Here’s the firm’s press release
Congratulations to all concerned
Great to see that even Law360 are seeing value in cannabis law writing.. looks like we are actually getting somewhere
McGlinchey’s Charnas, Urness, and Ybarra Honored at Burton Awards
April 10, 2024 – – McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce Members Douglas Charnas (Washington, DC), Heidi Urness (Seattle), and Lauren Ybarra (Dallas) will receive the 2024 Law360 Burton Award for Distinguished Legal Writing. The awards program will celebrate its 25th Anniversary at the Library of Congress on May 20, 2024.
In their award-winning piece, “Ohio Appellate Decision Tackles Excluded Coverage for Marijuana Use,” Douglas, Heidi, and Lauren combined their respective tax, cannabis, and insurance knowledge to discuss this nuanced topic. The article was published in the Spring 2023 edition of the Federation of Regulatory Counsel (FORC) Journal of Insurance Law and Regulation. It explores the possible impacts of the Ohio Court of Appeals’ decision in Grange Ins. v. Cleveland on insurance coverage, gives an overview of alcohol exclusion laws, and outlines the possible avenues to address damages caused by marijuana impairment.
Douglas is a prominent and nationally known corporate and tax attorney with 40 years of experience counseling high-level clients. Early in his career, he joined the IRS Office as Chief Counsel in its national office and, for more than 30 years, has taught at Georgetown Law School in its LL.M. tax program. For many years, he has served as the Secretary/Treasurer of the J. Edgar Murdock Inn of Court at the United States Tax Court, the only Inn of Court dedicated to tax issues. Douglas has been recognized by Chambers USA for Tax Law, named among The Best Lawyers in America® (Tax Law), ranked as a Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent Attorney, and honored with the Georgetown University Vicennial Medal.
Heidi is the co-chair of McGlinchey’s Cannabis industry group and has a national reputation advising clients regarding cannabis issues. She counsels existing and future licensees, as well as cannabis-ancillary businesses, on a wide range of topics, including business organization and financing, licensing and regulatory issues, transactions and contracts, transportation, real property, employment, taxation, and more. Selected to Law360’s 2023 Cannabis Editorial Advisory Board, Heidi is a leading author on CBD, hemp, and marijuana law and a regular contributor to many of the nation’s premier cannabis publications. She was named one of the Top 30 Cannabis Litigators You Should Know and a Top 200 Global Cannabis Attorney.
Lauren advises clients in the highly regulated insurance industry on a broad range of transactional and regulatory matters. She guides them through business expansion across state lines, the formation of new ventures, and corporate reorganizations. She has significant experience managing statutory filings related to governance, operations, and reporting. She counsels entities across the industry on compliance nationwide, regulatory investigations, enforcement actions, and other operational challenges. Lauren is a member of the American Bar Association (ABA) and serves as the Insurance Regulatory Committee Social Media Vice-Chair and Technology Vice-Chair; she has been named to the Best Lawyers in America® (Insurance Law) “Ones to Watch” 2021.
The Burton Awards, established in 1999, is funded by the Burton Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, held in association with the Library of Congress, presented by lead sponsor Law360, and co-sponsored by the American Bar Association. The Burton Awards were established to honor the finest accomplishments in law, including writing, reform, public service and interest, regulatory innovation, and lifetime achievements in the profession. The Law360 Distinguished Legal Writing Awards are given to law firm and law student authors who demonstrate clarity, cogency, and persuasive legal writing in articles published in the preceding year. The awards ceremony, featuring CNN news anchor Chris Wallace as the Master of Ceremonies, will be followed by a gala reception, dinner, and performance by Tony Award-winning performer Idina Menzel.
