by Grow Up Conference | Sep 11, 2017
Charles Alovisetti is a senior associate and co-chair of the corporate department at Vicente Sederberg LLC. Prior to joining Vicente Sederberg, Mr. Alovisetti worked as an associate in the New York offices of Latham & Watkins and Goodwin where his practice focused on representing private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies, as well as public companies, in a range of corporate transactions, including mergers, stock and asset acquisitions and divestitures, growth equity investments, venture capital investments, and debt financings. In addition, Mr. Alovisetti has experience counseling portfolio and emerging growth companies with respect to general corporate and commercial matters and all aspects of compensation arrangements, including executive employment and consulting agreements, stock option plans, restricted stock plans, bonus plans, and other management incentive arrangements. Mr. Alovisetti has experience in both U.S. and cross-border transactions, and has advised clients across a range of industries prior to focusing on the cannabis industry. In addition to his corporate work, Mr. Alovisetti has worked with clients on multiple licensing applications in Maryland, Hawaii, Texas, and Pennsylvania. He holds a Bachelor of Arts, with honors, from McGill University and a law degree from Columbia Law School, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. Mr. Alovisetti is admitted to practice in both Colorado and New York and is a Level One Interprener. He can be reached at charlie@vicentesederberg.com. Follow him on Twitter @CAlovisetti.
by Grow Up Conference | Sep 8, 2017
In dealing with a wide variety of labour and employment issues, Fiona takes great care in understanding her clients’ businesses and delivering advice that is tailored to meeting their specific needs. She cares deeply about addressing her clients’ concerns and resolving their issues.
Fiona’s practice focuses on advising clients with respect to compliance with employment standards, human rights, pay equity and occupational health and safety requirements and minimizing liabilities with respect to terminations. Fiona also regularly drafts, negotiates and advises on the enforcement of contractual and commercial arrangements with employees, including employment and consulting agreements, non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, equity and non-equity based compensation arrangements and bonus plans, the assignment of intellectual property rights and separation packages. In addition, Fiona represents clients in litigation arising out of the employment relationship, including wrongful and constructive dismissal litigation and matters before the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal and the Ontario Labour Relations Board.
Fiona’s commercial employment law practice involves assisting the firm’s corporate clients with all labour and employment aspects of corporate transactions, restructurings and mergers and acquisitions, including employment-related diligence, successor employer issues and preparing related employment and consulting agreements. Fiona represents employers in the public, private, non-profit and charitable sectors across a range of industries and contexts, including technology, manufacturing, automotive, health and wellness, insurance, transportation, retail and marketing, among others.
Fiona enjoys working with clients to develop workable business solutions.
by Grow Up Conference | Sep 8, 2017
Dr. Shane Morris leads Morris and Associates Consulting Inc., a global cannabis consultancy that provides regulatory and product development support to industry actors based on experience and proven execution. Dr. Morris has held C-suite and senior executive leadership roles in government and industry. He has over 20 years of experience in scientific and regulatory affairs. Dr. Morris has been a senior executive in the cannabis industry since 2015. Committed to rigorous, science-based consumer focused innovation, Shane has led the development and market introduction of many new cannabis products in the Canadian and European markets. Prior to consulting, Dr. Morris was Chief Product Officer for Aurora Cannabis. Shane’s proven expertise in quality assurance, cannabis operations, regulatory affairs and food safety ensured success in launching legal vapes, gummies, mints, chocolates, cookies, softgels and drinks. Products developed by Dr. Morris had retail sales of over $40M in 2020. Dr. Morris currently serves on the Board of Directors on Feather Inc, a cannabis innovation company operating in Canada and the USA.
by Grow Up Conference | Sep 8, 2017
Derek Riedle (pronounced reed-lee) is the founder and publisher of Civilized – a media company that speaks to motivated, productive adults who choose to enjoy cannabis as part of a healthy, balanced lifestyle, but do not define themselves by it. He approaches life with wide-eyed curiosity and a gut feeling for what people want before they know they want it.
Derek has crafted the message and shaped the story of leading companies and winning political campaigns across North America. He founded strategic communications agency, Revolution Strategy and is the co-creator of Real Houses of… a television series showcasing some of the most interesting homes in North America and the personalities behind them.
