In this episode, Hilary Bricken sits down with Richard Ormond, one of the nation’s leading cannabis receivers and an expert in cannabis receiverships. Richard, a partner at Buchalter and the owner of Stone Blossom Capital, shares his unique insights into the fast-evolving world of cannabis business restructuring, the legal complexities of court-appointed receiverships, and what makes cannabis receiverships distinct from those in other industries. Richard explains the role of a receiver and why courts appoint receivers for struggling cannabis businesses, and he discusses the regulatory hurdles and compliance issues that make cannabis receiverships especially complex. Step-by-step, Richard walks us through how a receivership is initiated, his duties as a receiver, and the typical outcomes for cannabis companies.

Dina Rollman is a cannabis industry veteran who has worn countless hats, making her way from cannabis attorney to cannabis business executive. She helped take Green Thumb Industries (GTI), a national cannabis company, from an idea on paper in 2014 to a publicly-traded company in 2018. She created and led GTI’s Government Affairs department, its Regulatory Compliance functions, its competitive licensing application team, and its Social Impact department. Dina also advised the c-suite on corporate strategy and legal strategy. After years of law firm and in-house work in the cannabis industry, Dina branched out to pursue her entrepreneurial goals in the industry, including KND Group, New Lake Capital Partners, Inc., Powr Plant, and StrainBrain.

In this episode, Dina shares with listeners her entrepreneurial evolution in the cannabis industry and where she sees future opportunities for growth and innovation. After a long career in the cannabis trenches as an attorney, Dina tells our audience about what it’s like (and how to survive) on the cannabis business side of the aisle.

Chris Lindsey’s origin story in cannabis is a legendary one. He was once a practicing attorney that felt the strong arm of the federal government firsthand when he was charged and prosecuted by U.S. Attorneys for drug crimes by virtue of advising cannabis clients on compliance with Montana law and participating in the Montana cannabis industry. Today, Chris is the Director of State Advocacy and Public Policy for the American Trade Association of Cannabis and Hemp (ATACH), advocating for federal and state cannabis and hemp law reform.

In this episode, Chris shares ATACH’s advocacy positions and progress on the Hill and what he sees happening in the future for cannabis and hemp businesses in the U.S., including the fate of the Farm Bill, rescheduling, and de-scheduling, and how state-legal cannabis and hemp can and should co-exist. Chris also details for listeners the current state of advocacy and lobbying within the cannabis industry and the different industry interests that are fighting for a seat at the table in D.C. for future reform and regulation.