We are first movers in new areas of law, and were the first in Switzerland to establish a dedicated cannabis practice covering the regulatory and commercial aspects of the cannabis industry as well as investing into the cannabis industry. We are advising a wide variety of clients from Switzerland and abroad across the value chain, including investors, cultivators, distributors, healthcare organisations and other innovators, and help our clients navigate the complexities of a challenging and constantly evolving regulatory environment, which spans areas from agricultural restrictions on seed and crop varieties, food and drug regulations through to industry procedures for the chemical and pharma industry. Our broad knowledge in the pharmaceutical and life science industry as well as in specialised practice areas such as environmental law alongside the traditional areas of corporate, commercial and transaction law, positions us very well to help our clients to succeed in the Swiss and cross-border multi-disciplinary cannabis industry.

Since the establishment of our cannabis practice, we have had the privilege of working on a wide variety of projects, including:

• Cultivation and Extraction: Representing a group of investors in the acquisition of a Swiss cultivator; representing a vertically integrated Swiss operator in an acquisition by a Swiss entity; advising a cultivator with a subsidiary in Macedonia on regulatory, corporate law and venture funding matters; advising a vertically integrated extraction company in the premium market on regulatory law matters (including GMP and GDP);
• Cosmetics and Food: Advising various clients on regulatory matters, in particular with regard to cosmetics and food legislation (including EU Novel Food Regulations);
• Distribution and Retail: Advising a Swiss entity on Terms of Use, Privacy Policy (including Cookies), Cookie Statement etc. specifically for a CBD online retail operation;
• Pharmaceuticals: Representing a Canadian group with a subsidiary in Switzerland in connection with the acquisition of a pharmaceutical company in Switzerland; advising a Swiss company on various legal questions with regards to the application process of new medicinal products under the Therapeutics Act with the supervisory authority Swissmedic (including Herbal Medicines);
• General: Advising various clients on corporate structuring and tax related questions, including on the company’s organisation, shareholder’s agreement and seed-financing.

We offer some of our clients the full range of external counsel services and take care of all of their legal work with competitive and innovative fee structures. We boast of a wide network of specialised cannabis attorneys around the globe and can pick the best partners to help our clients coordinate their cross-border requirements and stay on top of the newest regulatory developments on a national and international level. Froriep is also the first Swiss law firm to join the European Industrial Hemp Association as a member firm as well as the International Cannabis Bar Association (individual member).