Our Team
Lauren Vázquez, Principal
Lauren Vázquez is the Fired Up Lawyer. She is a cannabis business attorney and social entrepreneur who has worked for over a decade to end cannabis prohibition and advance alternatives to the failed war on drugs. Lauren has practiced cannabis business law since 2009 and entered private practice in 2011. She has advised numerous cannabis companies and organizations. Lauren is a Professor at Oaksterdam University and previously served as the National Deputy Director of Communications for the Marijuana Policy Project. In 2016, Lauren was a Senior Advisor and Statewide Organizer for the successful Prop 64 Campaign that legalized cannabis in California.
Lauren started her reform work as a student activist in 2004 when she founded the UC Santa Barbara chapter of NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Under her leadership, the chapter ran the successful Measure P campaign, Santa Barbara’s Lowest Police Priority Ordinance for adult marijuana use. As an undergrad, Lauren also worked with expert medical cannabis physician David Bearman, M.D., assisting with research and patient services. In 2006, National NORML named Lauren Student Activist of the Year.
From 2006 to 2009 Lauren attended Santa Clara University’s School of Law where she studied with leading criminal defense attorney and medical cannabis advocate Gerald Uelmen. Lauren also interned with the Public Defender’s Office appearing on behalf of individuals in drug court. She continued her activism as President of the law school’s ACLU chapter and Co-chair of the Public Interest Social Justice Coalition.
Shortly after graduating law school, Lauren founded the Silicon Valley chapter of Americans for Safe Access (ASA) helping to launch a $50 million cannabis industry in San Jose. She organized patients, community members, and industry leaders to lobby the city council to allow storefront dispensaries. She also worked as an associate with medical cannabis attorney James Anthony and was a legal researcher and political strategist for the medical cannabis consulting firm CannBe.
In 2011, Lauren Vázquez launched her private practice as the Fired Up Lawyer. She also created the nation’s first and only pro bono legal clinic for medical cannabis patients at SPARC collective in San Francisco. Lauren has been invited to speak at cannabis events across the country and has made numerous media appearances advocating for drug policy reform. Over the last decade, Lauren has helped lead us out of the dark ages of cannabis prohibition into the brave new world of legalization.
When she’s not saving the world, Lauren enjoys chilling with her kitty, going to music festivals, and generally loving life.
Lauren Payne, Client Licensing Manager and
Law Office Administrator
Lauren Payne has been a leader in the medical cannabis movement since 2006 and has over a decade of experience in cannabis licensing and compliance. She joined the Law Office in August 2020. Prior to that she was an independent licensing consultant and the Senior Regulatory Analyst for a major cannabis consulting company in Oakland. In those roles, Ms. Payne successfully secured highly competitive licenses in San Francisco, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Alameda, Maryland, Connecticut, Ohio, and more. She is intimately familiar with both local & state licensing requirements in California and has experience with other dual licensing states such as Nevada.
In her capacity as an independent consultant, Ms. Payne provided pro bono services to equity applicants. Most recently, she helped a team secure the contract to implement Oakland’s Equity Incubator program to provide shared kitchen space. She has also advocated to regulators and legislators regarding the desperate need to provide reparations through equity & training programs as well as removing the unnecessary barriers to entry into the cannabis industry.
For more than a decade Ms. Payne has worked with various medical cannabis organizations, patients, advocacy, and industry groups to negotiate local cannabis policy change. For several years she was a Government Relations Associate for both Americans for Safe Access and the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). She drafted & presented model ordinances to cities, counties, and states including San Bernardino, Davis, and Maryland. Ms. Payne has successfully worked with dozens of regulators and legislators to ensure patient needs and community concerns are addressed.
Ms. Payne stays fired up by fielding emergency calls to legal hotlines. First she helped medical cannabis patients through the Americans for Safe Access hotline for 15 years. Today she supports Black Lives Matter protestors through the National Lawyers Guild’s legendary hotline. When you need help, she answers.
Lauren Payne holds a JD from New England Law School, 2006, and a BA from New College of Florida, 2001.
Our Team
Lauren Vázquez, Founder
Lauren Vázquez is the Fired Up Lawyer. She is a cannabis business attorney and social entrepreneur who has worked for over a decade to end cannabis prohibition and advance alternatives to the failed war on drugs. Lauren has practiced cannabis business law since 2009 and entered private practice in 2011. She has advised numerous cannabis companies and organizations. Lauren is a Professor at Oaksterdam University and previously served as the National Deputy Director of Communications for the Marijuana Policy Project. In 2016, Lauren was a Senior Advisor and Statewide Organizer for the successful Prop 64 Campaign that legalized cannabis in California.