Rooted in Canada’s east coast but living in Los Angeles, he’s learned to surround himself with really great people and get out of the way. Derek loves a good story, a witty sense of humor and authentic personalities. He maintains a strict no-assholes-allowed policy.
by Grow Up Conference | Sep 7, 2017
A ‘next generation’ cannabis industry expert and strategist, Michael Garbuz shapes ideas with stakeholders across the industry, from corporate finance specialists to PhD scientists. Michael joined the Toronto-based corporate law firm Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP after earning a Law degree from the University of Toronto, and an Honours Specialization Degree in Biological and Medical Sciences from Western University. At Cassels Brock, he was able to build, lead and significantly grow the firm’s cannabis industry group. Michael thrives on business challenges and is deeply passionate about entrepreneurship. His corporate law experience focuses on mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, private placements, going-public transactions, as well as private equity and venture capital. He has represented and worked with a cross section of public and private companies and investment dealers in domestic and cross-border transactions, and worked to negotiate and structure various commercial agreements including share and asset purchase agreements, as well as various partnership and joint venture agreements. Michael’s life science background, coupled with his extensive experience in the legal and business fields, are formidable assets in helping develop and advance the research-driven future of cannabis products and the industry’s emerging medical and health innovations.
by Grow Up Conference | Sep 7, 2017
Jesse Stanley is the CEO of Stanley Brothers, a leading social enterprise company that creates life-changing, plant-based health and wellness solutions. Jesse and his brothers are pioneers in non-psychoactive cannabis industry and achieved international recognition for developing proprietary hemp genetics with low Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and high Cannabidiol (CBD) content, which became known as Charlotte’s Web.
Charlotte’s Web is named after a little girl, Charlotte Figi, who was suffering from 300 gran mal seizures per week from a treatment resistant form of epilepsy. Since taking the brothers’ hemp extract, Charlotte has been 99.9% seizure free and thriving in school. Charlotte’s Web has various health applications and contains a full spectrum of plant compounds that support life-essential biological processes and the endocannabinoid system.
To further Jesse’s and his brothers’ mission to improve the quality for others, CW Hemp supports the non-profit, Realm of Caring, to advance cannabinoid science and research and also, to assist those in need of cannabinoid therapies.
In his free time, Jesse likes to travel, ride motorcycles, and spend time with his family.
by Grow Up Conference | Sep 7, 2017
Hugo is known as one of Canada’s leading advisors in the cannabis industry, having represented a variety of global industry participants, including licensed producers, licensed producer applicants, licensed dealers, e-commerce platforms, seed-to-sale software developers, design and build firms, patient aggregators, equipment manufacturers and distributors, and cannabis branding companies. Hugo has acted as lead counsel or played a key role in a wide variety of transactions since the inception of the cannabis industry in Canada and is widely regarded as a Canadian cannabis industry pioneer.
Prior to joining Auxly as its President, Hugo was a senior corporate and commercial Partner at Bennett Jones LLP where he founded and built the firm’s Cannabis Group.
Hugo obtained his B.A from Carleton University and his J.D from the University of Toronto.
by Grow Up Conference | Sep 7, 2017
Mr. Naraine has vast practical & theoretical experience in the field of Cannabis research and cultivation. Being recognized as an innovative and industry leading researcher, he has had the opportunity to collaborate with international experts on various initiatives.
Steve holds a Bachelor of Science in Medical Physics and minor in Philosophy from Ryerson University, where he is currently pursuing graduate studies in Molecular Science. He has been an invited lecturer at several Universities and organizations, such as the International Pharmaceutical Academy. Currently, Steve is the Chief Science Officer of CannaVida, while continuing his own research for Aether Research.
As a researcher, his focus is on Cannabis morphology and systematics. He researches and publishes in collaboration with Ryerson University, University of Vermont and Agriculture Canada. Steve has given advice and consulted on topics ranging from genetics/cultivar selection, extraction techniques, products, Cannabis evolution & ecology, GMP, standard operating procedures.
by Grow Up Conference | Sep 7, 2017
Vladimir is widely regarded as one of Canada’s leading advisors in the Canadian cannabis industry. Prior to joining Auxly, Vladimir was an associate in the Cannabis Group at Bennett Jones LLP. In this role, he had a broad corporate commercial practice where he advised local and international clients on regulatory matters such as licensing and compliance pursuant to the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations and the Narcotic Control Regulations. Vladimir has represented a variety of cannabis industry participants on complex regulatory matters including licensed producers, licensed producer applicants, licensed dealers, e-commerce platforms, seed-to-sale software developers, design and build firms, patient aggregators, equipment manufacturers and distributors, and cannabis branding companies. Vladimir earned dual law (J.D./J.D.) degrees from the University of Windsor and University of Detroit Mercy.
by Grow Up Conference | Sep 5, 2017
John is the CEO of Supreme Pharmaceuticals Inc. John has spent over a decade in the medical cannabis sector as a cultivator, patients rights advocate and latter an attorney. In 2013 John founded 7ACRES with a vision to build a company based on a passion for producing great cannabis, and to share that vision with the world. Today, 7ACRES is one of Canada’s leading cannabis cultivators and is embarking on a simple mission to cultivate great cannabis on a commercial scale. Prior to Supreme John graduated summa cum laude from the University of Ottawa’s common law program and practices law at a large Bay St. law firm in Toronto.
