Michael H. Sampson
Partner
“Michael Sampson has helped me in the past untangle some gnarly cannabis insurance issues. If you need help navigating cannabis insurance, there is no one better than Mike!” – Alissa Lipson Jubelirer, Co-Founder at CannaMatch
“[Mike gave] probably the most substantive insurance-related webinar for cannabis I’ve ever seen, they typically tend to be much more entry-level. Great stuff.” – Rich Golz, CIC Principal at Symphony Grow
Michael H. Sampson is a Partner with Leech Tishman and a member of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group, where he leads the Insurance Coverage Group. Mike also co-leads the Cannabis Industry Group. He is also a member of the Data Privacy & Cybersecurity, Emerging Cyber Technologies and Entertainment Industry Groups. Based in the Pittsburgh office, Mike represents diverse clients in a variety of complex civil and commercial litigation and other matters across the country, including, but not limited to, matters involving the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act and similar state statutes.
Mike focuses his insurance coverage practice on assisting policyholders across various industries to address and resolve complicated insurance coverage matters relating to commercial general liability policies, property insurance, management liability coverages, cyber policies, and many other types of insurance, such as hull and marine liability, specie insurance, and pollution liability insurance. He has helped policyholders address insurance coverage matters involving a wide range of subjects, including toxic torts, hurricane damage, COVID-19, fire, shootings, boat damage, and personal health care.
While Mike routinely counsels clients at various stages on a wide range of insurance coverage matters (including policy review, placement, and procurement, as well as claim submission, documentation, and resolution), a significant portion of his practice is dedicated to litigating coverage claims against insurance companies and/or third-party claims administrators.
Mike also regularly advises U.S. and international cannabis-related businesses, as well as ancillary businesses servicing the U.S. cannabis industry. He frequently helps clients in the state-compliant medical and adult-use cannabis, as well as the CBD and hemp markets, comply with U.S. federal law (in particular, the federal Controlled Substances Act), understand the potential for aiding-and-abetting liability, navigate the conflict between federal and state laws, adhere to applicable state regulations, and protect their contractual rights. Bridging his insurance coverage and cannabis law practices, Mike also routinely assists cannabis dispensaries, REITs, and other cannabis-related businesses with various insurance coverage and risk management matters, including, but not limited to, contractual risk transfer provisions.
