California
Colorado
J.D., University of Denver Sturm College of Law
B.S., Truman State University
Overview
Josh Kappel is a founding partner of Vicente Sederberg specializing in risk assessment for multinational corporations and financial transactions in the highly regulated cannabis industry. He also routinely provides advice to patients, caregivers, and businesses about medical marijuana, licensing, regulatory compliance, general business and transactional law, and the intersection of state and federal law. Recently, Josh has focused his time on the two largest cannabis markets in the world: California and Canada.
Josh previously served as associate director of Sensible Colorado, a nonprofit organization that advocated for medical marijuana patient rights and played a key role in opening the door for the state's regulated medical marijuana system. Josh also contributed to the drafting of Amendment 64, which legalized cannabis for adult use in Colorado.
Josh is a founding board member of the National Cannabis Bar Association, Simplifya, and VS Tech Ventures, and a founding member of the Council for Responsible Cannabis Regulation. He is a sought-after thought leader in cannabis policy, contributing writings, presenting at local and international conferences, and testifying at public hearings on marijuana-related issues related. He has been named one of "Denver's Top Lawyers" by 5280 magazine in each of the past four years (2016-2019).
Experience
Leadership & Community Involvement
- Member, International Cannabis Bar Association
- Mentor, Canopy Boulder
- Board Member, Simplifya
- Founding Board Member, VS Tech Ventures
- Founding Board Member, Leafwire
- Founding Member, Council for Responsible Cannabis Regulation
- Advisory Board Member, Cannabis Wheaton Income Corp
- Founding Board Member, National Cannabis Bar Association
- Associate Director, Sensible Colorado
Recognition
- 5280 magazine, "Denver's Top Lawyers," 2016-2019
- National Law Journal, "Cannabis Law Trailblazer," 2018
Publications
- Co-author, "Spark the Discussion: The 'Amendment 64 Implementation Task Force'," Colorado Bar Association CLE Legal Connection, January 22, 2013
- Author, "Spark the Discussion: Amendment 64: The Ripples Here at Home," Colorado Bar Association CLE Legal Connection, November 19, 2012
- Co-author, "Brian Vicente and Josh Kappel: The Future of Medical Marijuana is Legalization," Marijuana Business Daily, December 12, 2012
Events
- Speaker, SXSW, "When Can We All Get High Together? (Legally),” Austin, March 14, 2019
In the Media
- Green Entrepreneur, "Cannabis Lounges Are Popping Up Across the Country," July 30, 2019
- Benzinga, "Cannabis Experts: Smoking Lounges Sit At Intersection Of Market Demand, Legality," July 25, 2019
- KMGH ABC 7 Denver , "What's Next Now that the Magic Mushrooms Initiative Passed in Denver?," May 9, 2019
- Westword, "How Psilocybin Advocates Grew Denver's Trippiest Ballot Initiative," April 16, 2019
- KQED NPR, "New Oakland Law Could Prevent Cannabis Companies From Evicting Tenants," March 8, 2019
- The Deal Room, "After Constellation Brands: What’s Next For The Canadian Cannabis Sector?," December 12, 2017
- Cannabis Business Times, "Sessions Confirmed as Attorney General: Now What?," February 10, 2017
- CannabisNow, "Hemp CBD Unaffected by DEA “Rescheduling” Panic," January 30, 2017
- New York Law Journal, "Top Legal Marijuana Client Concern? Banking," January 27, 2017
- Westword, "Cannabis Leaders Map Out Denver's Social-Use Rollout," January 13, 2017