Aleece Burgio is widely recognized as one of the state’s foremost legal authorities on cannabis business law. She has years of experience advising companies and other organizations in the rapidly growing and changing adult-use cannabis industry.
Aleece previously served as general counsel and strategic advisor with MariJade Industries/MJI Solutions. Prior to this, she was the cannabis service team leader for Barclay Damon, where she oversaw 16 cross‐disciplinary attorneys who represented individuals and organizations participating in or impacted by legal cannabis operations. She began her career as an associate attorney with Green Light Law Group in Portland, Ore., assisting businesses entering that state’s recreational and medical cannabis markets.
Aleece’ s experience has been called upon many times, with dozens of media, conference, podcast, publication and other speaking appearances among her credits. She currently serves on the Cannabis Advisory Council of Niagara County Community College; as a Policy Committee Member of the Cannabis Association of New York; as Program Executive Chair of the New York State Bar Association Cannabis Section; and as a member of the Buffalo Cannabis Working Group. She also previously served as chair of the New York State Bar Association Cannabis Committee; and treasurer of the Oregon State Bar Cannabis Section. She has also served as an adjunct instructor for the University at Buffalo’s School of Law (her alma mater), teaching the course, “The Green Rush,” to prepare students to practice cannabis law in New York state.
Education
• St. Bonaventure University, degree, 2012
• University at Buffalo School of Law, J.D., 2015
Admitted to Practice:
• New York State
• Oregon
Membership and Community Involvement
• Cannabis Advisory Council, Niagara County Community College, 2023‐Present
• Policy Committee Member, Cannabis Association of New York, 2022‐Present
• Program Executive Chair, NYS Bar Association Cannabis Section, 2022‐Present
• Member, Buffalo Cannabis Working Group Nov. 2021‐Present
• Chair, NYS Bar Association Cannabis Committee, 2017‐2021
• Treasurer, Oregon State Bar Cannabis Section 2016–2017
Awards and Acknowledgements
• Recipient, PoliticsNY Cannabis Industry Power Player, 2022 & 2023
• Recipient, New York Law Journal Trailblazer Award 2020
• Recipient, Buffalo Business First 30 Under 30 Award, 2018