McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP today announced that Fruqan Mouzon, Esq. – who until last month served as General Counsel for the New Jersey State Senate Majority Office – has joined as an Of Counsel member of the Firm, where he will establish and Chair its Cannabis Law Practice Group. He will also provide counsel in commercial litigation, white collar criminal defense and government relations.

Mr. Mouzon has extensive experience in New Jersey government, and as a private practice attorney with two highly respected firms. In addition to his State Senate role, which he held for nearly 5 years, he also served as Assistant Counsel for Governor Jon S. Corzine, and was an Adjunct Professor at Seton Hall University School of Law. He will be based in the Firm's Morristown office, serving clients nationwide.

According to MDM&C Managing Partner, Edward B. Deutsch, "The Firm's decision to establish a new Cannabis Law Practice Group was driven, in large measure, by the addition of Fruqan, because we have been seeking an individual with his experience, credentials and reputation. Many law firms have established Cannabis practices over the past few years, but we purposely waited until our Firm could offer the combination of legal, industry and political expertise that's necessary for clients to succeed in this complex and rapidly emerging market. Fruqan brings those assets to MDM&C, and will build a cross-discipline team to address the needs of new and existing participants in the Cannabis business."

In his State Senate position, Mr. Mouzon was directly involved in the constitutional, procedural, legal and ethical issues related to the availability and sale of cannabis in New Jersey, and was an advocate for the creation of opportunities for minorities, women and smaller businesses to enter the industry. Mr. Mouzon noted that, "our Cannabis Practice Group will work to assist clients of all types and economic means, in their effort to establish a cannabis business. To address what can be a high financial bar of entry for many people, we are also exploring creative ways – including a fund that can match applicants with investors – to help make their dream of creating a cannabis business a reality."

A native of Elizabeth, New Jersey, Mr. Mouzon holds an undergraduate degree in accounting from Old Dominion University, and a J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law, where he graduated magna cum laude. He served clerkships in both the Federal District Court in Trenton as well as the Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia. He currently resides in Piscataway, NJ.

About McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP

McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP is a full-service law firm that offers a diverse range of practice areas including litigation, construction, labor and employment, health care, cybersecurity, insurance, fidelity & surety, bankruptcy, real estate, corporate transactions, hospitality, franchise, tax, environmental, banking, immigration, white-collar defense, corporate compliance and alternative dispute resolution. Visit www.mdmc-law.com for more information.