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VIRGINIA CANNABIS LAW

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What’s the buzz in Virginia?

 

“Entrepreneurs trying to interpret [Virginia’s] rules are often left with more questions than answers.”  

-Inside the ‘wild, wild west’ of Virginia’s marijuana market.
The Washington Post (August 26, 2022)

 

Being an entrepreneur is hard enough.  Add conflicting laws, confusing regulations, and an uncertain political climate and it’s no wonder you don’t know where to turn.  

 

 Cannabiz is unique.  Your lawyer should be too.  

 

In Virginia, cannabis licenses for recreational sales are not yet available, but both marijuana-related businesses and a thriving market of “green rush” entrepreneurs has emerged.  How does that impact your plans? Banking is nearly impossible and understanding what you can and can’t do (while staying legal) is hazy at best.

 

Growing classes?  Clothing products?  Soil?  Trademark protection for your logos & brand?  Specialized tools?  Private clubs?  Pop-ups?

 

Drawing on our experience as Denver cannabis lawyers working with the Colorado marijuana industry since 2015, we are ideally situated to guide clients through what will undoubtedly be a complex application process and continuing regulatory requirements from the state and local governments involved once Virginia law makers deliver on the people's will of an adult-use commercial cannabis industry.  

 

But as entrepreneurs ourselves, we understand that it's not always what you know, but who you know.  As a result, we are so excited to announce our collaboration with Dunlap Law, a business law firm with deep Virginia roots and a knack for solving big problems for small businesses - just like us.   

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It all begins with a solid foundation.  Be smart at the start and get our advice on forming and structuring your business.  

 

Virginia cannabis law services available now:

 

  • Business formation & structuring

  • Employment contracts, handbooks, and policies

  • Specialized commercial lease terms

  • Virginia cannabis law guidance & strategy

  • Licensing, branding & royalty agreements

  • Regulatory compliance

  • Commercial transactions

  • Business succession planning

  • Vendor or independent contractor agreements

  • Business strategic planning

 

Legal counsel services coming

as soon as Virginia gets it's act together:

 

  • Cannabis business licensing

  • Cannabis transportation

  • Commercial breeding, cultivation, manufacturing and retailing

  • Product packaging & labeling compliance 

  • Cannabis hospitality

  • More regulatory compliance

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When you’re ready to roll, we’re here to help. 

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After serving in-house, Brian moved into consulting, where he helped develop one of the nation’s first industry-specific liability insurance policies for a nationwide carrier. He later advised clients on competitive licensing applications and regulatory strategy across multiple jurisdictions, counseling on legislative, regulatory, and public policy matters. Brian joined RZA Legal in 2020, where he represents Colorado businesses and property owners throughout the full lifecycle of their operations and investments. His practice includes real estate acquisitions and dispositions, commercial leasing, land use and zoning matters, entity structuring and financing, contract negotiation, regulatory compliance, employment matters, and state and local government representation. He regularly works with mountain community clients navigating complex local regulations affecting development, use, and operation of real property. Brian also assists municipalities with drafting and revising ordinances governing regulated business activity, balancing operational realities, community priorities, and legal risk. Brian is active in legal scholarship and education. He has published in the University of Virginia Journal of Social Policy & the Law and the Pepperdine Law Review, written on regulatory reform for the Cannabis Industry Journal, and previously served as an adjunct professor of law at the University of Wyoming. Before practicing in Colorado, Brian worked in New York City in private practice and clerked for a judge on the U.S. Court of International Trade. Brian lives in Grand Lake, Colorado, with his wife and has volunteered as a first responder with Grand County Mountain Rescue and Rocky Mountain National Park Rescue since 2015. Outside of work, he enjoys backcountry skiing, playing old-time rock ’n’ roll, and spending time with family in New Jersey. Brian is licensed to practice law in Colorado, New Jersey, and New York. Optional closing sentence: You don’t have to navigate an evolving regulatory and real estate landscape alone—RZA Legal is prepared to guide you at every stage.

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(303) 586-5020

Denver, Fort Collins & Grand Lake

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The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.

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© 2017-2025 by Rachael Z. Ardanuy, Attorney at Law, P.C.

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