Laura Bianchi has never wanted to be just one of the crowd. As a top Arizona cannabis attorney and partner at the law firm Bianchi & Brandt, she works hard to boost her clients to success in a burgeoning industry. She was one of the first corporate transaction attorneys in the country to focus on the highly regulated cannabis and hemp industries. She has closed more than $100 million in industry transactions in that role, which she has held proudly for more than a decade.But Bianchi balances working on behalf of others with passions of her own, whether it be through her intensive mixed martial arts training, yoga practice, or her outspoken advocacy for animal rights. Her pet Yorkshire terrier Romeo provides plenty of inspiration for the latter.“I have never wanted to be ordinary, never wanted to be predictable, never wanted to be defined by other people’s expectations,” Bianchi said.Bianchi spent her formative years outdoors on a large country property in southern Illinois before moving to Arizona.

Her tight-knit Italian family — her parents live just a few blocks away from her in Scottsdale — gave Bianchi the confidence to pursue her dream of becoming a lawyer from a young age.“It’s because of the incredible love and support of my mom and dad, that my sister and I have been able to accomplish all we have accomplished,” she said. “Our parents ingrained in us the fact that there was nothing we couldn’t do in life, and that confidence is the foundation we built our careers on.”Her newest career facet includes Cannaboss Advisors, an international cannabis consulting firm based in Scottsdale. Bianchi co-founded the organization and serves as its president. Through her work at Bianchi & Brandt and now through a company she helped build from the ground up, the self-described perfectionist is blazing a new trail on her own terms.“I knew from a young age I wanted to own my company, be self-reliant and create the world I envisioned for myself,” said Bianchi. “I thrive on being able to look at everything I’ve accomplished and achieved and know that I did it on my own terms.” Read more here: Phoenix Business Journal