Robert Hoban is one of the most recognized cannabis attorneys in the world. As Principal of Hoban Law Group, he has spent more than two decades building the legal and regulatory infrastructure that underpins the modern cannabis industry — advising governments, multinational corporations, institutional investors, and emerging operators across more than 30 countries.
A Career at the Frontier of Cannabis Law
Bob entered the cannabis space when the legal framework was still in its earliest phases, well before most law firms would touch the sector. His early work focused on state-level licensing in Colorado and California, representing some of the first licensed cannabis businesses in the United States. That ground-floor expertise grew into a practice that now spans international regulatory strategy, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, expert witness testimony, and fractional C-suite advisory.
Hoban Law Group has advised on some of the most complex transactions and regulatory campaigns in the industry's history — market-entry mandates across the European Union, national licensing frameworks in Latin America, and multi-state operator expansions across the United States. Bob's cross-border fluency makes him one of a small number of attorneys capable of navigating the intersection of U.S. federal law, state-by-state regulation, and the rapidly evolving international landscape.
Regulatory Strategy and Government Advisory
A significant portion of Bob's practice is government-facing. He has been retained by national governments and subnational regulators to advise on the design of cannabis licensing frameworks, supply-chain regulations, and enforcement policy. His work in this area reflects his belief that sustainable cannabis industries require regulatory structures that balance public health, public safety, and economic opportunity — and that attorneys have a role in shaping those structures from the start, not just litigating their edges.
M&A and Capital Markets
Bob is one of the most active M&A advisors in the cannabis sector. He has represented buyers, sellers, and capital providers across hundreds of millions of dollars in cannabis transactions — including licensing portfolio acquisitions, brand consolidations, cross-border investments, and debt and equity raises. His deal work is distinguished by his ability to simultaneously manage regulatory, corporate, and compliance dimensions that in other industries would be handled by separate counsel.
Expert Witness
Bob's standing in the industry makes him one of the most sought-after expert witnesses in cannabis litigation. He has testified in federal and state courts on matters including licensing standards, industry custom and practice, regulatory interpretation, and the standard of care for cannabis counsel. His expert work spans plaintiff and defense representations and civil and criminal matters.
Teaching and Thought Leadership
Bob is a regular speaker at leading cannabis industry conferences and has contributed to academic and policy publications on cannabis law and regulation. He has been a faculty member or featured speaker at leading law schools, bar association programs, and international trade forums. His Forbes contributor column and public commentary have positioned him as a primary source for media covering cannabis policy, M&A, and international regulatory developments.
Philosophy
Bob's approach to practice is rooted in the conviction that cannabis law is not a niche — it is a discipline that touches every major area of law simultaneously: administrative, corporate, criminal, tax, employment, real property, intellectual property, and international trade. Clients who work with Hoban Law Group get a team that has thought through every one of those dimensions, not just the headline regulatory question.
Bar Admissions
- Colorado
- California
Education
- Law School (details pending verification)· J.D.
- Law School (details pending verification)· B.A.
Representative Matters
National cannabis licensing framework advisory
Advised a national government on the design and implementation of a regulated cannabis licensing regime, including supply-chain regulations, operator qualification standards, and enforcement policy.
Multi-state operator licensing portfolio acquisition
Represented the acquirer in a multi-state licensing portfolio transaction spanning five U.S. states, managing concurrent regulatory approval processes and coordinating state-specific change-of-ownership filings.
European Union market entry
Advised a U.S.-based cannabis brand on market entry across multiple EU member states, including regulatory mapping, distributor structuring, and product compliance for each jurisdiction.
Cannabis expert witness — federal litigation
Provided expert testimony in federal court on cannabis industry custom and practice, applicable regulatory standards, and the standard of care for cannabis legal counsel.
Institutional capital investment structuring
Represented an institutional investor in a significant equity investment in a vertically integrated cannabis operator, navigating Cole Memo legacy issues, state ownership restrictions, and securities compliance.
Representative Matters
Farm Bill Preemption: Challenging State Import Restrictions on Federally Legal Hemp
Successfully challenged a state prohibition on importing out-of-state hemp products as preempted by the 2018 Farm Bill's interstate commerce provisions.
