Money-Saving Licensing Tips for Startups
A Discussion with Nacha on Proposed Rulemaking Regarding Fraud - Payments Pros: The Payments Law Podcast
CFPB's Section 1071 Final Rule (Part 3): Potential Problem Areas – The Consumer Finance Podcast
Consumer Finance Monitor Podcast Episode: Perspectives on Counseling on the Creation of Consumer Finance Products, with Guest Joseph Schuster, Managing Director and Senior Counsel, Goldman Sachs
Consumer Finance Monitor Podcast Episode: Recent Federal and State Debt Collection Developments
Medical Spa Start-Ups: What Providers Need to Know
Patent Licensing Tips and Takeaways
A Changed Legal Landscape? Analyzing California’s New Cannabis Laws
Obtaining a Recreational Marijuana License from Your Local Municipality
Mergers and Acquisitions in Healthcare: Getting Your House in Order
Nota Bene Episode 72: Space Law: License, Launch, Finance, Insurance, and Responsible Space Stewardship with Brian Weimer
Meritas Capability Webinar - Legal Cannabis and the Health Care Industry
Last year, we reported on Florida’s adoption of the “Mobile Opportunity by Interstate Licensure Endorsement (MOBILE) Act” (Section 456.0145, Florida Statutes), which created a consistent regulatory framework for licensure by...more
The Rhode Island Medical Spas Safety Act (RI MSSA) was signed into law by Governor Daniel McKee on June 30, 2025, and is the latest example of the increasing regulation of medical spas. Despite their growth in popularity...more
The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management is set to conduct its second lottery for Minnesota Cannabis Retail Licenses. On June 5, 2025, the OCM held its first round of lotteries, conducting social equity applicant lotteries...more
On May 28, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo approved SB 437, creating a new framework for internet-based consumer lenders that lend to Nevada residents. The law defines an “Internet consumer lender” as any entity that exclusively...more
Texas is on the brink of expanding its medical cannabis program in a significant way. House Bill 46 (HB 46) passed both chambers of the Texas Legislature and now awaits action by Gov. Greg Abbott. He has until June 22 to sign...more
Nearly nine years after voters authorized the regulated sale of adult use cannabis in Massachusetts, the Joint Cannabis Committee is addressing the challenges (and that’s an understatement) the industry is facing with a very...more
Welcome back to the buzz, our monthly cannabis news and policy update. Your at-a-glance source for regulatory developments, agency announcements, and trends impacting the cannabis industry. In this edition of the buzz,...more
At Ward and Smith, we are closely monitoring these developments to help our clients with the potential impacts on their businesses. Below is an overview of what stakeholders in the hemp industry need to know about this...more
“Compromise” sometimes gets a bad rap. And history teaches us that there can be bad compromises. But as your resident glass-is-half-full contributor who has also been closely following debate over access to consumable hemp...more
A number of states have considered - and some have enacted - laws to regulate strategic partnerships between banks and technology companies that act as service providers....more
On March 25, 2025, North Carolina Senators Johnson (R), Overcash (R), and Jackson (R) as primary sponsors introduced Senate Bill 491 (“S.B. 491” or the “Bill”), which seeks to license, examine, and regulate debt settlement...more
Legislature Reaches Full Complement - For about three days this week, all 201 legislative seats, 134 House members and 67 Senators, were filled for the first time in 2025. The week began with David Gottfried, the winner of...more
Last year, we wrote about the former Missouri governor’s efforts to curb the availability of intoxicating hemp products to Missouri consumers by executive order. There are now several proposed bills in the Missouri...more
On January 22, lawmakers in Colorado introduced SB25-076, (the act) which aims to address concerns surrounding the availability of intoxicating products (including regulated cannabis products) within the state, especially to...more
As is true of the U.S. government, within the executive branch of state governments live administrative agencies, which state legislatures have vested with powers to implement and enforce the laws enacted by state...more
On October 22, the California DFPI announced the state’s approval of registration regulations enacted under the CCFPL, which will require providers of (1) debt settlement services, (2) education financing, (3) income-based...more
On August 2, 2024, New Hampshire enacted legislation that significantly revises its Motor Vehicle Retail Installment Sales Act (the “Act”), effective July 1, 2024. Unfortunately, that effective date is not a typographical...more
As the 2024 Minnesota Legislative Session came to a chaotic close on May 20, numerous changes to Minnesota Statutes Chapter 342 were sent to the Governor’s desk to build on the already existing cannabis regulatory structure....more
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp recently signed a series of bills impacting the state’s construction industry, including updated measures to the general contractor and professional land surveyor licensing laws, as well as...more
On April 26, 2024, Ctrl Alt Destroy, Inc. (“CAD”), a California Corporation and cannabis licensee filed a lawsuit against Nicole Elliott in her official capacity as Director of the State of California’s Department of Cannabis...more
It was a hurry-up-and-wait on the penultimate day of the 2024 Georgia legislative session. Each chamber went through fits and starts throughout the day on Tuesday, with cycles of advancing a flurry of legislation and special...more
As we’ve noted before, Tennessee is likely to be the last Deep South state to legalize medical cannabis. But given the pace at which states have legalized (38 states plus the District of Columbia), last doesn’t necessarily...more
Both Houses of the New Jersey Legislature just passed a law that would allow anyone – including operators already holding other licenses in the State of New Jersey – to obtain ownership in up to seven (7) diversely-owned...more
Texas may soon dramatically expand its medical cannabis market and increase access to medical cannabis products to thousands of additional patients across the state. Currently, there are only three licensed “Dispensing...more