Application, Process, and Best Practices

SarahLee Gossett Parrish Related Seminars and Products

President/CEO

Sarah Lee Gossett Parrish PLLC

David Ruskin Related Seminars and Products

Partner

HMB Legal Counsel

David is a partner with the Chicago-based law firm, HMB Legal Counsel.  Following 25 years of litigating business and tax disputes, in 2016 David turned his full energy to focus on providing legal counsel to the cannabis industry, representing entrepreneurs, investors and business owners, both plant touching and ancillary trades.

David enjoys guiding clients through the life-cycle of cannabis operations, starting with the regulatory maze for state licensing of cannabis businesses followed by the myriad of general and regulatory counsel needs during the course of the company’s life, from start-up issues through sale events and the multitude of legal challenges in between. David has been successful in securing numerous licenses and cross-border agreements in various states for clients, with the help of his HMB Legal cannabis team.

Known as an excellent listener, David’s approach is efficient and focused on his client’s business goals. Ultimately, David’s biggest satisfaction comes from moving the cannabis industry forward, both through legal work and also making introductions within his wide network of cannabis business friends and colleagues. To that end, David co-founded CannaMatch in 2021, for the purpose of matching newly licensed growers, processors and retailers with the numerous industry service providers in an organized, efficient and confidential fashion. David’s other hours are spent active with the International Cannabis Bar Association, the Illinois Cannabis Bar Association and the Illinois Craft Cannabis Association…when not with his family, their golden-doodle Boyd, or enjoying live music.   

Scheril Murray Powell Related Seminars and Products

Chief Operating Officer

The JUSTUS Foundation Inc.

HIGH TIMES 100 TOP INFLUENCERS IN CANNABIS Scheril Murray Powell, Esq. is an Agricultural, Cannabis, and Dietary Supplement Attorney at Doumar, Allsworth, Laystrom, Voigt, Adair, and Dishowitz LLP and COO at Jusus.foundation She is the Chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Sub-Committee of the ASTM D37 Committee. Scheril also serves as the Director of Business Development of Creative Services, a FCRA Compliance, Background Screening, and Security Firm. The Daily Business Review has named her one of the Top 12 Cannabis Attorney’s in Florida. Her practice covers both the Marijuana and Hemp Industries, specializing in Cannabinoid legalization and UK Novel Foods registration. She is a Florida licensed Hemp Farmer and is a Research Farmer for the University of Florida. Scheril serves on the Board of one of the oldest Cannabis Advocacy Organizations, Patients Out of Time. She is the former Executive Director of the Black Farmers and Agriculturalists of Florida and former Director of Federal Affairs for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Scheril is on the Hemp Pilot Program Advisory Board for the University of Florida and serves on the Broward County, Florida Medical Marijuana Advisory Board. She is on the board for the Friends of Hemp and was a Founding Board Member for the U.S. Hemp Builders Association (not to be confused with the U.S. Hemp Building Association Foundation). She is also President of consulting firm Green Sustainable Strong, LLC. In her spare time she volunteers with the Winrock Foundation delivering Marketing training to Farmers in Ghana, Africa. In 2018, she was a recipient of the Crohns Foundation Blood, Sweat, and Tears Award, and the Cannabis Business Award's Industry MVP Award. 

Dina Rollman, Government & Regulatory Affairs Related Seminars and Products

SVP

GTI

DINA ROLLMAN is GTI’s SVP of Government & Regulatory Affairs. In this role, she represents GTI in governmental and regulatory affairs matters at the state, local, and federal level and provides counsel on regulatory matters. Dina began her involvement with GTI and the cannabis industry in 2014 by helping GTI apply for its Illinois licenses, and thereafter served as first external and then in-house regulatory compliance and litigation counsel before transitioning to a government relations role in 2019.

Dina is an experienced attorney who, prior to joining GTI and specializing in cannabis law, was a commercial litigation partner, representing plaintiffs and defendants in business disputes throughout the country.

Dina is also the founder and President of Illinois Women in Cannabis, a not for profit group that promotes women’s role in Illinois’ medical cannabis industry. She recently taught Illinois’ first Cannabis Law & Policy course as an adjunct professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law. Dina has lectured widely on cannabis topics, addressing national trade conferences, national legal conferences and presenting at legal seminars. Dina created GTI’s social equity License Education Application Program (LEAP), which helps to educate applicants about the adult use cannabis business application process in Illinois and prepare them to apply for the available categories of licenses.

The Chicago Sun-Times named Dina to its list of the top 10 most influential people in the Illinois cannabis industry in 2018 and she was included in the Chicago Business Journal’s Chicago Women of Influence list in 2019.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Oberlin College and a law degree from Northwestern University School of Law.