Cannabis Law

We advise cannabis businesses across Canada on regulation, financing and transactions, offering legal and business insight that drives long-term success.
Key Contacts
Blake AngelaHussey DominiqueSonshine AaronTessier JeanTruswell JonWang Julia
Marijuana

Overview

Bennett Jones� Cannabis group consists of a team of dedicated legal professionals based mainly in Toronto with expertise spread throughout our additional offices in Canada. We are focused on providing services and expertise designed to enhance the prospects of our cannabis clients. We deliver high-quality legal services with an entrepreneurial approach.

,,A prime-mover in the cannabis space, Bennett Jones LLP’s focus on building a full-service offering has paid dividends, and the firm houses a well-rounded industry group.,,

What Clients Say

While the Cannabis group offers the intimacy and responsiveness of a boutique firm, we also draw on the resources of Bennett Jones’ approximately 400 lawyers and legal professionals for their experience in the broad range of legal matters that are relevant to our clients.

We develop and maintain stable, long-term relationships between each client and one of our lawyers who acts as a single point of contact. The contact person will introduce and coordinate other Bennett Jones lawyers in any specialty disciplines needed.

The cannabis industry is characterized by collaboration and networks. As originating participants in the space, we have developed an extensive network of contacts in Canada and beyond, and we make these contacts available to our clients. Our network includes financing sources (angel, venture capital, private equity and strategic investors, investment banks and commercial banks), government agencies (Health Canada, Canadian securities commissions and Food Inspection Agency), industry consultants (security experts, technology providers and technical advisors) and professionals in related fields (accountants, lawyers, recruiters, marketing and business development experts, and investor and public relations consultants). These are people with whom we have worked over many years and whom we recommend with confidence.

,,They have been outstanding, trusted and proactive partners for us. The team we work with understand the intricacies of my business and have a strong understanding of the cannabis space.,,

What Clients Say

Our practice group has worked with hundreds of cannabis businesses since the space’s inception. We deliver that experience to every client by recommending best practices and helping them to avoid costly mistakes with customized advice. There is no substitute for the experience of having seen particular approaches succeed or fail.

 

Our Business Approach

We strive to be thought leaders in the cannabis industry and, to this end, we regularly publish articles and thought-pieces regarding topical conversation points and deliver presentations regarding topics of interest at conferences.

We represent and assist clients that are involved in all facets of the cannabis industry as this approach allows us to broker strategic introductions for our clients.  We believe this holistic approach allows us to offer both legal and business expertise and truly assume the role of trusted business partner and advisor to our cannabis clients.

