The Daily Journal has recognized our Managing Partner, Joe Rogoway, as one of California’s “Top Cannabis Lawyers of 2022”. Joe was one of only 20 lawyers recognized statewide.
The Journal’s profile on Joe highlighted his extensive legal background within cannabis industry, well before statewide legalization. “I always wanted to pursue a career path related to the cannabis industry,” he said. “I started in 2004 , clerking at a nonprofit called Americans of Safe Access (ASA).” ASA successfully sued the California Highway Patrol to end its policy of mandatory seizure on state highways of medical marijuana that was legal under the Compassionate Use Act.
In his profile, Joe also advocated for much needed reforms in the California Cannabis Industry including the removal of local control provisions from California’s cannabis laws, as well as serious tax reform. “What amounts to a 30-to 40% tax burden leaves almost no profitability margin. As long as most municipalities in California ban cannabis businesses, the system will remain broken and consumers will continue to feed the illicit market.”
Proposing that state laws treat cannabis as they do alcohol, Joe said, “I’m not a lobbyist, but I do work on reform issues at the local level. There will have to be a cannabis 2.0 regulatory scheme. But I don’t see any near-term legislation coming out of Sacramento.”
Some other awards that Joe has received in the past include:
- Super Lawyers®, 2022
- “Rising Star”, Super Lawyers®, 2020
- “Rising Star”, Super Lawyers®, 2019
- Forty Under 40, North Bay Business Journal, 2018
- “Rising Star”, Super Lawyers®, 2018
- “Rising Star”, Super Lawyers®, 2017
- “Rising Star”, Super Lawyers®, 2016
- “Rising Star”, Super Lawyers®, 2015
You can read more about Joe and his background in the cannabis industry in his profile.
