Cannabis Attorneys Launch arb420 to Handle Industry Business Disputes

By Nicolás Rodríguez, Managing Editor

Cannabis attorneys Matt Goldberg and Andrew DeWeese have launched arb420, a national arbitration and mediation service focused on cannabis business disputes.

Announced October 1 in Portland, Oregon, the service offers remote proceedings and electronic case administration, with an initial roster of six dispute-resolution professionals licensed across eight states.

The founders say the service addresses a recurring problem for cannabis companies: having to explain the industry’s regulatory and business environment to the people handling their disputes.

“Cannabis companies shouldn’t have to spend the first half of an arbitration teaching the arbitrator how their industry works,” Goldberg said. “These businesses operate in one of the most complicated regulatory environments in the country. The people deciding their disputes should understand that environment from day one.”

Industry Experience and Remote Proceedings

arb420 provides both arbitration and mediation as alternatives to court proceedings and other dispute-resolution providers.

According to the company, its rules and procedures are designed to limit unnecessary delays and expenses while allowing both sides to present their cases. The announcement did not provide comparative cost figures or estimates of how long proceedings would take.

Filing and administration are electronic. Hearings, mediation sessions and conferences take place remotely, allowing parties to select professionals based on their experience rather than proximity and avoid travel expenses.

DeWeese said concerns about how cannabis businesses are treated also motivated the launch.

“I am sick and tired of seeing clients treated like second-class citizens by decision-makers who harbor prejudice toward people in the cannabis industry,” he said.

“For years, Matt and I dreamed of creating a platform for dispute resolution where cannabis litigants are treated with respect, and now it’s finally a reality.”

Six Professionals Across Eight States

The launch roster includes:

• Nicole Howard: California.
• Joslin Monahan: Michigan.
• Lauren Rudick: New York and New Jersey.
• David Ruskin: Illinois.
• Matt Goldberg: Oregon, Washington and New York.
• Andrew DeWeese: Oregon and Florida.

The company says the roster can facilitate remote dispute resolution nationwide. The eight states listed represent the professionals’ licensing jurisdictions.

New Contracts and Existing Disputes

Businesses can designate arb420 as their dispute-resolution provider in new contracts. Parties can also, by mutual agreement, transfer existing arbitrations or mediations to the service, including proceedings already underway.

That gives the launch relevance beyond future contracts: companies already involved in a dispute could use the service if both sides agree to the transfer.

The company has made its rules, fees, professional profiles, model contract clauses, and transfer agreement available at arb420.com.

For cannabis operators, contract terms and the cost of resolving disputes deserve attention before a disagreement develops. IgniteIt’s California Market Spotlight in Los Angeles offers an opportunity to connect with industry peers and advisers about the business decisions that protect margins—including how companies manage relationships with vendors, partners, and investors.