Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont in June 2020. Photo: Michael Marciano/ALM Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont in June 2020. Photo: Michael Marciano/ALM

Gov. Ned Lamont said after the state Senate voted Thursday to follow the state House of Representatives in passing the measure that he'll sign the bill into law soon. The new law is scheduled to take effect July 1 and will make the Nutmeg State the 19th state in the country to legalize recreational marijuana.

"Right now, I'd say there are between 50 and 100 attorneys in the state that consult with clients about recreational marijuana and medicinal marijuana. I expect now that hundreds and hundreds or more lawyers will get in on this," said Nicholas Paindiris, a partner with Brown, Paindiris & Scott in Hartford and one of two attorneys at that firm whose practice area includes marijuana law. "I expect to see a lot of lawyers going to seminars to get up to speed with the application business end."