Overview

Sahar Ayinehsazian is an attorney in Vicente Sederberg's Los Angeles office, where she focuses on cannabis banking, corporate transactions, and regulations. With her specialized knowledge, Sahar helped to establish and currently co-leads Vicente Sederberg's Banking and Financial Services Department. As a member of the National Cannabis Industry Association’s Banking Access Committee, Sahar also works on strategy and educational advocacy to enable state-licensed businesses to obtain accounts at depository institutions.

Prior to joining Vicente Sederberg, Sahar served as the Director of Regulatory and Governmental Affairs at a multi-state money transmitter servicing the cannabis industry, where she developed a comprehensive understanding of credit card flow, banking and cannabis compliance. She holds a Bachelor of Arts, with honors, from the University of California, San Diego and a law degree from Loyola Law School, where she was a Loyola Scholar. 

Experience

Leadership & Community Involvement

• Member, Banking & Financial Services Committee, National Cannabis Industry Association, 2019-2020
• Member, Banking Access Committee, National Cannabis Industry Association, 2018-2019
• Chief Advisor for Banking Policy, California Growers Association, 2018-2019

Sample Representations & Transactions

• Acted as cannabis regulatory counsel to Harvest Health & Recreation, Inc., one of the largest multi-state operators  in the United States, in connection with their signing of a definitive agreement to acquire Verano Holdings, LLC, one of the largest privately held multi-state, vertically integrated licensed operators of cannabis facilities with an extensive portfolio of premium branded products, in an $850 million all-stock deal.

• Acted as cannabis regulatory counsel to TILT Holdings Inc. in connection with its acquisition of Standard Farms., a vertically integrated cannabis operator, with the majority of its operations in Pennsylvania, for US$5M cash and US$45M in securities.

• Acted as cannabis regulatory counsel to TILT Holdings Inc. in connection with its acquisition of Blackbird Holdings Corp., a distribution company providing logistics operations and software solutions for each touchpoint in the cannabis supply chain, for approximately US$40 million, consisting of US$12M cash and 11,090,453 shares of TILT.

• Acted as cannabis regulatory counsel to Canaccord Genuity, LLC on numerous transactions.

• Acted as cannabis regulatory counsel to LeafLink.

• Represented a device manufacturer on plans to enter the cannabis market and national expansion, including advertising parameters, banking matters, and the status of state legislation.

• Represented an entertainment company on a potential expansion into the cannabis industry.

• Represented a leading e-commerce company on its plans to expand into the cannabis sector.

• Represented numerous cannabis brands and manufacturers in intellectual property licensing and contract manufacturing agreements.

• Represented numerous cannabis and ancillary operators in obtaining depository accounts with financial institutions.

• Acted as cannabis regulatory counsel to numerous California cannabis businesses seeking to obtain state licensing.

Publications

• Co-author, "8 Things Investors Should Know Before Investing in Cannabis," Green Market Report, November 1, 2018

• Co-author, "Cannabis Compliance for Non-Cannabis Companies," MG Magazine, July 9, 2018

• Author, "Curbing Cannabis Cash in a Post-Cole-Memo Climate, MG Magazine, February 1, 2018

• Author, "California's Continuing Mission to Curb Cannabis Cash," MG Magazine, December 1, 2017

• Author, "Could a Public Bank Solve California's Cash Conundrum," MG Magazine, October 1, 2017

• Author, "Giving the Green Light; Federal Cannabis Banking Bills," Community Bankers of Washington Newsletter,  June 1, 2017

• Author, "Marijuana's March on Capitol Hill," MG Magazine, May 10, 2017

• Co-author, "Compliance Considerations in the Cannabis Industry," Direct Cannabis Network, March 1, 2017

• Author, "The New Administration Won't Trump Marijuana's Momentum," MG Magazine, March 1, 2017

• Author, "Cryptocurrency: A Cannabis Banking Blight," Community Bankers of Washington Newsletter, December 2016

Events

• Presenter, Loyola Law School, "Cannabis: The California Experience,” Los Angeles, June 06, 2019
• Presenter, Expo Cannabiz Business Conference, Colombia, "Cannabis Banking Setbacks,” Cartagenia, May 11, 2019
• Speaker, Expo Cannabiz Business Conference, Colombia, "Funding Your Cannabis Business,” Cartagenia, May 11, 2019
• Speaker, Hall of Flowers, "Creating a Brand Without Cultivation: White Labeling Laws in 2019,” Los Angeles, May 02, 2019
• Speaker, California Bar Ethics Symposium, "Ethical Obligations in Representing a Marijuana Business,” Los Angeles, April 12, 2019
• Moderator, 2019 National Cannabis Industry Association Seed to Sale Show, "Seed-to-Sale,” Los Angeles, February 02, 2019
• Speaker, 2018 Los Angeles Cannabis World Congress & Business Exposition, "Taking it to the Bank,” Los Angeles, September 25, 2018
• Presenter, Blunt Talks, "Cannabis Banking,” Los Angeles, June 25, 2018
• Presenter, Loyola Law School, Journalist Law School, "Marijuana Regulations and Banking,” Los Angeles, June 11, 2018
• Moderator, California Growers Association, Spring Quarterly Meeting, "How to Make Your Business Bankable,” Los Angeles, April 05, 2018
• Speaker, 2017 Los Angeles Cannabis World Congress & Business Exposition, "State of LA Market,” Los Angeles, September 10, 2017