Events

Attorney Articles

Law360 Publishes Stewart and Tranen on Looming Federal Scrutiny of Cannabis Marketing Under Proposed Schedule III Reclassification

February 11, 2026 - Law360

Insights

Marijuana’s Move to Schedule III: What it Really Means for Cannabis Insurance

December 22, 2025

Author: Ian A. Stewart

Attorney Articles

CLM Publishes Article by Stewart on Cannabis’ Cardiovascular Risks

November / December 2025 - CLM Magazine

Insights

How Enforceable is the New Federal Ban on Intoxicating Hemp Products?

December 9, 2025

Author: Ian A. Stewart

Insights

What to Expect in the Wake of the Federal Hemp Product Ban

November 13, 2025

Author: Ian A. Stewart

Ian Stewart - Cannabis Law Hemp Insight

Attorney Articles

CLM Features Stewart Article on Cannabis Links to Heart Disease

October 22, 2025 - CLM Magazine

Insights

Product Liability Considerations for Cannabis and Cardiovascular Risks

October 15, 2025

Author: Ian A. Stewart

Attorney Articles

Law360 Publishes Stewart on Disclosure Lessons for U.S. Cannabis Companies

July 7, 2025 - Law360

Insights

Property Insurance Coverage Pitfalls for Cannabis Businesses and Landlords

January 8, 2025

By Joshua N. Willis

Joshua Willis Insurance & Reinsurance Coverage Insight - Image of Property Building

Insights

Proposed Cannabis Reschedule Sidesteps State Law Effects

May 29, 2024

Author: Ian A. Stewart

Attorney Articles

Law360 Publishes Stewart on the DOJ’s Proposed Rules to Move Marijuana to Schedule III of the CSA

May 28, 2024 - Law360

Insights

DOJ Confirms Moving Marijuana to Schedule III; Sidesteps Anticipated Impact on State Cannabis Markets

May 17, 2024

By Ian A. Stewart

Attorney Articles

Regulatory Compliance More Accessible for Cannabis, Hemp Insurance Market

February 15, 2024 - CLM Magazine

Insights

Regulatory Compliance Is Now More Accessible for the Cannabis and Hemp Insurance Market

February 7, 2024

Author: Ian A. Stewart

Insights

State Regs Sow Discord between Cannabis, Hemp Industries

October 25, 2023

Authors: Ian Stewart, Christine Hogan and Andrea Strain

Insights

Report to Congress Identifies Significant Implications of Marijuana Rescheduling

September 18, 2023

Author: Ian Stewart

Insights

Potential Marijuana Status Change Would Shift Industry Risks

September 6, 2023

Attorney Articles

Insurance Journal Features Article by Stewart on Washington’s Extreme Solution to Intoxicating Hemp Cannabinoids

July 25, 2023 - Insurance Journal

Insights

Washington State’s Aggressive Approach to Preventing Intoxicating Hemp Cannabinoids May Be Adopted in Other States

July 24, 2023

Ian Stewart - Washington State Cannabis Law Insight

Attorney Articles

Westlaw Today Publishes McDevitt on PA Employer Responsibility for Employees’ Medical Marijuana Treatment

March 22, 2023 - Thompson Reuters Westlaw Today

Insights

Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Holds Employer Financially Responsible for Employee’s Medical Marijuana Treatment

March 20, 2023

Insights

What Cannabis Companies Must Know About Strict Product Liability

March 16, 2023

Attorney Articles

Law360 Publishes Stewart on Emerging Cannabis Product Risks

November 1, 2022 - Law360

Blogs

Cannabis and Hemp Companies Disregard Emerging Product Liability Risks at Their Peril

October 19, 2022

Insights

Cannabis and Hemp Companies Disregard Emerging Product Liability Risks at Their Peril

October 18, 2022

Attorney Articles

“California enacts legal protections for cannabis insurance providers”

October 3, 2022 - Thomson Reuters Westlaw Today

Insights

California Enacts Legal Protections for Cannabis Insurance Providers

September 28, 2022

Attorney Articles

ESG Risks in the Cannabis Industry

September 9, 2022 - Bloomberg

Insights

Cannabis Insurance Comes of Age as Federal Uncertainty Persists

August 18, 2022

Insights

Minnesota Inadvertently Allows Unregulated Intoxicating Cannabis Edible Products

July 6, 2022

Events

Press Releases

Wilson Elser Elevates 41 to Partnership in 2026

January 12, 2026

News Briefs

The Legal 500 United States 2025 Selects Wilson Elser in Four Practice Areas

June 23, 2025

Press Releases

Chambers USA 2025 Recognizes Eleven Wilson Elser Attorneys and Nine Practices 

June 5, 2025

News Briefs

Stewart Quoted on Slow and Steady Cannabis Coverage Growth

September 1, 2024

News Briefs

The Legal 500 United States 2024 Selects Wilson Elser Once Again in Three Practice Areas

June 17, 2024

Press Releases

Nine Wilson Elser Attorneys, Five Practices Ranked in Chambers USA for 2024

June 10, 2024

News Briefs

Law360 Quotes Stewart on Coverage Options for the Cannabis Industry

August 30, 2023

Press Releases

The Legal 500 United States 2023 Selects Wilson Elser in Three Practice Areas

June 20, 2023

Press Releases

Chambers USA 2023 Guide Expands Wilson Elser Rankings, Adding Three Firm Practices and Two Individual Attorneys

June 1, 2023

News Briefs

Stewart Appears in BusinessInsurance.com Article on Rising Cannabis Industry Exposures

May 3, 2023

News Briefs

Business Insurance Quotes McDevitt on Pennsylvania Employers Covering Employees’ Medical Marijuana

March 23, 2023

News Briefs

EB5 Investors Magazine Quotes Gay on Investment in Cannabis Companies

March 21, 2023

News Briefs

Business Insurance Queries Stewart on Plunging Cannabis Prices

February 16, 2023

News Briefs

Business Insurance Quotes Stewart on Challenges in the Cannabis Insurance Market

February 16, 2023

News Briefs

The National Law Review Recognizes Wilson Elser as a 2022 “Go-To Thought Leader”

December 20, 2022

News Briefs

Stewart Named by Global Top 200 Cannabis Lawyers, Third Edition 2022–2023

August 8, 2022

Press Releases

Chambers USA 2022 Guide Expands Wilson Elser Rankings, Naming Two Firm Practices and Six Individual Attorneys

June 2, 2022

News Briefs

Insurance Journal’s Insuring Cannabis Podcast Hosts Meer on ESG-Related D&O Liability for Cannabis Industry

May 4, 2022

News Briefs

NU Property Casualty360° Quotes Stewart on Burgeoning Cannabis Cyber Offerings

April 25, 2022

News Briefs

Insurance Post Quotes Stewart on Growing U.S. Cannabis Market

January 20, 2022

News Briefs

Stewart Named a National Law Review 2021 “Go-To Thought Leader"

January 4, 2022

News Briefs

Insurance Journal Interviews Stewart in Podcast on New California Law AB 45 on Cannabis Products

November 9, 2021

News Briefs

Stewart Selected to Global Top 200 Lawyers Directory 2021–2022, Published by Cannabis Law Report

September 13, 2021

News Briefs

Reuters Quotes Stewart on Cannabis Federal Legalization

August 24, 2021 - Reuters

News Briefs

Law.com Quotes Stewart on Justice Thomas’s Stance on Federal Marijuana Policy

July 7, 2021

News Briefs

Reuters Quotes Stewart on “Chilling Effect” of Georgia Supreme Court Cannabis Ruling

July 7, 2021

News Briefs

The Legal Intelligencer Quotes Stewart & Gay on Lifting Stigma/Changing Status Surrounding Cannabis Law Practices

May 26, 2021

Press Releases

Chambers USA 2021 Guide Ranks Wilson Elser’s Cannabis Law Practice USA-Nationwide

May 20, 2021

Press Releases

Five Wilson Elser Attorneys Ranked in Chambers USA 2021 Guide

May 20, 2021

News Briefs

Wilson Elser Assists the National Cannabis Risk Management Association with First-of-Its-Kind Cannabis Insurance Captive

