinCEN guidance, and the federal Cole memo.

We also represent these New Jersey banking institutions in reviewing and preparing policies and various agreements in preparation for the approval of recreational marijuana within the State.As counsel to a number of New Jersey municipalities, we are prepared to provide advice on whether these municipalities will permit cannabis to be sold, packages or grown within their borders even though they will be unable to prevent individuals from consuming or possessing the same if recreational marijuana is legalized as expected.

Working with our colleagues in the accounting industry, firm attorney Peter Fu recently presented before the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants on navigating the ever changing marijuana industry.

We offer a full array of legal services for the growers, testing facilities, dispensaries and other businesses in, and suppliers to, the cannabis industry. We provide:

• Licensing
• Compliance
• Health Law
• Business Formation and Transactions
• Financing and Tax Counseling
• Employment and Labor
• Governmental Services
• Litigation
• Construction
• Real Estate, Zoning and Planning

At Cooper Levenson, we believe our future rests in our collective ability to embrace change and leverage diversity through our leadership, employment, and continued community support. We believe that diversity is critical to our business strategy, our relationships with our clients and employees and will improve our competitiveness and prospects for long-term success.

The firm is a member of the New Jersey Law Firm Group, which is comprised of New Jersey Law firms, corporate legal departments, governmental agencies and public interest organizations that recognize the importance and advantages of diversity in not only serving the needs of clients but also in enhancing the legitimacy and public image of the legal profession. Each year, this organization provides a fellowship, a job fair, mentor programs and roundtable discussions at each of New Jersey's law schools to demystify the recruitment process and to encourage participation in the group's programs.

Cooper Levenson is also a member of the Minority Counsel Program of the American Bar Association, Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession. The mission of this organization is to promote diversity in the legal profession through education and by building relationships between corporations and lawyers who are racially and ethnically diverse.

Committed to diversity issues since its very inception, firm founder, James Cooper was a member of President Kennedy's Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, having litigated civil rights cases in Mississippi in 1966. One of our attorneys was the first woman president of the Atlantic County Bar Association. While in law school, another of our attorneys served as the National Executive Director of the National Black Law Students Association, which presided over all Black law student associations around the country.

Cooper Levenson is proud of this commitment to diversity among its clients, its employees and its community support.