The 8th Annual Cannabis and Psychedelics Law Symposium
Date: Jun 9, 2026 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Location: New Jersey Law Center, New Brunswick, and Online
Member Price: $211.00
Non-Member Price: $264.00
Section Price: $198.00
Areas of Law: Cannabis
Earn up to 7.9 credits! (More Information)
Keynote
Moderator
- Mollie Hartman Lustig, Esq.
- Co-Chair, Cannabis and Psychedelics Law Special Committee, NJSBA, McLaughlin & Stern, Westfieldis a Partner in McLaughlin & Stern, LLP in Clark, New Jersey, and New York City, and is Chair of the Cannabis Practice Group. She has a comprehensive understanding of the existing laws and regulations governing cannabis cultivation, sale, use and legalization; practices traditional civil law with a focus in labor and employment issues for governmental entities; and represents clients in family law matters.
Ms. Hartman Lustig is admitted to practice in New Jersey and Massachusetts, and before the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and the District of Massachusetts. Secretary of the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Cannabis Law Special Committee (CLSC), she has been a member of the Committee since 2017, co-chairs the CLSC’s Social Justice and Equity Subcommittee and sits on the Municipal and Land Use Subcommittee. She is an instructor at Rutgers Law School, has lectured for ICLE and is the recipient of several honors.
Ms. Hartman Lustig received her B.A. from the University of Rochester and her J.D. from Suffolk University School of Law, where she served as a Rule 3:03 Certified Student Attorney for the Suffolk University Legal Services and completed a concentration in Civil Litigation. She clerked for the Honorable Claude M. Coleman, J.S.C. and the Honorable Craig R. Harris, J.S.C., Essex County Superior Court, where she served as a Court-Certified Mediator in child custody and parenting cases.
(9/23) - Joseph M. Shapiro, Esq.
- Co-Chair, Cannabis and Psychedelics Law Special Committee, NJSBA, Middlebrooks Shapiro, P.C., BelmarJoseph M. Shapiro is a Partner in Middlebrooks Shapiro, P.C. in Springfield, New Jersey. He concentrates his practice in commercial bankruptcy, individual bankruptcy, creditor/debtor representation and bankruptcy litigation.
Admitted to practice in New Jersey and New York, and before the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, Mr. Shapiro was appointed to the New Jersey State Bar Association Cannabis Law Committee in 2019 and has been a member of the New York State Bar Association, the Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey and the Turnaround Management Association. In 2012 he served as a volunteer attorney with the Honorable Morris Stern Bankruptcy pro bono project (the Rutgers-Newark Bankruptcy Pro Bono Project).
A lecturer for ICLE, Mr. Shapiro is a former Barrister of the Bankruptcy American Inn of Court and teaches business law to undergraduate students as an Adjunct Professor at Union County College. He has served as a continuing legal education presenter with Marino Legal CLE and as a Judge in the Vincent J. Appruzzese Mock Trial Competition.
Mr. Shapiro received his B.F.A., magna cum laude, from the Savannah College of Art & Design and his J.D. from Seton Hall University Law School. While a law student, he served as a research assistant to Professors Carl H. Coleman and Gaia Bernstein.
Presenters
- Joshua S. Bauchner, Esq.
- Mandelbaum Barrett, Roseland
- Brittany A. Bonetti, Esq.
- Cooper Levenson P.A., Atlantic City
- Valisha Desir, Esq.
- The Glory Firm, Scotch Plains
- Natalie C. Diaz, Esq.
- Mandelbaum Barrett P.C., Princeton
- Lisa Gora, Esq.
- Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, Iselin
- Michael A. Hoffman, Esq.
- The Hoffman Centers, P.C., Vineland
- Gaetano Lardieri
- Psychedelics/Cannabis Clinical Innovator
- Rosemarie Moyeno Matos, Esq.
- Law Office of Rosemarie Moyeno Matos LLC, Hoboken
- Daniel T. McKillop, Esq.
- Scarinci Hollenbeck LLC, Little Falls
- Matthew Miller, Esq.
- Lerner David LLP, Cranford
- Ronald P. Mondello, Esq.
- Ronald P. Mondello PC, Fair Lawnis a solo practitioner in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, where he concentrates his practice in immigration, municipal, land use and criminal law. He focuses predominately on what legal scholars refer to as “crimmigration”, the intersection of crimes and immigration, advises criminal defense attorneys on how to avoid deportation for their foreign national clients with “safe haven” pleas, and has extensive experience filing post-conviction relief petitions based on constitutional infirmities. Mr. Mondello also represents corporate and individual clients before New Jersey planning and zoning boards, and also represents and defends municipal clients in municipal litigation and land use litigation. The Hoboken Cannabis Review Board Attorney, he is Special Litigation Counsel for Fair Lawn, has been Special Legal Counsel for the Borough of New Milford, Washington Township and Saddle Brook, and serves as Board Attorney for the Planning, Zoning and Adjustment Boards of several municipalities.
Admitted to practice in New Jersey, New York and Florida, Mr. Mondello has been a member of the New Jersey State, Bergen County, Passaic County and Morris County Bar Associations. He has served as a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and the NJSBA Cannabis Law and Local Government Law Sections, a Trustee of the New Jersey Institute of Local Government Attorneys and Co-Chair of the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Municipal Cannabis Subcommittee.
Mr. Mondello is a frequent lecturer on “crimmigration” issues for CLE providers and is especially known for his seminar designed to educate New Jersey criminal defense attorneys on how to avoid Ineffective Assistance Claims when representing foreign nationals. A former adjunct professor at Bergen and Passaic County Community Colleges, he has also taught business organizations, immigration and criminal law at the Academy for Legal Assistant Training.