Lauren started her reform work as a student activist in 2004 when she founded the UC Santa Barbara chapter of NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Under her leadership, the chapter ran the successful Measure P campaign, Santa Barbara’s Lowest Police Priority Ordinance for adult marijuana use. As an undergrad, Lauren also worked with expert medical cannabis physician David Bearman, M.D., assisting with research and patient services. In 2006, National NORML named Lauren Student Activist of the Year.
From 2006 to 2009 Lauren attended Santa Clara University’s School of Law where she studied with leading criminal defense attorney and medical cannabis advocate Gerald Uelmen. Lauren also interned with the Public Defender’s Office appearing on behalf of individuals in drug court. She continued her activism as President of the law school’s ACLU chapter and Co-chair of the Public Interest Social Justice Coalition.
Shortly after graduating law school, Lauren founded the Silicon Valley chapter of Americans for Safe Access (ASA) helping to launch a $50 million cannabis industry in San Jose. She organized patients, community members, and industry leaders to lobby the city council to allow storefront dispensaries. She also worked as an associate with medical cannabis attorney James Anthony and was a legal researcher and political strategist for the medical cannabis consulting firm CannBe.
In 2011, Lauren Vázquez launched her private practice as the Fired Up Lawyer. She also created the nation’s first and only pro bono legal clinic for medical cannabis patients at SPARC collective in San Francisco. Lauren has been invited to speak at cannabis events across the country and has made numerous media appearances advocating for drug policy reform. Over the last decade, Lauren has helped lead us out of the dark ages of cannabis prohibition into the brave new world of legalization.
When she’s not saving the world, Lauren enjoys chilling with her kitty, going to music festivals, and generally loving life.
Lauren Payne, Client Licensing Manager
& Law Office Administrator
Lauren Payne has been a leader in the medical cannabis movement since 2006 and has over a decade of experience in cannabis licensing and compliance. She joined the Law Office in August 2020. Prior to that she was an independent licensing consultant and the Senior Regulatory Analyst for a major cannabis consulting company in Oakland. In those roles, Ms. Payne successfully secured highly competitive licenses in San Francisco, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Alameda, Maryland, Connecticut, Ohio, and more. She is intimately familiar with both local & state licensing requirements in California and has experience with other dual licensing states such as Nevada.
In her capacity as an independent consultant, Ms. Payne provided pro bono services to equity applicants. Most recently, she helped a team secure the contract to implement Oakland’s Equity Incubator program to provide shared kitchen space. She has also advocated to regulators and legislators regarding the desperate need to provide reparations through equity & training programs as well as removing the unnecessary barriers to entry into the cannabis industry.
For more than a decade Ms. Payne has worked with various medical cannabis organizations, patients, advocacy, and industry groups to negotiate local cannabis policy change. For several years she was a Government Relations Associate for both Americans for Safe Access and the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). She drafted & presented model ordinances to cities, counties, and states including San Bernardino, Davis, and Maryland. Ms. Payne has successfully worked with dozens of regulators and legislators to ensure patient needs and community concerns are addressed.
Ms. Payne stays fired up by fielding emergency calls to legal hotlines. First she helped medical cannabis patients through the Americans for Safe Access hotline for 15 years. Today she supports Black Lives Matter protestors through the National Lawyers Guild’s legendary hotline. When you need help, she answers.
Lauren Payne holds a JD from New England Law School, 2006, and a BA from New College of Florida, 2001.
Our Team
Lauren Vázquez, Founder
Lauren Vázquez is the Fired Up Lawyer. She is a cannabis business attorney and social entrepreneur who has worked for over a decade to end cannabis prohibition and advance alternatives to the failed war on drugs. Lauren has practiced cannabis business law since 2009 and entered private practice in 2011. She has advised numerous cannabis companies and organizations. Lauren is a Professor at Oaksterdam University and previously served as the National Deputy Director of Communications for the Marijuana Policy Project. In 2016, Lauren was a Senior Advisor and Statewide Organizer for the successful Prop 64 Campaign that legalized cannabis in California.
Lauren started her reform work as a student activist in 2004 when she founded the UC Santa Barbara chapter of NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Under her leadership, the chapter ran the successful Measure P campaign, Santa Barbara’s Lowest Police Priority Ordinance for adult marijuana use. As an undergrad, Lauren also worked with expert medical cannabis physician David Bearman, M.D., assisting with research and patient services. In 2006, National NORML named Lauren Student Activist of the Year.
