Mikhail A. Shah is a Partner in the New York office for Messner Reeves, LLP. As part of the Firms Litigation Practice Group, he represents clients in state and federal court litigation, where he focuses on the defense of healthcare professionals in medical malpractice cases, but also defends corporate and commercial clients in complex claims and lawsuits. Mr. Shah also devotes part of his practice to insurance defense, and counsels clients across various practice areas, including corporate, commercial, healthcare, labor and employment, construction litigation, and general liability.
Mr. Shah is an experienced litigator and has handled cases in all aspects of civil litigation, including trial to jury verdicts in both state and federal courts. Prior to joining Messner Reeves, LLP, he was an attorney with a law firm in upstate New York as part of their state and federal court litigation department. While there, he concentrated his practice in the prosecution and defense of personal injury matter in both federal and state court, as well as the representation of clients in corporate, commercial and construction defect matters.
Mr. Shah earned his Juris Doctorate from Albany Law School, where he served as the President and Director of the Albany Law School Pro Bono Society. During law school, Mr. Shah also clerked at two large international law firms, competed in the Karen C. McGovern Senior Prize Trials Competition, and served as a Judicial Intern for the Honorable Judge Mae A. D’Agostino at the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Shah received his Bachelor of Science in biological sciences from George Mason University.
Albany Law School (J.D. 2013)
George Mason University (B.S., Pre-medical 2009)
Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch 2024 & 2025
New York State Bar Association
Northern District of New York Federal Court Bar Association
Albany County Bar Association
Defense Research Institute
Community Involvement
Member, Board of Directors, The Legal Project – 2015-2018
Mentor, Albany Law School Alumni Initiative in Mentoring Program
President and Director, Albany Law School Pro Bono Society – 2012-2013
Navigating state licensing and regulatory compliance
Labeling, packaging, and product warning requirements
Compliance with FTC, FDA, and other federal guidelines
Representation in disputes with regulatory bodies
Corporate and Business Law
Entity formation, corporate governance, and operational guidance
Mergers, acquisitions, and sales of cannabis-related businesses
Commercial contracts, partnership agreements, and financing solutions
Licensing and compliance with state and federal advertising regulations
Land Use and Real Estate
Zoning and jurisdictional assistance for cannabis operations
Support with commercial leases and land use planning
Real estate acquisitions and permits for grow facilities, processing centers, and dispensaries
Intellectual Property
Patent and trademark applications and management for cannabis products
Copyright and brand protection strategies
Intellectual property valuation, acquisitions, and enforcement actions
Trade secret protection and licensing agreements
Employment Law
Drafting employee policies and handbooks addressing drug testing and workplace compliance
Advising on ADA-related issues, harassment, discrimination claims, and HIPAA compliance
Wage and hour consulting and litigation support
Government Relations
Representation in licensing and regulatory matters at the state and local levels
Advocating before legislative bodies and agencies
Assisting with appeals and regulatory challenges
Litigation
Broad support for commercial, regulatory, and shareholder disputes
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CBD & Industrial Hemp
Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018
New fields of opportunity for growers, manufacturers and investors
Assists in the adaptation to changes in federal law, as well as the state-level laws applicable to the cultivation and production
Start up
Ongoing business concerns
Real Estate
Drafting lease agreements for Landlords or Tenants in the cannabis space
Review and provide advice regarding commercial leases
Amendments to commercial leases
Drafting purchase and sale agreements
Due diligence for real estate purchases and sales
Litigation
Litigation against cities in defense of your cannabis business
Administrative hearings regarding the denial or revocation of business licenses
Civil litigation regarding commercial leases and landlord disputes
Civil litigation of zoning compliance issues
IP litigation
Litigation of contract disputes
Litigation of trademark disputes
Licensing/Compliance
Prepare state and local license applications
Drafting and managing of business and operational plans to be submitted to state and local municipalities for operational licenses
Advise businesses on local and state permitting and licensing processes
Periodic legal compliance audits
Monitoring existing and evolving state and local regulations
Banking & Financial
Raising capital
Financing
Investment portfolios
Access to banking options and counseling on how to obtain financing for a cannabis business
Investor counseling
Advising on lending money to cannabis businesses
Drafting promissory notes and other financing instruments
Corporate Structuring
Mergers and Acquisitions
Joint Ventures
Entity selection and registration
Drafting corporate governance documents
Drafting commercial contracts
Advice on buying and selling cannabis businesses
Advising on impact of Section 280E of IRS Code on businesses
Intellectual Property
Draft underlying contracts and attend to due diligence matters to buy or sell cannabis business
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