What began as a continuing education initiative for Florida attorneys has since blossomed into one of the most influential cannabis business associations in the southeastern U.S. CLAB—short for Cannabis Law, Accounting, and Business—was born from a simple but potent observation: “If you put a bunch of lawyers in a room, nothing happens. But if you put a bunch of lawyers, accountants, and business owners together, now you get commerce,” said CLAB founder Robert Friedman in a recent interview with Cannabis & Tech Today.
Founded in 2017, CLAB evolved from dry legal seminars into an industry-defining network that now hosts monthly meetups, webinars, and its flagship annual conference, returning this October to the Diplomat Resort in Hollywood, Florida.
The Future Is Global
This year’s theme—The Globalization of Cannabis—reflects an increasingly interconnected market. “We’re starting to see the import and export of genetics, brands, even culture,” Friedman said. While federal policy in the U.S. still prohibits the cross-border trade of cannabis products, the groundwork for international exchange is being laid through licensing deals and brand extensions abroad.
“In Jamaica, for example, Tyson 2.0 and Casa Verde are already doing licensing,” Friedman noted. “So while we’re early, we believe Miami is perfectly positioned to be the hub for cannabis trade in Latin America and the Caribbean, just as it is in so many other industries.”
The conference aims to gather officials from key cannabis licensing authorities across countries like Colombia, Jamaica, and Costa Rica, as well as industry leaders already operating internationally. Organizers are working with trusted names like El Planteo’s Javier Hasse and the Global Cannabis Network Collective’s Chris Day and Jillian Reddish to build a lineup that reflects the event’s cross-border ambition.
Boutique by Design
Unlike sprawling expos that flood convention halls with thousands of attendees and endless rows of booths, CLAB is intentionally intimate. “We’re not trying to be MJBizCon,” Friedman said. “We want about 500 high-level attendees—operators, investors, attorneys, and accountants—people actively shaping the space.”
This curated approach isn’t new for CLAB. Its monthly events in Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Fort Myers typically host 40–60 professionals.
That visibility matters in an industry where traditional advertising channels are largely closed off. The face-to-face format enables businesses to forge relationships, vet potential partners, and solve real-time operational problems—whether tax, compliance, or investment-related.
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Eyes on the Horizon
While Florida’s recent failure to pass the adult-use cannabis amendment (Yes on 3) was a “gut punch,” Friedman sees the bigger picture. “Even medical took multiple tries to pass here. The demand is there. But we can’t sit around and wait—we need to keep building.”
By emphasizing global markets and foreign investment, CLAB is providing a pathway forward for a fatigued domestic industry. Whether it’s U.S. genetics flowing out or foreign capital flowing in, the group is facilitating conversations few others are having—yet.
With eyes on expansion and deeper international ties, CLAB may soon plant chapters in Jamaica or New York. But for now, Florida is its proving ground. “We want to get it right here first,” Friedman said.
