INTERNATIONAL CANNABIS BAR ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES 2026 CANNABIS LAW INSTITUTE AS INDUSTRY ENTERS NEW LEGAL ERA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

INTERNATIONAL CANNABIS BAR ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES 2026 CANNABIS LAW INSTITUTE AS INDUSTRY ENTERS NEW LEGAL ERA

With federal uncertainty and market complexity rising,

cannabis attorneys gather to confront what comes next

Chicago, IL - April 21, 2026 - The International Cannabis Bar Association (INCBA) announced the return of its flagship annual event, the Cannabis Law Institute (CLI2026), taking place June 17–18, 2026 at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law in Chicago.

Widely regarded as the leading conference dedicated exclusively to cannabis law, the Cannabis Law Institute convenes top attorneys, regulators, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to navigate one of the most complex and rapidly evolving legal landscapes in the United States.

The 2026 program is built around a simple but urgent premise: cannabis law encompasses both “marijuana” and “hemp” and the traditional methods of analyzing and serving the two industries need updating.

Over two days of substantive programming curated by some of the sharpest legal minds in the industry, CLI2026 will challenge attorneys to move beyond introductory conversations and engage with the real-world complexities defining the space today. From evolving regulatory frameworks to litigation risk, compliance strategy, and emerging business models, every session is designed for practitioners who are done with the basics and ready for what comes next.

Day 1 features a full plenary format bringing all attendees into a shared set of conversations. The program opens with a keynote from a soon-to-be-announced speaker, followed by a focused look at the federal landscape - including rescheduling, hemp redefinition, and the evolving role of medicinal cannabis. That discussion will be complemented by a plenary panel featuring four state regulators, offering on-the-ground insight into how states are responding to hemp-related challenges and navigating shifting federal direction. The afternoon turns to the business and practice of cannabis law, including how the profession is evolving and what can be learned from other highly regulated industries.

Day 2 introduces two concurrent tracks of continuing legal education, each reflecting the increasing specialization within cannabis law. One focuses on the practical realities of legal practice - from AI-driven ethical considerations to dispute resolution and corporate governance. The other examines key legal and policy developments, including enforcement, data privacy, real estate, and the rapidly evolving legal battle around adult-use hemp.

“Cannabis remains one of the most dynamic and challenging areas of law today,” said David Ruskin, INCBA’s Board President. “The Cannabis Law Institute brings together the legal minds and industry leaders who are shaping the regulatory and business frameworks in real time. As the industry matures, so too must the sophistication of the legal strategies that support it - and CLI is where that evolution happens.”

Spanning keynote discussions, panel sessions, and networking opportunities, the event will draw outside counsel, in-house attorneys, regulators, compliance professionals, and executives from across the cannabis ecosystem. At a time when federal reform remains uncertain and state-by-state frameworks continue to evolve, CLI2026 offers a critical forum for serious practitioners to exchange ideas, pressure test strategies, and stay ahead of what’s coming next.

CLI2026 is made possible through the support of leading law firms, service providers, and industry partners committed to advancing legal excellence in cannabis. A limited number of sponsorship opportunities remain available for organizations seeking to align with the industry’s premier legal event.

Early registration is now open. Additional details, including the full agenda and speaker lineup, will be announced in the coming weeks.

For more information or to register, visit: https://cli2026.incba.org/

About the International Cannabis Bar Association

The International Cannabis Bar Association (INCBA) is the leading non-partisan nonprofit and professional organization dedicated to the practice, policy, and business aspects of cannabis law. With an international membership, INCBA provides a platform for attorneys, regulators, and industry leaders to collaborate, educate, and advocate for the highest standards of legal excellence in the cannabis industry.

For media inquiries or more information, please contact:

Jordan Isenstadt

Marino PR

jisenstadt@marinopr.com

516-991-3842

Is Cannabis Now Legal in Mexico? Answers here…

First, thanks so much to my friend and Mexico City attorney Elias Lisbona Jassán of Perez Ferrer Abogados , who co-authored this piece with me, David Feldman . To answer the question in the headline, I think the legal term is “sort of.” This topic, of course, is important not only for the 120 million folks living in Mexico but for all of us in the rest of North America. It also portends where things might be headed in the rest of this hemisphere, and increases pressure on US lawmakers and leaders to consider further action if Mexico were to join Canada with full adult-use legalization. In addition, it enhances the hope of many to create multilateral trade in cannabis once the US moves to legalize it. How did we get here? For those who have not focused much on the developments in Mexico, let’s review the timeline in order. • Cannabis became illegal in Mexico in 1920. Interestingly, for just four months in 1940, cannabis became “legal,” when then-President Lázaro Cárdenas enacted r...

