Overview

Shawn Hauser is a partner at Vicente Sederberg and co-chair of the firm's Hemp and Cannabinoids Department. Shawn helps cannabis and hemp businesses navigate the intersections between state and federal law including hemp laws, food and drug laws, regulatory compliance, licensing, general business representation, investment, and general business matters.

As co-chair of the VS Hemp and Cannabinoids Department, Shawn advises clients on the unique legal landscape governing cannabinoids and hemp, helping them form compliant business structures, maintain compliance with hemp and food and drug laws as they evolve, and develop informed solutions that best position them for success at the at state, national, and international levels. 

With more than a decade of experience in cannabis law and policy, Shawn is a go-to source for businesses, industry groups, governments, and reporters seeking opinions, analysis, and guidance on cannabis and hemp law and policy matters. She is on the Board of Directors of the International Cannabis Bar Association, and was on the steering committee for the American Hemp Campaign, a project of Vote Hemp which was instrumental in legalizing hemp in Texas in 2019. In 2023, Shawn was recognized by her peers in the "Best Lawyers" list for her work in cannabis law. In 2021 and 2022, Shawn was recognized by Chambers and Partners as one of the top cannabis lawyers in the United States. She has been named one of "Denver's Top Lawyers" by 5280 magazine since 2015 and was listed in Denver Business Journal's "40 Under 40" in 2021. 

Since directing Sensible Colorado's local government implementation team following the passage of Amendment 64, Shawn remains active in policy work with local and state governments in Colorado and Texas and is passionate in supporting the development and implementation of marijuana and hemp regulations that advance the cannabis industry in a dynamic and responsible manner. After attending law school at the University of Denver, Shawn was an associate attorney at McAllister, Darnell & Gottlieb PC, one of the first marijuana-focused law firms in Colorado.

Experience

Leadership

• Board Member, International Cannabis Bar Association, 2020

• Member, Regulatory Affairs Committee, Council for Responsible Nutrition, 2020

• Co-founder, Hemp for Our Future, 2020

• Member, Steering Committee, American Hemp Campaign, 2019

• Member, Legislative Review Committee, Hemp Industries Association, 2019

• Member, Cannabis Committee, American Herbal Products Association

• Member, Education Committee, American Herbal Products Association

• Member, Speaking Committee, International Cannabis Bar Association, 2015-Present

• Member, Green Flower Steering Committee 

• Founding Member, Women Grow, 2014

• Board Member, National Hemp Association, 2014

• Director, Local Government Implementation Team, Sensible Colorado

Recognition

• Best Lawyers, Cannabis Law, 2023

• Chambers and Partners USA, "Cannabis Law: Western United States - USA - Nationwide (Up and Coming)," 2021-2022

• Denver Business Journal, "40 Under 40," 2022

• 5280 Magazine, "Denver's Top Lawyers," 2016-2021

• National Law Journal, "Trailblazers: Cannabis Law," 2019

Publications

VS Insights

• Co-author, "Key Takeaways from Intoxicating Cannabinoids: The Science and the Law Webinar," June 16, 2022

• Author, "Clearing the Air: Vicente Sederberg's Position on Intoxicating Hemp Products," May 17, 2022

• Co-author, "FDA Enforcement Action Targeted at Hemp-Derived Delta-8 Products," May 5, 2022

• Author, "What is the FDA saying about Full Spectrum Hemp? Key Takeaways from Rejections of NDINs," August 25, 2021

• Author, "Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act: What the Proposed Federal Cannabis Laws Would Mean for Hemp," July 28, 2021

• Co-author, "Memo to the INCB Regarding Draft Guidelines on Control Requirements for Medical and Scientific Cannabis," May 24, 2021

• Co-author, "Supporting Medical Cannabis is a Political Win for Texas Republicans," May 18, 2021

• Author, "How to Support Responsible Cannabis Legalization Efforts in Texas," March 23, 2021

• Co-author, "Medical Cannabis in Texas: Policy Recommendations for Improving the Compassionate Use Program," December 18, 2020

• Author, "U.S. Congress and United Nations to Vote on Cannabis Reform," December 1, 2020

• Co-author, "The Economic Benefits of Regulating and Taxing Cannabis in Texas," October 21, 2020