April 29, 2021

Events

Opioid Litigation & Liability Risks of Medical Cannabis
When: April 1-2, 2019
Conference: Crittenden Medical Insurance Conference
People: Lori Rosen Semlies, Ian A. Stewart and Daniel E. Tranen
Rocco on Product Liability & Insurance | Stewart on Ethical Considerations & Legalized Cannabis
When: March 29, 2019
Conference: The Seminar Group
People: Ian A. Stewart and Dean A. Rocco
Pennsylvania’s Industrial Hemp Program
When: March 22, 2019
Conference: Pennsylvania Bar Institute | Pennsylvania Bar Association, Medical Marijuana & Hemp Law Committee
People: William F. McDevitt
Growing Forward: New Regulation of Market Expansion
When: Denver (March 19) and Los Angeles (March 28) 2019
Conference: Insurance Business America
People: Ian A. Stewart and Dean A. Rocco
Emerging Exposures: Closing the Knowledge Gap
When: March 15, 2019
Conference: The Institutes CPCU Society
Cannabis, CBD and Hemp Go Global – Opportunities for Insurance and Legal Professionals
When: March 14, 2019
Conference: CLM
People: Ian A. Stewart
Cannabis and Insurance: Assessing the Insurance Coverage, Regulation and Risk Management Implications
When: March 13, 2019
Conference: American Conference Institute (ACI)
People: Ian A. Stewart
Cannabis: A Legal Perspective
When: March 13, 2019
Conference: California Industrial Hygiene Council's 3rd Annual Industrial Hygiene Summit
People: Dean A. Rocco
Legal Professionals Working in Cannabis
When: February 28, 2019
Conference: UCLA Cannabis Law Association
Growing use and acceptance of cannabis … what are the implications?
When: February 28, 2019
Conference: Trans Re
People: Ian A. Stewart
The Intersection of Weed and Work
When: February 14-15, 2019
Conference: Artex Risk Management
People: Dean A. Rocco
Medical Marijuana: The Journey, the Benefits and the Challenges to the Medical Profession
When: January 23, 2019
Conference: Perrin Conferences, LLC
People: Lori Rosen Semlies
What Medical Providers Need to Know about Medicinal Marijuana
When: January 8, 2019
Conference: Lexology
People: Lori Rosen Semlies
Cannabis Legality, New Regulation and Insurance Reform
When: December 7, 2017
Conference: Insurance Business America
People: Christopher P. Flanagan and Ian A. Stewart

Events

Insights

U.S. Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Medical Cannabis Workers’ Compensation Case

June 22, 2022

Insights

Ninth Circuit Rules Hemp-Derived Delta-8 THC Products Are Federally Legal, Creating Broad Implications for the Hemp, Marijuana and Insurance Industries

June 13, 2022

Attorney Articles

Today’s General Counsel Publishes Rocco on New Cannabis Statutes in the Workplace

May 2, 2022 - Today's General Counsel

Insights

ESG Risks for Cannabis Companies Will Impact Directors and Officers

February 23, 2022

Insights

Cannabis Consumption Lounges Present a Unique Risk Management Challenge

February 7, 2022

Insights

Michigan’s New Cannabis Liability Insurance Requirements Raise Concerns by Licensees, Insurers

January 5, 2022

Blogs

Delta-9 THC Products from Hemp Are a Risk Not Worth Taking

December 30, 2021

Insights

Cannabis: A Primer for New York Employers

December 6, 2021

Insights

Delta-9 THC Products from Hemp Are a Risk Not Worth Taking

November 30, 2021

Insights

California to Allow Hemp and CBD in Food/Supplements – Legal Risks Persist for the Unwary

September 28, 2021

Insights

Reducing Cannabis Testing and Label Failures

August 9, 2021 - Effective Risk Management Activities for Cannabis Companies

Attorney Articles

Cannabis Business Executive: Update on Legalization in Connecticut by Strain

August 4, 2021

Insights

Update on the Legalization of Marijuana in Connecticut

July 22, 2021

Insights

U.S. Senate’s Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act Clarifies How Federal Government May Regulate Marijuana, but Leaves Unanswered Questions

July 20, 2021

Insights

Justice Thomas Criticizes Federal Marijuana Policy, Questions Whether Prohibition Remains Necessary or Proper

June 29, 2021

Insights

Cannabis Directors and Officers Liability: Cause for Optimism?

June 24, 2021

Insights

Florida Supreme Court Rejects Recreational Marijuana Constitutional Ballot Amendment Initiative

April 23, 2021

Insights

The SAFE Banking and CLAIM Acts Will Transform the Cannabis Insurance Industry – Here’s What to Expect

March 22, 2021

Insights

Updates to the NY Empire State of Cannabis: Cannabinoid Hemp Licenses Go Live and Amendments to Governor’s Adult-Use Legislation

February 25, 2021

Insights

Evolution of the Cannabis Product Liability Lawsuit

February 2, 2021

Insights

Third Time’s the Charm … Right? Governor Cuomo’s New Adult-Use Marijuana Legislation May Finally Push New York Across the Finish Line

January 21, 2021

Attorney Articles

Bloomberg Law Publishes Stewart and Willner on Legal and Regulatory Threats to the Cannabis Industry

November 30, 2020 - Bloomberg Law | Banking Law News

Insights

New York’s Long-Awaited Hemp Cannabinoid Rules May Create a Consumer-Friendly National Model

October 29, 2020

Attorney Articles

Court Asked to Decide Constitutionality of Schedule I Status of Pot

September 17, 2020 - Daily Journal

Insights

Cannabis and Appellate Law Practices Collaborate to Prepare Amicus Brief to U.S. Supreme Court in Challenge to Marijuana’s Schedule I Status

September 14, 2020

Insights

New DEA Rule Creates More Uncertainty for Legality of CBD Extracts

August 24, 2020

Insights

Cannabis and the Federal Courts

August 10, 2020

Insights

TTAB Issues Precedential Decision Affirming Unlawful Use Refusal of Trademark Registration for Ingestible CBD Supplements Based on Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act

July 6, 2020

Attorney Articles

Medical Marijuana: State and Federal Law Thickets and Practical Implications

July 1, 2020 - 2020 Edition, Thomson Reuters Health Law Handbook

Attorney Articles

The NJ Cannabis Legalization Ballot Question: Get Out the Vote by Staying at Home

June 25, 2020 - Law.com

Events

Insights

Cannabis and CBD Companies Subject to Increased Prop 65 Exposure

June 25, 2020

Attorney Articles

Maine Cannabis Residence Suits Raise Thorny Federal Issues

June 18, 2020 - Law360

Insights

Maine Cannabis Residence Suits Raise Thorny Federal Issues

June 23, 2020

Insights

Hemp-Derived THC Products: Legal or Loophole?

May 27, 2020

Insights

Nevada Federal Court Throws Enforceability of Cannabis-Related Contracts into Doubt

May 20, 2020

Insights

Vaping and COVID-19: Expect a Wave of Litigation Based on Unsubstantiated Public Concern and Studies with Uncertain Validity

May 15, 2020

Insights

Employer Risk Management in the Age of Coronavirus

April 13, 2020

Attorney Articles

Managing Employer Risk in the Age of the Coronavirus Parts 1 & 2

April 9–10, 2020 - PropertyCasualty360.com / Law.com

Insights

Compliance Issues for Managing a Virtual Workforce

March 24, 2020

Insights

Designating Access to Cannabis an Essential Service amid COVID-19 Pandemic

March 20, 2020

Insights

Employing Crisis Standards of Care in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

March 20, 2020

Insights

Families First Coronavirus Response Act

March 19, 2020

Insights

Navigating COVID-19 in Long-Term Care Facilities

March 19, 2020

Insights

FDA Report Brings Hope for CBD Dietary Supplements

March 17, 2020

Attorney Articles

Hemp Regulations Create Compliance Challenges

March/April 2020 - Claims magazine

Insights

The 2019 Honig Act Means New Obligations for New Jersey Employers Around Cannabis at Work

March 4, 2020

Insights

Uncertainty Surrounds Legality of Different CBD Forms

March 3, 2020

Insights

Newly Discovered Form of THC Could Help Explain Potency Variations in Cannabis Strains and May Lead to New Product Label Requirements

January 27, 2020

Insights

Second Time’s a Charm? Governor Cuomo Introduces New Legislation to Regulate Adult-Use Cannabis in New York State

January 24, 2020

Insights

Smoking Cannabis Legally in Illinois: What’s an Employer to Do?

