Danielle Holmes is a partner in the firm’s Cannabis & Hemp and Administrative, Regulatory & Municipal Litigation Practices with over a decade of experience counseling clients in highly regulated industries, including the cannabis and gaming sectors. She is a highly accomplished attorney with unmatched experience in those industries who navigates complex legal landscapes for clients by leveraging her unique insights and comprehensive understanding of regulatory frameworks.
Before joining Hodgson Russ and upon the passage of New York State’s Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act, Danielle was appointed as one of the founding executive staff members for the State’s Office of Cannabis Management, where she was tasked with overseeing the licensing division. As Deputy Director for Licensing, Danielle played the pivotal role of creating the Office's licensing team and launching and issuing the first Adult Use Cannabis licenses and applications.
Danielle also served the New York State Gaming Commission for several years, implementing casino gaming in the State and drafting its governing regulations. In addition, she was named Director of Licensing for the Gaming Commission, where she oversaw operations for casino gaming, Indian gaming, sports wagering, the Lottery, horse racing, and charitable gaming. Prior to her work in New York, Danielle began her career as a founding staff member of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, playing a pivotal role in establishing the state’s casino gaming industry and serving as the Commission’s primary horse racing attorney.
In her time away from the office, Danielle lives on a horse farm in upstate New York with her family and pets. With an undergraduate degree in Equine Science, Danielle has a passion for horses and is a breeder and owner of racehorses, eventing horses, and recreational riding horses.
Representative Work
Recognitions
- Former Senior Editor, Albany Law Review