Mr. Mondello received his B.A. from William Paterson College, his M.B.A. in General Finance from Fairleigh Dickinson University and his J.D. from Loyola University. He served as a law clerk with the United States Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia and to the Honorable Marguerite T. Simon, Bergen County, and to the Passaic County Prosecutor.
(9/23) - Chirali V. Patel, Esq.
- Blaze Law Firm LLC, Iselin
- Denise Rue, LCSW
- Seth Tipton, Esq.
- Florio Perrucci Steinhardt & Cappelli LLC, Easton
- Sarah Trent, Esq.
- Founder and CEO, Valley Wellness, Raritan
- Neal Usatin, MBA
- New Jersey for Fungi and Plant Medicines
- Richard T. Wells, Esq.
- Archer & Greiner, Voorhees
- John D. Williams, Esq.
- Law Office of John D. Williams, Newton
New Jersey’s Premier Cannabis and Psychedelics Law Symposium
Join the NJSBA for a comprehensive review of the rapidly evolving laws governing cannabis and psychedelics.
Leading attorneys and industry experts will analyze the year’s most critical developments, starting with the intersection of federal rescheduling, banking hurdles and New Jersey’s regulated market. The program delves into the practical realities of licensure and municipal zoning, offering strategies for operators to navigate compliance audits and local politics. Beyond the business of cannabis, sessions will tackle the contentious regulation of hemp-derived intoxicants, the emerging legal framework for therapeutic psychedelics and the ongoing challenges of decriminalization and expungement.
Whether advising corporate clients or representing individuals, this symposium delivers the essential strategic insights needed for your practice.
- Panel 1 - Federal Law Meets New Jersey Cannabis: Rescheduling, the Farm Bill, Banking, and What Actually Changes
Panelists: Joshua S. Bauchner, Esq.; Matthew Miller, Esq. and Chirali V. Patel, Esq.
- Examines the intersection of federal policy and New Jersey’s regulated market, including rescheduling impacts.
- Addresses operational hurdles like IRC §280E tax treatment and banking limitations.
- Analyzes how federal hemp laws affect state-level enforcement.
- Panel 2 - Operators’ Roundtable: Life After Licensure
Panelists: Sarah Trent, Esq.; Ivan Tuhtkin, Esq. and Natalie C. Diaz, Esq.
- Discusses the practical realities of running a licensed cannabis business in New Jersey.
- Covers post-licensure compliance, audit preparation, and municipal oversight.
- Reviews strategies for navigating financial pressures and staffing challenges.
- Panel 3 - Hemp, Intoxicating Cannabinoids and THC Beverages: Where New Jersey Draws the Regulatory Line
Panelists: Brittany A. Bonetti, Esq.; Daniel T. McKillop, Esq. and John D. Williams, Esq.
- Explores New Jersey’s evolving approach to hemp-derived products like Delta-8 and THC beverages.
- Analyzes pending legislation and enforcement challenges.
- Clarifies the complex interaction between state regulations and federal hemp laws.
- Panel 4 - Municipal Power, Zoning and Local Politics: Cannabis Litigation and Licensing
Panelists: Rosemarie Moyeno Matos, Esq.; Ronald P. Mondello, Esq.; Seth Tipton, Esq.; Joshua S. Bauchner, Esq. and Richard T. Wells, Esq.
- Analyzes the pivotal role of municipalities, from zoning approvals to Host Community Agreements.
- Discusses litigation risks, including licensing disputes and administrative appeals.
- Offers strategies for risk mitigation in local administrative processes.
- Panel 5 - Psychedelics in New Jersey: Legislative Status and Clinical Perspectives
Panelists: Joseph M. Shapiro, Esq.; Lisa Gora, Esq.; Neal Usatin, MBA; Denise Rue, LCSW and Gaetano Lardieri
- Reviews the status of psychedelic policy, focusing on newly passed psilocybin legislation.
- Examines emerging therapeutic models and clinical protocols.
- Discusses patient safety, ethical considerations and practical implementation.
- Panel 6 - Criminality and Cannabis in New Jersey: What Changed, What Remains and What Has Not Fully Worked
Panelists: Michael A. Hoffman, Esq. and Valisha Desir, Esq.
- Examines how legalization has reshaped criminal liability and highlighted enforcement gaps.
- Addresses remaining prosecutable offenses and the limits of decriminalization.
- Discusses the real-world impact of incomplete expungements on employment and housing.
Important Information About Our Events, Meetings, and More:
To secure your spot and receive important updates about our events, meetings, and other gatherings, such as schedule changes, remember to register in advance.
Digital Materials & Environmental Commitment: As part of our commitment to environmental sustainability, unless otherwise noted, all seminar materials are provided as digital downloads. You can access these materials through:
- The “My Links” section at the top of our website for in-person or online events
- Or, for online programs, the event access link included in your joining instructions
Cancellation and Refund Policy:
If you need to cancel your registration and are not transferring to another program or date, please submit a written request to us at least three business days before the event, meeting, or gathering. You will receive a refund minus a $20.00 cancellation fee. No refunds or registration changes will be issued within three business days of the event, meeting, or gathering.
Professional Conduct:
All attendees and participants are expected to conduct themselves professionally and treat others with respect at NJSBA events, meetings, and gatherings. This includes courteous communication, respecting perspectives, and creating a welcoming environment for all. Failure to adhere to this policy may result in removal from the event.
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Registered participants will be notified of any schedule changes. For updates regarding inclement weather, please check your email or visit NJSBA.com.
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Scholarship & Financial Assistance Policy:
Read our Scholarship & Financial Assistance Policy and submit an Application here: https://njsba.com/njicle/cle-programs/scholarship/