From 2006 to 2009 Lauren attended Santa Clara University’s School of Law where she studied with leading criminal defense attorney and medical cannabis advocate Gerald Uelmen. Lauren also interned with the Public Defender’s Office appearing on behalf of individuals in drug court. She continued her activism as President of the law school’s ACLU chapter and Co-chair of the Public Interest Social Justice Coalition.
Shortly after graduating law school, Lauren founded the Silicon Valley chapter of Americans for Safe Access (ASA) helping to launch a $50 million cannabis industry in San Jose. She organized patients, community members, and industry leaders to lobby the city council to allow storefront dispensaries. She also worked as an associate with medical cannabis attorney James Anthony and was a legal researcher and political strategist for the medical cannabis consulting firm CannBe.
In 2011, Lauren Vázquez launched her private practice as the Fired Up Lawyer. She also created the nation’s first and only pro bono legal clinic for medical cannabis patients at SPARC collective in San Francisco. Lauren has been invited to speak at cannabis events across the country and has made numerous media appearances advocating for drug policy reform. Over the last decade, Lauren has helped lead us out of the dark ages of cannabis prohibition into the brave new world of legalization.
When she’s not saving the world, Lauren enjoys chilling with her husband and kitty, going to music festivals, and generally loving life.
Lauren Payne, Client Licensing Manager & Law Office Administrator
Lauren Payne has been a leader in the medical cannabis movement since 2006 and has over a decade of experience in cannabis licensing and compliance. She joined the Law Office in August 2020. Prior to that she was an independent licensing consultant and the Senior Regulatory Analyst for a major cannabis consulting company in Oakland. In those roles, Ms. Payne successfully secured highly competitive licenses in San Francisco, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Alameda, Maryland, Connecticut, Ohio, and more. She is intimately familiar with both local & state licensing requirements in California and has experience with other dual licensing states such as Nevada.
In her capacity as an independent consultant, Ms. Payne provided pro bono services to equity applicants. Most recently, she helped a team secure the contract to implement Oakland’s Equity Incubator program to provide shared kitchen space. She has also advocated to regulators and legislators regarding the desperate need to provide reparations through equity & training programs as well as removing the unnecessary barriers to entry into the cannabis industry.
For more than a decade Ms. Payne has worked with various medical cannabis organizations, patients, advocacy, and industry groups to negotiate local cannabis policy change. For several years she was a Government Relations Associate for both Americans for Safe Access and the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). She drafted & presented model ordinances to cities, counties, and states including San Bernardino, Davis, and Maryland. Ms. Payne has successfully worked with dozens of regulators and legislators to ensure patient needs and community concerns are addressed.
Ms. Payne stays fired up by fielding emergency calls to legal hotlines. First she helped medical cannabis patients through the Americans for Safe Access hotline for 15 years. Today she supports Black Lives Matter protestors through the National Lawyers Guild’s legendary hotline. When you need help, she answers.
Lauren Payne holds a JD from New England Law School, 2006, and a BA from New College of Florida, 2001.
Copyright 2011-2020, Lauren Vázquez, All Rights Reserved. Licensed by the California State Bar #267880. The information on this website is provided for informational purposes only and does not contain legal advice, legal opinions, or any other form of advice regarding any specific facts or circumstances. You should always consult a lawyer for individual advice regarding your own situation. Contacting Lauren Vázquez, the Fired Up Lawyer, does not contractually obligate her to represent you. The information provided on this website is not intended to create an attorney-client relationship. The attorney-client relationship is not created until the user submits payment and executes the formal Attorney-Client Agreement. Please do not send any confidential information until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established. Any testimonial or endorsement on this website does not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter. This website is an advertisement. Address: 2601 Blanding Ave #C204 Alameda, CA, 94501.
Copyright 2011-2020, Lauren Vázquez, All Rights Reserved. Licensed by the California State Bar #267880. The information on this website is provided for informational purposes only and does not contain legal advice, legal opinions, or any other form of advice regarding any specific facts or circumstances. You should always consult a lawyer for individual advice regarding your own situation. Contacting Lauren Vázquez, the Fired Up Lawyer, does not contractually obligate her to represent you. The information provided on this website is not intended to create an attorney-client relationship. The attorney-client relationship is not created until the user submits payment and executes the formal Attorney-Client Agreement. Please do not send any confidential information until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established. Any testimonial or endorsement on this website does not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter. This website is an advertisement. Address: 2601 Blanding Ave #C204 Alameda, CA, 94501.