Lauren Rudick

Lauren Rudick is a Partner in the boutique business law firm, Hiller, PC, in Manhattan, New York. A “recovering litigator,” Lauren practiced commercial litigation for ten years, during which time she successfully represented clients in a wide variety of business, intellectual property, and Internet/media disputes, while contributing to the Firm’s land use and zoning practice. With a trained and sensitive eye for keeping clients out of litigation and a penchant for deal-making, Lauren has refocused her career on start-up law, regulatory compliance, M&A, and commercial and secured transactions. Lauren has also developed a niche in running due diligence, salvaging deals that have turned south, mitigating against legal exposure, and identifying and remedying abuse or misuse of corporate power and form. Lauren is the co-founder of Hiller, PC’s cannabis law practice, having come to the cannabis industry through her mother’s end of life care. What started as a passion project in patient rights during a brief residency in California, Lauren has become one of the Nation’s preeminent attorneys providing legal services to cannabis industry players in the “Green Rush.” Lauren provides clients with the most up-to-date information necessary to apply for, operate, and invest in successful cannabis and ancillary businesses. With a unique, interdisciplinary, and holistic approach to cannabis business licensing, Lauren has run successful applications in competitive and non-competitive markets alike. Lauren is also a member of the legal team that brought an action against former Attorney General Sessions and the federal government seeking, among other things, a declaration that the mis-classification of cannabis as a Schedule I drug is unconstitutional, on due process, equal protection, free speech, and commerce clause grounds, among other things. Lauren is an Expert Contributor to Marijuana Venture Magazine, a frequent speaker at national and local events, including: the Emerald Cup, MJ Biz Con, the Cannabis World Congress & Business Exposition, the Women Grow Leadership Summit, BevNet, the International Esthetics Spa and Cosmetics Conference, the International Cannabis Bar Association, and the National Cannabis Industry Association, and has provided pro bono legal and advocacy services to the Drug Policy Alliance, Compassionate Care New York, and the Cannabis Cultural Association. She has delivered continuing legal education for the Nation’s top CLE platforms, including the Practicing Law Institute, Above the Law, the American Bar Association, the Federal Bar Council, the New York City Bar Association, and the International Cannabis Bar Association. And she has been quoted in numerous cannabis and non-cannabis publications including, among others, Crain’s New York Business, Inc., Rolling Stone, Forbes, HERB, Daily Cannabis Observer, Cannabis Business Times, Cannabis Business Daily, Leafly, the Weed Blog, Weed News, and the Fresh Toast. Lauren was recognized as “The Authority” in Cannabis Venture’s Women to Watch in October 2017, and in July 2018, Lauren was featured in MG Retailer for “Fighting the Good Fight.” In 2022, Lauren was recognized by PoliticsNY as a Cannabis Industry “Power Player,” which organization which also named her as a Power Woman of Manhattan. For the past four years, Lauren has been serving on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors for the International Cannabis Bar Association, as the organization’s Treasurer. In 2021, Lauren was appointed as a Vice-Chair of the Cannabis Law and Policy Committee of the American Bar Association and as a Member of the New York State bar Association Cannabis Committee. And also since 2021, she has been serving on the Board of Directors for Breeder’s Best, a private record-label style producer of unique cannabis genetics.