As longtime cannabis consultants in the industry, our team has been asked this question countless times, and for good reason. Cannabis consultants and cannabis attorneys bring different skill sets and acumen to an application project. So, the better question may be, “How can you leverage both services in an effective and efficient manner?”
A qualified cannabis consultant will provide comprehensive support that guides you from the very start of your project all the way through to application submission. Whether you are applying for a retail license, cultivation license, manufacturing license, or any license inbetween, a cannabis consultant will support your journey, helping you avoid pitfalls, and overcome hurdles throughout the process. During that time, the consultant should be able to advise when to utilize a qualified cannabis attorney. Cannabis industry lawyers with sufficient experience will be able to support your strategy around organizational structure and agreements you will engage in throughout your application process.
As depicted in the graphic below, your consulting team should support you by making your application process more streamlined and organized. The consulting team can help you as you coordinate with other experts such as your cannabis attorney and CPA. Your consulting team should work alongside you in the process, guiding your journey to submission. They should be communicative with your other service providers, bringing everything together towards the common end-goal of a complete, thorough, customized, and organized application. All of the application pieces should communicate the same message in the same voice.
At an increasing rate, we have found attorneys holding themselves out as consultants:
In our experience, most attorneys who claim that they prepare applications usually outsource to consulting teams like us. When this occurs, the client suffers from disconnected communication, fractured application responses, and extreme costs.
Honest and ethical attorneys will list out the services they provide with excellence, such as legal entity structures, Operating Agreements, and contractual engagements. They will suggest their client seeks out a cannabis consulting firm with experience in many states and various application types.
In order to position you and/or your team for success, gather your area-specialized service providers: consulting team, attorney, and CPA. Your consultants must be able to properly communicate with you, providing transparency and feedback at all stages of the application process. All too often we hear about clients of lawyers and other consultants being kept in the dark for too long, and due to improper time and leadership, were forced to turn in applications that lacked the details necessary to win a license.
Consulting companies supply a complete team, led by an experienced project manager that can find, organize, and devote whatever resources are required to not only hit deadlines, but also keep client involvement as top priority. The benefit to hiring a robust cannabis consultant is that they will help you outsource to various experts, saving you time, energy, and fees. This will result in a quality and complete application which leads to an increased chance of winning a license.
Cannabis Dispensary Lawyer & Cannabis Business Consulting Service
Set up a free 15-minute call with us to start your complete cannabis business plan. Now is the time to get in on a multi-billion dollar industry as it unfolds! Contact Canna Business Services for a thorough review of your business plans.
