Allison Hoots
Accord,New York
Summary
Analytical policy and legal professional familiar with reviewing regulations, legislation and policies. Excellent writing, presentation, and public speaking skills. Develops well-reasoned and detailed strategies and galvanizes alliance building and grassroots support.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Principal Attorney
Hoots Law Practice PLLC
2019.12 - Current
- Analysis of state and federal laws regulating through prohibition, authorization, and protection of the use of controlled substances and application to legal operational issues and agreements for clients
- Advise on a broad variety employment, corporate and business formation, contract and transactional, constitutional, and intellectual property legal matters
- Business formation and corporate operations and compliance, particularly limited liability companies, corporations, and non-profit entities
- Advise on employment law matters, including agreements, handbooks, trainings, policies, procedures, confidentiality, and termination
- Negotiation of disputes, settlements, and agreements
- Draft agreements, such as for informed consent and release of claims, services, retreats, property leasing, educational programs, and educational and training programs
- Analysis and implementation of corporate, operational, leasing, and employment strategies, corporate filings, establishment of procedures and protocol consistent with constitutional protections, such as right to religious exercise
- Advise on intellectual property issues with respect to copyright and trademark protection and draft agreements with the assignment of such rights
- Clients include licensed medical professionals; religious organizations and churches; non-profits in psychedelics space; cannabis-industry professionals; psychedelic program of private university; ketamine clinics and prescribers; psychopharmacology consultant; risk/harm reduction providers; coaches; consultants and training program providers for licensed professionals, coaches, religious practitioners, state authorized facilitators; literary industry; media companies; landscaping and high-end furniture service providers;
Policy Director
New Yorkers For Mental Health Alternatives
2023.03 - Current
- Working to counsel and develop regulatory and policy options for health alternatives, including a state legalization effort for access to psilocybin, in New York State
- Consult with policy makers, legislators, heads of state agencies, licensed professionals, attorneys, and other individuals involved in or affected by psychedelic state policy
- Analysis of existing and proposed state policy models to learn and adapt strategies
- Draft policy language to establish potential policy models.
President
Sacred Plant Alliance, Inc.
2023.01 - Current
- Working to operate all aspects of non-profit religious corporation that is incorporated as association of churches dedicated to mutual support and education and to the continued recognition of their right to religious exercise and ongoing legal protection of the sincere, safe, and ethical ceremonial use of plant medicine sacraments within the United States
- Development of membership, programming, policies, procedures, and fundraising
- Act as public facing representative in media interviews, conference panels, alliance building efforts with other non-profits, and advisory roles
- Analysis of laws applicable to organizations related to non-profit, religious organization, and association of churches to strategically operate and successfully fundraise for programming and advocacy.
Of Counsel
Plant Medicine Law Group LLP
2021.05 - 2023.04
- Advise clients on a broad variety of employment, corporate, constitutional, and intellectual property law matters in the industries of cannabis and psychedelics.
Counsel
Keightley & Ashner LLP
2017.08 - 2021.05
- Advise clients on broad variety of employment law matters and employee benefits law issues.
Investigator
U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefit Security Administration
2015.05 - 2017.06
- Conducted investigations of pension plans to determine compliance with ERISA
- Achievements: Selected to attend EBSA course: Criminal Violations and Accounting
- Member of EBSA Special Task Force: Research and analysis of Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.
Investigative Intern
Criminal Justice Clinic, Georgetown University Law Center
- Criminal Law Clinic – Law Student Program
Intern
City of Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office
- Municipal Court Division
Associate
Fox Rothschild LLP
2015.01 - 2015.03
- Advised private and public employers on establishment and administration of benefits under ERISA covered plans and conducted due diligence review for corporate transactions.
Associate
Keightley & Ashner LLP
2011.10 - 2014.12
- Advised clients on employment and employee benefits law
- Drafted variety of policies, procedures, and forms for employee handbooks and general human resources functionality.
Associate
Wagman, Hurwitz, & Dickman
2011.08 - 2011.10
- Assisted in representation of artists and creative organizations
- Continuation of position and duties performed at Dickman Entertainment Associate, LLC.