Cannabis Banking: Structuring IRC 471(c) Small Business Inventory Accounting for Tax Optimization
Advised a cannabis MSO on adopting IRC 471(c) simplified inventory accounting, reducing effective tax rate by restructuring COGS methodology within 280E constraints.
DEA Rescheduling: Administrative Petition and Stakeholder Coalition for Cannabinoid Scheduling Reform
Led a multi-organization coalition petition to the DEA supporting cannabinoid rescheduling, contributing regulatory and evidentiary framework adopted in HHS scheduling review.
Arizona Dispensary Acquisition: Due Diligence Uncovering Latent License Risk in $18M Deal
Performed regulatory due diligence on an Arizona dispensary acquisition that surfaced a latent license defect, enabling client to renegotiate price and secure indemnification.
Cannabis Microbusiness License: Structuring Vertical Integration Within License Tier Limits
Structured a cannabis microbusiness license application enabling full vertical integration within statutory tier caps, maximizing operational scope at licensure.
Cannabis Loyalty Program Structuring: Avoiding Securities Classification for Token-Based Rewards
Structured a cannabis loyalty token program to avoid SEC securities classification, enabling consumer launch without registration or Regulation D exemption filing.
Intoxicating Hemp Rulemaking: Shaping State Regulatory Framework Through Comment Participation
Authored regulatory comments that materially influenced a state's intoxicating hemp rulemaking, securing product category definitions favorable to the hemp industry.
EU Cannabinoid Market Entry: Navigating Novel Food Authorization and Cross-Border Trade Compliance
Advised a US hemp extract exporter on EU novel food authorization requirements and cross-border trade compliance for CBD isolate and full-spectrum products entering Germany and the Netherlands.
Cannabis Brand Protection: USPTO Opposition Proceeding Securing National Trademark Rights
Successfully opposed a competing trademark application that threatened a cannabis brand's nationwide expansion, securing uncontested federal registration.
Colorado Adult-Use Retail License: Accelerated Approval for Vertically Integrated Operator
Guided a vertically integrated cannabis operator through Colorado's complex dual-track licensing system, securing retail approval within 90 days.
Tribal Cannabis Compact: Negotiating a State-Tribal Cannabis Commerce Agreement
Represented a tribal nation in negotiating a cannabis commerce compact with a western state, establishing tax revenue sharing and cross-jurisdictional sale rights.
FDA Warning Letter Defense: Hemp-Derived CBD Ingestible Product Line
Defended a hemp processor against an FDA warning letter targeting CBD-infused ingestibles, securing withdrawal of the enforcement action.
Cannabis Receivership: Preserving License Value Through Court-Supervised Restructuring
Navigated a state court receivership for a distressed cannabis operator, preserving active licenses and enabling a credit-bid acquisition that saved 47 jobs.
Multi-State Cannabis MSO Merger: $45M Cross-License Acquisition Across Three Jurisdictions
Structured and closed a $45M acquisition of a cannabis MSO with active licenses in three states, navigating simultaneous change-of-ownership approvals.
Delta-8 THC State Ban Challenge: Emergency Injunction Preserving Distribution Rights
Obtained an emergency injunction blocking enforcement of a state administrative rule banning delta-8 THC products, preserving client distribution operations.
280E IRS Audit Defense: $2.1M Assessment Reduced for Multi-Location Dispensary
Defended a multi-location dispensary chain through an IRS examination targeting Section 280E disallowances, reducing the proposed assessment by 63%.
Publications & Writing
- Cannabis Regulation: A Primer· Hoban Law Group Publications
- International Cannabis Law and Policy· Forbes
- Cannabis M&A: Due Diligence in a Patchwork Regulatory Environment· Hoban Law Group Insights
Speaking & Conferences
- MJBizCon· Las Vegas, NV
Cannabis law and regulatory strategy
- International Cannabis Business Conference (ICBC)· International
International market entry and cross-border cannabis regulation
- Cannabis Regulators Association (CANNRA) Annual Summit· United States
Regulatory framework design and enforcement best practices
- State Bar Cannabis Law CLE Programs· United States
Cannabis law practice: federal, state, and international
External Profiles
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