Wu Comments on Potential Conflicts of Interest in Awarding of Missouri Medical Marijuana Licenses

Shook Partner Greg Wu is quoted in The Kansas City Star article “Complaints Mount Over Private Company That Scored Missouri Marijuana Applications.” Wu, who is co-chair of Shook’s Cannabis Law Practice, questions the objectivity of the private company the state hired to evaluate applications for Missouri medical marijuana licenses. In particular, Wu notes a series of seminars offered in Missouri which took place before the scoring occurred. 

“The fact that Oaksterdam offered application workshops in Missouri purporting to teach prospective license applicants how to complete the application and boost their scores while having a related entity score the applications raises potential conflict-of-interest issues,” Wu said. 

Wu, who co-chairs Shook’s Cannabis Law Practice with Partner Katie Gates Calderon, is representing several clients appealing their licensure denials from Missouri.

Shook was named as a top legal innovator by Missouri Lawyers Media for the creation of its Cannabis Law Practice in 2019. Shook was recognized for being among the first to identify and develop excellence in an emerging legal field.