Eliyahu S. Scheiman

Eli has been associated with Porzio since 2007, initially focusing on complex commercial litigation, insurance coverage, employment counseling, and appellate work.  After becoming a Principal of the firm in 2017, Eli helped launch the firm’s cannabis practice, and the related cannabis practice of the firm’s compliance subsidiary, PCS, with a national focus on cannabis licensing and compliance and business and corporate counseling for cannabis and hemp/CBD companies. He also chaired the International Cannabis Bar Association’s Legislative Advisement Committee for several years.   

In 2021, Eli accepted a position as the Chief Executive Officer of an R&D-focused cannabis company with dispensary, cultivation and manufacturing operations in several states, and transitioned from his full-time role with Porzio to an Of Counsel position, where he remains today.   

Eli is one of only a handful of attorneys in the country with actual operational cannabis experience.

• Jewish Law Symposium, Advisory Board Member
• American Bar Association (ABA) Food & Supplements Subcommittee
• Defense Research Institute
• National Cannabis Bar Association

• "Cannabis Law Update," Porzio Employment Law Forum, October 2019.
• "Cannabis Developments that May Impact Your Workplace," New Jersey State Bar Association's Corporate Counsel Institute, New Brunswick, NJ, January 31, 2019.
• "Cannabis Developments that May Impact Your Workplace," Porzio Employment Law Forum, Morristown, NJ, October 3, 2018.
• "Negotiating Indemnification Provisions and Agreements," National Business Institute, Newark, NJ, December 21, 2017.
• "New Regulations, Legislation, And Case Law Impacting Your Business," Porzio Employment Law Forum, Morristown, NJ, November 15, 2016.
• "Handling Emotions at Trial," Litigation Counsel of America, Trial Law Institute 2013 Forum, Chicago, IL, September 6, 2013.
• "Legal Update," Porzio Employment Law Forum, Morristown, NJ, December 3, 2012.
• "New Regulations, Legislation, and Case Law Impacting Your Business," Porzio Employment Law Forum, Morristown, NJ, November 17, 2011.
• "How to Conduct an Affirmative Action Investigation," Newark Public Schools, Newark, NJ, March 4, 2010.

• Defense counsel to a public school district sued in a multi-million dollar civil lawsuit brought under the New Jersey Tort Claims Act involving the execution-style murder of three young adults and attempted murder of a fourth by a notorious criminal gang in a district schoolyard. The allegation against the district was that the schoolyard was in a "dangerous condition" because a gate to the property was open and criminal activity was foreseeable. After many years of litigation and nearly five weeks of trial, the district achieved a favorable resolution of the claims.
• Defense counsel to a public school district sued in a wrongful death action brought by the family of a contractor electrocuted and killed while performing work on a school building. Successfully obtained a dismissal of all claims against the school district and recovered attorneys’ fees from the contractor’s insurance company.
• Obtained summary judgment for pollution liability insurer against insured seeking to disregard policy's $1 million sub-limit applicable to underground storage tank claims for policy's $5 million limits applicable to general pollution conditions.
• Obtained summary judgment for professional liability insurer against $15 million breach of contract claim by insured based on claims-made reporting provisions of policy.
• Obtained summary judgment for professional liability insurer against $6.5 million breach of contract claim by insured based on claims-made reporting provisions of policy.
• Obtained dismissal of $9 million verdict against public entities in catastrophic tort case on remand from the New Jersey Supreme Court.