John W. Fraser is an associate in Dykema's Lansing office and serves as the Michigan Team Leader of Dykema's Cannabis Practice. John's practice focuses on cannabis law, business law, general litigation, and appellate law.

John regularly advises and assists entrepreneurs seeking to operate cannabis-related businesses within Michigan’s legal and regulatory framework. He currently serves as the Chairperson of the Cannabis Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan. In addition, John is an adjunct professor of law at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School where he teaches a course on Medical Marijuana and the Law. He also regularly lectures and presents on cannabis law topics to attorneys and the community.

John’s practice primarily consists of counseling entrepreneurs, investors, patients, caregivers, municipal governments, and other attorneys on matters of cannabis law. John has been retained to serve as an expert witness and consultant in cases involving cannabis businesses to assist the parties and the court in breaking down and navigating complex cannabis-related legal issues. John focuses his representation by setting clear goals with clients at the outset and then working aggressively and creatively to meet those goals.

John has litigated cases in trial courts throughout the State of Michigan and has argued cases before the Michigan Court of Appeals and the Michigan Supreme Court. John’s litigation skills have been recognized by his peers, as he was named a Top 5 Lawyer Under 35 by the Ingham County Bar Association and was recognized as a Pioneer by the State Bar of Michigan’s Marijuana Law Section for his efforts in the published Michigan Court of Appeals opinion in People v. Manuel.

John earned his Bachelor of Science, cum laude, from Central Michigan University with a double major in Philosophy and Political Science and a minor in English. John graduated from Michigan State University College of Law, summa cum laude, with a 4.0 GPA, ranked first in his class. During law school, John served as a Managing Editor of the Michigan State Law Review and also served as a teaching assistant for Professors Bruce Ching and Philip Pucillo.

Bar Admissions

Michigan, 2015

Education

• Michigan State University College of Law, J.D., summa cum laude, 2015
  • 4.0 GPA
  • Jurisprudence Achievement Awards [Highest Grade] in Mortgages; Law & Interpretation; Federal Jurisdiction; Antitrust Law; Copyright Law; Constitutional Law II; Equity; Property; Contracts; and Research, Writing & Analysis
  • Michigan State Law Review, Managing Editor
• Central Michigan University, B.S., cum laude, 2011
  • Philosophy and Political Science