J. Raza Lawrence

Counsel at Zuber Lawler LLP

Raza Lawrence focuses on deals and regulatory work, particularly in relation to emerging industries and technologies. He has a particularly deep focus on the cannabis and psychedelics industries. Mr. Lawrence is widely recognized as a leading voice in plant medicine law. He has many years of experience advising plant medicine businesses on navigating local, state, and federal laws and regulations, mergers and acquisitions, licensing deals, intellectual property, employment matters, internal and governmental investigations, and succeeding in our dynamic global economy.

Raza also focuses on international regulatory matters, including as relates to anti-corruption and sanctions compliance matters.

Raza began his cannabis-related legal career as a criminal defense attorney representing cannabis clients in the early days of California’s medicinal cannabis legalization phase, and continues to do criminal defense work for Zuber Lawler’s clients. He has conducted numerous jury trials and handled all types of pretrial motions in felony criminal cases in federal and state court. He also has substantial experience representing clients in all phases of civil litigation, and in connection with governmental and internal investigations.

Mr. Lawrence has longstanding interests in protecting civil liberties and individual rights and reforming our nation’s drug and criminal justice laws. He previously worked for the American Civil Liberties Union, the Cato Institute, and the Center for Individual Rights. Raza has taught continuing legal education courses and published articles on a wide variety of cannabis law topics.

Prior to entering private practice, Raza completed a judicial clerkship with the Honorable Morris Sheppard Arnold of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.