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.#
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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.#Gutenbergs#background#includes#
more#than#eight#years#of#research,#development#and#manufacturing#of#
pharmaceuticals,#medical#devices#and#in#vitro#diagnostics.##Mr.#Gutenbergs#
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 & OMeara, LLP

Mr.#Lance#Rogers#is#the#Senior#Counsel#for#the#Cannabis#Business#and#
Criminal#Defense#Divisions#of#Bremer#Whyte#Brown#&#OMeara#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#
countrys#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.#
Cerettos#firm#is#one#of#the#nations#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.#
Cerettos#practice#places#a#strong#emphasis#on#emerging#industries#and#
start;ups.#

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