On the TechTO stage ×1
First seen on the TechTO stage in 2018. Every talk is searchable — ask the archive about Eric ↗
In their words
Nobody wants to hear a lawyer talk, so I'll be very brief. My name is Eric Foster, I'm one of the leaders of the cannabis practice at Dentons — we have what we believe is the largest and leading cannabis practice in the country.
We're also a global firm, so we're the only law firm with a global cannabis practice, working regularly with our cannabis teams in the US, Europe, South America, Australia. Anywhere there is business of cannabis, that's where we are doing business.
People ask me all the time what's the most surprising thing you've seen in the industry, and I think it's actually the speed at which the industry has become sophisticated and legitimate.
Around the web ×1
Quick answers
Who is Eric Foster?
A Toronto corporate and securities lawyer, partner at Mintz, whose practice covers capital markets transactions, mergers and acquisitions and venture-backed companies. He is widely recognised as one of Canada's leading cannabis industry lawyers and previously led the cannabis practice at Dentons.
What was his TechTO appearance?
He led HealthTO's Medical Cannabis Special Edition panel in May 2018, months before Canadian legalization, alongside Microsoft Canada's startup lead and a cannabis accelerator. He opened by introducing Dentons' cannabis practice and then moderated a discussion on what the industry was about to become.
What surprised him about the cannabis industry?
How fast it grew up. He told the panel the most surprising thing was the speed at which the industry had become sophisticated and legitimate — and the panel's own answer on regulation was that the sharpest operators were often people who had worked in the legacy market and understood the consumer.