January 21, 2020

Insights

The Evolving Legality of Lesser-Known Cannabis Compounds

January 14, 2020

Insights

USDA's Hemp Regulations Create Challenges for Hemp and CBD Producers

December 19, 2019

Insights

Feds Issue Badly Needed Hemp and CBD Banking Guidance

December 6, 2019

Insights

Florida Legislature to Consider Bill Protecting Rights of Medical Marijuana Users

November 21, 2019

Insights

CDC Confirms Vitamin E Acetate as Cause of Some Vape-Lung Cases

November 11, 2019

Attorney Articles

Federal Trademark Considerations for Cannabis/CBD Goods and Services

Fall 2019 - DRI: In-House Defense Quarterly

Attorney Articles

Counseling Cannabis Companies Requires a Holistic Approach

October 25, 2019 - Law360

Insights

Cannabis Coming to the Northeast? Governors of NY, NJ, CT and PA adopt “core principles” to implement adult-use legislation.

October 23, 2019

Insights

The First of the Vape-Lung Product Liability Cases Has Been Filed

October 2, 2019

Attorney Articles

The First of the Vape-Lung Product Liability Cases Has Been Filed

September 30, 2019 - Cannabis Business Executive

Events

Insights

CBD Labeling and Marketing: The Straight Story

September 18, 2019

Attorney Articles

Immigrant Investors and Cannabis Business Opportunities in the United States

Summer 2019: Vol. 27, No. 1 - The California International Law Journal; published by the International Law Section (ILS) of the California Lawyers Association (CLA)

Attorney Articles

INSIGHT: Will the DEA’s Marijuana Rulemaking Authority Go Up in Smoke in the Second Circuit?

July 15, 2019 - Bloomberg Law

Insights

The Empire State of Cannabis

July 9, 2019

Insights

U.S. House Votes to Approve Measure Blocking Feds from Interfering with State Cannabis Laws

June 25, 2019

Attorney Articles

Viewpoint: Why Medical Marijuana Laws Are Not a Gateway to Adult Use Legislation

June 24, 2019 - Insurance Journal

Insights

An Introduction to Adult-Use Cannabis in Illinois

June 20, 2019

Attorney Articles

Will the Federal Courts Force Cannabis Out of Schedule 1?

June 18, 2019 - Cannabis Business Executive

Attorney Articles

Rules for Medical Marijuana Facilities in Missouri and a Look at the Application Process

June 3, 2019 - Cannabis Business Executive

Insights

New Jersey’s Department of Health Announces Plan to Expand Its Medicinal Marijuana Program

June 10, 2019

Attorney Articles

An Expert Analysis of the SAFE Banking Act

June 3, 2019 - MG Magazine, Legal & Politics

Insights

USDA Issues Legal Opinion Supporting Current Legality of Hemp in Interstate Commerce

June 3, 2019

Insights

California Poised to Remove Prohibition on Hemp-Derived CBD in Foods and Supplements

May 20, 2019

Insights

New Jersey Voters Will Likely Decide Recreational Marijuana Legalization in 2020

May 16, 2019

Attorney Articles

Mid-Atlantic Cannabis: Driving Applications

May 14, 2019 - Cannabis Law Report

Attorney Articles

It’s Time to Set the Record Straight – CBD Is ‘Psychoactive’

May 8, 2019 - Cannabis Business Executive

Insights

CBD Risk Management

May 8, 2019

Insights

Follow-Up on the Legalization of Marijuana in Connecticut

May 6, 2019

Insights

Navigating CBD Risks When Legal Pathway to Marketing Is Anything But Clear

April 25, 2019

Attorney Articles

Navigating CBD Risks When Legal Pathway to Marketing Is Anything But Clear

April 24, 2019 - Bloomberg BNA Law

Insights

New York City Council Passes Bill Banning Pre-employment Marijuana Drug Testing

April 24, 2019

Attorney Articles

PA and NJ Adult Use—How’s That Legalization Thing Coming Along?

April 22, 2019 - The Legal Intelligencer

Attorney Articles

THC, CBD, and the FDA: What to Expect at the Federal and State Level

April 18, 2019 - mg Magazine

Insights

FDA Updates Guidance for CBD Products amid a New Round of Warning Letters and Announcement of Date for Public Hearing

April 3, 2019

Attorney Articles

FDA Updates Guidance for CBD Products amid a New Round of Warning Letters and Announcement of Date for Public Hearing

April 3, 2019 - Cannabis Business Executive

Attorney Articles

Legal Tokes Betoken Weeding of Insurance Regs … and More

April 1, 2019 - Insurance Advocate

Insights

New Jersey Legislature Cancels Vote to Legalize Recreational Marijuana

March 28, 2019

Attorney Articles

The UN Is Moving Toward Ending Decades of International Cannabis Prohibition

March 27, 2019 - Green Entrepreneur

Attorney Articles

The Ins and Outs of M&A in the Legal Cannabis Industry

March 12, 2019 - Marijuana Venture

Insights

Market Confusion on CBD and Hemp; FDA Commissioner Resigns amid Congressional Pressure for Federal Guidance

March 7, 2019

Events

Press Releases

Wilson Elser Assists the National Cannabis Risk Management Association with First-of-Its-Kind Cannabis Insurance Captive

April 28, 2021

News Briefs

Business Insurance Covers Stewart’s Comments at Session One of Its 2021 Cannabis Update Webinar Series

April 14, 2021 - Business Insurance

News Briefs

Cannabis Industry 101: Becoming Mainstream and Essential During COVID-19

April 1, 2021 - Clear Law Institute

News Briefs

Business Insurance Quotes Stewart on High Hopes for the CLAIMS Act

March 30, 2021

News Briefs

Law360 Quotes Stewart on His Recent CBD Case Dismissal Success

March 15, 2021

News Briefs

Law360 Recounts Murphy-Petros/McDonough Defense on Issues of Statutory Construction Related to Zoning Requirements for a Cannabis Distribution License

March 12, 2021

News Briefs

PropertyCasualty360 Quotes Stewart on the State of the Cannabis Insurance Industry

January 6, 2021

News Briefs

PropertyCasualty360 Quotes Stewart on Lessons Learned from “Vape Gate”

December 21, 2020

News Briefs

Property Casualty 360° Quotes Stewart on the MORE Act

December 8, 2020

News Briefs

Law.com Quotes Stewart and Willner on Marijuana’s Recent Moves

November 6, 2020

News Briefs

New Jersey Law Journal Quotes Stewart after Vote to Legalize Adult-Use Cannabis in NJ

November 5, 2020

News Briefs

NJBIZ Quotes Tammaro on Cannabis Legalization Poll

October 15, 2020

News Briefs

Willner Named Co-chair of the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance Cannabis Committee

October 15, 2020

News Briefs

Law360 Quotes Stewart on Amicus Brief in SCOTUS Marijuana Classification Case

September 15, 2020

News Briefs

Business News Quotes Gay on New Players in Cannabis Business

August 11, 2020

News Briefs

U.S. News & World Report Quotes Stewart on Jump in Cannabis Insurance Costs as Investors Hold Directors Personally Liable

July 9, 2020

News Briefs

Business Insurance Quotes Stewart on Looting of Cannabis Businesses in Civil Unrest

June 16, 2020

News Briefs

Benzinga Quotes Thorvaldsen on Maine’s Residency Rule for Adult-Use Cannabis License Holders

June 10, 2020

News Briefs

Law360 Quotes Stewart on Cannabis Business Claims after Theft and Destruction During Looting

June 8, 2020

News Briefs

Insurance Journal Quotes Stewart on the Impact of the SAFE Banking Act on the Cannabis Industry

May 15, 2020

News Briefs

Business Insurance Quotes Willner on Risk Management in the Expanding Hemp Industry

May 15, 2020

News Briefs

Business Insurance Covers Rocco-Moderated Panel of Experts on Pandemic Challenges to the Cannabis Industry

May 11, 2020

News Briefs

Stewart Ranked in Chambers USA 2020 Guide for Cannabis Law: Western United States and Nationwide

April 28, 2020

News Briefs

Stewart Joins Inaugural Advisory Board for the International Cannabis Bar Association

April 20, 2020

News Briefs

Insurance Journal Taps Stewart and Other Experts on How COVID-19 Will Impact Cannabis and Insurance

April 14, 2020

News Briefs

CLM Magazine Explores the Many Facets of Ian Stewart in “Voices” Feature

April 1, 2020

News Briefs

Cannabis Dispensary Interviews Rocco on Tips on Employment Practices During COVID-19 Pandemic

March 24, 2020

News Briefs

Law360 Quotes Stewart on Decision Threatening Protection of Hemp in Transit

February 7, 2020

News Briefs

Experts Investigate the Role THC and Other Unregulated Additives Play in the Vaping Crisis

January 30, 2020

News Briefs

Insurance Journal Quotes Stewart on the Vaping Health Crisis

December 9, 2019

Events

News Briefs

Law360 Quotes Stewart and Gay on Converting Warehouses to Cannabis Farms

November 8, 2019

News Briefs

Business Insurance Quotes Semlies on Role at Business Insurance Cannabis & Hemp Conference

October 29, 2019

News Briefs

CLM Magazine Quotes Thorvaldsen and Stewart on Their Role on CLM’s Cannabis Committee

August 12, 2019

News Briefs

Business Insurance Quotes Stewart on the Need for Additional Cyber Coverage Insurance

July 24, 2019

News Briefs

Stewart Nominated for INCBA Board… Cast Your Vote!