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker Set to Deliver Keynote Speech at INCBA Cannabis Law Institute 2024, Alongside Other Industry Leaders

Chicago, IL – July 10, 2024 – The International Cannabis Bar Association (INCBA) announced today that the Cannabis Law Institute sm (CLI 2024) will feature Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker as the keynote speaker on Thursday July 25th. The event is scheduled to take place on July 25-26, 2024, at the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law in Chicago, Illinois. CLI 2024 aims to provide critical insights for law professionals, particularly in light of federal rescheduling in the cannabis industry. Governor J.B. Pritzker is recognized for signing House Bill 1438, the nation's most equity-centric law legalizing adult-use cannabis. This initiative positioned Illinois as the first state to fully legalize adult-use cannabis through legislation and serves as a model for the legalization and decriminalization of cannabis nationwide. “It is a great honor to have the Governor deliver the keynote speech at CLI 2024,” said Jason Horst, President of the INCBA. “Governor Pritzker's l...

Trailblazers of Justice: Celebrating Black Legal Leaders in Cannabis Law and Criminal Justice Reform

As we honor Black History Month , it's a time to celebrate the incredible Black trailblazers who have shaped the American landscape, particularly in fields like cannabis law and criminal justice reform. The contributions of Black attorneys, judges, and legal scholars have been essential in challenging systemic inequities, advocating for fair policies, and advancing the legalization and decriminalization of cannabis. Meet ten visionaries whose bold advocacy has forever changed the fight for cannabis justice and equality. Natacha Delinois Andrews – Founder and Executive Director of the National Association of Black Cannabis Lawyers (NABCL) As Founder and Executive Director of the National Association of Black Cannabis Lawyers (NABCL), Natacha Delinois Andrews leads the charge in diversifying the cannabis legal sector. Her pioneering work focuses on recruiting and training Black legal professionals for the rapidly expanding cannabis industry, while providing crucial legal resources t...

2nd European Cannabis Law Conference – INCBA Europe at CB Expo Dortmund in September 2024

Last September, the 2nd European Cannabis Law Conference took place in Dortmund, organized by the INCBA Europe conference team with Kai-Friedrich Niermann, Daniel Haymann, Marie Sanchez and Robert Jappie. The conference took place alongside the Cannabis Business Expo and Intertabac, the largest global tobacco trade fair. With 7 tracks and 28 speakers, current topics in global cannabis law were discussed over two days, from the reclassification of cannabis in the USA and its global consequences, semi-synthetic cannabinoids in the USA and Europe, GMP requirements, to the emerging market for medical cannabis in Ukraine and much more. The conference was accompanied by an extensive social program for networking, which the international cannabis legal scene thoroughly enjoyed. Here are some session highlights: Ukraine recently legalized medical cannabis and significantly de-regulated industrial hemp. The government and Ministry of health of Ukraine have approved subordinate legis...

PROPOSED RESCHEDULING – UPDATED TIMELINE

On May 21, 2024, the United States Department of Justice through the DEA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) proposing to transfer "marijuana" from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act to Schedule III. Schedules of Controlled Substances: Rescheduling of Marijuana, 89 Fed. Reg. 44597, 44597 (2024). In an order dated August 29, 2024 (General Notice of Hearing or GNoH) , the DEA Administrator determined that in-person hearing proceedings are appropriate and fixed a December 2, 2024 commencement date at the DEA Hearing Facility. On October 29, 2024, the DEA Administrator released a list of twenty-five “participants” (Designated Participants or DPs). However, the Hon. John J. Mulrooney, II, Chief Administrative Law Judge, issued a Preliminary Order on October 31 , stating that the DP list failed to specify whether the “participants” support or oppose the NPRM or how the “participants” satisfy the “interested person” definition set forth in th...

Cannabis Law Blog

Search This Blog