FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (June 2021) – Bressler, Amery & Ross, P.C. is pleased to congratulate attorney Jessica Gonzalez on her selection to the NJBIZ Next Generation of Leaders for 2021. Gonzalez will be featured in the July 12 issue of NJBIZ, which will profile approximately 50 business executives throughout New Jersey who are poised to become influential leaders in their fields.
“I am honored to be recognized for this award alongside such promising young professionals,” said Gonzalez. “Like many of my fellow honorees, I am committed to growth and progress – not only in relation to my own career, but for the entire state of New Jersey.”
A longtime leader in the cannabis industry, Gonzalez serves as outside general counsel for the national organization Minorities For Medical Marijuana. She was a vocal advocate for equity, local entrepreneurship and social justice during the passage of the “New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance and Marketplace Modernization Act”, a New Jersey bill which legalizes personal use cannabis for certain adults, decriminalizes possession of small amounts of marijuana, and removes marijuana as a Schedule I drug in the state. Jessica was a member of the social impact committee for NJ CAN 2020, the coalition that ran the most successful campaign for cannabis legalization in the country.
In 2020, NJ Cannabis Media named Jessica as one of NJ’s top 20 Cannabis Influencers and in 2021 was named one of 21 people to watch in the NJ Cannabis Industry. Jessica sits on the Policy Committee for the Minority Cannabis Business Association and the is the Chair of the Social Equity Webinar Series for the International Cannabis Bar Association. Prior to joining Bressler, Gonzalez was the co-founding partner at MGA Law PC, a boutique business law firm with a special focus on cannabis.
As a sought-after speaker, author and contributor, Jessica has presented on both the municipal, state and federal level on topics such as social justice/social equity, IP protection, cannabis legislation, state and federal banking and state cannabis licensing. Gonzalez was selected as a 2020 fellow for the New Jersey New Leaders Council, a national organization that selects civically engaged leaders in their respective industry. She also recently was voted “Millennial of the Month” by Millennials for NJ.
As an associate in the cannabis group of Bressler, Amery & Ross, P.C., Gonzalez helps cannabis clients navigate the legal cannabis and hemp industry in the tri-state area. She has counseled start up and medium-sized cannabis/CBD companies on various matters, including corporate entity set-up, state and local compliance and applications for state cannabis licenses. She also counsels corporate and individual clients on intellectual property procurement, prosecution, protection and enforcement for domestic and international trademarks.