J. Daniel Bariault is the sole practitioner with Business Advocate Law PLLC, where he has more than 35 years of experience in all aspects of corporate and business law, with particular emphasis in tax, securities, antitrust, and regulated industries. Mr. Bariault has worked with many high-tech startups in all aspects of business formation, corporate governance, and business strategy. He represents marijuana producers, processors, and retailers; investors; and service companies supporting the emerging marijuana industry in the state of Washington. Mr. Bariault has been a staunch supporter of marijuana legalization and his practice is limited almost exclusively to the cannabis and hemp industry. He has also served as an adjunct faculty member at three universities teaching graduate business courses in finance, business development, securities and portfolio analysis, valuation analysis, and international marketing and management. Mr. Bariault is a member of the Washington State Bar Association. He earned his B.A. degree from Washington State University; his M.B.A. from the University of Puget Sound; his masters degree in international management from Thunderbird School of Global management; and his J.D. degree from the University of Puget Sound. Mr. Bariault also holds a certificate in entrepreneurship from MIT.
Jeffrey Gard is a Colorado attorney with Gard Law Firm, LLC, specializing in marijuana law. He represents numerous patients, doctors, and marijuana businesses throughout the state of Colorado and has advised people from all over the country. Mr. Gard advises both state and local governments in their development of medical marijuana business regulations. He is widely considered one of Colorado's leading marijuana attorneys. Since the passage of Amendment 64, which legalized adult possession and cultivation of marijuana in Colorado, Mr. Gard has been working with state and local officials in developing regulations for the retail marijuana industry and was appointed by the state to participate in the rule-making progress. Over the last year, he has been working with the U.S. Congress to assist with an analysis of the federal code to determine the various areas which are impacted by the state marijuana laws in hopes of reconciling state and federal law in the near future. Mr. Gard now shares his knowledge and experience with other attorneys and has given several CLE lectures on various aspects of marijuana law. By way of background, he is a Colorado native and a cum laude philosophy graduate from the University of Colorado, where he also was elected Phi Beta Kappa. While attending the law school, Mr. Gard won the William De Souchet Award for best individual performance in trial advocacy and won a multi-state moot court competition during his first year of law school. After graduation, he accepted a position with a respected litigation firm in Boulder, Colorado, and later formed his own firm in downtown Boulder, Colorado.
Erik Halverson is the managing attorney with Halverson Law Group, a business counsel firm for transaction and litigation matters. Mr. Halverson has a niche focus in the cannabis industry, representing many of the largest retail and producers in the state of Washington. He has been an active leader in groundbreaking cannabis related projects, speaking engagements, and industry shaping. Mr. Halverson earned his B.A. degree from the University of Washington and his J.D. degree from Seattle University School of Law.
Fabiola Jimenez is corporate counsel with Equinox Business Law Group PLLC, where her background in corporate transactions, intellectual property, regulatory compliance, and marketing brings her immense expertise to help clients during every stage of business development, growth, and change. Ms. Jimenez aids her clients with issues regarding privacy, restricted product development, cannabis and CBD branding, and general business strategy for cannabis and CBD companies. She is admitted to practice in Alabama. Ms. Jimenez is a member of the Washington State Bar Association. She earned her B.A. degree from the University of Washington and her J.D. degree from Seattle University School of Law.
Aaron A. Pelley
is an attorney with Cultiva Law PLLC, where he represents cannabis clients and their business strategies. Mr. Pelley has also earned a reputation for effectively handling high profile litigation, defending both individual and corporate clients. He is a founding member of the Cannabis Defense Coalition Legal Committee and a lifetime member of the NORML Legal Committee.
Mr. Pelley earned his B.A. degree from Willamette University and J.D. degree from Willamette University College of Law.
