There’s a lot at stake in Denver’s municipal election on April 4. For the first time in 12 years Denver will have a new mayor and there will be a minimum of five new city council members. Real Estate Shareholders Blair Lichtenfels and Zach Siegel come together to get us up-to-date on the election, the inevitable runoff and the impact we’re seeing from the Fair Election Fund that was passed by Denver votes in 2018.

Brownstein Podcasts

Denver’s 2023 Municipal Election

Our 2023 Health Care Business Panel looked at the top threats and opportunities in health care right now. The panelists covered the business outlook and dealmaking recalibration that is taking place in the health care industry, the regulatory power of the Biden administration and how they are looking to change health care, as well as antitrust issues, drug imports, telemedicine, generative AI and learnings from COVID-19.

Moderator:
Mike King, shareholder at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

Panelists:
Nadeam Elshami, policy director at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
Alex Geier, managing director at GLC Advisors & Co. 
Deema Tarazi, senior policy advisor and counsel at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

Brownstein Podcast Series

Brownstein Health Care Business Panel 2023: Threats and Opportunities

When Biden announced moves last year to reform cannabis, most thought it was just virtue signaling. Then, late last month, the Department of Health and Human Services surprised the entire industry with a recommendation to reclassify cannabis from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3 under the Controlled Substances Act. A few weeks later, the Congressional Research Service predicted the DEA would follow that recommendation “if past is prologue." And most recently, a perennially debated bipartisan bill that would open up banking options to the cannabis industry passed a key Senate committee for the first time. How long will the DEA process take? Will they follow HHS’s recommendation or go for a middle-of-the-road option? Will the SAFER Banking Act survive further votes in the full Senate and Republican-controlled House? How will this impact the nation’s $33 billion cannabis industry? Tune in as shareholder Joshua Weiss and policy advisor Osiris Morel discuss recent developments and predict where we go from here.

Rescheduling Cannabis and SAFER Banking: More Substance Than Show?

On Sept. 31, 2023, a collection of federal subsidies for childcare expired. The loss of this funding has sent state and local governments, along with operators and patrons of childcare businesses, scrambling for answers on how this will affect organizations focused on early childhood development. Today members of Brownstein and the Early Care & Education Consortium teams will discuss the status of programs affected by the subsidies cliff, how it may impact stakeholders and possible solutions for policymakers.

Over the Childcare Cliff

Colorado voters have a choice this November: trade relief from increasing property tax rates in exchange for smaller refunds for all taxpayers. If approved, Proposition HH would reduce assessed property valuations for the next 10 years and backfill lost revenues to local governments by allowing the state to retain more tax revenue from TABOR refunds. Before you vote your ballot, take a listen as Brownstein’s Caitlin Quander and Andi Stader go over the particulars of the ballot question, impacts on commercial real estate, how it implicates TABOR and how it would effect education funding and rent relief.

Colorado Prop HH: Property Tax Relief vs. TABOR

‘Tis the season for office holiday parties! These events present a once-a-year opportunity to boost employee morale and reward workers for another great year, but they can also open employers to a number of litigation risks and liability headaches. Take a listen as employment shareholders Kayla Dreyer and Luke Glisan discuss the most important questions for employers—from serving alcohol and time of day to mandatory attendance and inclusivity concerns—and the best strategies to avoid the biggest risks when planning end-of-year festivities.

Libations and Liability at the Office Holiday Party

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has released new rules, through the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA) (pronounced sa-brief-a) process, that would drastically change the landscape of credit reporting. The regulations would heavily restrict credit reporting agencies’ ability to use medical debt in determining credit scores of borrowers, as well as expand the definition of credit reporters which will likely have measurable effects on internet content providers. Shareholders Leah Dempsey and Sarah Auchterlonie are joined by Ph.D. economist Andrew Nigrinis to discuss the background of these guardrails, how they may affect different industries and what legal and political challenges these rules face.

New CFPB Rules Push the Credit Limit

A pending loan maturity date can raise many issues, including hurdles with loan modification negotiations, the need for additional equity, and the potential for rescue or alternative capital as a loan exit strategy. Tune in for a discussion with industry and legal professionals on these topics and the current lending and refinancing market to learn how to best position yourself for a positive outcome.

Real Estate Financing: Your Loan Is Maturing ... Now What?

Well-meaning businesses that utilize independent contractors face a host of challenges in today’s evolving legal landscape. Join Brownstein employment Shareholders Kayla Dreyer and Luke Glisan, and Associate Russell Kalvelage, for a fresh look at employee classification and learn the risks of misclassification in an increasingly hostile environment. This discussion provides employers, HR professionals and in-house counsel with the knowledge they need to accurately classify independent contractors.

Denver’s 2023 Municipal Election

Brownstein Podcast Series

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