• Author, "What's Next for Texas Hemp?" May 19, 2020

• Author, "Hemp for Our Future: A Social Responsibility Initiative," May 6, 2020

• Co-author, "Yes, You Can Help Shape Federal and International Cannabis Policy," April 30, 2020

• Author, "FDA Issues Long-Awaited CBD Update in Report to Congress and Public Statement," March 12, 2020

• Author, "Getting to the Root of the Problem: The 0.3% THC Hemp Standard," February 27, 2020

• Co-author, "What You Need to Know About the FDA Consumer Update on CBD," November 27, 2019

• Co-author, "USDA Hemp Regulations: What Was Expected, Unexpected and Unanswered," October 30, 2019

• Co-author, "Key Takeaways from the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Hearing on Hemp Production and the 2018 Farm Bill," August 23, 2019

• Co-author, "Five Reasons Why Texas Could Be 'The Great Hemp State'," July 30, 2019

External Publications

• Author, "Opinion: After the election, let’s focus on fixing the arbitrary THC standard in hemp," Hemp Industry Daily, November 3, 2020

• Author, "How to Find Government Assistance for Your Hemp Business," Hemp Industry Daily, April 28, 2020

• Co-author, "Massachusetts Cannabis Law Manual," MCLE New England, 2019 

• Lead Author, "2018 Farm Bill Policy Guide and Model Hemp Production Plan," American Hemp Campaign, February 28, 2019

• Author, "Opportunities and Obstacles: Intellectual Property in the Colorado Cannabis Industry," Culture Magazine, May 4, 2017

• Author, "The ABC's of CBD Claims," National Cannabis Industry Association, July 2, 2015