Law Clerk
Dickman Entertainment Associates, LLC
2010.10 - 2011.08
- Assisted in representation of artists and creative organizations to advise on copyright and trademark law.
Law Clerk
Law Office of Lloyd Zane Remick/Zane Management, Inc.
2010.06 - 2010.10
- Assisted in representation of individuals in music, radio, television/film, sports, publishing industries to advise on corporate and trademark law.
Law Clerk
Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission
2009.08 - 2010.04
- Researched law and reviewed complaints to determine probable cause under Pennsylvania Human Relations Act and other state anti-discrimination statutes; draft responses.
Intern
New York State Division of Human Rights
2006.05 - 2006.09
- Worked on review of potential violations of the New York State Human Rights Law.
Education
Juris Doctorate, Bachelor of Arts -
05.2011
Skills
- Legal Knowledge, Research, and Analysis
- Policy Analysis and Compliance Skills
- Analytical Reasoning
- Relationship Building
- Strategic Planning
- Public speaking
Leadership Positions
- Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines, Inc., Member of the Council for the Protection of Sacred Plants, 05/2021, Present
- Sacred Plant Alliance, Inc., Member of Board of Directors, 12/2021, Present
- Sacred Plant Alliance, Inc., Treasurer, 12/2021, 01/2023
- Sacred Plant Alliance, Inc., Member of Steering Committee, 04/2020, 01/2023
- Brooklyn Psychedelic Society, Inc., Member of Board of Directors, To be May 2024, Present
- Alliance for a Viable Future, Inc., Member of Advisory Board, 04/2019, Present
- American Bar Association, Tax Section, Defined Benefit Plan Subcommittee Co-Chair, 10/2019, 05/2021
- American Bar Association, Tax Section, Co-Vice Chair, 06/2016, 10/2019
- American Bar Association, Tax Section, Young Lawyer Liaison, 06/2013, 06/2016
- American Bar Association, Labor & Employment Section, Subcommittee Co-Chair of the Employee Benefits Committee (EBC), Midwinter Meeting 2016-2017
- American Bar Association, Labor & Employment Section, Contributor to Employee Benefits Law treatise update, Midwinter Meeting 2016-2017
Publications And Media
- Upcoming: Presenter, Horizons – Perspectives on Psychedelics Conference NYC 2024: The Legalities of Religious Use of Psychedelics in the US., May 2024
- Upcoming: Panelist, NYC Bar Association: New York State Psychedelic Law Reform. Panelists to include Brett Waters, Senator Nathalia Fernandez, Yarelix Estrada, Assembly Member Pat Burke., June 2024
- Upcoming: Co-Author, To be titled: Chapter on Legal Issues in Practice of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy. Co-authored with Ismail Lourido Ali. Publication Date to be Determined.
- Past: Panelist, Chacruna Institute – Psychedelic Culture Conference 2024: Sacred Plant Alliance: Religious Freedom and Legal Protections in the Plant Medicine Space., April 2024
- Past: Panel Moderator, Chacruna Institute – Psychedelic Culture Conference 2024: Guide to RFRA: Protecting Psychedelic Churches through Legal and Ethical Practices., April 2024
- Past: Panelist, Chacruna Community Forum: “Cultivating Change through Decolonial Dialogues.” Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines., April 2024
- Past: Panelist, Psychedelic Intersections: Cross-cultural Manifestations of the Sacred Conference 2024: “Psychedelic Spirituality and the Underground.” Center for the Study of World Religions and the Harvard Psychedelics Project at Harvard Divinity School., February 2024
- Past: Panelist, Psychedelic Safety Seminar 5: Allison Hoots and Brian Holoyda. Hosted by Jules Evans’ Ecstatic Integration., February 2024
- Past: Interview, Praying to a HIGH-er power! By Miles Dilworth, DailyMail., January 2023
- Past: Panelist, Psychedelic Churches and Taxes: Supporting Religious Rights with the DEA and IRS. Chacruna Institute., November 2023
- Past: Interview, UC Berkeley’s The Microdose: Psychedelic churches and the law: 5 Questions for attorney Allison Hoots. November 2023.
