Advisory Committee on Professional Ethics

When Ray Charles sang “Let’s Go Get Stoned,” he wasn’t exactly crooning to New Jersey’s lawyers, but now, well, they can if they want to (but not at work). The Advisory Committee on Professional Ethics, recognizing the reality of state legalization of marijuana, recently decided in Opinion 744 that lawyers may use regulated cannabis—and operate or invest in regulated cannabis businesses—without violating ethical rules.

The Advisory Committee on Professional Ethics issued an opinion stating that New Jersey lawyers may use regulated cannabis, and may operate or invest in a regulated cannabis business, without violating the Rules of Professional Conduct.

The committee stated that its opinion stemmed from an inquiry on the use of regulated cannabis and multiple attorney ethics research hotline calls from New Jersey lawyers inquiring about the rules surrounding the operation of or investment in cannabis businesses.