THE TRIBAL MARIJUANA CONFERENCE

About the Conference and Who Should Attend

Indian tribal governments are considering whether to legalize marijuana for medicinal, agricultural, or recreational use.

The potential legalization of commercial marijuana cultivation, manufacturing, and distribution in Indian tribal jurisdictions raises complex business, legal and social questions. Odawi Law, PLLC, and Harris Moure, PLLC, through its Canna Law Group, are co-hosting the Tribal Marijuana Conference on February 27, 2015, from 8:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. at the Tulalip Resort Casino in Washington State. This conference will address the various issues swirling around legalization on tribal lands.

The Tribal Marijuana Conference will be geared towards the following:

• Tribal government officials interested in generating new government revenues and addressing substance abuse in their territories

• Tribal business executives and Indian entrepreneurs looking to initiate new tribal businesses

• Tribal health and social work professionals concerned with the social effects of legalization

• Tribal law enforcement personnel with concerns about criminal law enforcement

• Non-Indian owned marijuana businesses looking to expand into Indian Country

• Ancillary service and product providers looking to work with tribes

About the Co-Sponsors

Odawi Law, PLLC:

Robert Odawi Porter is one of the leading attorneys in the United States regarding the protection and expansion of American Indian tribal government sovereignty and treaty rights. His unique background as an in-house tribal attorney, a tribal business executive, and an elected president of the Seneca Nation of Indians, as well as serving as a tenured professor of Indian law at three national universities, gives him an unparalleled experience platform to assist his tribal clients in seizing opportunities and resolving complex issues at the intersection of law, politics, business, and social policy. As the legalization of marijuana continues throughout the United States, Rob will assist tribal officials and others in attendance to achieve a better understanding of the legal, political and social policy issues associated with marijuana legalization to help guide decision-making on the issue in Indian Country.

Harris Moure, PLLC:

Hilary Bricken is one of the premier cannabis business attorneys in the United States. She helps cannabis companies of all sizes with their cannabis related legal issues, ranging from corporate structures and intellectual property protection to branding, licensing, and application of cannabis laws. She worked extensively with lobbyists and the Liquor Control Board on I-502 implementation, Washington’s recreational cannabis law. In 2013, based on her work in the marijuana industry, The Puget Sound Business Journal named Hilary one of seven Deal Makers of the Year and DOPE Magazine named her its Marijuana Industry Attorney of the Year in both 2013 and 2014. In 2014, Hilary was named a “Rising Star” and a “Top Rising Star of Washington Women Attorneys” by Super Lawyers Magazine and she is also listed by Cannabis Businesse Executive Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the Cannabis Industry. Hilary sits on the board of the National Cannabis Industry Association and she frequently testifies before state and federal government bodies regarding cannabis regulations.

Robert McVay provides domestic and international clients with the business law advice they need to plan, protect, and expand their cannabis businesses. He works closely with companies and entrepreneurs at every stage of development to assess their legal needs and to pursue their long-term goals. Robert has assisted countless clients with corporate formation, complex corporate transactions, regulatory compliance, and intellectual property protection. He also has extensive experience working with banks and credit unions in setting up cannabis banking programs. He is a frequent speaker and writer on the finance law side of the cannabis business. Robert graduated, cum laude, from Georgetown Law, where he served as editor-in-chief of the Georgetown Journal of International Law.

Conference Agenda:

7:00 am: Registration begins. Breakfast begins at 8:00 am

8:30 am: Introduction and Opening Remarks: Marijuana, Tribal Sovereignty, and Finding the Best Path Forward for Indian Country

Speakers:

• Robert Odawi Porter, Odawi Law PLLC; Hilary Bricken, Harris Moure

8:45 am: Federal Law and Policy Regulating Marijuana Possession and Use

Speakers:

• Douglas A. Berman, Professor of Law, Ohio State University
• Sal Mungia, Gordon Thomas Honeywell, Seattle, Washington

9:45 am: State Laws Regulating Marijuana Possession and Usage

Full Legalization in Washington and Colorado:

1. Current laws and regulations
2. Tax structure
3. Intersection with medical marijuana
4. Regulatory and legislative updates
5. Outlook for Oregon and Alaska

Speakers:

• Pete Holmes, Seattle City Attorney, Seattle, Washington
• Thomas Carr, Boulder City Attorney, Boulder, Colorado

11:00 am: Medical Marijuana in Washington, Nevada, and California

1. History of medical marijuana legislation
2. Development of medical marijuana marketplace
3. Current legal and regulatory issues with medical marijuana industry
4. Proposed legislative fixes on the horizon

Speakers:

• Sean O’Connor, Assistant Dean for Law, Business & Technology Initiatives, Professor of Law, University of Washington School of Law, Seattle, Washington
• Amanda Reiman, Manager, Marijuana Law and Policy at Drug Policy Alliance
• Senator Tick Segerblom, Nevada Senate, District 3

12:15 pm: Lunch and Keynote Speakers: “The Pros and Cons of Marijuana Legalization”

Speakers:

• Mark Kleiman, Professor of Public Policy, Luskin School of Public Affairs, University of California Los Angeles
• Jacob Sullum, Senior editor at Reason magazine and Reason.com and a nationally syndicated columnist

2:00 pm: The Jurisdictional Analysis of Marijuana Regulation in Indian Country

Speaker:

• Robert Odawi Porter

3:00 pm: Break

3:15 pm: Social, Political, and Cultural Ramifications of Marijuana Legalization

Speakers:

• Les Parks, Vice-Chairman of the Tulalip Tribes
• Henry Cagey, Council Member and former Chairman of the Lummi Nation
• Troy Eid, Chairman of the United States Indian Law and Order Commission and former U.S. Attorney for the State of Colorado
• Mark Cooke, Policy Counsel, ACLU of Washington, Seattle, Washington

4:30 pm: Business Development Considerations

1. Corporate structures
2. Banking
3. Federal and State Taxes
4. Contracts
5. Intellectual property protections

Speakers:

• Hilary Bricken, Harris Moure, PLLC, Seattle, Washington
• Robert McVay, Harris Moure, PLLC, Seattle, Washington

5:30 pm: Q&A with Panelists and Concluding Remarks

Speaker:

• Robert Odawi Porter

6:00 pm: Reception. The reception will be from 6:00-7:30 p.m. at the Tulalip Resort Casino.

Accommodations:

The Tulalip Resort Casino has set aside a limited number of discounted rooms for Conference attendees, for the nights of February 26th and 27th. To take advantage of this Conference discount, please contact the Resort directly via phone at 1-866-716-7162 on or before February 19, 2015, and mention you are attending the "Tribal Marijuana Conference." The Holiday Inn Express & Suites Marysville, 8606 36th Avenue NE, Marysville, WA, is minutes away and there is a shuttle between this hotel and the Tulalip Resort Casino.

FOR SHUTTLE INFORMATION/RESERVATIONS FROM SEA-TAC AIRPORT TO TULALIP, PLEASE CALL BELLAIR SHUTTLE AT 1-866-235-5247