About Mitzi Vaughn
Mitzi Vaughn is a seasoned transactional attorney whose practice meets a wide variety of corporate needs, from entity creation, complex equity structures, profit sharing, governance, employment contracts, to mergers, asset acquisitions, interstate expansion, and intellectual property protection.
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While serving a diverse clientele, for over a decade Mitzi has been recognized as a leader in the field of cannabis and hemp regulatory and transactional law. She has been asked to speak almost 30 times in the last decade, within the United States and in Europe, and has advised local and international governmental entities regarding the regulation of cannabis businesses.
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​Drug Policy Reform
Mitzi is actively involved with international and U.S. drug policy reform organizations.
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General Counsel to the Coalition for Cannabis Standards and Ethics (WA); 2013-2015
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General Counsel for The Cannabis Alliance (successor to CCSE); 2015-present
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Board Member and Advisory Board Member for the Drug Reform Coordination Network & the DRCNet Foundation
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Founding board member of the International Cannabis Bar Association; 2015-2018
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Advisory board member of the International Cannabis Bar Association; 2020-current
Advising Government on Cannabis Regulation
Mitzi is active in the cannabis and hemp legislative and rulemaking process. She’s advised:
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Members of the Oireachtas (Irish Legislature)
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The Jamaican Cannabis Licensing Authority
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Members of the Washington State Legislature
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The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board
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The Hawaii Legislature’s Joint Health Committee
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Education
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J.D. University of California at Berkley School of Law
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B.S., magna cum laude, University of Texas at San Antonio
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Central European University in Budapest, Hungary; international human rights legal coursework
Speaking Engagements
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D8 and D9 Knocking on the Door – The Five Ws of Cannabinoid Litigation
International Cannabis Bar Association Annual Cannabis Law Institute, Chicago, IL; July 2024 -
Marijuana Rescheduling: Implications for Washington’s Cannabis Industry
WSBA Liquor, Cannabis, and Psychedelics Law Section; June 2024 -
Interstate Commerce of ‘Adult Use Cannabis’
Washington Cannabis Summit, Seattle, WA; May 2024 -
Surrounded by Stressors: Attorney Suicide Risk, Mental Health, and Competence
International Cannabis Bar Association, Cannabis Law Institute, Washington DC; June 2023 -
Know your Rights with LCB Enforcement
The Cannabis Alliance, Webinar Wednesday; June 2023 -
Social Consumption in Washington State
Washington Cannabis Summit, Seattle, WA; Oct. 2022 -
The US and Canada: An updated regulatory review
CB Expo, Zurich, Switzerland; Sept. 2022 -
Regulation of Cannabis in the United States: What Irish Policymakers can learn from the American Cannabis Experience
Oireachtas (Irish Parliament), Dublin, Ireland; Sept 2022 -
Cannabis Regulators and the Long Haul
International Cannabis Bar Association Annual Cannabis Law Institute, Washington DC; June 2022 -
Cannabis Security for Lawyers, An Overview
International Cannabis Bar Association, Streaming; March 2022 -
Outpacing Regulations: Innovation in Cannabinoids
Washington Cannabis Summit; Sept. 2021 -
Opportunities for CBD in Retail
Washington Food Industries Association; July 2021 -
Business Law – Formation 201 – Drafting for cannabis business entities
International Cannabis Bar Association Continuing Legal Education; June 2021 -
Hemp –The Shake-Out Since the Farm Bill
International Cannabis Bar Association Cannabis Legal Institute; Oct. 2020 -
Out of State Funding - Boon or Trojan Horse?
Washington Cannabis Summit; Sept.2020 -
In-House Counsel Roundtable Moderator, International Cannabis Bar Association
Cannabis Legal Institute, New York, NY; Sept. 2019 -
Hemp and CBD
National Cannabis Industry Association’s Annual Business Summit Oakland, CA; July 2019 -
International Opportunities in Hemp and Cannabis
American Bar Association International Law Section Annual Meeting, Washington D.C.; April 2019 -
Mary Jane Goes into the Lab: The Evolving Business & Medical Landscape of Marijuana in North and South America
Washington Cannabis Summit, Seattle, WA; Jan. 2019 -
Employment and Labor
National Cannabis Bar Association’s Cannabis Law Institute; Sept. 2018 -
Hawai’i and Washington State Cannabis Regulation
National Cannabis Industry Association’s Annual Business Summit; July 2017 -
How to Tank Your Business – Don’t Do It!
National Cannabis Industry Association’s Annual Business Summit; June 2017 -
Cannabis: Examination of IP Protection, Regulatory, and Ethical Considerations
American Bar Association Intellectual Property Section Annual Meeting; April 5, 2017 -
Interstate Cannabis Brand Development
Ganjapreneur; April 2016 -
Advanced Interstate Licensing for Cannabis Brands
Women Grow Leadership Conference; Feb. 2016 -
Legal and Operational Considerations for Medical Cannabis Dispensaries
Hawai’i State Bar Association Convention; Oct. 2015 -
The Legal Issues of Hawaii’s Medi-Pot Industry
Civil Beat’s Pod Squad Podcast Live at University of Hawaii; Oct. 2015 -
Washington State Cannabis Regulation
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association’s Western Regional Conference; June 2014