Sharon Reid Williams Advises Clients On Legal Issues Related To The Rapidly Growing Cannabis and Hemp Industry
Originally from Ohio, Shoran Reid Williams, Senior Counsel at Miller Johnson has tenure in litigation practice that spans more than 25 years. It ranges from in - house counsel for a Fortune 500 insurance company to law firm practices in both Georgia and Michigan. In addition, she has spent several years as an adjunct law professor, author and small business owner.
Ms. Williams' litigation experience extends into the areas of administrative law, civil litigation, appellate law, personal injury and family law. Regardless of the type of dispute, as an experienced lead attorney she is adept at working with a wide - range of clients on: advising on legal implications, drafting and arguing briefs, negotiating agreements, and resolving cases through appropriate dispute resolution including mediation, arbitration and trial.
In this interview with the Grand Rapids Times, she talks about her background, how she became a Cannabis Lawyer, what people should know about the marijuana legalization and more.
GRT: How did you decide to be a courtroom lawyer?
Williams: I am originally from Ohio. I went to Miami of Ohio for undergrad, and Ohio State University for Law School. When I graduated from law school in 1994, my goal was to be a tax lawyer. I decided to leave Ohio, because of the cold weather and took a job with a small firm in Atlanta, Georgia.
After a year in, the firm decided to hire an entertainment lawyer and I became his associate.
So after doing entertainment law work for about a year, I was given a case to try in court. The clients happened to be a rap group named Outkast. They were suing their manager; and as inexperienced as I was, we not only won the case, but I was also bitten by the trial bug and saw that the courtroom is where I needed to be.
GRT: How did you come to practicing law in Grand Rapids?
Williams: In 2013, my husband and I moved back to Atlanta, Georgia and opened up our own law firm Reid Williams LLC until last year when he ultimately came to Meijer's. It was clear that he really liked his job, so I decided to practice in the Grand Rapids community.
He was recently named Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Meijer.
GRT: What firm were you with before moving to Grand Rapids?
Williams: A tennis partner told me about a small firm named Wrigley - Hoffman and Hendricks that was looking for someone with experience and they a swamped with cases.
I needed to test my resolve.
Even though I had my own firm, I only took cases that I wanted to take. I had trials from 2013 – 2017, but I wasn't working everyday. I decided to take a gamble with Wrigley – Hoffman and Hendricks to see if this is how I wanted to work. Legislation for Medical marijuana had passed. The licensing process had started, but the former board had been denying licenses left and right.
The Attorney General wasn't giving much information to those who were denied about why they were denied. So the law firm had close to twenty appeals and one person who was handling the appeals. The law firm wanted me to understand the appeals process and to make the best argument. It was a tremendous opportunity for me to dive into a new area, bring my expertise and make my entry into the legal community here in Grand Rapids.
GRT: What kind of legal advice do you offer?
Williams: I advise businesses and or individuals who want to get into the Cannabis industry about what they should expect to deal with when starting a new business. I advise businesses who service the Cannabis industry. I also advise business and or individuals who can be affected by having a workforce that uses Cannabis and the kinds things that employers should be aware of.
One of the things I think that makes Cannabis unique and exciting to people is that it touches different areas of the law, such as Real Taxes, Estate, Security, and Banking. This is the reason that the Miller Johnson firm was interesting to me. After being at Wrigley - Hoffman and Hendricks, it was clear to me that I needed a larger platform and there are not a lot of African women who are doing this work. I am the only African American woman lawyer at Miller Johnson, but I wanted a bigger platform than what the smaller firm offered.
GRT: What should people know who might be considering a career in the Cannabis industy?
Williams: What they should know from the start is that it is still federally illegal. Although the tides are turning, they are turning slowly. They need to understand that they are taking a risk, but they are not at the front end of that risk. They should not feel as though there is a target directly on them if they engage in a Cannabis industry in a state like Michigan where it has been legalized from a medical and recreational standpoint.
Yes, it can be expensive to get into. If you are going to be an investor, then you really need to do your homework about the people that you go into business with. Because we are talking about an industry that is moving from illegal to legal realm, the chances that they will meet sketchy people are higher. So if you want to be an investor, if you don't come to me, then you need to go to someone who can develop a business organization plan that will govern the relationship if things turn sour. There are things that they should do and things that they should know but they should absolutely consult with someone who knows what they are doing, who knows the law and who would understand their limitations.
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