Where there’s smoke, there’s cannabis litigation. Satnick Lau LLP, comprised of Adam M. Satnick, Esq., and Benson K. Lau, Esq., are taming the wild-west litigation landscape of the cannabis industry. Their experienced and nimble firm has clients covered, from business and real estate transactions, to courtroom advocacy. “Think of us as ‘outside in-house counsel,’” says Lau. “Our quality of work and client service run circles around Big Law and the old ‘firm’ model. We’re more like an exclusive club for personalized legal services.” There are other advantages to working with Satnick Lau LLP. The two attorneys build lasting, trusting relationships with their clients. “If they weren’t already, most of our clients become friends,” says Satnick. He and Lau are available when needed. They use cutting-edge law practice management software, and run an entirely paperless office. As a result, they can charge below-market rates for the highest quality service.
Cannabis law is new, but Lau’s experience with it isn’t. He was practicing cannabis law prior to the passage of Proposition M. “A lot of lawyers have segued into the cannabis sector now that it’s viewed as less of a niche,” explains Satnick, “but Benson has substantial experience. He knows cannabis law off the top of his head.” Lau has been interviewed on cannabis podcasts, and frequently sits on educational panels at conferences like Infused Expo. As a value-add, he provides cannabis business consulting. Satnick and Lau represent clients throughout the cannabis supply chain and serve as general counsel for a number of established cannabis brands, including Kush Queen, one of the leaders in high-quality CBD- and THC-infused products.
The firm’s cannabis-related services include business formation, licensing, compliance and assisting with private equity transactions. Active Cannabis Cases Some cannabis cases are tied to real estate. “The license is affixed to the property, and some jurisdictions have prohibited licenses from being transferred,” says Lau, “which often gives the commercial landlord significant leverage over the commercial tenant. A landlord may negotiate terms that prove to be unsustainable or highly unfavorable for the tenant, and in some situations, they may even attempt to evict the tenant and take advantage of property improvements the tenant has made.” Other litigation involves unlicensed operators committing fraud. “A supposed broker, purportedly working on behalf of a licensed seller, makes a deal with a licensed buyer,” Lau explains. “The buyer pays, but doesn’t get any product. There are third parties, pretending to be brokers, using expired licenses or active licenses for licensees, when in reality they have no authority to bind the licensee to the deal.” Cannabis law requires a strong understanding of landlord-tenant, real estate, contract, employment and intellectual property law. Satnick Lau LLP has experience in all of these areas.
Prior to opening his own office in 2017, Satnick worked at a boutique law firm doing business and real estate litigation, insurance defense and transactional work. He has won awards for his writing and legal research. Lau also worked in the boutique firm space before joining Satnick. His work focused on commercial litigation and corporate transactions. Because larger firms were generally uninterested in taking cases involving cannabis, Lau handled many early cannabis-related litigation and transactional matters. “Having both come from the boutique environment, we learned how to run a law practice and wear a lot of hats,” says Satnick. “As a result, our overhead is very low, and we can pass that value on to our clients.”