California marijuana startups trading equity stakes for legal help, real estate
(WorldNews Business)

Some attorneys, landlords and other service providers in California are quietly taking equity stakes in cannabis startups in lieu of cash fees - a practice that many say comes with ethical and legal risks. Equity payouts can solve two problems at once. They can lower the initial costs and other barriers to item for entrepreneurs struggling to join California´s emerging cannabis market. They also can offer some assurance, and the potential for a big payout, to service providers who work with an industry that´s legal in California but remains illegal under federal law. It´s a practice that´s not uncommon in the tech industry. Tales of lottery-style wealth - such as the story of a graffiti...