Partner Michael Sly has been appointed by Governor Tim Walz to the Cannabis Advisory Council of Minnesota (the “Council”), serving as an “expert in providing legal services to Cannabis businesses.”

The Council will take public testimony and provide recommendations to the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management following Minnesota’s 2023 legislation approving recreational adult-use cannabis.

Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes § 342.03, Council duties include (1) reviewing national cannabis policy; (2) examining the effectiveness of state cannabis policy; (3) reviewing developments in the cannabis industry and hemp consumer industry; (4) reviewing developments in the study of cannabis flower, cannabis products, artificially derived cannabinoids, lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products; (5) taking public testimony; and (6) making recommendations to the Office of Cannabis Management, as well as other discretionary duties consistent therewith.

Michael advises clients on all types of debt finance matters, especially middle-market secured and unsecured commercial financing transactions. Michael’s clients include companies including small- and large-cap cannabis businesses, as well as banks and private credit firms lending to cannabis businesses. Michael is part of Dorsey’s Cannabis Practice Group, which covers numerous areas of law applicable to the cannabis industry, which includes regulatory compliance, intellectual property, corporate and commercial finance, corporate governance, real estate, mergers and acquisitions, tax, and beyond.