Experienced business and cannabis attorney Robert A. Hendricks has joined Warner Norcross + Judd LLP.
Hendricks brings 35 years of legal experience to the firm, including six years focusing on Michigan’s fledgling medical and recreational cannabis industries. He has taken a leadership role at the state level, reviewing, analyzing and advising on the development of marijuana laws and regulations. In his practice, Hendricks represents growers, provisioning centers, processors, staffing providers, secure transporters and other cannabis-focused businesses on matters such as Michigan marijuana facility license applications, legal and regulatory compliance, entity formation, real estate, tax planning, commercial contracting and other areas.
Hendricks joins Warner’s Cannabis Law Industry Group, which is focused on this rapidly evolving area of legal practice. The industry group provides guidance on licensing and regulatory compliance, banking, investment guidance and security offerings, environmental, labor and employment, insurance, tax, trademark, litigation, family law and criminal defense. He will practice in the firm’s Grand Rapids office.
Prior to joining Warner, Hendricks was a principal at Wrigley, Hoffman & Hendricks, P.C., a boutique firm where he concentrated his practice in cannabis law under the Cannalex Law™ brand. During his tenure with Wrigley, he was a founder and now chairs the State Bar of Michigan’s Marijuana Law Section, the first state bar in the country to establish a stand-alone section focused on cannabis.
Hendricks was a member of the drafting committee for Michigan’s adult-use recreational marijuana law adopted by voters in November. He was selected by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs to serve on a work group to advise LARA as it prepares the rules regulating recreational marijuana. He also serves on a marijuana legal work group formed by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel to review and analyze marijuana laws and regulations in the state.
Hendricks began his legal career at another larger Michigan law firm as a business and bankruptcy attorney. He went in-house to lead the legal department of the publicly traded Universal Forest Products, Inc. Hendricks spent 17 years at the Grand Rapids company, where he also led human resources, before returning to private practice in 2013.
Active professionally, Hendricks is a member of the National Cannabis Bar Association, National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws and the State Bar of Michigan. He speaks frequently on cannabis and business and has addressed the Food and Drug Law Institute, National Environmental Health Association, Michigan Township Association and other organizations.
Hendricks holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy with a minor in history from Grand Valley State University and his doctor of juris prudence from Wayne State University Law School.
A native of West Michigan, Hendricks lives in Grand Rapids Township with his wife, Sher Myers. The couple has seven children and four grandchildren.
Source: www.wnj.com