- Past: Co-Author, Chacruna Institute Files Amicus Brief in Support of Sacramental Churches’ Rights under RFRA Appeal. Chacruna Institute., October 2023
- Past: Attorney on Record, Representing Amici Curiae: Chacruna Institute and Sacred Plant Alliance. Amicus Brief in Appeal: Iowaska Church of Healing vs IRS and US. October 2023.
- Past: Presenter, PhilaDelic Conference on the Interdisciplinary Frontiers of Psychedelic Studies: Freedom of Religion and Psychedelics. Penn Psychedelic Collaborative, University of Pennsylvania., July 2023
- Past: Presenter, MAPS Psychedelic Science 2023: Do's and Don'ts of Filing a RFRA Lawsuit - Religious Use Claims and Defenses., June 2023
- Past: Presenter, MAPS Psychedelic Science 2023: Sacred Plant Alliance: The Mission and Vision of a Self-Regulating Association of Psychedelic Churches., June 2023
- Past: Workshop Presenter, MAPS Psychedelic Science 2023: “Best Practices for Legally Protecting Sincere Psychedelic Medicine Churches.”, June 2023
- Past: Podcast Guest, Psychedelics Today: MAPS Conference Psychedelic Morning Show #2 with Joe Moore and Anne Philippi. June 2023.
- Past: Podcast Guest, The Mindfulness Experience: MAPS Psychedelic Science 2023 Partnership Episode - Laws & Sacramental Worship. Hosted by Keith Fiveson. May 2023.
- Past: Podcast Guest, The Psychedelic Entrepreneur Podcast: Psychedelics, the Law & the RFRA with Allison Hoots of the Sacred Plant Alliance. Hosted by Beth Weinstein. May 2023.
- Past: Podcast Guest, Psychedelica Lex: Allison Hoots, Esq. Talks Trip Sitting and Retreat Risks and Liabilities. With Gary Smith. May 2023.
- Past: Interview, Praying to a HIGH-er power! By Miles Dilworth, DailyMail. January 2023.
- Past: Panelist, Psychedelic Churches and Taxes: Supporting Religious Rights with the DEA and IRS. Chacruna Institute. November 2023.
- Past: Interview, Church are providing psychedelics to their followers. Is that legal? The Psychedelic Renaissance by Marc Gunther. October 2022.
- Past: Lead Author, Chacruna’s Guide to RFRA and Best Practices for Psychedelic Plant Medicine Churches. Published November 2021.
- Past: CLE Presenter, Protecting the Use of Psychedelic Sacraments under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Inside Practice. October 2021.
- Past: Co-Author, Erisa Litigation. By Zanglein, Frolik, and Stabile. Fifth Edition, 2015 Supplement, and 2016 Supplement.
- Past: Panelist, ABA Tax Section Meeting: Tax Bridge to Practice – Introduction to Employee Benefits” May 2013.
Bar Admissions
- New York, 12/2018
- District of Columbia, 04/2013
- Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 12/2011
Timeline
Policy Director
New Yorkers For Mental Health Alternatives
2023.03 - Current
President
Sacred Plant Alliance, Inc.
2023.01 - Current
Of Counsel
Plant Medicine Law Group LLP
2021.05 - 2023.04
Principal Attorney
Hoots Law Practice PLLC
2019.12 - Current
Counsel
Keightley & Ashner LLP
2017.08 - 2021.05
Investigator
U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefit Security Administration
2015.05 - 2017.06
Associate
Fox Rothschild LLP
2015.01 - 2015.03
Associate
Keightley & Ashner LLP
2011.10 - 2014.12
Associate
Wagman, Hurwitz, & Dickman
2011.08 - 2011.10
Law Clerk
Dickman Entertainment Associates, LLC
2010.10 - 2011.08
Law Clerk
Law Office of Lloyd Zane Remick/Zane Management, Inc.
2010.06 - 2010.10
Law Clerk
Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission
2009.08 - 2010.04
Intern
New York State Division of Human Rights
2006.05 - 2006.09
Investigative Intern
Criminal Justice Clinic, Georgetown University Law Center
Intern
City of Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office
Juris Doctorate, Bachelor of Arts -
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