Hidden Gems: Meet Brian Vicente of Vicente Sederberg

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Vicente.

Hi Brian, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Upon graduation, I began working for the Marijuana Policy Project, a national cannabis policy nonprofit. In late 2004, I became executive director of Sensible Colorado, a recently formed nonprofit that focused on defending medical cannabis patients and caregivers, as well as laying the groundwork for broader policy reform. Over the next decade, we played a large role in expanding Colorado’s medical marijuana program and building support for legalization. That included a successful lawsuit on behalf of a Denver AIDS patient, which opened the door for the state’s medical cannabis dispensary system, as well as a local ballot initiative in Breckenridge to legalize adult cannabis possession.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The world of marijuana policy was not an easy area to begin a career in. I approached professors and guidance counselors in the mid-2000s about the path I planned to take, and I was told it was “career suicide”. However, I was able to find a nonprofit in a small community of like-minded individuals, and we were able to organize for change. The stigma surrounding cannabis and drug policy presented a number of challenges over the years, especially early on. I was bullied by police officers and received a death threat in the mail, but I was able to continue to work on this issue that I felt so strongly about. Another major obstacle was the fact that no government in history had ever established a legal market for cannabis, so we had to work hard and be creative to build this structure from old cloth.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Vicente Sederberg LLP is a law firm that has been at the leading edge of marijuana and hemp law and policy for over a decade. My partners and I co-founded it in Denver in 2010, as we were working to get the nation’s first regulated medical cannabis market off the ground in Colorado. We then played a key role in drafting, campaigning for, and implementing Amendment 64, which legalized and regulated marijuana for adult use, as well as the cultivation of hemp for industrial use. Since then, we have helped develop legal marijuana and hemp markets around the world. We also established an entheogens and emerging therapies practice that is engaged in groundbreaking legal and policy work around psychedelics, such as psilocybin.

Our small three-to-four-person operation in Denver has grown into a national firm with about 80 employees across eight offices around the country. We work with clients throughout the U.S., as well as abroad to build dynamic and responsible post-prohibition industries. We provide legal, corporate, policy, and research services for all types of marijuana and hemp businesses, ancillary businesses, investors, trade associations, and government bodies, as well as companies, researchers, and organizations in the psychedelics space. I am particularly proud of our licensing and regulatory compliance practices, which have helped clients obtain and maintain cannabis business licenses in 27 states and dozens of localities. And on the policy front, we had the incredible opportunity to advise Uruguay’s government as it established the world’s first national cannabis legalization law. Through our policy and public affairs consulting affiliate, VS Strategies, we work with a variety of private and public sector clients on a wide array of drug policy matters and advocacy efforts, both here in Colorado and in other states. For example, we’re currently working to advise the Vermont government on the development of its adult-use cannabis regulations.

What sets VS apart is its deep roots in the cannabis and drug policy reform movement. I am extremely proud that our firm is not only known for but also defined by its commitment to promoting sensible policies and responsible business practices that advance the public interest. We maintain a strong commitment to pro bono work (examples include legal support for social equity business applicants and participation in record sealing clinics for people with past drug convictions), and we are highly engaged in a number of nonprofit organizations aimed at advancing social equity, diversity, and sustainability in the cannabis and psychedelics spaces (examples include the National Hispanic Cannabis Council, of which I am a founding board member and current board president, and the U.S. Cannabis Council, where my partner Christian Sederberg is a founding board member and former board chair). Our values and advocacy work have helped attract many extremely talented and dedicated professionals to our firm, and we do everything we can to provide them with a supportive and stimulating culture and substantial opportunities for growth.

What were you like growing up?
My dad was a first-generation Cuban American, and my parents often discussed political events at the dinner table and stressed the importance of working for societal change. One specific instance that demonstrated to me the importance of pushing back when it was unpopular was when the Democratic presidential yard sign in our predominately Republican neighborhood was lit on fire. Despite this scary incident, my parents continued to vocally advocate for policies important to them and this had a huge impact on me. Growing up in suburban Ohio, I gravitated towards books like Malcolm X’s autobiography and Alex Haley’s Roots that challenged my thinking on topics of race and social change. I found similar stimulation in more conscious music such as Public Enemy and other artists who were using their platforms to advocate for changing the world. As a teenager, I put up flyers at local gas stations to raise awareness around Shell Oil’s horrible record on environmental rights and their African business holdings. I performed small acts of pushing back when it was unpopular, which lead to big acts of pushing back today.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://vicentesederberg.com/

Image Credits
The two with the art in the background are by Anthony Camera (Anthony Camera Photography (denver-photo.com) and the one with the windows in the background is by Ashley Kidder (Denver Photographer: Ashley Kidder