One of the most prolific lawyers working in cannabis, Sarah Lee Gossett Parrish is a third-generation attorney based in Oklahoma who has been recognized time and time again for her work in the industry.
Parrish was named a Cannabis Trailblazer in 2019 by the National Law Journal, and The American Lawyer named her one of the Women Leaders in the Law for 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. She was named one of mg Magazine’s Top Female Litigators in Cannabis, The Cannabis Law Report named her to its Global Top 200, while her firm was voted as the Top Cannabis Business Law Firm in Oklahoma in the Journal Record’s Reader’s Choice Awards for 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. Her extensive experience also earned her Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating for both peer and judicial review.
“I am just so thankful,” Parrish says. “I have made so many good friends in this industry and I have such wonderful clients.”
All of these accolades, and many more, stem from her dedication to building an equitable industry for cannabis operators.
Parrish is admitted to practice in all state and federal district courts in Oklahoma; all state courts in Texas and Colorado; the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit; and the U.S. Supreme Court. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Oklahoma, where she earned the Silver Letzeiser Award for her outstanding academic work.
She currently serves as the vice chair of the Cannabis Policy Committee for the American Bar Association and is a member of the International Cannabis Bar Association, National Cannabis Industry Association, NORML, Oklahoma Professional Cannabis association, Women + Weed, Oklahoma Cannabis Industry Association and is a founding member of the Psychedelic Bar Association.
“I was also named as one of the Top 200 Psychedelic Lawyers [by Cannabis Law Report],” she says. “I was very honored about that.”
In addition to her roles and responsibilities, Parrish has also found the time to be one of the leading voices in the industry by regularly contributing guest columns for industry magazines and websites such as Marijuana Venture and by speaking at numerous conferences and trade shows across the United States.
After decades of practicing law and years of representing clients in the cannabis industry, Parrish is preparing for a very turbulent 2024.
“Mark my words, there are going to be some serious battles that will be fought in the very near future,” she says. “My word for this year is ‘warrior.’”