As New York's nascent cannabis market continues to shake out, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips has hired Axel Bernabe, the inaugural chief of staff and senior policy director for the New York Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), as a partner.

Bernabe is transitioning to private practice at a time when New York has hit a few key milestones, cementing its regulatory framework for the cannabis market and reaching 800 applications for cannabis licenses.