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Robert T. Hoban

Strategic Advisor to Cannabis Industry Group

After assisting with the establishment of Clark Hill’s new-market Denver office and leading its Cannabis Industry Group to international recognition, in 2024, Robert T. Hoban elected to step away from the day-to-day practice of law, and will focus on non-legal advisory work in the cannabis space going forward.  Bob sits at the center of the world’s largest commercial cannabis industry network. He remains a Strategic Advisor to Clark Hill’s AmLaw-leading Cannabis Industry Group. As the cannabis industry commercialized, Bob has been widely credited for creating the class of lawyers now known as “cannabis attorneys.”

He has truly transcended the practice of law and had been regularly involved in assembling and structuring large-scale cannabis industry M&A transactions – over $1B in M&A activity since his entry into the cannabis sector over a dozen years ago. Bob has consistently been recognized as one of the most influential people in the global cannabis industry by a variety of organizations and publications over the course of the past dozen-plus years.

As an attorney, Bob was recognized nationwide by Chambers USA, Martindale-Hubbell (AV Preeminent® Rating), Superlawyers, as a “Cannabis Law Trailblazer” by the National Law Journal, and he has been consistently recognized as one of “Denver’s Top Cannabis Lawyers” for more than a decade. Bob personally maintains relationships with Fortune 1000 companies, as well as numerous funds and government entities. He also works with leading companies in other emerging industries and technologies, such as legalized psychedelics.

As a cannabis industry expert, Bob was recognized as one of the Top 42.0 influential cannabis industry pioneers by Forbes Magazine, and has been featured in consecutive years as one of the most influential voices in the Latin American cannabis sector by The Business Year (2021-2022). In the past dozen+ years, Bob has received numerous awards for his leadership, policy, and market development efforts across the world.

Bob is a founder of the leading international cannabis consultancy, Gateway Proven Strategies.

From 2010-2016, Bob served as one of the Nation’s first cannabis policy instructors at the University of Denver, where he regularly lectured regarding cannabis policy topics, and led multiple international travel courses concerning the implementation of international cannabis regulation. Given this academic background, Bob has been engaged to develop legislation and/or regulation for over thirty (30) countries around the world, and has participated at the United Nations concerning cannabis policy reform in various forums over the past dozen+ years.

Bob was recognized in 2021 by Titan 100 recipient as one of Colorado’s Top 100 CEO’s & C-level executives. He has served as a C-Suite member on numerous occasions (CEO, CSO) for national and international cannabis companies, and presently sits on the Board of Directors for Glass House Brands, and as a Board Member for Athletes for Care, Regennabis, Chrystal Capital, Green Flower Media, the Global Cannabis Network Collective, and Akers Biosciences. In 2022, Bob completed a Fellowship for a Certificate in Cannabis Journalism at the University of Vermont.

Bob is a Forbes contributor and frequently appears in media coverage as an authority on cannabis and has been a keynote speaker at dozens of cannabis events around the world. He has conducted hundreds of interviews regarding marijuana policy for international, national, state, and local media outlets. Major media outlets like the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, CNN, Rolling Stone, Forbes, VICE, MSNBC, and Bloomberg all have called on Bob for his unique perspective on the cannabis industry.

Prior to joining Clark Hill, Bob deliberately constructed the Hoban Law Group (HLG) to become the world’s leading full-service commercial cannabis industry law firm. For more than a decade, HLG represented the cannabis industry’s titans in every aspect of the commercial cannabis industry around the world. In June of 2021, HLG combined with international law firm, Clark Hill.

Industries

Education

J.D., University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming
B.S., Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
Ph.D., University of Colorado

Recognitions

⁠Ranked in Chambers USA, Cannabis Law, Band 4 (2024)

Martindale-Hubbell (AV Preeminent® Rating) 

Named among Colorado Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters (2021-2024)

“Cannabis Law Trailblazer” by the National Law Journal 

“Denver’s Top Cannabis Lawyers” 

Forbes

Mr. Hoban covers issues shaping the cannabis industry as a contributor to Forbes.