June 20, 2019

News Briefs

Connecticut Law Tribune Quotes Brown on Possible Marijuana Legalization

June 5, 2019

News Briefs

Politico Quotes Stewart on Rapid Legalization of Hemp Extract CBD

June 4, 2019

News Briefs

Insurance Journal Covers Stewart’s Appearance on Claims Experience Webinar

June 3, 2019

News Briefs

AM BestTV Panel Interviews Thorvaldsen on Underwriting the Cannabis Industry from a Legal Perspective

May 6, 2019

News Briefs

Claims Quotes Stewart on Cannabis Coverage

March 29, 2019

Press Releases

Wilson Elser Partner Recognized by JD Supra with 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards

March 27, 2019

News Briefs

Marijuana Venture Quotes Gay on Harvest Health’s $850 Million Acquisition of Verano

March 25, 2019

News Briefs

Stepping It Up: Cannabis Law Lights Up Lexology

March 18, 2019

News Briefs

The Guardian Quotes Willner on Taxing Marijuana Businesses

March 18, 2019

News Briefs

Idaho Press Quotes Stewart on Idaho State Police Seizure of Truck Transporting Hemp through the State

February 25, 2019

News Briefs

Insurance Business America Quotes Stewart & Rocco on Cannabis Reform

February 21, 2019

News Briefs

Desert Sun Quotes Stewart on New Rules for Cannabis Delivery in California

January 24, 2019

News Briefs

MLA Knowledge Library Quotes Rocco on Cannabis as a Viable Business Opportunity

January 22, 2019

Events

Opioid Litigation & Liability Risks of Medical Cannabis
When: April 1-2, 2019
Conference: Crittenden Medical Insurance Conference
People: Lori Rosen Semlies, Ian A. Stewart and Daniel E. Tranen
Rocco on Product Liability & Insurance | Stewart on Ethical Considerations & Legalized Cannabis
When: March 29, 2019
Conference: The Seminar Group
People: Ian A. Stewart and Dean A. Rocco
Pennsylvania’s Industrial Hemp Program
When: March 22, 2019
Conference: Pennsylvania Bar Institute | Pennsylvania Bar Association, Medical Marijuana & Hemp Law Committee
People: William F. McDevitt
Growing Forward: New Regulation of Market Expansion
When: Denver (March 19) and Los Angeles (March 28) 2019
Conference: Insurance Business America
People: Ian A. Stewart and Dean A. Rocco
Emerging Exposures: Closing the Knowledge Gap
When: March 15, 2019
Conference: The Institutes CPCU Society
Cannabis, CBD and Hemp Go Global – Opportunities for Insurance and Legal Professionals
When: March 14, 2019
Conference: CLM
People: Ian A. Stewart
Cannabis and Insurance: Assessing the Insurance Coverage, Regulation and Risk Management Implications
When: March 13, 2019
Conference: American Conference Institute (ACI)
People: Ian A. Stewart
Cannabis: A Legal Perspective
When: March 13, 2019
Conference: California Industrial Hygiene Council's 3rd Annual Industrial Hygiene Summit
People: Dean A. Rocco
Legal Professionals Working in Cannabis
When: February 28, 2019
Conference: UCLA Cannabis Law Association
Growing use and acceptance of cannabis … what are the implications?
When: February 28, 2019
Conference: Trans Re
People: Ian A. Stewart
The Intersection of Weed and Work
When: February 14-15, 2019
Conference: Artex Risk Management
People: Dean A. Rocco
Medical Marijuana: The Journey, the Benefits and the Challenges to the Medical Profession
When: January 23, 2019
Conference: Perrin Conferences, LLC
People: Lori Rosen Semlies
What Medical Providers Need to Know about Medicinal Marijuana
When: January 8, 2019
Conference: Lexology
People: Lori Rosen Semlies
Cannabis Legality, New Regulation and Insurance Reform
When: December 7, 2017
Conference: Insurance Business America
People: Christopher P. Flanagan and Ian A. Stewart

Events

Opioid Litigation & Liability Risks of Medical Cannabis
When: April 1-2, 2019
Conference: Crittenden Medical Insurance Conference
People: Lori Rosen Semlies, Ian A. Stewart and Daniel E. Tranen
Rocco on Product Liability & Insurance | Stewart on Ethical Considerations & Legalized Cannabis
When: March 29, 2019
Conference: The Seminar Group
People: Ian A. Stewart and Dean A. Rocco
Pennsylvania’s Industrial Hemp Program
When: March 22, 2019
Conference: Pennsylvania Bar Institute | Pennsylvania Bar Association, Medical Marijuana & Hemp Law Committee
People: William F. McDevitt
Growing Forward: New Regulation of Market Expansion
When: Denver (March 19) and Los Angeles (March 28) 2019
Conference: Insurance Business America
People: Ian A. Stewart and Dean A. Rocco
Emerging Exposures: Closing the Knowledge Gap
When: March 15, 2019
Conference: The Institutes CPCU Society
Cannabis, CBD and Hemp Go Global – Opportunities for Insurance and Legal Professionals
When: March 14, 2019
Conference: CLM
People: Ian A. Stewart
Cannabis and Insurance: Assessing the Insurance Coverage, Regulation and Risk Management Implications
When: March 13, 2019
Conference: American Conference Institute (ACI)
People: Ian A. Stewart
Cannabis: A Legal Perspective
When: March 13, 2019
Conference: California Industrial Hygiene Council's 3rd Annual Industrial Hygiene Summit
People: Dean A. Rocco
Legal Professionals Working in Cannabis
When: February 28, 2019
Conference: UCLA Cannabis Law Association
Growing use and acceptance of cannabis … what are the implications?
When: February 28, 2019
Conference: Trans Re
People: Ian A. Stewart
The Intersection of Weed and Work
When: February 14-15, 2019
Conference: Artex Risk Management
People: Dean A. Rocco
Medical Marijuana: The Journey, the Benefits and the Challenges to the Medical Profession
When: January 23, 2019
Conference: Perrin Conferences, LLC
People: Lori Rosen Semlies
What Medical Providers Need to Know about Medicinal Marijuana
When: January 8, 2019
Conference: Lexology
People: Lori Rosen Semlies
Cannabis Legality, New Regulation and Insurance Reform
When: December 7, 2017
Conference: Insurance Business America
People: Christopher P. Flanagan and Ian A. Stewart

Events

Opioid Litigation & Liability Risks of Medical Cannabis
When: April 1-2, 2019
Conference: Crittenden Medical Insurance Conference
People: Lori Rosen Semlies, Ian A. Stewart and Daniel E. Tranen
Rocco on Product Liability & Insurance | Stewart on Ethical Considerations & Legalized Cannabis
When: March 29, 2019
Conference: The Seminar Group
People: Ian A. Stewart and Dean A. Rocco
Pennsylvania’s Industrial Hemp Program
When: March 22, 2019
Conference: Pennsylvania Bar Institute | Pennsylvania Bar Association, Medical Marijuana & Hemp Law Committee
People: William F. McDevitt
Growing Forward: New Regulation of Market Expansion
When: Denver (March 19) and Los Angeles (March 28) 2019
Conference: Insurance Business America
People: Ian A. Stewart and Dean A. Rocco
Emerging Exposures: Closing the Knowledge Gap
When: March 15, 2019
Conference: The Institutes CPCU Society
Cannabis, CBD and Hemp Go Global – Opportunities for Insurance and Legal Professionals
When: March 14, 2019
Conference: CLM
People: Ian A. Stewart
Cannabis and Insurance: Assessing the Insurance Coverage, Regulation and Risk Management Implications
When: March 13, 2019
Conference: American Conference Institute (ACI)
People: Ian A. Stewart
Cannabis: A Legal Perspective
When: March 13, 2019
Conference: California Industrial Hygiene Council's 3rd Annual Industrial Hygiene Summit
People: Dean A. Rocco
Legal Professionals Working in Cannabis
When: February 28, 2019
Conference: UCLA Cannabis Law Association
Growing use and acceptance of cannabis … what are the implications?
When: February 28, 2019
Conference: Trans Re
People: Ian A. Stewart
The Intersection of Weed and Work
When: February 14-15, 2019
Conference: Artex Risk Management
People: Dean A. Rocco
Medical Marijuana: The Journey, the Benefits and the Challenges to the Medical Profession
When: January 23, 2019
Conference: Perrin Conferences, LLC
People: Lori Rosen Semlies
What Medical Providers Need to Know about Medicinal Marijuana
When: January 8, 2019
Conference: Lexology
People: Lori Rosen Semlies
Cannabis Legality, New Regulation and Insurance Reform
When: December 7, 2017
Conference: Insurance Business America
People: Christopher P. Flanagan and Ian A. Stewart

Events

Opioid Litigation & Liability Risks of Medical Cannabis
When: April 1-2, 2019
Conference: Crittenden Medical Insurance Conference
People: Lori Rosen Semlies, Ian A. Stewart and Daniel E. Tranen
Rocco on Product Liability & Insurance | Stewart on Ethical Considerations & Legalized Cannabis
When: March 29, 2019
Conference: The Seminar Group
People: Ian A. Stewart and Dean A. Rocco
Pennsylvania’s Industrial Hemp Program
When: March 22, 2019
Conference: Pennsylvania Bar Institute | Pennsylvania Bar Association, Medical Marijuana & Hemp Law Committee
People: William F. McDevitt
Growing Forward: New Regulation of Market Expansion
When: Denver (March 19) and Los Angeles (March 28) 2019
Conference: Insurance Business America
People: Ian A. Stewart and Dean A. Rocco
Emerging Exposures: Closing the Knowledge Gap
When: March 15, 2019
Conference: The Institutes CPCU Society
Cannabis, CBD and Hemp Go Global – Opportunities for Insurance and Legal Professionals
When: March 14, 2019
Conference: CLM
People: Ian A. Stewart
Cannabis and Insurance: Assessing the Insurance Coverage, Regulation and Risk Management Implications
When: March 13, 2019
Conference: American Conference Institute (ACI)
People: Ian A. Stewart
Cannabis: A Legal Perspective
When: March 13, 2019
Conference: California Industrial Hygiene Council's 3rd Annual Industrial Hygiene Summit
People: Dean A. Rocco
Legal Professionals Working in Cannabis
When: February 28, 2019
Conference: UCLA Cannabis Law Association
Growing use and acceptance of cannabis … what are the implications?
When: February 28, 2019
Conference: Trans Re
People: Ian A. Stewart
The Intersection of Weed and Work
When: February 14-15, 2019
Conference: Artex Risk Management
People: Dean A. Rocco
Medical Marijuana: The Journey, the Benefits and the Challenges to the Medical Profession
When: January 23, 2019
Conference: Perrin Conferences, LLC
People: Lori Rosen Semlies
What Medical Providers Need to Know about Medicinal Marijuana
When: January 8, 2019
Conference: Lexology
People: Lori Rosen Semlies
Cannabis Legality, New Regulation and Insurance Reform
When: December 7, 2017
Conference: Insurance Business America
People: Christopher P. Flanagan and Ian A. Stewart

