Biography
Michelle is Co-Chair of the firm's Cannabis Industry Group and is a corporate and transactional attorney representing entrepreneurs, start-ups and middle-market companies.
She advises companies and their principals across a broad range of business sectors, but she has deep industry expertise in branded consumer products, manufacturing & distribution, commercial cannabis and industrial hemp.
Frequently acting as general counsel for her clients, Michelle’s practice is broad in scope and she has extensive experience in handling significant transactions whether it’s a merger or acquisition, capital raise, joint venture or licensing deal. Her early experience in litigation paired with her bold approach to business strategy allows her to creatively get deals done.
With over a decade of experience handling cannabis and hemp-related matters, Michelle has a reputation for helping cutting-edge companies thrive in the highly-regulated cannabis industry. She also provides pro bono counsel for the Cannabis Equity Retailers Association and to low-income applicants who qualify for the Los Angeles Cannabis Social Equity Program.
Michelle is consistently recognized as a thought leader in the cannabis space and is on Law360’s Cannabis Editorial Advisory Board. She is an Executive Committee Member for the Primerus Cannabis Practice Group; a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Committee Member for the Association for Corporate Growth - Los Angeles Chapter (ACG-LA); the Lead Member of the Policy Subcommittee for the Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA) Cannabis Section; and an Amicus Committee Member for the International Cannabis Bar Association.
Michelle has been named a “Cannabis Law Trailblazer” by the National Law Journal and a “Top Cannabis Lawyer” by the Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal.
Publications
Professional Affiliations
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee, Association for Corporate Growth, Los Angeles Chapter (2021 - Present)
- Amicus Committee, International Cannabis Bar Association
- Policy Committee, Los Angeles County Bar Association Cannabis Section
- Pro Bono Counsel, Cannabis Equity Retailers Association
- Executive Committee, Primerus Cannabis Practice Group
- Cannabis Editorial Advisory Board, Law360 (2022 & 2023)
- Former Member of Drafting Committee, Minority Cannabis Business Association
- Former Member of Cannabis Law & Policy Committee, American Bar Association
- Former Member of Legislative Advocacy Committee, Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce
- Provisors, Century City 7
Awards
- "Top Cannabis Lawyers," Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal, 2022
- "Cannabis Law Trailblazers," National Law Journal, 2022
- Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, 2024
- Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2021 - 2023
- “Lawyer of the Year,” California Cannabis Awards, Nominee
- Shortlisted on “250 Cannabis Law Leaders in the United States," Databird
Bar Admissions
Court Admissions
- United States District Court, Central District of California
- United States Supreme Court
Education
- University of Southern California Gould School of Law (J.D., 2011)
- University of California, Los Angeles (B.A., 2007)
- History/Political Science