Why Is Arbitration Ideal for Resolving Cannabis Industry Disputes?

Why is Arbitration Ideal for Resolving Cannabis Industry Disputes?
This is a virtual program. 

Please note the following time zones during which this program will take place:

ET – Eastern Time: 12:00 p.m.
CT – Central Time: 11:00 a.m.
MT – Mountain Time: 10:00 a.m.
PT – Pacific Time: 9:00 a.m.

Speed (AAA to provide stats on case disposition) 

•    Cannabis plants lose value when it sits

•    Limited Discovery v Courts 

•    Emergency Relief (R-38 Interim Measures and R-39 Emergency Measures of Protection) 

Confidentiality 

•    Maintain Trade Secrets, IP, and Proprietary Business Information/Practices

•    Preserve Business Relationships

Subject-Matter Expertise

•    Judges and Juries typically lack familiarity with industry practices

•    Judges and Juries may have biases against the industry 

Access to Justice 

•    State Courts are Accessible

•    Restricted Accessibility to Federal Courts including Bankruptcy Courts

What types of agreements can arbitration clauses be incorporated in? 

•    Partnership/Joint Venture Agreements

•    Product Wholesale Agreement

•    IP/Licensing Agreements

•    Equipment Leases

•    Manufacturing Agreements

•    Extraction/Infusion Agreements

•    Security Agreements

•    Consultant Agreements 

•    Construction and Real Estate Agreements 

•    Employment Promulgated Plans and Executive Contracts 

What are some of the challenges that arbitrators have seen when arbitrating Cannabis disputes? 

•    Conflicting contracts

•    Course of conduct 

•    Conflicting arbitration clauses

•    Proper Parties 

•    Arbitration Clauses that provide for full discovery and application of FRCP

•    Counsel that lack experience with arbitration 

•    Fulfilling Mediation as a Condition Precedent 

What are some of the tips for drafting arbitration clauses for Cannabis disputes?

•    Overview of the Standard Arbitration Clause 

•    Arbitral Administrator and Rules 

•    Mediation 

•    Choice of Law and Hearing Locale

•    Arbitrator Qualifications and Number of Arbitrators (point out challenges with party-appointed arbitrator selection) 

•    Discovery

•    Confidentiality

•    Duration (3 mos. provisions are typical but rare for parties to be at the ready—realistic time frame is 4-6 months)

•    Document Retention 

•    Scope of arbitrator’s remedies for relief (limitation of damages that are awardable) 

•    Form of Award 

•    Attorney’s Fees and Costs 

•    Arbitration Appeal 

Moderator:
Lance Tananka, Vice President, AAA-ICDR

Panelists:

Kyle-Beth Hilfer, Hilfer Law

Gary Michael Smith, Founding Member, Guidant Law

Tom Downey, Arbitration Panelist of the American Arbitration Association; Board Chair of the Coalition for Cannabis Policy, Education, and Regulation (CPEAR)
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