I am thrilled to announce that we have added three well-recognized industry leaders to our Cannabis Team roster. Joshua Ashby and Sativa Rasmussen joined the firm on September 4 from Ashby Law Group PLLC in Seattle, and Ben Pirie joined from 7 Point Law in Portland in June. The experience these three bring with them strengthens our ability to help legal cannabis businesses navigate the complex regulatory environment in both Washington and Oregon and achieve long-term success.

Ashby will assume the role of Co-Chair of the Team, serving alongside Justin Hobson. He is one of Washington’s most experienced recreational marijuana transactional lawyers and authored the seminal guide on the state’s cannabis industry, Lost in the Weeds. Josh advises cannabis businesses on general corporate, mergers and acquisitions, and real estate transactions while guiding clients through the industry’s highly regulated landscape. He received his J.D. from Seattle University School of Law, and his B.S., summa cum laude, in Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

When asked why Lane Powell was the right fit, Josh commented:

The interdisciplinary nature of the firm’s Cannabis Team allows us to provide a better client experience by offering a holistic approach to address all of our clients’ legal needs from trademark procurement and brand protection to employment practices and beyond.

Sativa advises cannabis businesses on corporate governance and contract law, internationally and domestically. She also represents businesses in highly regulated industries with their transactional, regulatory and compliance needs. Sativa has extensive experience negotiating transactions, drafting documents, and communicating the needs of her clients to the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board and other administrative agencies. She received her J.D., cum laude, from Seattle University School of Law and B.A.s in Political Science, magna cum laude, and Criminal Justice, magna cum laude, from Washington State University.

Ben counsels cannabis businesses on a wide range of corporate and regulatory needs, including contracts, entity formation and governance, intellectual property, mergers and acquisitions, and compliance. He is active in engaging with state and local governments in order to ensure common sense, business-friendly regulation of the cannabis industry. Ben received his J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School and a B.A. in Art History and Chemistry from Duke University.

Our interdisciplinary team provides a myriad of legal services such as compliance strategies, business transactions and solutions, real estate, plant and process patents, dispute resolution, sophisticated state and federal tax counseling, and more. We also maintain close ties with regulators and anticipate the impact of proposed rule changes to our clients’ businesses, and regularly share those updates here on the blog. Learn more about our team.