Legal professional Omar Figueroa
Courtesy photograph
The Law Offices of Omar Figueroa, considered one of California’s main hashish, hemp, and psychedelic regulation corporations, introduced at present that the agency is increasing to New York, the place it would proceed to serve shoppers in these rising markets. More and more, California-based hashish plant-touching and ancillary firms are trying eastward, hoping to carry experience from working on the earth’s largest authorized hashish market into one other anticipated juggernaut.
“If you can also make it in California, you can also make it anyplace,” Omar Figueroa, the agency’s founder and principal lawyer mentioned of the transfer, turning an previous adage on its head because it pertains to the hashish business. “New York is poised to turn into one of many world’s largest hashish markets. It already has a medical hashish business in addition to a strong industrial hemp program. Moreover, there may be thrilling analysis and different work associated to psychedelics occurring at establishments throughout the state.”
The Legislation Workplaces of Omar Figueroa has been laying its groundwork within the Empire State for a while. The agency is a member of the New York Metropolis Hashish Trade Affiliation, the Hudson Valley Hashish Trade Affiliation, and the Nationwide Hashish Trade Affiliation, amongst different affiliations.
Figueroa printed the primary complete compendium of New York’s hashish legal guidelines and laws, New York Cannabis Laws and Regulations 2021. He has additionally printed a collection of reference books titled California Cannabis Laws and Regulations.
Based in 1998, the Legislation Workplaces of Omar Figueroa is acknowledged as a pacesetter within the subject, particularly within the Golden State. Earlier than there was a authorized hashish business, the agency offered freedom protection providers to nonviolent individuals arrested for hashish offenses, and was lively within the legalization motion.
For the reason that passage of California’s Proposition 64 in 2016, the Legislation Workplaces of Omar Figueroa has been offering transactional authorized providers to people and companies in California’s hashish business. Since its inception, the agency has additionally broadened their choices to serve shoppers within the hemp and psychedelics areas.
The providers the agency will supply in New York embrace utility improvement and preparation; enterprise formations and company governance, contract drafting, evaluation and negotiation; mental property safety and enforcement; and coverage advocacy, amongst different providers.
The Legislation Workplace of Omar Figueroa’s New York department might be staffed by Andrew Kingsdale, Esq., a Tremendous Lawyer who has labored with the agency since 2018. Andrew has been licensed to follow regulation in New York since 2007, and final yr was appointed as a member of the New York Bar Affiliation’s Committee on Hashish Legislation.
“Like California, New York has its personal distinctive hashish tradition and historical past,” Kingsdale mentioned. “As a child I attended elementary faculty at P.S. 321 on Seventh Ave., not removed from our new workplace location. Life is coming full circle! I’m proud to be returning with this superior workforce.”
The workplace’s different attorneys, together with Figueroa in addition to Lauren Mendelsohn, have all lived in or close to New York and are aware of the native “social, enterprise and political environment,” Figueroa mentioned.
“Our first-hand expertise partaking with policymakers on the native, state, and federal ranges will allow us to assist form the way forward for New York’s hashish, hemp, and psychedelic industries,” Mendelsohn mentioned.
“Each California and New York might be main gamers within the world hashish market,” Mendelsohn mentioned. “As somebody who grew up in New York and finally left the East Coast partially to entry authorized medical hashish in California, it’s wonderful to see how insurance policies have progressed there. Given New York’s dimension and significance, I imagine it’s solely a matter of time till hashish prohibition ends nationwide.”
