Message from the Editor-in-chief

• Publication year: 2020
• Author: Misti M. Schmidt

Message from the Editor-in-Chief

Misti M. Schmidt

Welcome to our special Cannabis Edition of the Real Property Law Journal. We are offering this issue in lieu of the Cannabis Symposium that was to be hosted by the Real Property Law Section last April, but was unfortunately cancelled due to COVID-19. Fortunately, several of our speakers from the symposium were able to share their experience and wisdom here, for all of us to enjoy.

You'll note that our first article has nothing to do with marijuana, but rather is a deep dive into the impact of COVID-19 on real estate transactions. Given the timeliness and importance of that content, the authors and we decided to include it in this issue, despite this issue's cannabis theme. Many thanks to Louis Gonzales, Jr., Josh Escovedo, and Mark Ellinghouse for publishing in this issue even though they are not necessarily cannabis lawyers.

Following that article, we have five pieces from cannabis experts. First, Chrystal James discusses COVID-19's specific impacts on the cannabis industry. Next is our MCLE article, in which Jessica McElfresh delves into the ethical implications of representing cannabis clients (for which you have the option to seek one hour of oh-so-valuable ethics MCLE credit!). Then, adjunct cannabis professor and former mayor, Julia Sylva, reviews federal, state, and local cannabis law, with particular insight into the intersection between local land use and cannabis. This is followed by Mike Parnes and Oren Bitan's piece on bankruptcy alternatives for cannabis properties, and finally, Meital Manzuri's overview of unregistered brokers and dealers in cannabis business mergers and acquisitions.

My two-year term as Editor-in-Chief comes to a close with this final issue for 2020, ending with a puff, instead of a bang (ha, who could resist?). It has been a pleasure and a privilege to be a part of the Journal from my first days as a junior article editor back in 2012 to today. I've truly enjoyed working with our enthusiastic editors and authors, our responsive readers, the Real Property Section's Executive Committee, the California Lawyers Association and its fantastic staff, our fellow CLA sections, and our publishing coordinator, Sublime Designs. My favorite experiences of the past two years were developing a strong editorial board structure and process...