ERIK HALVERSON

Role: Managing Attorney

Admitted: Washington State (Active) and Colorado (Inactive)

Education: BA in Economics from University of Washington; JD from Seattle University School of Law

Practice Areas: Litigation; Transactional; Cannabis Business Counsel; Small and Mid-Size Business Counsel; Personal Injury

Erik Halverson is the Managing Attorney at Halverson Law, PLLC. Clients value Erik for his strategy, diplomacy, and willingness to jump into the trenches with them to understand their legal needs.

He is heavily involved on the front lines of the cannabis industry, having been introduced to the industry during Colorado’s legalization phase and since providing business counsel to top retailers and producer/processors in Washington State. Through his work with retailers, producer/processors, and ancillary service companies, Erik has helped Halverson Law build a major footprint in Washington State’s cannabis 502 industry as a leading cannabis business attorney.

COMMUNITY IMPACT

Erik has a long track record of pro bono public legal service, earning recognition in both Colorado and Washington, including the 2014 Rebekah A. McBride Award as Pro Bono Attorney of the Year for the Northwest Colorado Legal Services Project.

Erik’s results also speak for themselves. Erik has represented injured victims and secured over a million dollars for various injury clients. In his role as a 502 cannabis business attorney in the marijuana law practice, Erik has assisted in rehabilitating numerous retail and producer operations, obtaining licenses for clients, and navigating the complex and often frustrating regulations that the industry is tied to. These transactions and violation defenses often require out-of-the-box thinking, a deep understanding of the pressures on marijuana-related businesses, and a genuine commitment to clients’ needs and goals.

Erik has built this firm from the ground up, opening the doors in 2010. He sold his car and traded down to an $800 Chevy Celebrity to cover a few months of office rent. That risk paid off. Today, an elite team of legal professionals backs the firm, bringing uncompromising integrity, deep expertise, and relentless dedication to every client they serve.

ERIK HALVERSON’S NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS:

Top Attorney On Avvo

Peer-reviewed Research Rating |  TOP 5% of Attorneys 

• ★ Washington Rising Stars list 2020, recognizing less than 2.5% of WA attorneys
• ★ Washington Rising Star list 2019, recognizing less than 2.5% of WA attorneys
• ★ Recognition in Colorado for pro bono services to indigent clients for 2011-2013
• ★ Rebekah A. McBride Award, 2014, “Pro Bono Attorney of the Year”
• ★ Recognized in WA State for ongoing commitment to pro bono legal services

OTHER ENGAGEMENTS:

• ★ Adjunct Professor of Business Management at Green River College, Auburn WA
• ★ Political Science 200: Intro to Law. Summer term 2019, Auburn Campus
• ★ Political Science 200: Intro to Law. Fall term 2019, Kent Campus

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS:

• Friday, January 10, 2020. Speaker/Presenter on the topic of "Cannabis Business Operations: The basics of what you absolutely need to know if you're going to operate in this industry" for CannaCon Northwest. Location: Tacoma Convention Center.
• Friday, December 13, 2019. Speaker/Presenter at NBI on the topic of "Recreational Marijuana Business Law in Washington: The basics of what you absolutely need to know if you're going to operate in this industry" for NBI - National Business Institute. Location: Hilton Garden Inn Seattle Downtown.
• Tuesday, December 10, 2019. Speaker/Presenter on the topic of "Critical Guidance for Landlords Considering Cannabis Tenants" for TRENDS. Location: Washington State Convention Center, Seattle.
• Thursday, May 30, 2019. Chair/Organizer of "Marijuana Law: A Comprehensive Overview for Beginners or Pros" a Continuing Legal Education event for King County Bar Association. Location: King County Bar Association, Seattle.
• Thursday, May 30, 2019. Speaker/Presenter on the topic of "Rules of the Road for Cannabis Operations" for King County Bar Association. Location: King County Bar Association, Seattle.
• Wednesday, February 20, 2019. Speaker/Presenter on the topic of "Marijuana Business Law in Washington State" for King County Bar Association: Business Law Section Continued Legal Education. Location: King County Bar Association, Seattle.
• Saturday, February 2, 2019. Speaker/Presenter on the topic of "The Basic Dos and Don'ts of Operating in the Cannabis Industry" for CannaCon Northwest. Location: Washington State Convention Center, Seattle.
• Friday, December 14, 2018. Speaker/Presenter on the topic of "Pot Law: What You Need to Know" for TRENDS: Rental Housing Management and Trade Show. Location: Washington State Convention Center, Seattle.
• Friday, August 17, 2018. Speaker/Presenter on the topic of "Marijuana Business Law in Washington" for NBI - National Business Institute. Location: Hilton Garden Inn, Seattle Downtown.
• Friday, July 21, 2017. Speaker/Presenter on the topic of "Recreational Marijuana Business Law in Washington" for NBI - National Business Institute. Location: Washington State Convention Center, Seattle.
• Tuesday, July 18, 2017. Speaker/Presenter on the topic of "Recreational Marijuana Business Law in Washington" for NBI - National Business Institute. Location: Holiday Inn, Tacoma.
• Thursday, December 8, 2016. Speaker/Presenter on the topic of "Recreational Marijuana Business Law in Washington" for NBI - National Business Institute. Location: The Red Lion Hotel, Olympia.
• Wednesday, December 7, 2016. Speaker/Presenter on the topic of "Recreational Marijuana Business Law in Washington" for NBI - National Business Institute. Location: Springhill Suites, Portland Oregon.
• December, 2011. Speaker/Presenter on the topic of "Hanging Your Own Shingle" for Denver Bar Association, Young Lawyer Division. Location: Denver University Sturm School of Law. Denver, Colorado.