Professionals

Duncan Delano

646.442.2947

duncan@emergelawgroup.com

EDUCATION

Lewis & Clark Law School, JD, magna cum laude (2010)

Boston College, BS in Environmental Geosciences (2005)

ADMISSIONS

Connecticut (pending)

New Jersey

New York

PRACTICE AREAS

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Industries

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Duncan Delano is the managing partner of Emerge Law Group’s New York and New Jersey offices. Duncan is a cannabis regulatory, commercial real estate, and general business lawyer with 12 years of experience practicing law.

Duncan represents cannabis startups and other entrepreneurs in forming, operating, and growing their businesses. With the legalization of adult-use cannabis in New York and New Jersey, Duncan assists clients with state regulatory compliance and licensing in the adult-use cannabis industry in both states, representing cultivators, processors, wholesalers, distributors, retail dispensaries, and delivery services in obtaining and maintaining their cannabis licenses.

Under Duncan’s leadership, Emerge has helped obtain over 75 state and local cannabis licenses and approvals in New Jersey over the past year.

In New York, Duncan and his team represent over a dozen Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (“CAURD”) license holders and obtained two of the first 36 CAURD licenses awarded. Duncan guides these clients and prospective license applicants—as well as investors, multi-state operators, landlords, and ancillary businesses—through the choppy waters of the newly regulated market in the Empire State.

Duncan also represents institutional and non-traditional lenders, borrowers, developers, funds and commercial landlords and tenants in a variety of commercial real estate transactions, including mortgage and mezzanine financing and syndications, joint ventures, commercial leasing, and acquisitions and dispositions of real property and debt.

Prior to opening the New York and New Jersey offices of Emerge in August 2021, Duncan spent seven years as a commercial real estate transactional lawyer at Haynes & Boone LLP and Schulte Roth and Zabel LLP.

Activities

Professional Memberships

BNI, Manhattan Chapter 30, Member (2021 – Present)

Oregon State Bar Environmental & Natural Resources Section, Executive Committee (2012 – 2014)

Community Activities

iMentor, Volunteer Mentor (2015–Present)

Haynes and Boone Asylum Rights Project, Pro Bono Attorney (2017–2021)

Portland Southeast Legal Clinic, Pro Bono Attorney (2011–2014)

Speaking Engagements

February 18, 2022
Webinar
Emerge Law Group
Tri-State Regulatory Roundup

Representative Matters
  • Represented rural New Jersey landlord operating a farm and wedding event venue in leasing a portion of its property to a large-scale cannabis cultivator. Negotiated and secured favorable lease terms, including portions of gross revenue and above-market rent, in addition to protection from cannabis operation liabilities.
  • Secured 2 of the first 36 Conditional Adult Use Dispensary (“CAURD”) licenses issued in New York City. Each client is a social equity licensee, majority owned by persons who have been arrested and harmed by the war on drugs. Successfully guided each client through ever-changing and highly regulated approval processes, as New York opens its cannabis markets. Ongoing legal counsel for clients operating adult use retail (brick and mortar, and delivery) operations around the City.
  • Won local approval for former clothing manufacturer and entrepreneur client in connection with micro business cultivator and manufacturer in Ewing Township, New Jersey after receiving state cannabis licenses. Client will be cultivating and distributing throughout New Jersey.
  • Helped client operating in Atlantic City to receive 1 of the first 6 large tier cultivation licenses issued in New Jersey. The client is now vertically integrating and will have cultivation, manufacturing, retail, and consumption within city limits.
  • After securing a New Jersey conditional license, earned unanimous approval from Jersey City’s Cannabis Control Board (“CCB”) for cannabis business operated by multigenerational New Jersey family. Ongoing advice and counsel in connection with Planning Board and City Council approval process.
Outside of the Office

Duncan is fluent in Spanish. In his leisure time, Duncan enjoys skiing, surfing, golfing, traveling, and playing soccer, softball, and basketball. Most of his time, however, is spent playing with his four daughters.

Duncan’s Blogs & News