Nicole Howell (she/her) practices law, inquiry, meditation, journeying, and being here now. She is the co-founder of Clark Howell LLP, California’s leading women-stewarded law firm serving the cannabis and hemp industries and leaning into discussions around the culture and ethics of psychedelics legalization and commercialization. As decriminalization and research efforts expand across California and the nation for plant-based and other historically misunderstood compounds, Clark Howell LLP is actively engaged in the conversation and helping to shape policy that emphasizes open source, ethical business models, and the reimagining of a new role for capitalism in commercialization.

Nicole has been working against prohibitionist drug laws since the beginning of her career and is passionate about the cognitive, therapeutic, and spiritual healing that results from the perspective shift psychedelics provide. Today, Nicole’s sincere hope is to be a part of finding solutions to the question of how to harness “just enough” of the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit that exists in our culture and markets to fuel thoughtful access while not letting a free market, free-for-all swallow the movement whole. She believes unequivocally that when we show up with a beginner’s mind, and with curiosity, honesty, and generosity, we are capable – individually and collectively — of transformation beyond limit.

Nicole has been recognized as one of the top 75 “Most Important Women in Cannabis” by Cannabis Business Executive, of the “30 Most Powerful Cannabis Lawyers” by MG Magazine, annually ranked by Super Lawyers magazine since 2012, and recognized for several years running as an “Attorney to Watch” by Chambers and Partners USA. Nicole regularly speaks, teaches, and writes on the topics of cannabis and hemp law and business, and drug policy reform for plant medicines and other emerging therapeutics.

She is the Founding Board Co-Chair for the Psychedelic Bar Association and Board Rep to the Corporate Forms & Business Practices Committee, and serves on the board of the North Star Project.