The large Multi-State Operator (MSO) Curaleaf won its lawsuit against mandated Labor Peace Agreements (LPAs) with labor unions, while the FBI investigated them for their ties to Russia.
Table of Contents
The NJ Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJCRC) is appealing the decision. They have filed a motion with the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. They were sued as an organization, along with former Chair Dianna Houenou and current Commissioners Amelia Mapp, Krista Nash, and Executive Director Chris Riggs.
The case was filed in federal court in the US District Court of New Jersey.
Curaleaf NJ’s Anti-Labor Lawsuit
LPAs allow unions to talk to workers without having to resort to more radical tactics. During that time companies are supposed to be neutral if their workers are unhappy and want to join a union.
The UFCW Local 360 labor union was at the forefront of the advocacy for the passage of the New Jersey cannabis legalization referendum implementation legislation. That is the law, the Cannabis Regulatory Enforcement And Marijuana Modernization Act (CREAMMA), which mandated that companies that wanted cannabis licenses needed to agree to LPAs to open legally.
Judge Michael Shipp, in his deciding opinion, noted that Curaleaf signed an LPA in 2022 that expired last year in 2025.
It’s also notable that he found that no “irreparable harm” was done when they took months to file the lawsuit, and that they were fined $610,000 by the NJCRC for not having an active LPA.
Curaleaf hired the high-end political law firm, Lowenstein Sandler. They employed former Republicans NJ Attorney General Christopher Porrino to fight the suit. They also employed former Democratic NJ Attorney General Matt Platkin in the past. He likely helped them when they lost and regained their license quickly in 2023.
The NJCRC and its officials were represented by attorneys in the NJ Attorney General’s Office.
Curaleaf nearly lost its licenses over the case more than once.
They argued that if that happened, they’d have to fire 200 full-time and 40 part-time employees working for their dispensaries in Bellmawr, Bordentown, and Edgewater Park, and a cultivation and manufacturing facility in Winslow in South Jersey.
A few high-end law firm blogs have already written about the decision as a delightful victory.
The MSO Verano recently launched a lawsuit based on the preliminary decision since they were also eager to fight their LPA.
The other cannabis companies that treat workers poorly and cut other corners will likely be happy.
Curaleaf and Russia
The independent site The Newsground released an article examining Curaleaf’s ties to Russia, which first became public in 2023.
They noted that the FBI investigated them and a jury examined the investigations. But no charges were ultimately filed.
The company was partially funded by Russian Oligarch Roman Abramovich, who has close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
They noted that Curaleaf Chairman Boris Johnson made a lot of money in Russia in the 90s following the fall of the Soviet Union.
The US government wanted ties to Russian severed in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Johnson has made several trips to Russia since the beginning of the war. However, the company has defended those trips as lawful.
