A native of New Jersey currently residing in Colorado, Brian Blumenfeld is an attorney and consultant for the cannabis industry nationwide, and adds tremendous value to BSC by helping clients bridge the gap between legalese, government regulation, and operational expertise.

Brian graduated from Rutgers Law School in 2011 with a joint JD/MA in American Studies. He was subsequently employed by a judge at the U.S. Court of International Trade, where he assisted the court in reviewing actions taken by various federal agencies involving international trade and customs laws. After two years of private practice in New York City, Brian relocated to Colorado where he began extending legal services to the cannabis industry.

Beginning in 2015, Brian served as in-house counsel for a vertically integrated cannabis operation in Colorado, which encompassed cultivation, extraction/infusion, and retail/wholesale, for both medical and recreational licenses. Brought on prior to the completion of facility construction, Brian played an integral role in all phases of startup operations, including the design and implementation of compliance systems for all departments, and the drafting of operational SOPs.

As in-house counsel, he also oversaw production expansion. In a nascent, rapidly changing industry, the most important approach to expansion is adaptability to fluctuations in market supply and demand, licensee consolidation, and regulatory reform. Drawing on his direct experience, Brian is uniquely positioned to advise clients in navigating such challenges for growing market share and increasing brand recognition. In any highly regulated industry, familiarity with bureaucratic procedures and demands is likewise essential for success. Brian has engaged extensively with the state Marijuana Enforcement Division, preparing facilities for regulatory audits, offering testimony at public hearings regarding regulatory reform proposals, and submitting public comments in an effort to successfully further client and industry interests.

In 2017, Brian expanded his reach and began consulting for cannabis clients around the country. He has made valuable contributions to the development of commercial insurance policies specifically for cannabis businesses, designed quality assurance and best-practice standards for rating risk in all sectors of the industry, and he continues to advise clients in numerous states on license applications, operational decisions, and compliance strategies.

Brian has published legal scholarship with a University of Virginia Law School academic journal on the constitutionality of marijuana legalization, which is accessible below. A second, forthcoming publication looks at legalization from the perspective of United Nations drug treaties and international relations. You can also find Brian’s writings on cannabis law and policy developments in the Cannabis Industry Journal.

Virginia Journal of Social Policy & the Law
Cannabis Industry Journal – Federal Reform Proposals, Part II
Cannabis Industry Journal – Federal Reform Proposals, Part IV