California Cannabis Attorney
Drivon Consulting is led by Zach Drivon, a California attorney admitted to the State Bar in 2013 who has worked exclusively with cannabis businesses since 2016. From our office in Stockton, we give cannabis operators legal counsel on licensing, permits, compliance, contracts and the business decisions in between, in the Central Valley and across California.
Need cannabis legal advice on a specific question? Book a 15- or 30-minute consultation or call (209) 636-4856.
How our cannabis lawyer helps your business
- Licenses and permits. Local use permits, conditional use permits and development agreements, plus state license applications, renewals and modifications with the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC). See cannabis licensing and permit consulting.
- Hearings and approvals. We represent applicants at public hearings before planning commissions, city councils and boards of supervisors, and in administrative hearings.
- Compliance and enforcement. Inspection preparation, conditions of approval, DCC notification and approval requirements, and responses to violations and notices to comply. See regulatory compliance.
- Business formation and contracts. Corporations and LLCs, bylaws and operating agreements, facility leases and purchase agreements, and investments and transfers of ownership interests. See corporate formations.
- Buying, selling and transferring licensed businesses. Due diligence, management agreements and local permit transfer approvals. See permit transfers.
- Government relations and policy. Local ordinances, development agreement terms and cannabis tax structures. See government relations and policy reform.
- Ongoing general counsel. Legal counsel for day-to-day questions as your business operates and grows.
Cannabis legal advice, start to finish
Most clients start with one question: can this site, this deal or this license work? A short consultation gets you cannabis legal advice on that question before you spend money on an application or sign a contract. Many clients then keep us on through permitting, licensing and day-to-day operations, so the same team knows the history of your business.
Cannabis attorney or cannabis consultant?
You get both. Zach Drivon advises as an attorney, and our licensing and compliance team prepares the applications, diagrams, records and filings that permits and licenses require. Legal questions and paperwork stay with one firm instead of being split between a lawyer and a separate consultant.
Where we have worked
Drivon Consulting has advocated for clients before the State of California and these local governments, among others:
- County of San Joaquin
- County of Calaveras
- County of Stanislaus
- County of El Dorado
- City of Stockton
- City of Modesto
- City of Fresno
- City of Antioch
- City of Ceres
- City of Riverbank
- City of Atwater
- City of Oakdale
- City of Manteca
- City of Chula Vista
- City of Merced
- City of Turlock
- City of Patterson
About Zach Drivon
Zach Drivon is a third-generation attorney from Stockton. Before turning to cannabis, he handled hundreds of matters in criminal practice. In 2016 he chaired the campaign for Stockton’s Measure P, one of the first local cannabis business ordinances in Northern California, and in 2017 his client received what was the first commercial cannabis cultivation permit issued through a public process in the Central Valley. Read Zach’s full background.
Common questions
Do I need a cannabis attorney to get a license in California?
California does not require applicants to hire an attorney. Many operators work with one because local permits and state licenses involve ownership disclosures, contracts, public hearings and ongoing compliance obligations, where a mistake can cost the license.
How do I get cannabis legal advice from Drivon?
Book a 15- or 30-minute consultation online, or call (209) 636-4856.
Do you represent clients at hearings?
Yes. We represent applicants at public approval hearings before planning commissions, city councils and boards of supervisors, and in administrative hearings.
Do you work with cannabis businesses outside California?
Our attorney is licensed in California, and our work centers on California cannabis businesses. Matters governed by another state’s law need counsel licensed in that state.
This page is general information, not legal advice for your situation. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship.