Lawyers can now advise dispensary applicants and other members of the medical marijuana industry in Hawai‘i.
Today the Supreme Court of the State of Hawai‘i passed a rule change to the Hawai‘i Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.2(d) in response to the Disciplinary Board of the Hawai‘i Supreme Court’s recent Formal Opinion No. 49. The new rule, subject to public comment over the last few weeks, allows lawyers to provide legal services for organizations conducting business expressly permitted under Hawai‘i law, as long the lawyer advises the client that their conduct may violate other applicable laws.
Following a trend set by other states, this ruling now allows lawyers to provide the legal services that new businesses need to effectively comply with state regulations for the creation and maintenance of a safe medicinal cannabis industry in Hawai‘i.
Thank you to all of the individuals and organizations who submitted valuable public feedback to the Hawai‘i Supreme Court as they considered this important issue. More information on this topic is available in the Hawai‘i Dispensary Alliance’s own public comment and in our member’s only September Industry Newsletter. Contact us today if you have any questions about the new ruling or to find out how you and your organization can become a member of the Alliance!