Viola is a  licensed Marijuana in business founded by retired NBA player Al Harrington. Cannabis Counsel® was retained as part of their legal team, seeking and eventually receiving a pre-qualification for a cultivation facility in Detroit. 

​

Cannabis Counsel was successful in helping to procure a legal, safe, and secure location for the cultivation facility to operate; one of 57 such legal and regulated businesses approved for temporary operation under Emergency Rule 19 in Detroit. This was a 18 month process, including the submission a business plan, site plan, operations plan, and a final authorization for operation signed by the city clerk.

​

In May of 2018 the locally licensed and MMFLA compliant Viola cultivation facility in Detroit was raided by a team of Federal Agents. Six employees were charged with felonies, with some facing up to 30 years of prison time. 

​

Cannabis Counsel® attorneys worked tirelessly to ensure that all charges against our clients were dismissed. On July 31st they were successful, with District Court Judge Kenneth King agreeing to toss all charges stating “In the interest of fairness and in the spirit of trying to do the right thing, this court is left with no other choice but to dismiss the matter,”.

​

There are currently lawsuits seeking justice for the use of excessive force on behalf of the staff member who was forced to the ground at gun point, and for compensation for the lost property and profits of the business.