Cannabis Industry Power Players

The former chair of the New York State Bar Association’s Commercial and Federal Litigation Section, Paul has played a leading role in the NYSBA’s Committee on Cannabis Law, serving as a frequent lecturer on NYSBA panels. Paul has written and spoken about current trends in cannabis and CBD litigation, as well as New York’s Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act. Paul co-chairs Tannenbaum Helpern’s Cannabis Industry Practice and is chair of the firm’s Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department.

Where do you see the cannabis industry in New York State in five years?
I think in five years cannabis will have much more federal support and the initial challenges facing the New York market will pass. Hopefully, the legacy market will be integrated into the regulated market and the tax environment will be supportive.

What attracted you to the cannabis industry?
It’s an area where good lawyering is a must. New York is seeking to accomplish significant social equity goals while also figuring out how to encourage investment and entrepreneurship, and while navigating issues of federal criminality.

Tell us one fun fact about cannabis!
Despite federal illegality, I’ve read that the U.S. grows the most cannabis of any nation in the world.

Cannabis has clear value to people’s health. Tell us your favorite way to stay healthy and fit.
Notwithstanding what happened to Mr. Big, I am a big Peloton fan.

Jill Scher is a partner at Marcum LLP with more than 20 years of experience as a CPA. She has worked with large and small companies across a range of industries to streamline their tax operations and maximize state and federal credits. Marcum’s cannabis practice group is one of the largest in the country, which gives Jill the tools to engage with the industry at every level.  The cannabis business is subject to stringent and complicated tax rules. Jill is ready and excited to do her part to help the industry thrive no matter how difficult the environment!

Where do you see the cannabis industry in NY State in 5 years?
I expect a thriving adult-use industry with a robust social equity presence in a supportive regulatory environment.

 What attracted you to the cannabis industry?
The cannabis industry is an evolving and exciting industry full of tremendous growth opportunity. With this emerging industry comes demand for high quality professional services, which Marcum is uniquely qualified to fulfill at the highest level. As a member of our cannabis services team, I am able to bring Marcum’s national resources and multistate experience to the table to help guide New York cannabis clients in addressing all of their challenges. Working in an environment that is still developing is a professional challenge that lets me rise to my best.

Tell us one fun fact about cannabis!
Companies may actually obtain tax credits for the research and development work that they do in the industry.

Cannabis has clear value to people’s health. Tell us your favorite way to stay healthy & fit.
I do a variety of activities including hiking, skiing, Peloton, hot yoga, and just keeping up with my three teenage boys, Kyle, Alex and Evan, and my two golden retriever puppies, Marley and Lola.

Jeff is a partner at Feuerstein Kulick LLP, a NYC-based law firm focused on the cannabis industry, where he advises operators and investors on complex corporate transactions and state cannabis regulatory matters. Jeff is also a partner and co-founder of Apptitude+, a consulting business focused on application-writing for cannabis licenses in competitive, limited-license jurisdictions and an affiliate of FK. As an extension of his legal practice, Jeff advises stakeholders on the adoption and implementation of cannabis laws. Jeff is a member of National Cannabis Roundtable, the NYSBA Cannabis Law Committee and NYC Cannabis Industry Association.

Where do you see the cannabis industry in New York State in five years?
The New York industry will be hitting its stride after several years of build outs, success stories and drama, and likely preparing to take center stage in the new era of federal legalization.

What attracted you to the cannabis industry?
I was initially attracted to the business opportunities presented by the cannabis industry, but I’ve come to realize that I can have a tangible, positive impact on the lives of patients and those who have been negatively impacted by the failed War on Drugs.

Tell us one fun fact about cannabis!
Cannabis is not illegal because it’s dangerous . . . it’s dangerous because it’s illegal.

Cannabis has clear value to people’s health. Tell us your favorite way to stay healthy and fit.
I use cannabis for long-term pain management (in lieu of prescription drugs) for my osteoarthritis to keep me skiing and playing hockey.

As director of marketing, Christina Seedorf is responsible for developing the messaging and brand awareness of Contract Pharmacal Corp, a family-owned pharmaceutical manufacturer based in Hauppauge, New York. In addition to the production of traditional pharmaceutical treatments, CPC is also active in the development of vitamins and supplements, including hemp-based supplements, and was closely involved in the research and development process for Uleva.

