December 1, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV
Live CLE | 3 hrs General

Cannabis Law Sessions 2026

Progress, Pushback, & the Path Forward

Register for CLS2026
Register for Solicitors Soirée
Sponsor

CLS2026 is available as an add-on when registering for MJBizCon on their site. (Includes Solicitors Soiree)

Agenda at-a-glance

Live CLE | 3 hrs General

Location: Room TBA

Welcome

12:00pm-12:30pm: Registration & Networking
12:30pm-12:45pm: Opening Remarks

Steve Schain
Senior Counsel | Smart Counsel
Conference Co-Chair
Hemp Session Lead
Kyle Finnegan
Partner
Ice Miller LLP
Content Chair

Session I

12:45pm-2:00pm: Federal Update - Your Magic Eight Ball Is Here... DESCRIPTION: With federal cannabis policy continuing to evolve, predicting what comes next can sometimes feel like shaking a Magic Eight Ball. This panel brings together experts from across the federal landscape to examine recent developments and look ahead to what may be coming next. From rescheduling and federal cannabis policy to 280E and tax policy, FDA regulation, bankruptcy, and federal trademark protection, panelists will explore the issues most likely to shape the cannabis industry—and the lawyers who advise it—in the year ahead.

Mia L. Garcia
Partner
Frantz Ward LLP
Session I Lead
Keenan Michael Jones
Partner
Frantz Ward LLP
Session I Lead
Marc Claybon
Partner, Tax
Crowe Advisory LLC
Session I Panelist
Jonathan Havens
Partner & Cannabis Practice Co-Chair
Saul Ewing LLP
Session I Panelist
Rachael M Dickson
Assistant Professor of Law
Willamette University College of Law
Session I Panelist

Break

2:00pm – 2:15pm: Networking

Session II

2:15pm-3:30pm: Session II: The First Amendment and Cannabis: What Can You Do in Branding, Labeling, and Marketing | DESCRIPTION: Rescheduling cannabis changes the landscape for advertising and packaging cannabis throughout the United States because of the First Amendment’s protection of speech about lawful commercial activities. The implications for signage, digital advertising, direct mail, and packaging design are profound and largely unexplored. State and local rules might also be preempted by federal regulations -- perhaps to the benefit of businesses that quickly pivot from focusing on siloed state adult-use laws to the federal regulatory scheme that develops. We will review recent developments and provide insight into what we can expect from the courts.

Timothy L. Alger
Owner
Alger Resolutions
Session II Lead
Dr. Jayashree Mitra
Shareholder
Carlton Fields, P.A.
Session II Panelist
Whitt Steineker
Partner
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP
Session II Panelist
Zoe Schrieber
Board Member
California Cannabis Industry Association
Session II Panelist

Break

3:30pm – 3:45pm: Networking

Session III

3:45pm-5:00pm: Session III: What the Hemp Can You Do? | DESCRIPTION: On December 12, 2026, “Hemp’s” definition, and “Hemp-Derived Intoxicating Products’” will crash. This brisk informative session tracks Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026” H.R.5371, Public Law No: 119-37’s language and implications of redefining of “Hemp” and “Total THC”, “Total Potency Cap” and “Hemp Seed” definitions and provides workable tools for guiding Hemp farmers, processors, and sellers in interstate and intrastate commerce.

Steve Schain
Senior Counsel
Smart Counsel
Session III Lead
Pamela Epstein
Chief Legal & Regulatory Officer
Terpene Belt, Inc.
Session III Panelist
Beau Whitney
CEO
Whitney Economics
Session III Panelist

Solicitors Soirée

7:00pm-10:00pm: Solicitors Soirée - INCBA's Annual Cannabis Law Sessions After-Party!

About CLS2026

The International Cannabis Bar Association (INCBA) is excited to present our annual set of continuing legal education sessions at MJBizCon in Las Vegas. Designed for attorneys and other professionals serving the cannabis industry such as accountants and consultants, but appropriate for sophisticated business owners and licensees and anyone else offering professional services to the cannabis industry, our legal sessions provide valuable insights for all, whether new to or versed in the cannabis industry or law practice. Three hours of CLE will be available for attendees.The Cannabis Law Sessions provide a specialized forum designed for operators, accountants, and attorneys to network with and hear from experienced cannabis attorneys and policymakers addressing the industry's complex and evolving regulatory landscape. This intensive program will feature three critical sessions: an examination of First Amendment considerations in cannabis branding and marketing, a timely federal policy update, and a practical analysis of the shifting legal framework governing hemp. By fostering dialogue among industry experts, the sessions aim to equip participants with actionable strategies for navigating the intersection of cannabis law, local regulations, and federal policy as we head into 2027.