Overview

Christina Sava is an associate attorney at Vicente Sederberg LLP working from San Francisco. She focuses her practice on serving as outside counsel to seasoned and start-up cannabis businesses in California and assisting businesses in navigating local and state-level cannabis regulations and implementing compliant standard operating procedures. As clients expand and diversify their operations, Christina reviews their protocols and handles regulatory compliance considerations in corporate deals. A tactful and dedicated advocate, she understands the challenges of launching a new business or transitioning from the underground to the regulated marketplace in the shifting cannabis regulatory environment. Christina is an expert negotiator with local and state regulators and has experience pursuing administrative actions to defend her clients' interests.

Prior to joining Vicente Sederberg, Christina worked with renowned marijuana and drug policy advocate James Anthony at the Anthony Law Group in Oakland, California. There, she helped clients understand and navigate over 300 pages of newly-created California cannabis regulations, obtained local cannabis permits in dozens of California cities and counties, participated in the rollout of the nation’s first cannabis social equity program, and helped draft sensible local cannabis policies.

Christina graduated with honors from the University of Miami School of Law, where she also learned how to be a Mindfulness in Law educator. She still speaks on the topic of mindfulness for professionals at conferences around the country.

Experience

Leadership & Community Involvement

• Member, California Cannabis Industry Association
• Founding Board Member, Cannabis Law Section, Alameda County Bar Association
• Member, International Cannabis Bar Association
• Member Resources Team Member, ABA Young Lawyers Division

Recognition

• Young Lawyers Star of the Quarter, American Bar Association

Publications

VS Insights

• Author, "Ten Events That Shaped the California Cannabis Industry," December 11, 2020

• Co-author, "California BCC Amends Regulations Regarding Owner Conviction History," November 24, 2020

• Author, "Leasing Due Diligence Checklist for California Cannabis Businesses," September 2, 2020

• Co-author, "California Cannabis Businesses Preparedness Resources for Wildfires, Power Outages and Remote Audits," August 28, 2020

• Co-author, "Coronavirus and Cannabis: California Regulatory Updates," April 29, 2020

External Publications

• Co-author, "The Mindful Lawyer: Consider Yoga & Mindfulness Meditation," Florida Bar News, April 2019

• Author, "Leasing Due Diligence Checklist for California Cannabis Businesses," JD Supra, March 6, 2021

Events

• Speaker, 2021 American Bar Association Midyear Meeting, "YLD Wellness Initiative: Making your Place in the Legal Profession as a Young Attorney; and Yoga for the Desk Bound,” Webinar, February 17, 2021
• Speaker, Vicente Sederberg LLP, "California Cannabis Packaging and Labeling Compliance,” Webinar, July 15, 2020
• Presenter, San Francisco Chapter of the Asian American Bar Association, "Mindfulness, Body Awareness, and Stress,” California, September 26, 2018
• Presenter, ABA Young Lawyers Division Fall Conference , "Yoga for a Productive Day ,” Colorado, October 05, 2017
• Presenter, ABA Young Lawyers Division Spring Conference , "Mindfulness in Advocacy,” Montreal, Canada, May 04, 2017