Minnesota
Wisconsin
South Dakota
North Dakota
California
J.D., University of California - Hastings College of the Law
B.A., University of Wisconsin - Madison
Overview
Jason Tarasek serves as counsel at Vicente LLP and manages the firm's Minnesota office. He assists hemp, cannabinoid, medical-marijuana and adult-use cannabis clients throughout the Upper Midwest. With more than 20 years of legal experience as a transactional attorney and litigator, he has handled hundreds of civil-litigation matters and first-chaired several trials in state courts and federal courts throughout the Upper Midwest.
In 2023, Jason advocated for Minnesota’s passage of an adult-use cannabis bill. Over the course of several months, Jason worked closely with chief bill authors Sen. Lindsey Port, Rep. Zack Stephenson and legislative staff to fine-tune the landmark legislation.
In 2022, Jason successfully lobbied in favor of Minnesota’s “hemp-derived THC” law, working closely with Majority Leader Ryan Winkler, Rep. Heather Edelson, Republican senators, and a team of other talented lobbyists to draft and negotiate the terms of the groundbreaking legislation. Previously, Jason served as Minnesota Political Director for the Marijuana Policy Project, where he helped draft legislation to legalize adult-use marijuana in Minnesota and helped guide the bill to the state’s first-ever legislative hearing on a cannabis legalization bill. He is also a former board member of the Cannabis Industry Association of South Dakota.
Jason is a frequent speaker on legal issues related to hemp, cannabinoids, and marijuana, and in 2020 he served as an adjunct professor at Mitchell Hamline Law School, where he co-taught a seminar titled “Marijuana and the Law.” He has been repeatedly named to the list of Super Lawyers, an honor bestowed on only the top 5% of attorneys in Minnesota.
Jason received his J.D. from the University of California – Hastings College of the Law, and his B.A. from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He is admitted to the state bar associations in Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota, North Dakota, and California.
Experience
- Minnesota Cannabis Association, Board of Directors, 2019-2022
- Cannabis Industry Association of South Dakota, Board of Directors, 2020-2022
- Youth sports coach (basketball and baseball)
Recognition
- Super Lawyers: 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023
- Named Twin Cities Business “100 to Watch” for 2023
Publications
Insights
- Co-author, "Minnesota’s Proposed Cannabis Legislation Would Provide Early-Mover Licensing Opportunities for Social Equity Business Applicants," March 12, 2024
- Author, "Minnesota Cannabis Regulators Announce Plans to Launch Adult-Use Dispensaries by Summer 2024," February 2, 2024
- Author, "Minnesota Cannabis Grant Programs Aim to Help Entrepreneurs Succeed and Promote Social Equity," October 23, 2023
Events
- Speaker, Minnesota Festival and Events Association (MNFEA) 2024 Annual Conference, "The Legalization of Cannabis & Events,” St. Louis Park, March 22, 2024
- Speaker, 18th Annual Appellate Practice Institute, "What Appellate Attorneys Need to Know About Cannabis - Regulatory Framework, Issues on Appeals, Impact on Criminal Law and Expungements,” Minneapolis, February 23, 2024
- Speaker, 2024 Cannabis Law Update, "Cannabis Chronicles: Updates and Insights ,” Minneapolis, February 16, 2024
- Speaker, 2024 Cannabis Law Update, "Top 10 Questions to Ask a Cannabis Attorney,” Minneapolis, February 16, 2024
- Speaker, Vicente LLP Minnesota Hemp & Cannabis Seminar, "How to succeed in Minnesota’s current hemp-derived THC market while preparing for upcoming adult-use cannabis opportunities.,” Minneapolis, October 19, 2023
- Speaker, Annual Convention of the Wisconsin Land Title Association , "Cannabis around us –Wisconsin's neighbors are beginning to legalize cannabis. What does that mean for Wisconsin?,” Wisconsin, September 14, 2023
- Speaker, Ramsey County Law Library CLE, "Upcoming changes in the law with the Cannabis legalization,” , August 09, 2023
- Speaker, Minnesota Cannabis Law Conference 2023, "The ABCs of Cannabis – What You Need to Know About Cannabis, Marijuana, Hemp, and THC to Understand the Impact of the New Cannabis Legislation,” Minneapolis, July 31, 2023
- Speaker, Minnesota Board of Dentistry , "Public Board Meeting,” Online, July 14, 2023
- Speaker, Trail Magic Retailer Party, "Discussion of Minnesota's new adult-use cannabis legalization bill,” Minneapolis, June 12, 2023
In the Media
- Cultivated Media, "Jason Tarasek of Vicente LLP Unveils Minnesota's Cannabis Path Forward | Key Insights #shorts," March 13, 2024
- Hennepin Lawyer Magazine, "Got THC? Until Minnesota beings issuing licenses for adult use cannabis the hemp derived product market will continue to flourish," February 5, 2024
- CBS News - Minnesota, "State cannabis officials want Minnesota legislature to consider temporary licenses to meet market launch goal," February 4, 2024
- Twin Cities Business, "Audit IDs Missteps in Botched Cannabis Czar Appointment," January 25, 2024
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "How would Wisconsin medical marijuana compare to Minnesota? A cannabis attorney breaks it down.," January 17, 2024
- WKOW.com, "Capital City Sunday: GOP medical marijuana proposal, Wisconsinites' tax burden still near historic low," January 14, 2024
- Forbes, "Wisconsin GOP Releases Details Of Medical Marijuana Legalization Bill," January 9, 2024
- Kare11.com, "Minnesota starts crafting rules for cannabis industry as permanent director position is still open," December 27, 2023
- MJBizDaily, "page 74 “Ope. Minnesota’s low-dose THC beverage market is booming.”," December 8, 2023
- Cultivated Media, "Minnesota's Cannabis Future: Jason Tarasek of Vicente and the Unique Legalization Path & What's Next," December 4, 2023