Imagine a world where five powerhouse nations are redefining the global economic landscape. BRICS—an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—is not just a coalition of emerging markets; it is a formidable...more
In the world of early stage investing, there exists a range of structures from the most founder friendly to the most investor friendly. The most investor-friendly structure involves some type of a priced round in which...more
Starting January 1, 2024, virtually all private companies will be required to report information about their beneficial owners to the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network “FinCEN”) under the Corporate...more
SAFER Banking Act Heads to Senate Floor - On September 27, the Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation (SAFER) Banking Act (S.2860) was reported out from the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs with...more
Fresh on the heels of intense optimism over the Department of Health and Human Services’ recommendation that cannabis be rescheduled, another key federal reform is in motion. On September 27, 2023, the Senate Committee will...more
Advocates of the SAFE Banking Act – who by now must be feeling a little like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football – were dealt another setback last week. The beleaguered proposal finds itself simmering in committee just...more
GOP Senator Backs Marijuana Banking Bill, but Doubts Democratic Leadership Will Advance It - “Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), said that he’d be a ‘yes’ vote on the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act if it...more
I. Marijuana - Currently, 31 states plus the District of Columbia allow the recreational use of marijuana. In addition, 37 states and the District of Columbia currently allow marijuana to be used for medical purposes....more
SAFE Banking Updates - The latest iteration of the bipartisan Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act was reintroduced in Congress on April 26, 2023, and received a hearing before the Senate Banking Committee on May...more
SAFE Banking Gets a Senate Hearing - The Senate Banking Committee has scheduled a hearing on May 11 for the bipartisan Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act. The hearing will involve both Republican and Democrat...more
Startups have been raising money using the Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE) since it was first introduced by Y Combinator in 2013. The advent of the SAFE has fundamentally changed the speed and simplicity of...more
With the recent reintroduction of the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, Congress is once again engaged in an effort to achieve a meaningful breakthrough on federal cannabis reform. Understandably, many have...more
Earlier this week, members of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate reintroduced legislation that would allow regulated financial institutions to work with state-licensed cannabis companies. The Secure and Fair...more
For years, Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley has championed the SAFE Banking Act, a federal bill that would make banking services available to cannabis businesses in states where cannabis is legal. The bill has passed the House...more
As the midterm elections come to an end, we revisit the future of the SAFE Banking Act and the hurdles we expect to see in the coming Congressional term. If passed, the SAFE Banking Act would remove uncertainties surrounding...more
As the regulated sale of cannabis increasingly becomes sanctioned under state law, federal implications arising from its classification as a controlled substance continue to frustrate those in the banking industry who view...more
On the heels of two more states legalizing adult use of marijuana, Congress seems closer to passing a law allowing banks to service cannabis-related businesses without federal reprisal. Maryland and Missouri voters...more
One common problem of early-stage ventures is the difficulty in determining a company valuation when recruiting capital from investors. This problem derives from the tension between entrepreneurs’ desire for a high valuation...more
In our current economic environment, you would have to be hiding in a cave not to see, hear and feel valuations sliding downwards across the eco-system. It started in January 2022 when large-cap, mid-cap and then smaller-cap...more
With the anticipation of federal marijuana legalization, the cannabis industry rang in 2021 with sky-high equity values and anticipated social justice reforms seemingly imminent. However, differing ideas regarding how to...more
For nearly a decade, financial institutions operating in states with regulated cannabis markets (whether medicinal or recreational) have struggled with their ability to offer banking services to entities legally operating...more
Raising money for a company is challenging. It can be even more challenging if you haven’t been through the process before and don’t know what decisions you need to make. In this article, we will lay out ten different...more
Benjamin Franklin famously cautioned that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Although Franklin was warning the people of Philadelphia that preventing a fire is better than fighting one, the same admonition...more
It is undeniable that, not only is the cannabis industry here to stay, but it is growing exponentially. To date, 47 states, 4 U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis in some form – whether they...more
A group of 16 Republican AGs, led by Ohio AG Dave Yost, sent a comment letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) urging it to not reinstate California’s waiver under the Clean Air Act, which the letter argues...more