Events

• Speaker, AICPA & CIMA Agriculture Industry Conference, "AG2213: Hemp, Cannabis, and Farming Update,” Denver, August 09, 2022
• Presenter, All-Party Parliamentary Group for CBD Products, "The Significant Economic Advantages of Amending Legislation,” Palace of Westminster, London, June 29, 2022
• Speaker, INCBA Cannabis Law Institute, "Emerging Cannabinoids: Unique Legal and Regulatory Issues,” Washington D.C., June 11, 2022
• Speaker, Inside Practice CannaLaw Summit, "Chairperson's Welcome Remarks,” Online, May 04, 2022
• Speaker, INCBA CLE, "Hemp 101 - USDA Hemp Regulations 2021,” Webinar, June 15, 2021
• Speaker, 9th Annual Legal, Regulatory & Compliance Forum on Dietary Supplements, "The Path Forward for CBD: Exploring the Journey to Legalize Hemp-Derived CBD,” Online, June 09, 2021
• Presenter, Colorado Law Cannabis Entrepreneurship Academy, "Encroachment of the FDA in Cannabis,” Virtual, June 04, 2021
• Moderator, Luck Summit: Planting the Seed, "Beto O'Rourke: An Argument for Ending the Prohibition of Marijuana,” Virtual, April 28, 2021
• Moderator, Luck Summit: Planting the Seed, "What About Recreational Legalization? Texas Economics & Expungement,” Virtual, April 27, 2021
• Speaker, Winter Hemp Summit, "IFR Final Rules, Extensions, FDA, USDA, DEA – State Regulations and What it All Means,” Virtual Conference, January 14, 2021
• Speaker, Lancaster Farming Industrial Hemp Podcast, "Addressing the Arbitrary THC Limit in Hemp,” Online, November 25, 2020
• Speaker, Burns & Levinson Fourth Annual State of the Cannabis Industry Conference, "Demystifying Hemp & CBD,” Virtual Conference, October 29, 2020
• Moderator, INCBA Cannabis Law Institute , "The Shake-Out Since the Farm Bill,” Online, October 20, 2020
• Speaker, Vicente Sederberg LLP and Kleinfeld Kaplan & Becker LLP, "Hemp and CBD: FDA Update and the Impact of COVID-19,” Webinar, August 07, 2020
• Speaker, AgHS, Vote Hemp & Vicente Sederberg LLP, "Protecting the Hemp Industry's Future,” Webinar, July 28, 2020
• Speaker, INCBA Cannabis Regulatory Rounds, "USDA Interim Final Rule and What it Means for Hemp Clients,” Online, July 24, 2020
• Speaker, ACI - CRN 8th Annual Legal, Regulatory & Compliance Forum on Dietary Supplements, "Understanding the Current Domestic and International Legal Status and How to Manage Legal Risks for Distributing Hemp-Derived CBD Products,” Online, June 25, 2020
• Speaker, NOCO's Experience Hemp Summer Solstice Virtual Conference & Trade Show, "The 1 Percent Solution - Why .3% THC is Arbitrary and Wrong,” Online, June 18, 2020
• Speaker, Oregon Hemp Convention Digital Summit, "Legal Review: The Future of Hemp Compliance,” Virtual Conference, June 18, 2020
• Speaker, Vicente Sederberg LLP and Kleinfeld Kaplan & Becker LLP, "FDA Update and the Impact of COVID-19,” Webinar, June 07, 2020
• Presenter, MJUnpacked Colorado, " Doing Good: Cannabis Social Responsibility & Social Justice in the Time of COVID-19,” Virtual Conference , May 12, 2020
• Speaker, Texas NORML 420 Stream-A-Thon, "SBA Loans for Cannabis and Hemp Businesses,” Online, April 20, 2020
• Speaker, Vicente Sederberg LLP and Burns & Levinson, "SBA Loans and Lending for Hemp and CBD Businesses,” Webinar, April 07, 2020
• Speaker, SXSW, "Hemp - Game Changers,” Webinar, March 20, 2020
• Speaker, Texas NORML, "State of Cannabis in Texas,” Webinar, March 18, 2020
• Speaker, NoCo Winter Hemp Summit, "2019 Year in Review and 2020/2021 Looking Forward,” Boulder, January 16, 2020
• Speaker, INCBA Webinar, "Hemp Industry Update,” Webinar, December 18, 2019
• Speaker, Hemp Industry Daily, "Shawn Hauser Discusses the New USDA Hemp Rules with Hemp Industry Daily,” , November 14, 2019
• Speaker, INCBA Cannabis Law Institute, "Ancillary Agencies ,” New York City, October 03, 2019
• Speaker, AHPA Hemp-CBD Supplement Congress, "A Primer on FDA Regulation of Hemp-CBD Supplements,” Denver, August 16, 2019
• Speaker, International Cannabis Bar Association, "The New U.S. Hemp Economy: State and Federal Considerations,” New Orleans, June 11, 2019
• Speaker, United States Food & Drug Administration, "Hearing on Scientific Data and Information about Products Containing Cannabis or Cannabis-Derived Compounds,” Washington, D.C., May 31, 2019
• Speaker, Hemp Business Day, "Regulations and Status of the Plant and Hemp Products,” Irun, Spain, April 25, 2019
• Speaker, NoCo Hemp Expo, "Legal Insight: Farm Bill, Policy, Regulation,” Denver, March 29, 2019
• Speaker, NoCo Hemp Expo, "Considerations When Investing in Hemp,” Denver, March 28, 2019
• Speaker, SXSW, "CBD: The Cannabis Trailblazer,” Austin, March 14, 2019
• Speaker, MJBizCon, "The Business of Hemp Forum: Legal & Regulatory Update,” Las Vegas, November 13, 2018
• Presenter, Southern Hemp Expo, "Federal and State Landscape - Hemp Policy and Regulations,” Nashville, September 28, 2018
• Speaker, NCIA Cannabis Business Summit, "The Other Side of Cannabis: Getting Ahead of the Rapidly Evolving U.S. Hemp and CBD Markets,” San Jose, July 26, 2018
• Speaker, National Cannabis Bar Association, "Making Health Claims Under FDA Scrutiny,” , July 25, 2018
• Speaker, INCBA Cannabis Law Institute, "Consumer Protection and Product Liability in the Cannabis Industry ,” Denver, July 28, 2017
• Speaker, SXSW, "Bringing Cannabis MMJ Out of the Shadows,” Austin, March 13, 2017
• Speaker, Cannabis World Congress & Business Expo, "Fundamental Business Issues for Cannabis Businesses,” New York, June 17, 2016
• Speaker, Denver University Marijuana Summit, "Marijuana Regulation at the Federal, State, and Local Levels,” Denver, April 20, 2016
• Speaker, Create Our Future Together Conference, "Medical Marijuana and Older Adults: What You Need to Know,” , October 30, 2015
• Speaker, City of Longmont, "Cannabis in Colorado,” Longmont, September 29, 2015