Jean Smith Gonnell
Jean Smith Gonnell is a partner at Troutman Pepper and focuses her practice on the cannabis industry. She has extensive experience in medical marijuana, retail marijuana, as well as hemp and CBD products. Jean also has substantial experience in trials and administrative hearings, where she has achieved remarkable success in helping her clients succeed in a complex and ever-changing legal landscape.
With a goal to provide a 24-hour maximum response time, Jean assists cannabis business clients through her unwavering commitment and close working relationship. She helps her clients establish efficient companies that are well-positioned for the future, advising on all aspects of regulatory compliance, cannabis licensing, business transactions, and dispute resolution. Jean draws from experience handling more than 1,000 contracts for cannabis clients to provide a well-informed perspective and intimate knowledge of the cannabis industry, its regulatory framework, and the prominent industry actors. Despite the cannabis industry being a relatively new sector, Jean’s involvement from the beginning allows her to better understand and prepare for otherwise unexpected issues.
Prior to joining Troutman Pepper, Jean founded her own cannabis-focused practice in Denver, where she worked with cannabis clients across the U.S. A Colorado native with an introduction to the cannabis industry in 2010, Jean’s experience is applicable to many other states as they often structure their cannabis regulations similarly to Colorado’s time-tested system. In Colorado alone, she represents approximately 15% of all licensed marijuana businesses, with a 98% client retention rate. Along with a decade of specialized experience, Jean remains committed to effectively and expeditiously communicating with her clients and staying endlessly informed of the highly regulated and evolving cannabis industry.
Jean graduated from the University of Colorado Denver in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. She received her juris doctor in law in 2011 from the University of Denver, Sturm College of Law, where she served as a member of the Criminal Law Review and the Moot Court Board. Outside of the office, Jean enjoys traveling and yoga.
Jean Smith Gonnell
Partner- Troutman Pepper
Phone: 704.916.2381
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jean-e-smith-gonnell-01785a21/