In 2021, Robert Hoban was proudly involved in: 

  1. Representation of a significant shareholder group in connection with the closing of one of the largest M&A deals in the cannabis industry. 
  2. Representation of a major cannabis focused lending REIT in connection with a first-of-its-kind loans to a borrower in Nevada.
  3. Representation as corporate and securities counsel by a major wellness brand with non-plant touching investments in the cannabis sector in connection with its pending U.S.-based IPO.
  4. Representation of a leading private MSO as lead M&A counsel in connection with several acquisitions throughout the United States. 
  5. Acting as counsel to the promoter and General Partner of a new cannabis focused venture capital fund.
  6. Retained as counsel to the promoter of a psychedelic focused private equity fund.
  7. Prompt reversal of improperly executed IRS Notice of Levy on Cannabis Company, which would have shut them down.
  8. Receivership counsel to cannabis business seeking to reform/reorganize where Chapter 11 bankruptcy disallowed.
  9. LOI for potential acquisition of largest cannabis business in Montana.
  10. Retention by the first public traded cannabis company operating under Panama’s brand-new cannabis laws.
  11. Recent retention by the USVI and the Country of Andorra (after having represented over thirty countries on these same matters globally, previously) to create their respective legislative and regulatory frameworks (drafting, oversight, and rulemaking guidance), and provision of ongoing advisory to the Executive Director of said country’s cannabis oversight/regulatory agency.
  12. Representation of CEA, Industries (NASDAQ: CEAD — Surna) – serving as outside General Counsel, efficiently guiding them through large portions of the NASDAQ uplisting process.
  13. Oversight, strategic consultancy, and legal advisory concerning buildout, structure, and legal positioning of India-based company, which possess the only THC export license in India.  In addition, I served to domesticate various corporate structures, financial elements, and operations in the U.S. — ~$25MM.
  14. Assisted CA company, who possesses a hemp derivative consumer product line and an extensive portfolio of intellectual property (cannabinoid-related and psychedelics-related) in its capital raise with various sources across the United States and Latin America — ~$15MM.
  15. Facilitated cannabis seed registration in the E.U. (and other international locations) and advised concerning/facilitated numerous international cannabis seed shipments in global commerce.
  16. Provided strategic advisory to leading edible brands concerning international expansion practices, patterns, and techniques.
  17. Advised a subsidiary of one of the leading Canadian medical cannabis suppliers on the acquisition of European assets.  
  18. Advised biotech company on an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement concerning cannabis formulations, patents, and technology.
  19. Advised on the conclusion of a joint venture agreement with a European pharmaceutical wholesaler.
  20. Advised regarding the out-licensing of certain intellectual property for cannabis-related patents and formulations.
  21. Advised North American based cannabis research company regarding the sale of service and production division to Latin American enterprise.
  22. Latin American biotechnology company – Advised regarding the sale of a certain IP-portfolio for the treatment of various conditions with cannabis-related formulations.
  23. European venture capital fund — Advised regarding the acquisition of shares in a German-based biotechnology company.
  24. North American cannabis supply chain company — Advised regarding the restructuring of its distribution channels in LatAm and European countries.
  25. Various clients in the life sciences sector — Advise in all types of transactions, including technology transfer agreements, R&D agreements, M&A transactions, private equity transactions, arbitration proceedings and litigation.
  26. Led licensing deal in conjunction with Tyson 2.0.
  27. Structured and facilitated Latin American M&A/acquisitions by U.S.-based client (after serving as interim CEO), which exceeded $40MM.
  28. Worked with Latam consumer product companies to secure international shipping designations of hemp derived products with various global carriers (FedEx, DHL, UPS) to facilitate transactions exceeding $10MM.
  29. Represented STEM Holdings in various acquisitions across the United States.  
  30. Structured and represented Gateway Proven Strategies (www.GOPS.global) in its capital raise offering documents ($50MM) and pitch materials, and structured and scaled the entity globally.
  31. Successfully worked with client to obtain an outside ESG contract with Curaleaf. 

The Clark Hill approach is equally pragmatic and growth-minded, which is why we understand our clients’ toughest business challenges. Our multidisciplinary, global team of advisors focuses on smart legal solutions, delivered simply.

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