Jennifer Fisher

Jennifer Fisher is a partner in Goodwin’s Complex Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice, and a co-chair of the firm’s Cannabis practice. She is the head of the Litigation department for Northern California. She focuses her practice on litigation, including commercial litigation and white collar defense, and on cannabis law. Jennifer has represented corporations and individuals involved in a broad range of complex and high stakes litigation, legislative, and administrative proceedings.

Jennifer provides advice on regulatory and compliance issues and counsels companies involved in government investigations and civil litigation. Her experience includes the defense of corporations and individuals in both criminal and civil matters, including those involving public corruption, health care fraud, antitrust offenses, RICO, false claims, government contract disputes, homeland security and customs enforcement, and financial services.

Jennifer’s background in handling complex matters for companies in highly-regulated markets led to the development of her cannabis practice. She represents cannabis companies at every level of the supply chain, including startups and multi-state operators. Jennifer also regularly advises investors in the cannabis space and ancillary businesses providing products and services to the cannabis industry. She works closely with her cannabis industry clients to solve business problems and provide advice on regulatory and compliance issues. Jennifer represents cannabis industry clients in active litigation and arbitration, as well as government investigations and enforcement actions.

Prior to joining Goodwin in 2020, Jennifer was a partner at Duane Morris, where she led the firm’s Cannabis Industry group.

Jennifer’s representative experience includes:

Cannabis

• Represents Surterra Wellness dba Parallel in a commercial contract litigation with a payment processing vendor in California state court
• Represents Kiva Brands in intellectual property litigation involving claims of trademark infringement
• Represents vertically-integrated, multi-state operator in arbitration arising out of broken M&A transaction
• Counsel to hemp-derived CBD company in investigation by the Federal Trade Commission related to marketing and advertising of CBD products
• Counsel to investor in cannabis company in investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission
• Counsel to manufacturing and distribution cannabis company operating in California on regulatory, licensing, and commercial matters
• Counsel to California cultivation company on regulatory and corporate matters
• Counsel to advertising agency for cannabis brands and businesses
• Regulatory counsel for a venture capital firm in connection with investments in the cannabis industry
• Regulatory counsel for a private equity firm focused on investing in the cannabis industry
• Regulatory counsel for a startup hemp-derived CBD company
• Conducted an internal investigation into the operations and compliance procedures of a California cannabis company on behalf of its investors*
• Represented one of the fastest growing cannabis companies in the United States in a $100 million exclusive global license agreement with a leader in engineering and industrialization of biology*
• Advised a multinational technology company regarding risks and opportunities associated with selling software and software consulting services to cannabis businesses in the United States and Canada*
• Served as regulatory counsel for a venture capital firm in its first investment in the cannabis industry, a $35 million Series B funding round for online cannabis inventory and ordering platform*
• Served as regulatory counsel for one of the world's largest cannabis companies based in Canada with its expansion into the US market through a $300 million acquisition of the manufacturer and distributor of a high-end range of hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) products*
• Represented a Canadian private equity firm in connection with an investment in a vertically-integrated cannabis company in California, including providing advice and due diligence on legal, regulatory, corporate, real estate, and insurance matters*
• Advised multiple multinational insurance companies regarding risks and opportunities associated with offering insurance to cannabis businesses in jurisdictions in North America*

White Collar Criminal Defense and Government Investigations

• Represented a foreign information technology and electronics company in a U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division investigation and parallel multi-district civil litigation regarding alleged price-fixing in liquid crystal display market*
• Represented CFO in a DOJ criminal tax investigation*
• Defended a financial services company in an investigation by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau*
• Represented an international trade and consumer sales company and its CEO in a U.S. Department of Justice investigation involving the trafficking of counterfeit goods*
• Represented an officer of a major Chinese corporation in a U.S. Department of Justice investigation regarding violations of the Economic Espionage Act*
• Represented foreign executives of a US corporation in a U.S. Department of Justice investigation regarding overseas payments implicating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act*

Complex Civil Litigation

• Defended the Board of Regents of the University of California in a four-week jury trial involving claims of discrimination and equal pay violations*
• Represented a global software company in a lawsuit by the California Office of the State Controller concerning the failed implementation of software*
• Defended a nursing and rehabilitation center in a qui tam action brought under the civil False Claims Act*
• Represented a technology company in false claims litigation involving alleged government contracting abuses*

*Denotes experience prior to joining Goodwin.

