DETROIT, MI, November 05, 2020 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Thomas MJ Lavigne, JD, has been inducted into Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Thomas MJ Lavigne, JD, initially studied engineering at Wayne State University on a rowing scholarship. After winning the nationals in rowing (1982 Pair w/o coxswain), he decided to study advanced transcendental meditation and the core course program at Maharishi International University where he played soccer and met several lawyers who helped to establish the university. He was inspired to switch career paths. He received a Bachelor of Arts in English from Wayne State University and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the Michigan State University College of Law. He is admitted to practice law in Michigan, Hawaii (inactive), North Carolina (inactive), the U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan, the District of Hawaii, the Eastern and Central Districts of North Carolina, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the sixth, fourth and ninth circuits. Mr. Lavigne began his career at the Law Offices of Anthony P. Locricchio, in Hawaii, doing mostly pro bono work for indigenous farmers' land rights and also litigating cases on behalf of tracts of homeowners under Hawaii's Land Reform Act. Doing God's work with Locricchio gave Lavigne the opportunity to know his deceased brother Jimmy Lavigne better as they had been Catholic Priests together; Jimmy was a priest at an all African American church on 12th Street in Detroit during the 1967 race rebellion. Mr. Lavigne practiced law in North Carolina for four years and then joined the law firm of Riecker, Van Dam, Barker & Black, in Midland, Michigan. He was then hired as General Counsel for IDEACore LLC in Birmingham, Michigan, where he led the team to successfully obtain a software patent and negotiated with Fortune 500 companies and governments in the licensing of advanced decision and design support software as a service. After reading Jack Herer's book "The Emperor Wears No Clothes" as a young lawyer in Hawaii, in 1989, Mr. Lavigne became involved in cannabis activism and started working on cannabis criminal defense cases. When marijuana became legal in Michigan, Mr. Lavigne joined the Cannabis Counsel® Law Firm, where he now serves as managing partner.
Over the years, Mr. Lavigne has gained expertise in cannabis business law, litigation, regulatory compliance, technology licensing, and intellectual property. On a daily basis, he helps cannabis businesses pursue licensing in order to make the application process simpler. He also helps with real estate transactions, litigation disputes and municipalities. Outside of his primary work, he also serves as a speaker in his field, and he has written a dozen articles for Marijuana Trade Magazines and a few articles and presentations for the State Bar of Michigan and conferences. In 2018, he was presented with the Pioneers Award from the State Bar of Michigan for his involvement in legalizing marijuana. He has attributed his professional success to his parents and loving family, who always provided unconditional love and allowed him to develop a strong foundation before embarking on his own career path. Mr. Lavigne maintains professional affiliation with the State Bar of Michigan Cannabis Law Section, on which he serves as Secretary Treasurer and the Leadership Council, the International Cannabis Bar Association, and as a Lifetime Member of the National Legal Committee of NORML. He has also been civically involved in successfully legalizing cannabis in Michigan for Adult-Use as Secretary of the Board of MILegalize the grassroots member of the coalition to regulate marijuana like alcohol, MINORML, Repeal Today, National Cannabis Industries Association, Michigan Cannabis Industries Association and the Detroit Boat Club Rowing Crew, where he continues to compete as a Master.
About Marquis Who's Who®
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® now publishes many Who's Who titles, including Who's Who in America®, Who's Who in the World®, Who's Who in American Law®, Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare®, Who's Who in Science and Engineering®, and Who's Who in Asia®. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
# # #