Stephan Ferris is the founder of the Law Office of Stephan F. Ferris, a cannabis, business, and queer entertainment focused law practice with a primary residence in San Francisco. He is part of an emerging generation of openly queer and sexually progressive activist attorneys who see the law as an opportunity to make social, civic, and cultural change. Stephan serves on the board of directors of Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom (“BALIF”) and on the Continuing Legal Education committee of the International Cannabis Bar Association.
 

Sahar Ayinehsazian is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group at A.Y. Strauss, where she focuses on corporate law, banking, and the cannabis industry. She represents businesses, investors, and financial institutions in complex corporate transactions, including formations, financings, mergers and acquisitions, licensing agreements, and creative restructuring solutions for cannabis-related businesses that lack access to traditional bankruptcy protections.

Sahar serves as a steadfast advisor, confidant, and protector to clients, maintaining enduring partnerships that rely on her judgment and care. Recognized as a leading corporate attorney in the highly regulated industries, Sahar has guided multi-state operators and emerging companies through intricate regulatory frameworks and national expansion. Her work is informed by her prior role as Director of Regulatory and Governmental Affairs at a multi-state money transmitter serving the cannabis industry, where she gained deep expertise in banking, credit flow, and compliance at the intersection of finance and cannabis law.

Prior to joining A.Y. Strauss, Sahar was a partner at one of the nation’s top-ranked cannabis law firms, where she chaired the Banking and Financial Services Access practice and advised major operators on complex transactions. She also served on the National Cannabis Industry Association’s Banking & Financial Services Committee, advancing strategies to expand financial access for state-licensed businesses.

Sahar has been recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America® (2023–2025) for Corporate Law, the Los Angeles Business Journal’s Women of Influence: Attorneys (2024), and the Global Top 200 Cannabis Lawyers list (2024–2025). She frequently writes and speaks on topics related to cannabis finance, corporate structuring, and compliance.

Representative Matters

• Acted as corporate and regulatory counsel to one of the ten New York Registered Organizations, playing a key role in the company’s structuring, financial raise and ultimate licensure.
• Acted as corporate counsel for both equity and debt raises for a 6,000 square foot dispensary located in the heart of Times Square.
• Acted as cannabis regulatory and corporate counsel to Cookies, one of the largest multi-state operators in the United States, in connection with various intellectual property licensing, merger and acquisition, and joint venture transactions.
• Acted as cannabis regulatory counsel to one of the largest multi-state operators in the United States, in connection with their signing of a definitive agreement to acquire one of the largest privately held multi-state, vertically integrated licensed operators of cannabis facilities with an extensive portfolio of premium branded products, in an $850 million all-stock deal.
• Acted as cannabis regulatory counsel to one of the most prominent multi-state operators on the east coast. in connection with its acquisition of a vertically integrated cannabis operator, with the majority of its operations in Pennsylvania, for US$5M cash and US$45M in securities.
• Acted as cannabis regulatory counsel to a large east-coast multi-state operator in connection with its acquisition of a distribution company providing logistics operations and software solutions for each touchpoint in the cannabis supply chain, for approximately US$40 million, consisting of US$12M cash and 11,090,453 shares of the acquirer.
• Acted as regulatory counsel to a global financial services firm on numerous transactions.
• Acted as cannabis banking counsel to numerous mid-sized financial institutions in their provision of services to cannabis-related businesses.
• Acted as cannabis regulatory counsel to a national payment platform for highly regulated businesses.
• Represented a device manufacturer on plans to enter the cannabis market and national expansion, including advertising parameters, banking matters, and the status of state legislation.
• Represented an entertainment company on a potential expansion into the cannabis industry.
• Represented a leading e-commerce company on its plans to expand into the cannabis sector.
• Represented numerous cannabis brands and manufacturers in intellectual property licensing and contract manufacturing agreements.
• Represented numerous cannabis and ancillary operators in obtaining depository accounts with financial institutions.
• Acted as cannabis regulatory counsel to numerous California cannabis businesses seeking to obtain state licensing.

Mitzi Vaughn is the founder of MV Law PLLC, a law firm she founded when Karr Tuttle Campbell, a firm with 120 years of history in Seattle, closed its doors. She is an internationally recognized attorney who has spent more than a decade providing high-level corporate, mergers, and acquisitions service to cannabis and hemp clients as well as clients in more traditional industries. Her skill set includes complex transactions, regulatory compliance, national and international expansion, and governance. Mitzi was a founding board member of the International Cannabis Bar Association and currently sits on its Advisory Board.

Mitzi has spoken in Zurich, in the Irish Parliament (Oireachtas), and before the Hawai'i Legislature; she consulted with the Jamaican Cannabis Licensing Authority prior to their medical rollout. She has negotiated and drafted Washington State cannabis laws, regulations, and policies, and has served as General Counsel to The Cannabis Alliance (WA) for nearly a decade. Mitzi was a Board Member for the Drug Reform Coordination Network, an international drug policy organization which has consultative status at the United Nations. She now sits on its Advisory Board.  

Mitzi was awarded a J.D. from the University of California at Berkeley School of Law, studied international human rights at Central European University in Budapest, Hungary, and earned a B.A. in History, magna cum laude, from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Ati Khatri focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, financial transactions, and general counsel matters, working very closely with founders and investors alike. He assists privately-held companies, technology firms, banks, lenders, executives, investors, and investor groups in all areas of transactional, business planning, and general corporate matters. Ati is involved in the entire life cycle of a company, from inception to exit, and he prides himself on being the first phone call that his clients make for nearly all general corporate matters.

Having facilitated commercial loan transactions ranging from $1 million to $350 million, Ati has a depth of experience providing lender-side and borrower-side loan documentation for financial institutions and middle market businesses.

In addition to traditional corporate financial transactions, Ati has a strong practice leading specialty finance transactions including equipment leasing, warranty finance, insurance premium finance, and other such specialty disciplines.

Ati also focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, representing clients in numerous industries in transactions ranging from $1 million to $375 million. His finance background makes him uniquely qualified as a “one-stop shop” for merger and acquisition needs, overseeing both the purchase transaction logistics, as well as the senior and mezzanine debt financing necessary to bring the transaction to a smooth closing.

Prior to joining the firm, Ati was a partner in the Business and Finance Group at HMB Legal Counsel, a well-established, corporate-focused law firm based in Chicago, Illinois. He was also a leader in its Debt Finance and Banking practice and led its ETA/Search Fund efforts.