Firm Highlights

News
Super Lawyers Names Three to 2026 Virginia Rising Stars List
Super Lawyers® has named three Wilson Elser attorneys to the 2026 Virginia Rising Stars™ list: Rising Stars Natalie B. Jacobs (Associate) – Professional Liability: Defense Haley B. Mathis (Of Counsel) – Business Litigation Hariton J. Wilson (Associate) – Civil Litigation: Defense Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The Rising Stars lists, comprising the best attorneys 40 years old and younger or who have practiced law for 10 years or less, are published in Super Lawyers magazines and leading city and regional magazines nationwide. No more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state are named to these lists.
Read more
Client Wins
Lee and Rivera Prevail on Summary Judgment for Ski Resort in Wrongful Death Action
Gregory Lee (Partner-Los Angeles, CA) and Danielle Rivera (Associate-Los Angeles, CA) secured summary judgment on behalf of a ski resort in a high-exposure wrongful death lawsuit arising from a fatal chairlift accident. The decedent, an expert snowboarder, was riding alone on a chairlift when he fell 40 feet to the ground below and died from blunt force trauma. The subject chairlift was the only one at the resort not equipped with a restraint bar. The plaintiffs alleged that the fall resulted from the ski resort's grossly negligent installation, maintenance, and operation of the chairlift. Greg and Danielle moved for summary judgment based on the defense of express assumption of risk. In opposing the motion, the plaintiffs challenged the admissibility and enforceability of the decedent’s liability releases. Additionally, their expert testified that industry standards required the chairlift to be equipped with a restraint bar, and that the installation would have prevented the decedent from falling. The San Bernardino Superior Court agreed with Greg and Danielle, finding that one of the decedent’s liability releases was admissible and enforceable and that the testimony of the plaintiffs’ expert was insufficient to overcome the defense of express assumption of risk.  
Read more
Events
Lawyers' Obligations with Respect to Confidentiality at Stanford Law School’s Civil Litigation Symposium
Kathleen Warin (Partner-Washington, DC) will join the panel “Lawyers’ Obligations with Respect to Confidentiality” at the Secrecy and Transparency in Civil Litigation Symposium, held on May 1-2, 2026, at Stanford Law School in Palo Alto, California. The event, hosted by the Deborah L. Rhode Center on the Legal Profession at Stanford Law School and the National Civil Justice Institute, marks Kathleen's second time as an invited panelist at Stanford. Kathleen’s panel examines where lawyers’ duties to their clients intersect, and possibly conflict with, obligations to the public and the courts, particularly in the context of protective orders, settlements, and other forms of confidentiality in civil litigation. The symposium explores the legal and policy dimensions of confidentiality and transparency, highlighting how courts, litigants, and policymakers are navigating this balance and the tradeoffs involved.
Read more
Client Wins
Atlanta Team Secures Settlement at a Fraction of Plaintiff's Eight-figure Demand
Michael Manfredi (Partner–Atlanta, GA), Kristina Thompson (Of Counsel–Atlanta, GA), and Jennifer Sands (Associate–Atlanta, GA​​) secured a significant defense outcome in a premises liability case arising from a shooting on the defendants' apartment-style residential property. The plaintiff sustained gunshot wounds to his lower extremities and faces a potential future amputation. His initial demand was for $30 million, and he filed suit against our insured clients in Gwinnett County State Court. The Atlanta defense team vigorously defended the case through discovery and contentious motions practice, maintaining that the plaintiff's injuries resulted from unforeseeable third-party criminal acts for which the property owner and management are not liable. Despite substantial resistance from opposing counsel, the team successfully obtained the underlying criminal investigative files, which revealed numerous material inconsistencies – including lies and omissions - between the plaintiff's statements to law enforcement and his civil discovery responses and testimony. Based on these findings, the team filed a Motion for Sanctions for Discovery Abuses seeking dismissal of the Complaint. While the motion was pending, plaintiff's counsel reduced the demand from $30 million to $3 million, which was one-tenth of the initial demand. The case ultimately resolved for an amount below that reduced figure.
Read more
Events
ANSI Standards in Product Liability Litigation: Admissibility, Strategic Use, and Practical Risk Management
Andrew Albright (Partner-Chicago) and Keti Mebuke (Associate-Chicago) will present the Wilson Elser Forum webinar “ANSI Standards in Product Liability Litigation: Admissibility, Strategic Use, and Practical Risk Management” on April 30, 2026. The webinar examines how courts treat voluntary industry safety standards in product liability cases, including their admissibility at trial and how these standards are used by experts to evaluate product design and safety. Using a revolving-door injury case by way of example, the webinar will discuss how ANSI standards (including ANSI/BHMA A156.27, governing power-operated revolving doors) are applied in product liability litigation. The session will also review relevant case law, including Illinois authority, addressing the admissibility and evidentiary role of industry standards. The webinar is designed for attorneys, claims professionals, and risk managers who handle product liability matters and seek a practical understanding of how ANSI standards influence trial, expert testimony, litigation strategy, and risk management.
Read more
Publications
Westlaw Today Features Fink Article on Shifting Landscape of Internet Liability & Safe Harbor Protections
Sarah Fink (Of Counsel-Long Island, NY) authored “Mixed Signals on the Free Flow of information Online – One Step Forward, Two Steps Back,” appearing in the April 21, 2026, posting of Westlaw Today. The article examines three recent court decisions that send mixed signals on the future of internet liability and statutory safe harbor defenses, highlighting a Supreme Court ruling that reinforces protections for online service providers and encourages the free flow of information, alongside two state court rulings (California and New Mexico) that expand potential liability for social media platforms, holding that they can be held liable for harm caused by addiction to social media. Sarah opines, “Together, these three decisions highlight the tension between First Amendment speech rights, statutory safe harbors, public safety online, and recourse for harms, such as mental health deterioration and copyright infringement.” She further explains that the cases “also demonstrate that the traditional statutory safe harbors for internet actors may be circumvented by creative pleading and litigation tactics, leading to questions about their continued relevance.”
Read more
Events
Recent Developments on Equitable Relief Under ERISA
Joshua Bachrach (Partner-Philadelphia, PA) will present “Recent Developments on Equitable Relief Under ERISA” at the 2026 DRI Life, Health, Disability & ERISA Seminar, held April 29 – May 1, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia. Josh’s session provides a brief review of relevant Supreme Court decisions and covers various topics, such as whether surcharge is a permissible remedy under ERISA, use of Section 502(a)(3) to recover attorney’s fees, and the applicability of the exhaustion requirement. Josh, who has handled several hundred ERISA cases nationwide, also addresses breach of fiduciary duty claims and equitable relief remedies at this preeminent seminar for in-house and outside counsel regularly practicing in the life, health, disability, and ERISA areas.
Read more
Publications
New York’s AVOID Act Imposes 90-Day Deadline for Third-Party Claims
The New York Avoiding Vexatious Overuse of Impleading to Delay (AVOID) Act became effective on April 18, 2026, establishing new deadlines for third-party complaints. Under this Act, a third-party plaintiff must file their complaint within 90 days of serving the initial answer pursuant to CPLR § 1007(b).1 Any third-party complaint against a plaintiff’s employer, however, must be filed within 90 days of the later of (1) discovering the employer’s identity; or (2) determining that the plaintiff sustained a “grave injury” as defined by Section 11 of the Workers’ Compensation Law. CPLR § 1007(e).2 The Act prohibits filing a third-party complaint after the note of issue unless upon good cause shown or in the interest of justice. CPLR § 1007(c).3 A third-party action filed in violation of this subdivision shall be severed or dismissed without prejudice. CPLR § 1007(d).4 Any severed actions that are initiated as new actions cannot then be consolidated. CPLR § 1007(f).5 Regarding retroactivity: an amendment clarifies that the Act applies to all cases commenced on or after the April 18, 2026 effective date.6 Be advised that as of April 16, 2026, the New York State website has not yet integrated this amendment into the statutory text.7 Lexis captures this update in the editor’s notes,8 and Westlaw includes it within the proposed legislation section.9 ____________________________________________________________________________________ 1 https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CVP/1007  2 https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CVP/1007  3 https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CVP/1007  4 https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CVP/1007  5 https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CVP/1007  6 https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S8809  7 https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CVP/1007  8 2026 N.Y. ALS 79 ; 2026 N.Y. Laws 79 ; 2026 N.Y. Ch. 79 ; 2026 N.Y. SB 8809 9 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/NFE11DA10E4E211F0AA39CB673CF36EC6/View/FullText.html?navigationPath=Search/v1/results/navigation/i0a93b86c0000019d9c1ba0e5c3a0e723?ppcid=44f5a950322a4255ae42b3e5a5e57b22&Nav=MULTIPLECITATIONS&fragmentIdentifier=NFE11DA10E4E211F0AA39CB673CF36EC6&parentRank=0&startIndex=1&contextData=%28sc.Search%29&transitionType=UniqueDocItem&listSource=Search&listPageSource=781efccd7c647a1b5673e671cb33d842&list=MULTIPLECITATIONS&sessionScopeId=a4a94ca7e43970d7bb6b9036b5ab4e414796eb2f36e0a800dc47d1459a582deb&ppcid=44f5a950322a4255ae42b3e5a5e57b22&originationContext=NonUniqueFindSelected&transitionType=UniqueDocItem&contextData=(sc.Search)
Read more
News
Wilson Elser Expands Design Professionals and Construction Practices with New Denver Partner
New York – April 20, 2026 – National law firm Wilson Elser today announced the addition of Elizabeth Olson as a partner in its Denver office, strengthening the firm's Design Professionals and Construction practices. Olson joins Wilson Elser from a regional litigation firm focused on tort and commercial litigation, bringing more than a decade of experience successfully defending complex construction, design professional, and commercial matters across various jurisdictions. “For 15 years, Wilson Elser’s Denver office has offered full-service legal support for clients in the Rocky Mountain region,” said Wilson Elser Chair Daniel J. McMahon. "Elizabeth's arrival deepens our bench in critical practice areas and reflects our continued investment in attracting top-tier talent to serve our clients." “Elizabeth’s hiring enhances our existing practices in Denver,” said Jason Melichar, regional managing partner of Wilson Elser’s Denver office. “She will work closely with Ryan Williams, our Denver-based cochair of the firm’s Design Professionals Practice, in defending architects and engineers in construction defect matters.” Olson noted that her decision to join the firm was informed by firsthand experience litigating cases opposite Wilson Elser's Denver attorneys. “The firm has an outstanding reputation in the civil litigation defense community, and I am confident that its robust platform and resources will serve my clients exceptionally well," she said. Olson's practice encompasses a broad range of civil defense matters, including construction and design professional liability, premises liability, general casualty, contract disputes, commercial litigation, product liability, and transportation. She has represented clients in state and federal courts in Colorado and Arizona. Olson earned her J.D. from Arizona State University's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law and her B.A. in Economics and Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations from Rice University.
