The Hispanic National Bar Association was founded to help advance the careers of Hispanic attorneys, judges, law professors, students and other legal professionals through education, programs, professional development, and scholarships. Harris Beach Senior Counsel Jessica Molinares Kalpakis and Associate Christine Vasconcellos are part of the growing, thriving HNBA membership, and recently attended its annual convention, where the association celebrated its 50 years. In this episode we discuss what they learned at the Convention and what they see is the major issues for making the law profession more inclusive. We also chat about what’s new in their respective legal practice areas. Related Links: Jessica Molinares Kalpakis Bio - http://bit.ly/3S5KCBU Christine Vasconcellos Bio - http://bit.ly/3EcqqZl

When considering ways to expand his career as an energy and environmental lawyer, Jeff Kuhn knew what he was looking for: A quadruple threat. In this episode, Jeff elaborates on why he decided to become a partner at Harris Beach. He also gives a concise summary of the CLCPA and how he and his new team are working together to help clients capture the opportunities. Related Links: Jeffrey Kuhn Bio - http://bit.ly/3l4x6SM Energy Team - https://bit.ly/3kUOjZx

On this episode of the Harris Beach Podcast, Chief Administrative Officer Kim Swetland and Partner H. Todd Bullard talk about the Harris Beach Council on Inclusion and Diversity, its mission, and some of the challenges in the journey towards a more diverse legal profession. Related Links: H. Todd Bullard Bio - https://bit.ly/3V3mGA2Kim Swetland Bio - https://bit.ly/3fDnk77Inclusion and Diversity Council - https://bit.ly/3SGXhdS

This is an exciting time in the adult-use marijuana space in New York state – last month more than 80 small farmers received conditional cultivator licenses. That means plants are going in the ground, and recreational dispensaries will have product to sell when they open later this year. Harris Beach attorneys Heidi Schult Gregory and Meaghan Feenan give our listeners a chance to get caught up on recent cannabis developments, along with a look at what’s to come. Related Links:Heidi Schult Gregory Bio – https://bit.ly/3LrYp0KMeaghan Feenan Bio – https://bit.ly/3wxlpGdCannabis Industry Team  – https://bit.ly/2ILtH80

As cannabis related businesses seek strong corporate foundations for business success in a rapidly shifting landscape, it’s critical to consider legal and tax issues. Wesley Rene, an attorney on our Cannabis Industry Team, highlights considerations related to corporate structures, tax liability and more to achieve optimal growth, sustainability and compliance. Please note this does not contain legal or tax advice and should not be relied upon or construed as legal advice; it is merely discussion of considerations when starting a cannabis-related business. Please contact your lawyer or tax advisor if seeking counsel. Related Links: Wesley Rene Bio - https://bit.ly/3ozHMH4Cannabis Industry Team  - https://bit.ly/2ILtH80

Why would a law firm start a software company? Technology provides law firms with enormous opportunities to improve client service in part, by streamlining and automating labor-intensive tasks. In today’s episode of the Harris Beach podcast, Chris Jagel, Harris Beach CEO, Alan Winchester, the leader of the firm’s cybersecurity practice, and Mike Compisi, president of Caetra, discuss the origins of Caetra.io and how it fits with our history of innovation, along with the trend of technology-driven disruptions to the traditional practice of law. Related Links: Chris Jagel Bio - https://bit.ly/3CvVtMPAlan Winchester Bio - https://bit.ly/2YZWcU5Mike Compisi Bio - https://bit.ly/3192148Cybersecurity Practice Group - https://bit.ly/2NB55ydCaetra.io - https://bit.ly/2Nqjwoo

A small cannabis dispensary choose to plaster the fictional character Borat on its billboard resulting in a $9 million lawsuit; but it’s not an isolated incident. In fact, theft of others’ intellectual property is a recurring problem for the cannabis industry. On this episode of The Harris Beach Podcast, Brendan Palfreyman explains how the Borat lawsuit is a bellwether of companies aggressively protecting against theft, infringement and appropriation by cannabis start-ups. Related Links: Brendan Palfreyman Bio - https://bit.ly/3mIm1FoIntellectual Law Practice Group - https://bit.ly/30dLcCUCannabis Industry Team  - https://bit.ly/2ILtH80

T-Cell Therapies offer enormous promise in the development of new approaches to treating cancer. A federal appeals court recently heard arguments in a patent dispute between two companies that have emerged as leaders in CAR-T technology for new cancer treatments. The patent relates to a treatment approach that uses specially altered T cells to fight cancer. In 2020 Juno Therapeutics won a $1 billion judgment against Gilead’s Kite Pharma in connection with alleged infringement of U.S. Patent No. 7,446,190, entitled “Nucleic Acid Encoding Chimeric T Cell Receptors.” In this episode of the Harris Beach Podcast, partner Laura Smalley provides additional background on the case, analyzes the Circuit Court arguments, and provides her thoughts on the implications of the case and what might happen next. Related Links: Laura Smalley Bio - http://bit.ly/2uoTz2FIntellectual Law Practice Group - https://bit.ly/30dLcCU

On March 31, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law the New York State Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (“MRTA”) which legalized recreational use of marijuana for adults over the age of 21. Although retail sales of marijuana are not expected to begin until 2022, the legalized use of marijuana became effective immediately. On this episode two attorneys from the Harris Beach Cannabis Industry Team – Karl Sleight and Meaghan Feenan – as well as Morgan Hopkins, a CPA at DeJoy, Knauf and Blood and the director of its Hemp & Cannabis Services, address frequently asked questions that have come up during conversations with organizations throughout the state and beyond. Related Links: Meaghan Feenan Bio - https://bit.ly/34jAA8WKarl Sleight Bio - https://bit.ly/3ggZI59Morgan Hopkins Bio - https://bit.ly/3bWMkSKCannabis Industry Team  - https://bit.ly/2ILtH80

Recreational, adult-use marijuana is poised to become legal in New York state. The changes that legalization brings for virtually every workplace include modifications and updates to employer policies and procedures regarding drug testing, workplace discipline in relation to marijuana use, and workplace productivity and safety. Taylor Ventre, an attorney on the Harris Beach Cannabis Industry Team, joins the podcast to discuss these issues and other key considerations for employers. Related Links: Taylor Ventre Bio - https://bit.ly/31sAPwLCannabis Industry Team  - https://bit.ly/2ILtH80Legal Alert - https://bit.ly/3rVK3M5Webinar Registration - https://bit.ly/3cKQ1dd