Jennifer is a member of the American Bar Association, Bar Association of San Francisco, and Women’s White Collar Defense Association. She also co-founded Women Leaders in Cannabis, a networking organization for women entrepreneurs, investors and executives in the cannabis industry. Jennifer is a regular speaker at cannabis industry events and has presented on a wide range of topics relevant to the industry, including government investigations and enforcement actions, financial services, licensing and compliance, and crisis communications.

Prior to becoming a lawyer, Jennifer was involved in politics and legislative policy-making at the federal level. She worked on Capitol Hill for Congressman Adam Schiff as a Legislative Assistant and served as the Deputy Finance Director for Congressman Schiff’s first campaign for Congress in 2000. While in Washington, DC, Jennifer also worked in the office of Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher.

• Chambers USA for Cannabis Law: Western United States 2021-2024. Chambers USA states that clients praise Jennifer as “extremely knowledgeable about this complex area.”
• Global Top 200 Cannabis Lawyer 2021-2024
• The American Lawyer’s Trailblazers West for Cannabis 2021
• Top Female Cannabis Attorney by mg Magazine’s Ladies Who Litigate list. The list recognizes top US-based lawyers in the cannabis industry who've secured favorable court rulings, settlements, and arbitration outcomes for clients.
• Top Women Lawyers in California, the Daily Journal 2022
• Leading Lawyer for Cannabis from 2021-2024 and a Recommended Lawyer for Trade Secrets in 2024 by the Legal500. Previously, she was named a Recommended Lawyer in 2021 for White Collar and Criminal Defense.
• The Best Lawyers in America Best Lawyers for her work in Criminal Defense: White-Collar 2022-2024.
• Cannabis Lawyer of the Year by the Cannabis Dealmakers Summit in March 2019 in recognition of the quality of legal service she has provided to cannabis clients and the leadership role she has taken in the industry.
• Northern California’s Super Lawyers in the area of white collar criminal defense.
• Due to her longstanding commitment to community service, Jennifer received an award for outstanding pro bono service from the United States District Court for the Northern District of California and the Bar Association of San Francisco Volunteer Legal Services Program.

• Quoted, “US cannabis industry has high hopes for itself under a second Trump presidency,” CannIntelligence, November 19, 2024
• Contributor, “Interstate Cannabis Commerce May Be In Reach, With Caveats,” Law360, April 20, 2023
• Co-Author, “California Supreme Court Review: February 2023,” Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal March 16, 2023
• Co-Author, “Civil RICO Lawsuits: Should The State-Legal Cannabis Industry Be Concerned?,” Cannabis Business Times, September 28, 2022
• Co-Author, "Lingering Questions After 9th Circ.’s Delta-8 TM Ruling," Law360, June 2022
• Co-Author, “Ninth Circuit Rules Delt-8 THC Is Legal,” Goodwin Client Alert, May 2022
• Co-Author, “Elevate Your Practice with Cannabis Startups,” Chambers Associate, June 2021
• Co-Author, “2020 Year In Review: Update on Securities Litigation Against Cannabis Companies,” Goodwin Insights, May 21, 2021
• Co-Author, “The Green Wave: Cannabis Legislation Sweeps in 2020,” Goodwin Client Alert, November 4, 2020
• “Cannabis companies are facing an uptick in audits related to an obscure Reagan-era tax rule, piling up costs and headaches for the growing industry,” Business Insider, October 27, 2020
• “A Survey of State CBD & Hemp Regulation Since The 2018 Farm Bill,” Cannabis Industry Journal, October 22, 2020
• Co-Author, “Supreme Court Should Consider the ‘Pattern of Nonenforcement’ When It Comes to Medical Cannabis,” Daily Journal, October 8, 2020
• “Cannabis Decriminalization Is The Short-Term Relief Entrepreneurs Need, Says Goodwin's Jennifer Fisher,” Benzinga, October 7, 2020
• Co-Author, “Cannabis Contracting: The Potential Invalidity Defense Created by Federal Prohibition,” Cannabis Industry Journal, June 19, 2020
• “The Top 7 Law Firms in Cannabis, According to Investors, Startups and Major Companies in the Booming Industry,” Business Insider, June 5, 2020
• Co-Author, “Update on Sundial Growers, Inc. Securities Litigation,” Goodwin Insights, May 28, 2020
• “Goodwin Hires Duane Morris Cannabis Group Lead as Industry Faces COVID-19 Questions,” The Recorder, April 6, 2020
• “Goodwin Snaps Up Duane Morris Cannabis Group Leader,” Law360, April, 6, 2020
• “Self-Help: How State-Legal Cannabis Operators Can Respond to the Vaping Crisis,” Cannabis Business Executive, March 12, 2020
• “Smart Labeling Practices for CBD Companies,” Retail & Food Best Practices, January 13, 2020
• “Underbanked Cannabis Industry Struggles to Finance Double-digit Growth, Leaving Business Owners Empty-handed,” CNBC, October 1, 2019
• “In-House Cannabis Lawyers Should Help Shape Company Advertising Policies,” Corporate Counsel, August 8, 2019
• “Attorneys: CBD Concentration, Supply Chains Will Be Questioned by FDA During April Public Comments,” Corporate Counsel, March 22, 2019