Read more
Publications
Delay Defeats Arbitration: Nevada High Court Finds 17 Months Too Long
While arbitration clauses are ubiquitous in contracts, they are meaningless if the parties do not move quickly enough to enforce them. In Lennar Communities Nevada, LLC v. Whalen, the plaintiff executed a residential purchase and sale agreement that included an arbitration clause. She then tripped and fell within the community. She sued the developer, and the parties participated in extensive discovery. The developer did not attempt to enforce the arbitration clause for 17 months. While waiver is disfavored, the Supreme Court concluded that the three-factor test for waiver was satisfied. First, the developer knew of the waiver. Second, they acted inconsistently with the right to arbitrate by actively litigating the case in court for such a long time. The Court then introduced a new factor to the analysis. “[C]ourts should consider the totality of the circumstances when evaluating whether a party has already litigated an issue it subsequently seeks to arbitrate.” That factor was met too. The Court next considered whether not invoking the arbitration clause earlier prejudiced the plaintiff. It expressed doubt whether that factor was valid but did not overrule it. Regardless, prejudice was found because the developer was able to obtain discovery in court that typically is unavailable in arbitration. The opinion reiterates the importance of identifying potential arbitration clauses and deciding whether to invoke them as soon as possible.
Read more
Events
Lawyers' Obligations with Respect to Confidentiality at Stanford Law School’s Civil Litigation Symposium
Kathleen Warin (Partner-Washington, DC) will join the panel “Lawyers’ Obligations with Respect to Confidentiality” at the Secrecy and Transparency in Civil Litigation Symposium, held on May 1-2, 2026, at Stanford Law School in Palo Alto, California. The event, hosted by the Deborah L. Rhode Center on the Legal Profession at Stanford Law School and the National Civil Justice Institute, marks Kathleen's second time as an invited panelist at Stanford. Kathleen’s panel examines where lawyers’ duties to their clients intersect, and possibly conflict with, obligations to the public and the courts, particularly in the context of protective orders, settlements, and other forms of confidentiality in civil litigation. The symposium explores the legal and policy dimensions of confidentiality and transparency, highlighting how courts, litigants, and policymakers are navigating this balance and the tradeoffs involved.
Read more
Client Wins
Lee and Rivera Prevail on Summary Judgment for Ski Resort in Wrongful Death Action
Gregory Lee (Partner-Los Angeles, CA) and Danielle Rivera (Associate-Los Angeles, CA) secured summary judgment on behalf of a ski resort in a high-exposure wrongful death lawsuit arising from a fatal chairlift accident. The decedent, an expert snowboarder, was riding alone on a chairlift when he fell 40 feet to the ground below and died from blunt force trauma. The subject chairlift was the only one at the resort not equipped with a restraint bar. The plaintiffs alleged that the fall resulted from the ski resort's grossly negligent installation, maintenance, and operation of the chairlift. Greg and Danielle moved for summary judgment based on the defense of express assumption of risk. In opposing the motion, the plaintiffs challenged the admissibility and enforceability of the decedent’s liability releases. Additionally, their expert testified that industry standards required the chairlift to be equipped with a restraint bar, and that the installation would have prevented the decedent from falling. The San Bernardino Superior Court agreed with Greg and Danielle, finding that one of the decedent’s liability releases was admissible and enforceable and that the testimony of the plaintiffs’ expert was insufficient to overcome the defense of express assumption of risk.  
Read more
News
Super Lawyers Names Three to 2026 Virginia Rising Stars List
Super Lawyers® has named three Wilson Elser attorneys to the 2026 Virginia Rising Stars™ list: Rising Stars Natalie B. Jacobs (Associate) – Professional Liability: Defense Haley B. Mathis (Of Counsel) – Business Litigation Hariton J. Wilson (Associate) – Civil Litigation: Defense Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The Rising Stars lists, comprising the best attorneys 40 years old and younger or who have practiced law for 10 years or less, are published in Super Lawyers magazines and leading city and regional magazines nationwide. No more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state are named to these lists.
Read more
Client Wins
Atlanta Team Secures Settlement at a Fraction of Plaintiff's Eight-figure Demand
Michael Manfredi (Partner–Atlanta, GA), Kristina Thompson (Of Counsel–Atlanta, GA), and Jennifer Sands (Associate–Atlanta, GA​​) secured a significant defense outcome in a premises liability case arising from a shooting on the defendants' apartment-style residential property. The plaintiff sustained gunshot wounds to his lower extremities and faces a potential future amputation. His initial demand was for $30 million, and he filed suit against our insured clients in Gwinnett County State Court. The Atlanta defense team vigorously defended the case through discovery and contentious motions practice, maintaining that the plaintiff's injuries resulted from unforeseeable third-party criminal acts for which the property owner and management are not liable. Despite substantial resistance from opposing counsel, the team successfully obtained the underlying criminal investigative files, which revealed numerous material inconsistencies – including lies and omissions - between the plaintiff's statements to law enforcement and his civil discovery responses and testimony. Based on these findings, the team filed a Motion for Sanctions for Discovery Abuses seeking dismissal of the Complaint. While the motion was pending, plaintiff's counsel reduced the demand from $30 million to $3 million, which was one-tenth of the initial demand. The case ultimately resolved for an amount below that reduced figure.
Read more
Events
ANSI Standards in Product Liability Litigation: Admissibility, Strategic Use, and Practical Risk Management
Andrew Albright (Partner-Chicago) and Keti Mebuke (Associate-Chicago) will present the Wilson Elser Forum webinar “ANSI Standards in Product Liability Litigation: Admissibility, Strategic Use, and Practical Risk Management” on April 30, 2026. The webinar examines how courts treat voluntary industry safety standards in product liability cases, including their admissibility at trial and how these standards are used by experts to evaluate product design and safety. Using a revolving-door injury case by way of example, the webinar will discuss how ANSI standards (including ANSI/BHMA A156.27, governing power-operated revolving doors) are applied in product liability litigation. The session will also review relevant case law, including Illinois authority, addressing the admissibility and evidentiary role of industry standards. The webinar is designed for attorneys, claims professionals, and risk managers who handle product liability matters and seek a practical understanding of how ANSI standards influence trial, expert testimony, litigation strategy, and risk management.
Read more
Publications
Westlaw Today Features Fink Article on Shifting Landscape of Internet Liability & Safe Harbor Protections
Sarah Fink (Of Counsel-Long Island, NY) authored “Mixed Signals on the Free Flow of information Online – One Step Forward, Two Steps Back,” appearing in the April 21, 2026, posting of Westlaw Today. The article examines three recent court decisions that send mixed signals on the future of internet liability and statutory safe harbor defenses, highlighting a Supreme Court ruling that reinforces protections for online service providers and encourages the free flow of information, alongside two state court rulings (California and New Mexico) that expand potential liability for social media platforms, holding that they can be held liable for harm caused by addiction to social media. Sarah opines, “Together, these three decisions highlight the tension between First Amendment speech rights, statutory safe harbors, public safety online, and recourse for harms, such as mental health deterioration and copyright infringement.” She further explains that the cases “also demonstrate that the traditional statutory safe harbors for internet actors may be circumvented by creative pleading and litigation tactics, leading to questions about their continued relevance.”
Read more
Events
Recent Developments on Equitable Relief Under ERISA
Joshua Bachrach (Partner-Philadelphia, PA) will present “Recent Developments on Equitable Relief Under ERISA” at the 2026 DRI Life, Health, Disability & ERISA Seminar, held April 29 – May 1, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia. Josh’s session provides a brief review of relevant Supreme Court decisions and covers various topics, such as whether surcharge is a permissible remedy under ERISA, use of Section 502(a)(3) to recover attorney’s fees, and the applicability of the exhaustion requirement. Josh, who has handled several hundred ERISA cases nationwide, also addresses breach of fiduciary duty claims and equitable relief remedies at this preeminent seminar for in-house and outside counsel regularly practicing in the life, health, disability, and ERISA areas.
Read more
Publications
New York’s AVOID Act Imposes 90-Day Deadline for Third-Party Claims
The New York Avoiding Vexatious Overuse of Impleading to Delay (AVOID) Act became effective on April 18, 2026, establishing new deadlines for third-party complaints. Under this Act, a third-party plaintiff must file their complaint within 90 days of serving the initial answer pursuant to CPLR § 1007(b).1 Any third-party complaint against a plaintiff’s employer, however, must be filed within 90 days of the later of (1) discovering the employer’s identity; or (2) determining that the plaintiff sustained a “grave injury” as defined by Section 11 of the Workers’ Compensation Law. CPLR § 1007(e).2 The Act prohibits filing a third-party complaint after the note of issue unless upon good cause shown or in the interest of justice. CPLR § 1007(c).3 A third-party action filed in violation of this subdivision shall be severed or dismissed without prejudice. CPLR § 1007(d).4 Any severed actions that are initiated as new actions cannot then be consolidated. CPLR § 1007(f).5 Regarding retroactivity: an amendment clarifies that the Act applies to all cases commenced on or after the April 18, 2026 effective date.6 Be advised that as of April 16, 2026, the New York State website has not yet integrated this amendment into the statutory text.7 Lexis captures this update in the editor’s notes,8 and Westlaw includes it within the proposed legislation section.9 ____________________________________________________________________________________ 1 https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CVP/1007  2 https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CVP/1007  3 https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CVP/1007  4 https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CVP/1007  5 https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CVP/1007  6 https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S8809  7 https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CVP/1007  8 2026 N.Y. ALS 79 ; 2026 N.Y. Laws 79 ; 2026 N.Y. Ch. 79 ; 2026 N.Y. SB 8809 9 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/NFE11DA10E4E211F0AA39CB673CF36EC6/View/FullText.html?navigationPath=Search/v1/results/navigation/i0a93b86c0000019d9c1ba0e5c3a0e723?ppcid=44f5a950322a4255ae42b3e5a5e57b22&Nav=MULTIPLECITATIONS&fragmentIdentifier=NFE11DA10E4E211F0AA39CB673CF36EC6&parentRank=0&startIndex=1&contextData=%28sc.Search%29&transitionType=UniqueDocItem&listSource=Search&listPageSource=781efccd7c647a1b5673e671cb33d842&list=MULTIPLECITATIONS&sessionScopeId=a4a94ca7e43970d7bb6b9036b5ab4e414796eb2f36e0a800dc47d1459a582deb&ppcid=44f5a950322a4255ae42b3e5a5e57b22&originationContext=NonUniqueFindSelected&transitionType=UniqueDocItem&contextData=(sc.Search)
