The Chronic 2015, Growing Like A Weed: A Primer on Intellectual Property Law, Taxes and the Legitimate Marijuana Industry As#medical#and#recreational#marijuana#explodes#as#a#legal#business#across#the#country,#business#owners#face#challenges#in#protecting#their#valuable#intellectual#property#in#a#tri;polar#federal,#state,#local#web#of#stringent#and#often#conflicting#regulations.##This#seminar#features#leading#experts#from#law#and#business#sharing#the#effects#of#cannabis#on#intellectual#property#and#tax#issues.##Notably,#from#the#point#of#creation#of#the#intellectual#property#to#instituting#litigation,#and#to#figuring#out#how#to#pay#for#it#all#impacting#the#law#and#business#of#the#multi;billion#dollar#marijuana#industry.##

Panel Overview

! Introductions#by#Farhana#Akther,#Donny#Samporna,#and#Professor#Kevin#Greene#

! An#overview#of#Local,#State,#and#Federal#laws#implicated#by#the#marijuana#industry#led#by#Lance#Rogers,#Esq.,#followed#by#one#to#two#questions#from#the#audience#

! A#discussion#of#Intellectual#Property#laws#implicated#by#the#creation#of#the#legitimate#marijuana#industry#focusing#on#Copyright,#Trademark,#and#Trade#Secret#laws#led#by#Dave#Branfman,#Esq.,#followed#by#one#to#two#questions#from#the#audience#

! A#discussion#of#Tax#law#issues#implicated#in#the#marijuana#industry#led#by#Mario#Ceretto,#CPA,#followed#by#one#to#two#questions#from#the#audience#

! A#discussion#of#Intellectual#Property#laws#implicated#by#the#creation#of#the#legitimate#marijuana#industry#focusing#on#Patent#Law#led#by#Peter#Gutenberg,#Esq.,#followed#by#one#to#two#questions#from#the#audience#

! A#discussion#of#various#issues#faced#by#a#business#owner#led#by#Rezwan#Khan,#J.D.#

! Questions#from#the#audience#

! Reception#on#the#8th#Floor#with#food#and#drinks#provided#

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Sponsored By: #

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Panelist Profiles Dave Branfman, Esq. Branfman Law Group, P.C.

#Mr.#Branfman#earned#his#law#degree#from#University#of#San#Diego.##He#has#been#practicing#law#in#San#Diego#County#for#over#thirty#years,#where#his#practice#focuses#on#intellectual#property#and#entertainment#law.##In#addition,#he#has#developed#a#leading#specialty#in#the#intersection#between#intellectual#property#law#and#the#growing#medical#and#recreational#marijuana#industries.##Dave#is#a#member#of#the#NORML#Legal#Committee#and#has#spoken#at#several#NORML#conferences#on#this#subject.##He#is#also#an#instructor#on#intellectual#property#law#at#the#University#of#California,#San#Diego#Executive#Perspective#for#Scientists#&#Engineers#Program.##Mr.#Branfman#has#been#selected#as#a#Southern#California#Super#Lawyer®#in#intellectual#property#six#times#since#2007,#including#most#recently#this#year.##

Peter Gutenberg, Esq. The Law Office of Peter Gutenberg

#Mr.#Peter#Gutenberg#is#an#attorney#with#experience#in#intellectual#property,#food#and#drug#regulation#and#litigation#support.##He#received#his#law#degree#from#Thomas#Jefferson#School#of#Law.##Mr.#Gutenberg’s#background#includes#more#than#eight#years#of#research,#development#and#manufacturing#of#pharmaceuticals,#medical#devices#and#in#vitro#diagnostics.##Mr.#Gutenberg’s#legal#expertise#includes#the#drafting#and#prosecution#of#U.S.#patents,#trademarks#&#copyrights;#preparation#and#review#of#licensing#agreements;#supporting#patent#litigation;#and#food#&#drug#regulatory#consulting.#

Rezwan Khan, J.D. Partner & Owner of seedleSs Clothing Co.

Mr.#Rezwan#Khan#owns#seedleSs#clothing#which#has#evolved#into#the#preeminent#cannabis#marking#firm#in#the#country.##Mr.#Khan#is#also#a#writer#and#legal#correspondent#for#High#Times#Magazine.##Prior#to#law#school,#Mr.#Khan#worked#as#a#paid#research#assistant#at#the#Center#for#Behavioral#Epidemiology#and#Community#Health,#where#he#obtained#certification#from#the#Institutional#Review#Board#to#perform#research#on#human#subjects#through#Project#SIROCCO#(a#study#of#the#effects#of#second#hand#smoke#on#children).##Mr.#Khan#also#serves#on#the#board#of#Photon#Light#Boards#and#is#the#Acting#Vice#President#of#Photon#Light#Boards,#Inc.##Mr.#Khan#earned#his#law#degree#from#Thomas#Jefferson#School#of#Law.##Mr.#Khan#is#currently#spearheading#legal#advocacy#to#reform#marijuana#laws#in#California#and#across#the#nation.#

Lance rogers, Esq. Bremer Whyte Brown & O’Meara, LLP #

Mr.#Lance#Rogers#is#the#Senior#Counsel#for#the#Cannabis#Business#and#Criminal#Defense#Divisions#of#Bremer#Whyte#Brown#&#O’Meara#LLP,#and#its#subsidiary#firm,#Viridis#Law#Group.##Mr.#Rogers#earned#his#law#degree#from#California#Western#School#of#Law.##Since#his#admittance#to#the#California#State#Bar#in#2008,#Mr.#Rogers#has#quickly#become#one#of#the#country’s#leading#authorities#on#cannabis#law.##As#a#part#of#his#unique#practice#area,#he#has#handled#a#wide#array#of#litigation#matters#including#criminal#defense,#civil#rights,#land#use,#business#disputes,#unlawful#detainer,#and#municipal#zoning#challenges.##In#2011,#Mr.#Rogers#represented#the#first#dispensary#licensed#by#the#County#of#San#Diego.##In#2014,#he#represented#the#first#two#licensed#dispensaries#in#the#City#of#San#Diego.##Mr.#Rogers#has#also#written#extensively#about#

the#cannabis#industry#and#is#a#frequent#speaker#at#legal#conferences#across#the#United#States.##Mario Ceretto, CPA CEO & Founder of New Era CPAs, LLP #

Mr.#Mario#Ceretto#is#a#Partner#at#New#Era#CPAs,#LLP#providing#accounting,#tax,#and#consulting#services#to#businesses#and#individuals#throughout#the#west#coast.##With#over#six#years#of#experience#in#the#industry,#Mr.#Ceretto’s#firm#is#one#of#the#nation’s#leading#accounting#firms#helping#hundreds#of#growers,#dispensaries,#and#ancillary#companies#with#their#tax#and#business#strategies#from#Washington#to#California.##His#specialties#include#the#following:#federal#&#state#income#tax#preparation,#small#business#consulting,#internal#controls,#litigation#and#bankruptcy#support,#expert#testimony,#IRS#audit#support,#payroll#and#payroll#taxes.#Mr.#Ceretto’s#practice#places#a#strong#emphasis#on#emerging#industries#and#start;ups.#

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Credits

Produced and Hosted By:

Prof. Kevin Greene

Executive Producer and Moderator: Dave Branfman, Esq.

Directors:

Farhana Akther, J.D. Candidate, December 2015 Donny Samporna, J.D. Candidate, May 2016

Assistant Directors:

Rachelle Law, J.D. Candidate, May 2016 Mordechai Wolowitsch, J.D. Candidate, May 2017

Joshua Hauptman, J.D. Candidate, May 2016