REGULATED CANNABIS AND HEMP
Experienced Cannabis Business Lawyers
Moriconi Flowers Ltd. helps you every step of the way through your business journey from getting started, licensing, operations, and growth, to restructuring, mergers, and profitable exits.
Overview
Moriconi Flowers handles regulated cannabis and hemp legal business services nationwide and abroad. However, our prime transactional and litigation practice focuses on Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and the eastern seaboard of the United States. Recent passage of medical and adult-use cannabis legislation, such as Pennsylvania's Act 16 and New Jersey's bill S21, present opportunities but also demand extraordinary regulation. Moriconi Flowers can answer the obvious: How do you open a cannabis business? What are the next steps? How can you smoothly set up a multi-state operation that keeps compliance throughout your whole operation? But it can also answer the more nuanced questions: How much capital will I need? What is the best property and location for my business? How do I structure my entities and protect myself? How much tax liability may I be facing on the federal, state, and local level? Moriconi Flowers has been practicing in the regulated cannabis and hemp space since 2014. In addition to expertise in cannabis law, we have also served as cannabis business owners. With both legal and business acumen in this emerging market, we understand the entire process. The firm has strong stable of technical writers and litigators who handle the competitive permitting process for new businesses. Our distinctive niche-focused law firm comes from decades of combined experience at Am-law ranked large law firms. High value business services and reasonable rates make for a winning combination compared to larger generalized firms. Here are some of the highlights of our cannabis industry experience:
- Opened the first medical marijuana dispensary in Philadelphia, Restore Integrative Wellness Center LLC, securing two (2) dispensary permitting licenses and handling all aspects of business formation and operations for up to six (6) separate retail locations.
- Formed, owned, and secured permitting for a grower/process permit in the Southeast Region of Pennsylvania for DocHouse LLC.
- Formed and secured permitting for a vertical cannabis operations in Massachusetts.
- Pending permit applications all over the United States in states such as New Jersey, Ohio, Illinois, Georgia, and on the federal level from the Drug Enforcement Administration.
- Assisting cannabis edibles companies, beverage ventures, delivery services, laboratory testing services, retail – both online and brick/mortar, investment review and analysis, and hemp-based commercial products.
- Won two (2) New Jersey retail licenses: one for Restore NJ in Glassboro, New Jersey, and another for Design 710 in Atlantic City.
- Won conditional licensure for cannabis cultivator ABCO Garden State LLC.
- Currently being awarded approvals for cultivation and manufacturing in New Jersey which will be announced soon.
From licensing, permitting, real property acquisition, zoning, community support strategies, corporate team building and governance, business structure formation, and compliance – our marijuana lawyers form the building blocks for long-term successful cannabis entities.
Who we work with
Existing business owners seeking to enter into the cannabis market
Investors seeking connections with existing cannabis license-holders and going concerns
Existing business owners seeking to enter into the cannabis market
Cannabis operators who are seeking to expand their footprint in the U.S., Mexico, the Caribbean, and abroad.
Cannabis process and infusion manufacturers
Large-scale and micro-business cannabis cultivations
Industrial hemp growers, product producers, and CBD product manufacturers
Distributors, delivery services, wholesalers, and laboratory testing facilities
Services we provide
Business Entity Formation and Planning
What is the best entity to use for a cannabis business depending on your partnerships and jurisdiction you are seeking licensure? We will work with you every step of the way on strategy and establishing your cannabis business entity. Considering the changing landscape of IRS Section 280E and treatment of net profits, Moriconi Flowers has deep relationships with accounting and financial experts well-versed in handling these hurdles. To that end, no business should be without a sound plan. We can assist with providing the critical business plan overview that will guide operations as we move towards a full legalized cannabis market.
Cannabis Licensing and Permitting Applications
Success in your application to regulatory authorities is critical – and the first major hurdle to entering this new market. Mitigating the waste of months of time, energy, and money is different for each client. Moriconi Flowers can provide the type of analysis so that clients can choose their best avenue to success. Most states that have legalized marijuana have a limited amount of licenses available and many competing entities for those licenses. Moriconi Flowers has proven experience to help you put together an application that has what each particular state or jurisdiction demands – no two are the same.
Real Estate Evaluation
Real estate agreements can make or break the success of a business. Whether you’re starting a dispensary, grow, or other types of marijuana or hemp businesses, we understand how to help you negotiate effective agreements that will be a crucial part of your cannabis business’s success. Because most jurisdictions require the applicant to have control of the real property, Moriconi Flowers can assist hedging the exposure to carrying costs associated with such control.
Permits / Zoning / Compliance
The cannabis industry is highly regulated. Businesses with an effective compliance strategy have a distinct advantage in this space over those that will risk fines and great expense being unprepared for regulatory changes. Not only can violations and breaches create insolvency, but even if there are no violations, the wrong strategy can be very costly for the business having to make unexpected purchases to keep up with compliance changes. Keep in mind that cannabis businesses cannot currently avail themselves of the United States Bankruptcy Code. We partner with you to help you start a compliant marijuana business and stay compliant as your business grows.
Investments & Fund-Raising
Depending on the type of cannabis business, the typical capital and operating investment can commonly approach and exceed millions of dollars. Successfully securing investment and partnering with the right investors may be the most important step in building a long-term profitable cannabis business. We help you find the right investments, implement cannabis industry-specific strategies, and advocate for you on your investment strategies and agreements.
Contract Drafting and Vendor Negotiation
Are you looking for someone who understands cannabis business contracts from not just the perspective of an attorney but also as active business persons? Due to our hands-on business experience we take a more global perspective on contracts. Negotiating great deals with vendors is critical to business success. Understanding the practicalities of contract execution and logistics after execution is as significant as the business itself. We can help you with all of the relevant contracts whether you’re just getting started, have a solo cannabis business, or area a multi-state/country operation.
Selling The Business / Mergers & Acquisitions
What is the end goal of your cannabis business? For some companies, it is growth and expansion. For others, it is to sell the business at a set time or income threshold. No matter your eventual strategy, the steps to make it successful start years prior to the event. We will help you every step of the way and take care of legal needs no matter your long-term goals.
Are you looking to get started with your cannabis legal needs? Fill out the information below and let's connect.
LOCATION
HISTORIC CHESTNUT HILL
40 West Evergreen Avenue, Suite 104
Philadelphia, PA 19118