Read more
News
Wilson Elser Expands Design Professionals and Construction Practices with New Denver Partner
New York – April 20, 2026 – National law firm Wilson Elser today announced the addition of Elizabeth Olson as a partner in its Denver office, strengthening the firm's Design Professionals and Construction practices. Olson joins Wilson Elser from a regional litigation firm focused on tort and commercial litigation, bringing more than a decade of experience successfully defending complex construction, design professional, and commercial matters across various jurisdictions. “For 15 years, Wilson Elser’s Denver office has offered full-service legal support for clients in the Rocky Mountain region,” said Wilson Elser Chair Daniel J. McMahon. "Elizabeth's arrival deepens our bench in critical practice areas and reflects our continued investment in attracting top-tier talent to serve our clients." “Elizabeth’s hiring enhances our existing practices in Denver,” said Jason Melichar, regional managing partner of Wilson Elser’s Denver office. “She will work closely with Ryan Williams, our Denver-based cochair of the firm’s Design Professionals Practice, in defending architects and engineers in construction defect matters.” Olson noted that her decision to join the firm was informed by firsthand experience litigating cases opposite Wilson Elser's Denver attorneys. “The firm has an outstanding reputation in the civil litigation defense community, and I am confident that its robust platform and resources will serve my clients exceptionally well," she said. Olson's practice encompasses a broad range of civil defense matters, including construction and design professional liability, premises liability, general casualty, contract disputes, commercial litigation, product liability, and transportation. She has represented clients in state and federal courts in Colorado and Arizona. Olson earned her J.D. from Arizona State University's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law and her B.A. in Economics and Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations from Rice University.
Read more
Publications
Delay Defeats Arbitration: Nevada High Court Finds 17 Months Too Long
While arbitration clauses are ubiquitous in contracts, they are meaningless if the parties do not move quickly enough to enforce them. In Lennar Communities Nevada, LLC v. Whalen, the plaintiff executed a residential purchase and sale agreement that included an arbitration clause. She then tripped and fell within the community. She sued the developer, and the parties participated in extensive discovery. The developer did not attempt to enforce the arbitration clause for 17 months. While waiver is disfavored, the Supreme Court concluded that the three-factor test for waiver was satisfied. First, the developer knew of the waiver. Second, they acted inconsistently with the right to arbitrate by actively litigating the case in court for such a long time. The Court then introduced a new factor to the analysis. “[C]ourts should consider the totality of the circumstances when evaluating whether a party has already litigated an issue it subsequently seeks to arbitrate.” That factor was met too. The Court next considered whether not invoking the arbitration clause earlier prejudiced the plaintiff. It expressed doubt whether that factor was valid but did not overrule it. Regardless, prejudice was found because the developer was able to obtain discovery in court that typically is unavailable in arbitration. The opinion reiterates the importance of identifying potential arbitration clauses and deciding whether to invoke them as soon as possible.
Read more
Events
Lawyers' Obligations with Respect to Confidentiality at Stanford Law School’s Civil Litigation Symposium
Kathleen Warin (Partner-Washington, DC) will join the panel “Lawyers’ Obligations with Respect to Confidentiality” at the Secrecy and Transparency in Civil Litigation Symposium, held on May 1-2, 2026, at Stanford Law School in Palo Alto, California. The event, hosted by the Deborah L. Rhode Center on the Legal Profession at Stanford Law School and the National Civil Justice Institute, marks Kathleen's second time as an invited panelist at Stanford. Kathleen’s panel examines where lawyers’ duties to their clients intersect, and possibly conflict with, obligations to the public and the courts, particularly in the context of protective orders, settlements, and other forms of confidentiality in civil litigation. The symposium explores the legal and policy dimensions of confidentiality and transparency, highlighting how courts, litigants, and policymakers are navigating this balance and the tradeoffs involved.
Read more
Client Wins
Lee and Rivera Prevail on Summary Judgment for Ski Resort in Wrongful Death Action
Gregory Lee (Partner-Los Angeles, CA) and Danielle Rivera (Associate-Los Angeles, CA) secured summary judgment on behalf of a ski resort in a high-exposure wrongful death lawsuit arising from a fatal chairlift accident. The decedent, an expert snowboarder, was riding alone on a chairlift when he fell 40 feet to the ground below and died from blunt force trauma. The subject chairlift was the only one at the resort not equipped with a restraint bar. The plaintiffs alleged that the fall resulted from the ski resort's grossly negligent installation, maintenance, and operation of the chairlift. Greg and Danielle moved for summary judgment based on the defense of express assumption of risk. In opposing the motion, the plaintiffs challenged the admissibility and enforceability of the decedent’s liability releases. Additionally, their expert testified that industry standards required the chairlift to be equipped with a restraint bar, and that the installation would have prevented the decedent from falling. The San Bernardino Superior Court agreed with Greg and Danielle, finding that one of the decedent’s liability releases was admissible and enforceable and that the testimony of the plaintiffs’ expert was insufficient to overcome the defense of express assumption of risk.  
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News
Super Lawyers Names Three to 2026 Virginia Rising Stars List
Super Lawyers® has named three Wilson Elser attorneys to the 2026 Virginia Rising Stars™ list: Rising Stars Natalie B. Jacobs (Associate) – Professional Liability: Defense Haley B. Mathis (Of Counsel) – Business Litigation Hariton J. Wilson (Associate) – Civil Litigation: Defense Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The Rising Stars lists, comprising the best attorneys 40 years old and younger or who have practiced law for 10 years or less, are published in Super Lawyers magazines and leading city and regional magazines nationwide. No more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state are named to these lists.
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Client Wins
Atlanta Team Secures Settlement at a Fraction of Plaintiff's Eight-figure Demand
Michael Manfredi (Partner–Atlanta, GA), Kristina Thompson (Of Counsel–Atlanta, GA), and Jennifer Sands (Associate–Atlanta, GA​​) secured a significant defense outcome in a premises liability case arising from a shooting on the defendants' apartment-style residential property. The plaintiff sustained gunshot wounds to his lower extremities and faces a potential future amputation. His initial demand was for $30 million, and he filed suit against our insured clients in Gwinnett County State Court. The Atlanta defense team vigorously defended the case through discovery and contentious motions practice, maintaining that the plaintiff's injuries resulted from unforeseeable third-party criminal acts for which the property owner and management are not liable. Despite substantial resistance from opposing counsel, the team successfully obtained the underlying criminal investigative files, which revealed numerous material inconsistencies – including lies and omissions - between the plaintiff's statements to law enforcement and his civil discovery responses and testimony. Based on these findings, the team filed a Motion for Sanctions for Discovery Abuses seeking dismissal of the Complaint. While the motion was pending, plaintiff's counsel reduced the demand from $30 million to $3 million, which was one-tenth of the initial demand. The case ultimately resolved for an amount below that reduced figure.
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Events
ANSI Standards in Product Liability Litigation: Admissibility, Strategic Use, and Practical Risk Management
Andrew Albright (Partner-Chicago) and Keti Mebuke (Associate-Chicago) will present the Wilson Elser Forum webinar “ANSI Standards in Product Liability Litigation: Admissibility, Strategic Use, and Practical Risk Management” on April 30, 2026. The webinar examines how courts treat voluntary industry safety standards in product liability cases, including their admissibility at trial and how these standards are used by experts to evaluate product design and safety. Using a revolving-door injury case by way of example, the webinar will discuss how ANSI standards (including ANSI/BHMA A156.27, governing power-operated revolving doors) are applied in product liability litigation. The session will also review relevant case law, including Illinois authority, addressing the admissibility and evidentiary role of industry standards. The webinar is designed for attorneys, claims professionals, and risk managers who handle product liability matters and seek a practical understanding of how ANSI standards influence trial, expert testimony, litigation strategy, and risk management.
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Publications
Westlaw Today Features Fink Article on Shifting Landscape of Internet Liability & Safe Harbor Protections
Sarah Fink (Of Counsel-Long Island, NY) authored “Mixed Signals on the Free Flow of information Online – One Step Forward, Two Steps Back,” appearing in the April 21, 2026, posting of Westlaw Today. The article examines three recent court decisions that send mixed signals on the future of internet liability and statutory safe harbor defenses, highlighting a Supreme Court ruling that reinforces protections for online service providers and encourages the free flow of information, alongside two state court rulings (California and New Mexico) that expand potential liability for social media platforms, holding that they can be held liable for harm caused by addiction to social media. Sarah opines, “Together, these three decisions highlight the tension between First Amendment speech rights, statutory safe harbors, public safety online, and recourse for harms, such as mental health deterioration and copyright infringement.” She further explains that the cases “also demonstrate that the traditional statutory safe harbors for internet actors may be circumvented by creative pleading and litigation tactics, leading to questions about their continued relevance.”
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