
Administrative Law
Licensing
Litigation & Arbitration
Psychedelics & Emerging Therapies
Regulatory Compliance
Colorado
New Mexico
United States District Court for the District of Colorado
United States District Court for the District of New Mexico
J.D., University of Missouri Kansas City School of Law
B.S., University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana
Overview
James Nechleba serves as regulatory counsel at Vicente LLP. In this role, he assists clients with understanding rules and regulations surrounding the establishment of cannabis-based businesses and provides guidance to ensure continuity of compliance. His guiding principle is that attorneys protect clients by educating the public, and to that end, handle licensing applications of all sorts, local and state inquiries, administrative hearings, and appellate issues.
In 2023, James was recognized by his peers in the "Best Lawyers" list for his work in cannabis law.
Prior to joining Vicente LLP, James spent his legal career in administrative and regulatory practice in every capacity of consequence: legislative, executive, quasi-judicial, and private legal advocacy. In the New Mexico State Legislature, he drafted and edited proposed bills and amendments for elected state officials, including extremely consequential funding mechanisms for the state’s budding cannabis licensing program. He revised New Mexico’s employment regulations governing cannabis businesses and provided necessary oversight to their administrative court. James also has the rare distinction of being a former hearing officer for the Colorado Department of Revenue—the agency responsible for regulating and adjudicating state-level cannabis licensing disputes. In private practice, James found a niche in administrative litigation of state licensing matters before the Colorado Department of Revenue, as well as the appellate practice of administrative decisions affecting licensure.
James is active and dedicated to the holistic betterment of Colorado legal practices through advocacy of comprehensive understanding of administrative law. He regularly teaches continuing legal education courses to the Colorado Bar Association to develop members’ skills before state adjudicators, and even held a course before the Colorado Department of Revenue’s Hearings Division to improve their adjudicators’ insight of the scope and depth of their legal power and authority. James joined Vicente LLP because he understood that the “tip of the spear” in nearly all adversarial interactions individuals and businesses have with the government, whether cannabis-based or not, stem from administrative and regulatory issues.
Recognition
- Super Lawyers - Rising Stars, Colorado, 2023
- Best Lawyers, Cannabis Law, 2023
Publications
VS Insights
-
Author, "How to Navigate New Mexico’s Local Cannabis Zoning Laws," September 20, 2022
-
Author, "Cannabis Retail License Restrictions in New Mexico: What Cannabusinesses Need to Know About 'Deli-style' Services," September 14, 2022
-
Author, "Cannabis in New Mexico: Understanding Water Sources & Regulations," September 1, 2022
-
Author, "Psychedelics and Mental Health Therapy in Colorado: DORA and Potential Regulatory Response," October 6, 2021
External Publications
-
Co-author, "Colorado Department of Revenue v. Rowland, 408 P.3d 458, Amicus Curiae Brief," 2018
- Co-author, "Colorado DUI Defense: the Law and Practice, 2nd Ed.," 2017
Events
- Speaker, Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, "CENTURIONS | APEX - IUC: OPPORTUNITIES & CHALLENGES OF LEGAL MARIJUANA,” Kansas, April 18, 2023
- Speaker, Colorado Department of Revenue - Hearings Division Continuing Legal Education Seminar, "Appreciating Issues of Fact: Adjudicator Considerations During Administrative Litigation,” Denver, February 08, 2022
- Speaker, Vicente Sederberg LLP, "Spotlight on Colorado's Cannabis Market,” Webinar, November 10, 2021
- Speaker, Vicente Sederberg LLP, "From CEP to SIP: Social Impact Plans and Annual Reports for Denver Cannabis Businesses,” Webinar, July 07, 2021
- Presenter, Colorado Department of Revenue - Hearings Division, "Principality and Power: An Expansive Understanding of the Administrative Law Judge as Trier of Fact,” Denver, June 15, 2020