John C. McMeekin II, Chair Elect of the American Bar Association Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS), will give opening remarks for the inaugural ABA TIPS International Cannabis Conference in Chicago on September 19, 2019. The conference, “From Regs to Riches: Navigating the Rapidly Emerging Fields of Cannabis and Hemp Law,” brings together national and international stakeholders representing the legal and business interests of the grower, transportation, finance, regulatory, consumption method, enforcement and tort sectors. A brochure for the event is available HERE.
Around the globe, cannabis is poised to move from a nascent industry to a multi-billion dollar-a-year business over the next 10 years. Spending on legal cannabis worldwide is expected to hit $57 billion by 2027. The adult-use (recreational) market will cover 67 percent of the spending; medical marijuana will take up the remaining 33 percent. Already, recreational marijuana is legal in 11 states and the District of Columbia and medical marijuana is legal in 34 states and the District of Columbia. The number of Americans that support legalization continues to climb, with a 2018 Gallup poll showing that 46 percent of Americans favor legalization. In addition, the 2018 Farm Bill changed federal policy regarding industrial hemp and last year, at least 38 states including Pennsylvania considered legislation related to industrial hemp.
John C. McMeekin II is a partner in Rawle & Henderson LLP’s Philadelphia office and a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee. He represents clients as local, national and trial counsel in environmental, toxic and mass torts product and related class actions, products liability, insurance coverage and aviation litigation. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Baltimore School of Law. John is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland and related U.S. District Courts. John is a former firefighter and emergency medical technician, and is Hazmat certified. He has been published in professional and law review journals on a variety of topics related to toxic tort and environmental litigation. He was recently elected Chair Elect of the American Bar Association Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section. He currently serves as Vice Chair of ABA TIPS. He will assume the role of the Section Chair in August 2020. Mr. McMeekin has also served the American Bar Association as a Council Member, Section Secretary, the Section Revenue Officer, Chair of the Toxic Tort & Environmental Law Committee, Chair of the International Law Committee, and Chair of the CLE Board. He is currently co-chairing the Corporate Counsel Initiative Task Force. In addition to his service with the ABA, Mr. McMeekin chaired the Philadelphia Bar Association Environmental and Toxic Tort Law Committee and has been a member of the Delaware Valley Environmental Inn of Court. His significant cases can be found in the BNA Law Reports and Law360. He is rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell and has been selected as a 2019 Pennsylvania Super Lawyer.
John can be reached directly at: (215) 575-4324 • jmcmeekin@rawle.com
