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A Woman On The Horizon Of Success – Anne van Leynseele

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Anne is a consummate regulatory and corporate cannabis lawyer and focuses her practice on the commercial aspects of the new industry. With years of business and law experience, she is known to be one of the sharpest minds in legal cannabis and hemp today. 

Her career started in Los Angeles in the entertainment industry, then she migrated into digital media in the Pacific Northwest, and later moved to Sydney Australia. Through her career, Anne managed commercial transactions, business development of production and technology start-up entities, advised on process efficiency, defined stronger corporate communication strategies for many Fortune 100 companies, and did business management consulting. After returning to the United States, her experiences led her to apply for law school. She enjoyed negotiating, drafting, and the implementation of complex contracts, so she took an opportunity to work as a law clerk at a top Seattle firm that then became part of the world’s largest law firm K&L Gates. The experience she gained by seeing what a day in the life of a lawyer looks like informed her educational experiences while she attended the night program at Seattle University School of Law.

During law school, Anne worked with a select group and created, “The Layperson’s Guide to Breast Cancer”, a practical directory and advice on how women can access resources during and after treatment. Through a professor, the document caught the attention of the incoming Obama Administration and she was invited to spend four years as a federal attorney-advisor in Washington DC for Obama One. Fresh out of law school and plunged into the 2008 recession, these four years were a dream job for Anne. 

After her government service and returning to her home state of Washington, she was planning to open her own practice in healthcare law, when she encountered the burgeoning legal cannabis industry. After a bit of due diligence, she was fascinated by the opportunity that the ever evolving regulations were creating and the issues for entrepreneurs in the industry. She quickly realized the need for a savvy businesswoman and lawyer to help struggling start-up companies. To provide the industry with a more comprehensive regulatory and corporate law firm, Anne started her own law firm, 7 Point Law formerly known as Northwest Marijuana Law. By 2017, her firm was representing a quarter of Washington’s legal cannabis industry.

Today, with more than 6 years of experience, Anne is successfully working as a fractional corporate counsel and business advisor to an elite global client base through her new company, Gemba Growth. Her story is a great example of how one can reach the horizon by exploring their potential skills. For more on this fascinating story, Anne is currently writing a much anticipated memoir on the early days of legal cannabis, which will be published before the end of 2021.

Michelle has been a part of the journey ever since Bigtime Daily started. As a strong learner and passionate writer, she contributes her editing skills for the news agency. She also jots down intellectual pieces from categories such as science and health.

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Lifestyle

Donnette Russell-Love on How Policy Changes Are Reshaping the Immigrant Experience in America

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What happens when the rules for chasing the American dream keep changing? For millions of immigrants, the answer is anxiety, confusion, and a constant fight to stay one step ahead of shifting policies that can decide their future overnight.

This is the reality that Donnette Russell-Love, attorney and CEO of Immigration Care Service, faces every day. With a career built on both courtroom experience and compassionate advocacy, she has become a steady guide for individuals and families navigating one of the most unpredictable legal systems in the world.

A Changing Landscape

Over the years, U.S. immigration policy has shifted from being opportunity-driven to increasingly restrictive. Donnette Russell-Love has seen how these changes have reshaped not only the process but also how immigrants are perceived. She believes that leadership plays a major role in setting the tone; each administration influences whether the focus lies on inclusion, enforcement, or deterrence.

Under the current administration, the path to the American dream has become much narrower. There has been a stronger push to limit humanitarian provisions for people fleeing unstable conditions, less tolerance for long-term immigrants with even minor offenses from years ago, and growing efforts to challenge birthright citizenship.

These policies reflect a clear shift in how the United States approaches immigration. For many of her clients, the rules that once offered hope now feel like walls. Yet, her mission remains the same: to help them find a way through, one informed decision at a time.

Guiding Clients Through Constant Change

In an environment where laws and regulations can change faster than people can adapt, Donnette’s approach is built on preparation. She doesn’t just focus on forms and paperwork; she focuses on context. Her process starts with understanding each client’s story, background, and long-term goals. From there, she helps them see not just what’s required legally, but what’s likely to be asked, reviewed, or challenged along the way.

For her, education is the most powerful defense. She believes that informed clients are stronger, calmer, and more confident when facing interviews or hearings. She spends time explaining how new rules apply to their situations and how small details, like old records, travel history, or documentation, can make all the difference.

Her deep understanding of immigration stems not only from her legal training but also from her background in compliance and risk management. These skills have shaped her proactive style, allowing her to anticipate potential issues before they arise. Instead of reacting to policy shifts, she prepares her clients to adapt to them.

Leadership That Balances Law and Humanity

Running a law firm in such a turbulent field requires discipline, empathy, and vision, qualities that Donnette has cultivated over years of leadership. As the head of Immigration Care Service, she manages the balance between legal precision and genuine human care. Her team works closely with clients from diverse backgrounds, ensuring they receive not only sound legal guidance but also emotional support during uncertain times.

She also emphasizes the importance of staying grounded. Her philosophy is that immigration law is not just about policies or procedures, it’s about people. Every case represents a life story, a dream, or a second chance. And while the system may grow more rigid, her role is to help clients see that persistence and preparation can still lead to opportunity.

Moving Forward with Purpose

For Donnette Russell-Love, the work doesn’t end with one case or one victory. It’s about helping her clients understand the bigger picture, that success in immigration is not only about following rules, but about knowing how to navigate them with clarity and confidence.

She recognizes that the path to legal residency or citizenship is harder now than ever before. But her message is one of resilience: knowledge and preparation still open doors.

In a time when immigration policies seem to shift with every election cycle, Donnette’s approach stands out for its steadiness and humanity. She reminds her clients and the broader community that while laws may change, the pursuit of hope, belonging, and a better life remains constant. And with the right guidance, that pursuit is still worth every effort.

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