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

• Speaker, “Delving into the weeds: Regulatory Compliance,” PBC Conference, September 9, 2021 
• Speaker, “Litigation and Enforcement Avoidance for Startups,” Startup Grind Workshop, June 9, 2021 
• Moderator, “Women Leaders in Cannabis: Views from the C-Suite,” Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference, June 1, 2021 
• Speaker, “Understanding Cannabis Legalization in Mexico,” Goodwin CLE Presentation, April 20, 2021 
• Speaker, "Reaching a New High in Your Legal Career: Careers in Cannabis Law," MLA, April 13, 2021 
• Speaker, “Cannabis Law,” Ms. JD Annual Conference, March 12, 2021 
• Speaker, “Cannabis Litigation Trends,” Goodwin CLE Day, January 14, 2021 
• Speaker, “Litigation Avoidance for Investors and Cannabis Companies: Minimizing Risk,” Growth From Home Conference, October 29, 2020
• Speaker, “Compassionate Release and Legal Reform — a Conversation with Last Prisoner Project,” Growth From Home Conference, October 28, 2020 
• Speaker, “Human Capital: How to Manage Transitions in Changing Markets,” INCBA Cannabis Law Institute, October 8, 2020 
• Speaker, “Women Leaders in Cannabis Roundtable: Serving on the Board of a Cannabis Company,” Goodwin Cannabis Practice Webinar, October 1, 2020 
• Speaker, “The Legal Process: Understanding Clemency, Compassionate Release and Impact Litigation,” Last Prisoner Project and Kush.com Webinar, August 26, 2020 
• Speaker, “Growth Cannabis Stay at Home Speaker Series,” Growth Cannabis Conference, August 7, 2020
• Moderator, “Growing TCPA Litigation Trends in the Cannabis Industry,” Goodwin Cannabis Practice Webinar, August 6, 2020
• Speaker, “Regulatory Differences in Key Cannabis Markets,” Goodwin Cannabis Practice Webinar, April 20, 2020 
• Participant, “Women CEOs in Cannabis and Wellness Roundtable,” Protis Global Webinar, June 5, 2020
• Speaker, "What To Do If I Get an Enforcement Action From an Agency?" Avantpay|19 Cannabis Payments, Banking and Compliance Conference, Washington, D.C., October 1, 2019
• Panelist, "Navigating the US Regulatory, Compliance & Tax Landscape," National Cannabis Industry Association’s Cannabis Business Summit and Expo, San Jose, California, July 23, 2019
• Panelist, "Pay No Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain: Addressing Prosecutions Driven by Hidden Actors," National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, West Coast White Collar Conference, Santa Monica, California, June 20, 2019
• Panelist, "Cannabis Compliance, Regulation and Taxation," Cannabis Dealmakers Summit, San Diego, California, April 18, 2019 
• Speaker, "Legal and Financial Regulations on the Cannabis Industry," Lawline Webinar, New York, New York, April 5, 2019
• Speaker, "How to Get Your Cannabis Business Permit in San Francisco," Bay Area Women Grow Signature Networking Event, San Francisco, California, March 8, 2018