Ala. Medical Cannabis Commission adds new lead lawyer

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - The embattled Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission is switching lead lawyers in the midst of a series of lawsuits and court actions surrounding its now twice-delayed license-issuing process.

Attorney General Steve Marshall appointed Mark Wilkerson as a Deputy Attorney General assigned to the AMCC Monday. Wilkerson has previous experience with the state’s Certificate of Need Board, and will take over the lead role in advising and defending the Commission in court action from William Webster, who’s been advising the AMCC during the rule-writing and application process that’s now the center of multiple lawsuits.

Wilkerson was in court Monday where the AMCC and multiple license applicants now suing the AMCC agreed to continue talking about how to resolve the latest complaint about the AMCC process - that the commission violated the Alabama Open Meetings Act when it met August 10, 2023 to attempt for a second time to award medical cannabis licenses.

AMCC Communications Director Brittany Peters told WBRC in a statement:

“William Webster remains as legal counsel for AMCC, including appointment as a deputy attorney general. Mark Wilkerson has been added to AMCC’s legal team, and appointed as a deputy attorney general to represent the Commission in current litigation. Mr. Webster and Mr. Wilkerson will coordinate on litigation matters involving the Commission.”

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