Elliot Choi

Counsel

New York

e.choi@vicentesederberg.com

917-338-5455

225 W. 35th St.
16th Floor
New York, NY 10001

Corporate & Business
Regulatory Compliance
Licensing

New York
New Jersey

J.D., University of Pennsylvania Law School
A.B., Princeton University

Overview

Elliot Choi is counsel at Vicente Sederberg LLP and corporate chair of the firm’s New York and Massachusetts offices. His practice involves advising cannabis and hemp clients, including licensed and ancillary businesses, on corporate, regulatory and licensing matters and the constantly changing regulatory landscape. Elliot’s corporate practice involves advising clients, including multi-state operators, on business and legal issues and considerations for corporate transactions in the highly regulated cannabis and hemp industries. He has advised on a broad range of corporate transactions including entity formation, startup funding (debt and equity issuances), general contractual and governance matters, secured debt facilities, internal restructurings/rollups and mergers and acquisitions. These transactions have involved New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Colorado, and California operations, among many others.

His regulatory practice involves advising and navigating cannabis and hemp clients, including CBD processors and retailers, through the complex and interconnected federal, state and local regulatory frameworks, with a focus on New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts. Elliot advises clients on all aspects of their operations, products and related materials, including marketing. He also advises corporate clients on the structure of transactions and entities to comply with regulations and assists with obtaining regulatory approvals. Elliot also works with the VS licensing team and has advised clients applying for licenses in New Jersey, Massachusetts and Illinois. His licensing practice involves preparing operating agreements and structuring corporate families to comply with social equity, MWDVBE and residency requirements, while also meeting the future business and funding needs of the applicant.

Elliot has spoken at industry events and conferences and has authored articles on corporate issues in cannabis and hemp transactions. He also works with advocacy groups and trade associations to advance cannabis policy in the Northeastern United States.

Prior to joining VS, Elliot worked for almost a decade as a corporate associate in the New York offices of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Friedman Kaplan Seiler & Adelman LLP, where he represented clients in a broad range of regulated industries in connection with various corporate transactions and general corporate matters. Elliot holds a Artium Baccalaureus from Princeton University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania. He is also the founding attorney of Vicente Sederberg’s New York office.

Experience

Leadership & Community Involvement

  • Member, Drugs & the Law Committee, New York City Bar Association

  • Member, International Cannabis Bar Association

  • Member, New York State Bar Association

  • Member, New York City Bar Association

 

Mergers & Acquisitions

  • Represented an international wireless communications company in an $875 million business combination with a special purpose acquisition corporation (SPAC).
  • Represented a media company in its acquisition of an e-book publishing business.

Financings

  • Represented an international wireless communications company in connection with a tender offer and the refinancing of a $450 million high-yield debt facility.

Licensing

  • Represented a multi-product medical device company in connection with the negotiation of a licensing agreement to develop and commercialize new diagnostic technology.

Commercial Contracts & General Corporate Matters

  • Participated in providing ongoing advice to an Israeli-based technology company in connection with contractual, employment, and other matters related to its day-to-day operations in the United States.

  • Participated in providing ongoing advice to a major clinical laboratory in the evaluation and negotiation of business development opportunities including strategic relationships, joint ventures, asset acquisitions, and intellectual property licenses.

  • Participated in advising a French engineering firm in the formation of its U.S. subsidiaries, and advised those subsidiaries on matters related to their day-to-day operations and in the evaluation and negotiation of joint ventures and strategic relationships, including ash mining projects throughout the United States.

  • Represented hedge funds in connection with general legal and corporate matters.

Recognition

Publications

VS Insights

Events

In the Media