Prior to serving as president of BAR Capital, Anand Shahi worked at Morgan Stanley as vice president and quantitative risk analyst, where he acquired experience in market risk mitigation. With nearly 20 years of experience, Mr. Shahi is well-equipped to successfully lead BAR Capital to achieving its stated mission of supporting bold and innovative companies looking to enter or expand into the cannabis and real estate sectors.

As chief operating officer, Spencer Sohmer oversees day-to-day business operations and works tirelessly to realize the mission of WVC Holdings: to foster and improve the future of healthcare by investing in the most promising companies and technologies. Mr. Sohmer brings two decades of finance and investment experience to WVC Holdings, along with leadership and managerial skills that have proven integral to the success of the firm.

Jason Starr has over a decade of experience as a human rights attorney, public educator, and strategist. Most recently, he served as director of litigation at the Human Rights Campaign, building a strategic hub for collaborative pro-bono impact litigation in partnership with private law firms and grassroots legal activists while challenging state laws targeting transgender youth in Florida and Tennessee. When he isn’t working or traveling, you can find Jason in the streets of Brooklyn meeting his neighbors or buying new plant babies.

Where do you see the cannabis industry in New York State in five years?
I see a thriving industry that is realizing the potential of restorative economic justice. The legalization effort in New York is unique in that it was fueled by a people-powered demand for an accounting of the harms of the still ongoing War on Drugs. I see an industry built on a foundation of broad public education and engagement – an intentional effort to close the cannabis knowledge and opportunity gap – with diversified industry leaders and market participants that reflect those who have sacrificed the most during prohibition. I see the revenues from this prosperous industry fueling sustained reinvestments in our most neglected communities, particularly our youth, inspiring a new generation of problem solvers, change makers, and innovators which in turn helps to grow this industry and others across our state.

What attracted you to the cannabis industry?
I got involved in cannabis policy work early in my legal career. I was a baby lawyer doing a lot of community education events and know-your-rights trainings, which explored the connections between the outrageous culture of discriminatory policing practices in NYC and the role of marijuana prohibition and enforcement in targeting young Black and Latinx people. So many of the “stop and frisk” stories I collected in those years were tied to a joint or a dime bag that led to job losses, school interruptions, and ruined lives. A story that could have so easily been my own. The opportunity to help build a new industry with a restorative framework is once-in-a-generation. It’s an opportunity that comes with big, challenging questions that we must grapple with: How do we approach the knowledge gap occasioned by prohibition? How do we build trust with communities that have been decimated through well-documented racially discriminatory government practices? What does success look like and how do we measure it? I love the challenge of going from big idea to execution, and it’s exciting to help lead a team tasked with addressing these issues and, perhaps even more importantly, demonstrating how government can show up and deliver in a big way as we answer these questions with action.

Tell us a fun fact about cannabis!
It’s green.

Cannabis has clear value to people’s health. Tell us your favorite way to stay healthy and fit.
Mindfulness and moderation. For me, the cornerstone is taking care of my mental, emotional, and spiritual health. I meditate, go to therapy weekly, carve out sacred time for my family and tribe, and generally make sure to invest as much in me as I invest in the community that I love to serve.

Jeanne M. Sullivan – investor, advisor, speaker, and fierce advocate for cannabis – serves on the Arcview Group team. Based in NYC, Jeanne is a co-founder of a $400M AUM venture capital firm and a long-time tech investor, now leveraging years of investing acumen into the cannabis sector. Sullivan was early to understand and invest in cloud-based computing, tech and internet investing, and now as an investor in cannabis. Finally, the “wave” has headed to the East Coast.

Where do you see the cannabis industry in New York State in five years?
Vibrant in NYC with many social consumption lounges. Many beautiful craft products – flower, delicious low-dose beverages, etc.

What attracted you to the cannabis industry?
The social justice issues got me to WAKE UP! Then, being a long-time investor, I saw the industry as the next big investment opportunity, as well as a fascinating sector.

Tell us one fun fact about cannabis!
People ask me all the time: “Why are you doing THIS?” It’s like, am I running a porn ring?! I love changing their minds about the stigma – it is still very alive.

Cannabis has clear value to people’s health. Tell us your favorite way to stay healthy and fit.
I believe in products that are beautifully created – cGMP processed and tested. Then, it is important to understand the efficacy of a product – the formulation and the effect.