Client Work

Glass House Brands
in its US$50-million senior secured loan
Glass House Brands
in its US$25 million at-the-market equity offering of voting shares
Canopy Growth
in Ontario Securities Commission enforcement proceedings against Cormark Securities
Indiva
in its C$4-million private placement of units, comprised of a common share and a warrant
Indiva
in a stalking horse purchase agreement for the business and assets by SNDL
Leef Brands
in its US$5-million offering of debentures, the first such offering by a publicly-traded cannabis company to be backed by Bitcoin
Numinus Wellness
in the sale of a portfolio of Canadian health care clinics
PharmaCielo
in its acquisition of Siam Ventures, and in its concurrent C$2-million private share placement
Safe Supply Streaming
in its preliminary shelf prospectus filing
Nova Cannabis
in filing its C$35-million short-form base shelf prospectus and C$20-million at-the-market offering
Nova Cannabis
in its strategic partnership with SNDL, which includes the provision of certain licenses to operate and IP rights to SNDL
Nova Cannabis
in connection with a statutory plan of arrangement whereby SNDL acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares
All Nations Cannabis
in the establishment of an on-reserve cannabis production and retail operations in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Ontario
Cresco Labs
in its US$400-million term loan facility and US$25-million construction mortgage financing
Cresco Labs
in its US$2-billion acquisition of Columbia Care
Cresco Labs
in its US$125-million offering of subordinate voting shares
Cresco Labs
in a public offering of 7,350,000 units at a price per unit of $10.00 for gross proceeds of $73,500,000
Cresco Labs
in its US$207-million acquisition of Bluma Wellness
Cresco Labs
in its acquisition of Tryke Companies
Cresco Labs
in its $2.2-billion reverse takeover transaction and public listing on the Canadian Securities Exchange
Cresco Labs
in its $1.1-billion acquisition of Origin House
KAOS Capital
in the successful campaign to refresh the board of directors of HEXO, reducing the board to seven members, with KAOS retaining right to nominate an eighth member
VIVO Cannabis
in its $133 million acquisition of Canna Farms
TerrAscend
in its arrangement with Canopy USA, LLC to convert $125.5M in debt to securities
ATB Capital Markets
in the $7.14-million private placement offering of The Flowr Corporation
Cantor Fitzgerald Canada
in an up to $30-million at-the-market equity program for the sale of common shares pursuant to an equity distribution agreement with Aleafia Health
Cantor Fitzgerald Canada
in the $22.7-million bought deal offering of units of Aleafia Health 
Cantor Fitzgerald Canada
in the $33.4-million bought deal equity financing of units of MediPharm Labs 
Cantor Fitzgerald Canada
in the $15.9-million bought deal short form prospectus offering of The Flowr Corporation
Emerald Health Therapeutics
in an at-the-market equity offering for the sale of up to $39 million of common shares pursuant to an equity distribution agreement with GMP Securities
Emerald Health Therapeutics
in various privacy and IT-related advice
Emerald Health Therapeutics
in its prospectus offering of common shares to a single institutional investor for gross proceeds of $10.8 million
Emerald Health Therapeutics
in its acquisition of Québec-based licensed producer Agro-Biotech
Cannabis Wheaton Income
in its strategic alliance agreement with Honest
Cannabis Wheaton Income
in the acquisition of Robinson's Cannabis Incorporated valued at $14,000,000
GrowForce
in its acquisition of WILL Cannabis
Canaccord Genuity
in the brokered private placement of convertible debentures of Central Coast Agriculture for aggregate gross proceeds of up to US$25 million
Canaccord Genuity
in the brokered private placement of special warrants of CLS Holdings USA for aggregate gross proceeds of $13 million
Canaccord Genuity
in the brokered private placement of convertible debentures of CLS Holdings USA for aggregate gross proceeds of up to US$20 million
Canaccord Genuity
in the brokered private placement of units of LiveWell Foods Canada for aggregate gross proceeds of $10 million
Alliance One International
in its acquisition of Canada’s Island Garden
Baker Technologies
in its business combination with Sante Veritas Holdings and others
Alcanna
acted for cannabis retailers
MedMen Enterprises
IPO round of financing
Cura Partners
private round of financing
Endless Sky
in its non-brokered private placement of $2,131,690.00 of units
PlantExt
in corporate, regulatory and IP matter related to Hebrew University, Agricultural Research Organization and ongoing corporate and financing needs
48North Cannabis
in its $50-million acquisition by HEXO
48North Cannabis
in its bought-deal short-form prospectus offering of units for gross proceeds of $28.75 million
48North Cannabis
in its supply agreement with, and ultimate acquisition of, Good & Green
48North Cannabis
go-public transaction with Kramer Capital
FSD Pharma
in its acquisition of Israel clinical pharma Therapix Bioscience
FV Pharma
amalgamation with Century Financial Capital Group

Recognitions

Chambers Canada
Ranked, Cannabis Law - Nationwide
The Legal 500 Canada
Ranked Tier 1, Cannabis
Hussey Dominique

Dominique T. Hussey

Chief Executive Officer  •   Co-Head of Innovation, Technology & Branding Practice

At the centre of market-shaping deals and high-stakes disputes, Bennett Jones delivers clarity, strategy and results. Our cross-border teams turn complexity into progress, always focused on what drives your success.

Your Guide to Legal Solutions: Cannabis Law

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The Bennett Jones Story

At Bennett Jones, legal solutions are our starting point. What drives us forward is knowing our clients inside and out—their ambitions, obstacles and success metrics.

For more than a century, we have shaped outcomes that matter in business, in law and in the broader Canadian landscape. And our commitment extends beyond legal matters: we invest deeply in the communities in which we live and work.