BUFFALO, N.Y. – February 8, 2021 – Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman LLP has named attorneys Thomas B. Hughes and Ryan V. Stearns as co-leaders of its Cannabis Practice Team. The team provides clients a broad range of legal and federal/state lobbying and advocacy services, as well as  expertise to help clients understand and navigate the complex and changing regulatory climate in order to take advantage of new opportunities, and structure and conduct their business in alignment with best practices and within the confines of the various state and regulatory schemes.

Tom Hughes assists clients with entity formation, restructuring, and dissolution; contract drafting and negotiating; corporate governance and compliance; and other general corporate matters. 

Ryan Stearns’ practice focuses on commercial real estate, including the representation of public REITs, private equity groups, and investors in connection with the acquisition, sale, development, leasing, ground leasing, and financing of a variety of asset classes, including office buildings, mixed-use projects, hotels, airports, entertainment districts, medical office buildings, fitness centers, multifamily and residential developments, industrial parks and retail centers. Ryan advises cannabis companies and related businesses, including hemp and CBD-based companies, with issues related to legal cannabis business activities and real estate transactions.

About Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman  

Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman LLP is a full-service law firm with more than 120 attorneys serving clients regionally, nationally and internationally. With offices in Buffalo, Albany and New York, N.Y.; Greater Toronto Area; Chicago, Ill.; Jacksonville, Fla.; and Washington, D.C., the firm represents publicly and privately-owned companies, private equity and venture capital firms, real estate developers, financial institutions, municipalities, governmental entities, and individuals.