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Michael Lafleur

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Michael is an associate in the firm’s Regulatory Investigations, Strategy, and Enforcement Practice Group. Based out of the firm’s Boston office, Mike has deep experience in litigation, investigations, and other regulatory matters involving state-level regulators and state attorneys general.

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The Office of Massachusetts Attorney General (AG) Andrea Campbell announced the criminal indictment of several Massachusetts-based health care providers and their owners in connection with allegedly false claims they submitted to the Massachusetts Medicaid program, MassHealth. In what Campbell characterized as a fraud and kickback arrangement, the defendants submitted more than $7.8 million in false claims for reimbursement associated with urine drug tests and home health services that were not provided, not medically necessary, or not properly authorized.

The Washington State Attorney General’s (AG) Office filed a lawsuit against Renton Collections Inc., accusing the company of violating Washington’s Collection Agency Act by failing to include certain disclosures in their collection letters to debtors.

On May 16, 2024, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) related to the transfer of marijuana from schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to schedule III, consistent with the recommendation provided by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in August 2023. The CSA requires that…

Recent developments in the Massachusetts cannabis industry, significant legislative changes, and legal actions have spotlighted the contentious issue of so-called community impact fees. These fees, which are intended to offset municipal costs associated with hosting cannabis businesses, have sparked debate regarding their fairness and implementation.

Attorneys general (AG) from 20 states and the District of Columbia have submitted a letter to Congress requesting that federal lawmakers close the “loophole” created by the 2018 Farm Bill that is widely understood to prohibit state regulation of intoxicating hemp products, including delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) products.

In the latest episode of Regulatory Oversight, Gene Fishel and Mike Lafleur welcome Pat Moore and Jared Rinehimer from the Massachusetts Attorney General’s (AG) Office to discuss online sports wagering. They cover the recently enacted Massachusetts Sports Wagering Act, the associated role of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, related rules addressing advertising and data privacy, and the overall concerns of the AG’s office.

Though controversial, cannabis[1] has steadily grown into a booming industry. Despite this rapid growth and the legalization of cannabis in numerous states[2], cannabis is still classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). As cannabis is illegal under federal law, individuals and companies involved or related to the cannabis industry face an uphill battle when insolvency issues arise. Federal forums that traditionally address insolvency matters, such as bankruptcy, have historically been unavailable to those engaged in the cannabis industry, forcing them to seek state-controlled alternatives, such as receivership. However, as more and more states have legalized commercial transactions involving cannabis in some form, bankruptcy courts have begun to adopt two distinct paths: one for individuals and entities directly engaged in growing, processing, distributing, or selling cannabis products, and one for entities that are associated with cannabis more indirectly, which the bankruptcy system recently has been more open to.

Since its first recreational marijuana dispensary opened in 2014, Colorado has been at the forefront of the burgeoning adult-use cannabis industry, setting a precedent for other states considering the legalization of recreational marijuana, and reaping significant tax benefits for the state in the process.