As a member of Gould & Ratner’s corporate practice, Garrett Graff is driven to provide his clients, who are often in regulated industries, with real-world practical solutions, reflective of their business objectives, internal and external considerations, and an assessment of associated risks, giving them the ability to navigate complex problems with relative ease.
In his practice, Garrett advises a wide range of clients, from start-ups to established private middle-market companies to family offices to publicly traded companies, on a wide variety of corporate matters, with an emphasis in regulated industries. His counsel includes corporate formation and structuring, equity and debt financings, mergers and acquisitions, raising capital, securities, real estate and other complex commercial contracting issues, along with expertise in navigating complex regulatory environments on a federal, state and local basis.
Garrett formerly served as the managing partner of a boutique full-service law firm prior to joining Gould & Ratner, and given such executive experience and legal expertise, Garrett often serves as outside general counsel to many clients, further advising on matters relating to corporate governance, fiduciary duties, employment law and other general corporate matters, affording Garrett the ability to advise clients in an integrated, strategic fashion across their business. Further, Garrett is experienced in advising clients on the protection of intellectual property, litigation, policy and international issues.
His clients cross a variety of industries, ranging from real estate companies, consumer packaged goods, operators in regulated spaces such as cannabis (marijuana and hemp), liquor, food and beverage, natural products and psychedelics, manufacturing, technology, and investment companies.
From a regulatory perspective, Garrett counsels clients in navigating the many layers of international, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to their industries, FDA and FTC compliance related to for food and beverage, supplements and other natural products, Proposition 65 compliance, as well as import and export issues, along with other regulatory considerations.
For clients in regulated industries, Garrett often represents clients from the outset in navigating complex regulatory environments, beginning with the application process in securing appropriate licensure, in both competitive and non-competitive jurisdictions; in ongoing regulatory compliance; and in defending administrative actions concerning alleged non-compliance. Further, he frequently works with federal, state, and local authorities on policy and enforcement matters. Notably, Garrett represented hemp industry stakeholders against the DEA in confirming the Farm Bill’s hemp provisions pre-empt DEA authority and the CSA. He also regularly works with stakeholders in drafting model legislative and regulatory policy.
Given his expertise, Garrett was appointed by the Colorado Governor’s Office and two state regulatory agencies to serve for nine months on a statewide task force developing a first-of-its-kind regulatory framework concerning intoxicating cannabinoids and the interplay between the marijuana and hemp industries. Further, Garrett has testified in judicial proceedings related to regulatory matters and frequently speaks in many forums, including conferences, symposiums, and related events regarding various issues, including cannabis and natural products.
