Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr LLP represented High Haven, an Illinois-based cannabis company, in its challenge of the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation’s (“IDFPR”) decision to reject High Haven’s social equity application for cannabis dispensary licenses. As a result of IDFPR’s denial, High Haven was excluded from the highly-lucrative dispensary lotteries conducted in 2021. High Haven filed an appeal of the IDFPR’s determination in the Chancery Division of Cook County. After over a year of litigation, the Court agreed with High Haven’s position in an order issued on August 10, 2022. The Court’s order adopted High Haven’s legal arguments and allowed the company to participate in a “corrective lottery” designed to recreate the odds High Haven would have faced had it not been excluded from the original lotteries. High Haven won five licenses in the corrective lottery, making it one of the largest lottery winners. High Haven is now raising capital to launch its operations across Illinois.
Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr's team was led by Partner Casey Grabenstein, with support from associates Michael Pollock, Tom Laser, and Nick Collins, as well as the firm’s Cannabis Practice.
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