Ethan Nadelmann Joins PKF OConnor Davies as Cannabis Practice Consultant

By Sarah Bendorf.
Updated Sep 20, 2021

NEW YORK (PRWEB) September 20, 2021 - PKF OConnor Davies, LLP, one of the nations largest accounting, tax, and advisory firms, today announced that Ethan Nadelmann has agreed to serve as a Consultant to the Firms Cannabis practice. Dubbed the real drug czar by Rolling Stone, Nadelmann is widely regarded as the foremost proponent of drug policy reform in the United States and around the world. His consulting role supplements the Firms proven valuation, tax, accounting, and business advisory services with decades of extensive, in-depth industry knowledge to provide clients holistic support that addresses all aspects of their cannabis and CBD ventures.

The cannabis space, as with most emerging industries, is full of opportunity and uncertainty. Our clients rely on our teams unparalleled expertise to help navigate this evolving landscape, said Kevin J. Keane, Managing Partner at PKF OConnor Davies. With decades of experience shaping drug policy on the national and international stage, Ethans insights will prove invaluable in these efforts, especially as public opinion around cannabis and its legalization continues to shift.

Nadelmanns involvement in drug policy reform advocacy began while teaching politics and public affairs at Princeton University from 1987 to 1994. He then founded, in 1994, a drug policy institute, The Lindesmith Center. In 2000, the growing institute merged with the Drug Policy Foundation to form the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), the worlds leading drug policy reform organization, where Nadelmann served as executive director until 2017.

Nadelmann and his colleagues have been at the forefront of dozens of ballot initiatives and legislative campaigns to legalize marijuana, from the first successful statewide medical marijuana initiative in 1996 (Prop 215 in California) to victories for broader legalization in California and other states in 2016. He has played a key role as drug policy advisor to prominent philanthropists and elected officials ranging from mayors, governors, and state and federal legislators in the U.S. to presidents and cabinet ministers abroad.

Nadelmann is a respected drug policy scholar and the author of two books on the internationalization of criminal law enforcement. He holds a Bachelor of Arts, Juris Doctor, and PhD in Political Science from Harvard University, as well as a masters degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics. His writings have appeared in most major media outlets in the U.S. as well as top academic journals, policy journals, and political publications. He has spoken publicly in approximately 40 states and 40 countries, and his TED Talk on ending the drug war has over two million views, with translations into 28 languages.

This is my first involvement with a for-profit organization, said Nadelmann. Im very proud of the roles my colleagues and I played in advancing the legalization of marijuana in the U.S. and abroad. When I stepped down from running the DPA four years ago, I was reluctant to jump from my decades of non-profit advocacy to a for-profit engagement. But this new consultancy feels like the right fit for me now, in good part because I developed such a favorable impression of this Firm working with them as I built the DPA.

Our arrangement began with a call this summer from Tom Blaney, whom Id known and respected since the early 2000s as co-head of the Private Foundation practice at PKF OConnor Davies but who also serves on the Firms governance committee (which essentially ensures the Firms commitment to achieving the highest standards of quality and objectivity), Nadelmann added. I learned that the Firm is among the few big accounting firms that has a substantial marijuana industry practice, and was subsequently impressed by Blaneys two colleagues who direct that practice, Jeffrey Gittler and Noam Hirschberger.

It's important, as a matter of both principle and practice, that companies small and large operate according to the highest standards not just for their own sake but for the reputation of this nascent but booming industry, said Nadelmann. The rules, however, are ever more complex, not least given inconsistencies in federal, state, and local regulations, which is why companies require a comprehensive support structure committed to their financial and strategic wellbeing. If PKF OConnor Davies advises and cares for its clients in the marijuana industry as well as they did for me and the DPA, which I fully expect them to do, those clients will be optimally served.

Located throughout the East Coast, PKF OConnor Davies has 14 offices in six states and continues to expand through organic growth and acquisitions. It has supported this growth with a strategic combination of promoting from within coupled with an ongoing focus on top-tier external hires.

About PKF OConnor Davies, LLP

PKF OConnor Davies, LLP is a full-service certified public accounting and advisory firm with a long history of serving clients both domestically and internationally. With roots tracing to 1891, 14 offices in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, Florida, and Rhode Island and more than 1,000 professionals led by over 100 partners, the Firm provides a complete range of accounting, auditing, tax, and management advisory services.

PKF OConnor Davies is a top-ranked firm, according to Accounting Todays 2021 Top 100 Firms list and was recently recognized as one of Americas Best Tax Firms by Forbes. In additional 2021 rankings, PKF O'Connor Davies was named one of Vault's Accounting 50, a ranking of the 50 best accounting employers to work for in North America and ranked among the top 50 most prestigious accounting firms in America in a complementary Vault survey. The Firm is the 12th largest accounting firm in the New York Metropolitan area, according to Crains New York Business, and the 10th top accounting firm in New Jersey according to NJBIZs 2019 rankings. PKF OConnor Davies is enrolled in the AICPA Peer Review Program and has central memberships in the Private Companies Practice Section (PCPS), the Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality Center (EBPAQC), Government Audit Quality Center (GAQC), and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB).

By consistently delivering proactive, thorough, and efficient service, PKF O'Connor Davies has built long-lasting, valuable relationships with its clients. Partners are closely involved in the day-to-day management of engagements, ensuring a high degree of client service and cost effectiveness. The Firms seasoned professional staff members employ a team approach to all engagements to provide clients with the utmost quality and timely services aimed at helping them succeed. Continuity of staffing and attention to detail in all client engagements make the Firm stand out among its competitors.

PKF OConnor Davies is the lead North American representative of the international association of PKF member firms. PKF International is a network of legally independent member firms providing accounting, tax, and business advisory services in over 400 locations in 150 countries around the world. With its tradition, experience, and focus on the future, PKF OConnor Davies is ready to help clients meet todays ever-changing economic conditions and manage the growing complexities of the regulatory environment. For more information, visit http://www.PKFOD.com.