Event Overview
Thursday, January 15, 2026
1:00 PM – 6:00 PM – CLE Program
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM – Reception
Cannabis Law Section Chair: Jeffrey Schultz, Esq. Partner, Foley Hoag LLP, New York, NY
General Registration Fee
Required for all Annual Meeting attendees.
| NYSBA Members | $250 |
| Non-members | $395 |
+plus…
$195 Program Registration Fee
Cannabis Law Section 2026 Annual Meeting
New York State Bar Association 2026 Annual Meeting
New York Hilton Midtown
1335 6th Ave, New York, NY 10019
Cannabis Law Section
Thursday, January 15, 2025
CLE Program: 1:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Gramercy East, Second Floor
Reception: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. | Nassau West, Second Floor
4.0 MCLE Credits
4.0 Areas of Professional Practice
This program is transitional and is suitable for all attorneys
including those newly admitted.
1:00 p.m. – 1:20 p.m.
Introduction & Nomination Report
Speaker
Jeffrey Schultz, Esq. | Partner, Foley Hoag LLP, New York, NY
1:20 p.m. – 2:10 p.m.
Litigating Against the Government: How Lawsuits Can Facilitate the Cannabis Market
This program examines how litigation against state and local governments can help advance the legal cannabis market. Attendees will learn how lawsuits challenging licensing decisions, regulatory delays, and enforcement actions can open pathways for market entry and protect cannabis businesses in New York’s evolving regulatory environment.
Speaker
Ben Rattner, Esq. | Partner, Cermele & Wood LLP
Matthew Schweber, Esq. | Partner, Feuerstein Kulick
Neil Willner, Esq. | Counsel, Vicente LLP, New York, NY
Joshua Bauchner, Esq. | Partner, Mandelbaum Barrett PC
1.0 Credit in Areas of Professional Practice2:10 p.m. – 2:20 p.m.
Break
2:20 p.m. – 3:10 p.m.
M&A in the Cannabis Market
This program examines key transactional structures used in mergers and acquisitions within New York’s regulated cannabis market, with a focus on Membership Interest Purchase Agreements (MIPAs), True Party of Interest (TPI) requirements, and sole control rules. Participants will explore how New York’s cannabis regulations shape deal structuring, diligence, approvals, and closing mechanics, and will gain practical guidance on navigating regulatory risk while executing compliant M&A transactions.
Speaker
Aleece E. Burgio, Esq. | Colligan Law LLP
Jason Klimek, Esq. | Harris Beach Murtha LLP
1.0 Credit in Areas of Professional Practice3:10 p.m. – 3:20 p.m.
Break
3:20 p.m. – 4:10 p.m.
The Tri-State Cannabis Industry: Reflections on the Rollout of NY, NJ and CT and Implications of Rescheduling
This program examines the evolving cannabis regulatory landscape across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, with a focus on lessons learned from each state’s rollout. Panelists will compare licensing frameworks, enforcement priorities, market challenges, and equity initiatives, and analyze how potential federal rescheduling of cannabis could impact state-legal markets, compliance obligations, and business strategy in the tri-state region.
Speaker
Jeffrey Schultz Esq. | Partner, Foley Hoag LLP, New York, NY
Michael McQueeny, Esq. | Partner, Foley Hoag
1.0 Credit in Areas of Professional Practice4:10 p.m. – 4:20 p.m.
Break
4:20 p.m. – 5:10 p.m.
State Preemption and the Limits of Local Control
Speaker
Linda Baldwin, Esq. | Vasquez Attorneys at Law PC
Ben Sheridan | Co-Founder & CEO, Platform Cannabis Advisors
Patricia Heer | Partner, Hodgson Russ LLP, Albany, NY
1.0 Credit in Areas of Professional Practice