Since acting Attorney General Todd Blanch announced that state-legal medical marijuana would move to Schedule III, the commentary has been relentless — hot takes, doomsayers, and self-proclaimed experts flooding LinkedIn with conflicting interpretations. Much of it is speculative, overstated, and uneducated. This piece cuts through the noise and responds to the questions I have fielded
Harris Bricken Blogs
Latest from Harris Bricken
Deepfakes, Voice Cloning, and AI Impersonation: The Global Rules Are Already Here, and They Don’t Agree
Deepfakes, Voice Cloning, and AI Impersonation: The Global Rules Are Already Here, and They Don’t Agree
A cloned executive voice. A fake endorsement. A synthetic campaign ad. A deepfake intimate image. Each of these can now trigger criminal liability, consumer-protection claims, platform-removal obligations, or identity-rights lawsuits—depending on where your business operates and which country’s law…
Trade Secrets in the AI Economy: Why Businesses Need Stronger Protection Now
Trade Secrets in the AI Economy: Why Businesses Need Stronger Protection Now
For many businesses, the most valuable asset never appears on a balance sheet. It is the information competitors cannot see and cannot easily copy: source code, pricing logic, training methods, customer data, internal workflows, manufacturing processes, supplier knowledge, and the operational know-how that…
What the 2026 Federal Hemp Ban Means for Unsold Hemp Inventory
Most commentary on the “hemp ban” included in the November funding bill has focused on two related questions: (1) which products and activities may become unlawful on November 12, 2026; and (2) whether Congress will materially amend or delay the ban before then.
I recently discussed another consequence operators should be considering as the deadline…
How to Negotiate with Your Chinese Manufacturers
By Dan Harris
How to Negotiate with Your Chinese Manufacturers
Most American companies hear the line “That’s not how we do it in China” and immediately start retreating.
They soften their tone, over-explain, and offer compromises before they have identified what matters. They treat the phrase like a cultural law that cannot be questioned, instead of what it…
Finding Your China Substitute: Cambodia vs. Guatemala for Manufacturing:
By Dan Harris
Cambodia vs. Guatemala for Manufacturing
For U.S. companies making labor-intensive products and looking to exit China, Cambodia and Guatemala come up repeatedly as lower-cost alternatives. I am bullish on Guatemala, but cautious on Cambodia.
This is not because Cambodia cannot manufacture. It can. The issue is control. Cambodia’s risk profile is harder to manage and…
Finder’s Fees in U.S. Capital Raises: Why Success-Based Payments Create Broker-Dealer Risk
Paying a Finder’s Fee When Raising Capital in the United States: The Success Fee Trap
When raising capital in the United States, companies often run into a common, very avoidable legal problem: paying a “success fee,” “commission,” or “finder’s fee” to the person who introduced an investor.
It feels fair. Someone made a valuable connection,…
Tariffs Are Now a Fraud Risk: How Importers Can Avoid CBP and DOJ Trouble
By Dan Harris
Tariffs Are Now a Fraud Risk: How Importers Can Avoid CBP and DOJ Trouble
One internal message can turn a tariff problem into a fraud problem.
Not because a single email triggers an investigation by itself, but because once the government starts asking questions, the record your team created under pressure becomes the story the…
The Gold Card Immigration Program: Capital, Extraordinary Ability, and Legal Uncertainties
The U.S. Gold Card Program: What It Changes, What It Does Not, and Why the Risk Still Matters
On September 19, 2025, the Trump administration issued Executive Order 14351, creating what is now known as the Gold Card program. The order directs the Departments of Commerce, Homeland Security, and State to establish a process…
Trade Secrets and How to Protect Your Most Valuable Information
Trade Secrets and How Your Business Can Protect Its Most Valuable Information
In today’s AI driven economy, trade secrets often represent a company’s core competitive advantage. Yet many businesses spend far more time and money protecting trademarks and patents than safeguarding the confidential information that actually drives revenue.
Two recent federal disputes show how quickly…