Delaware - Pennsylvania - New York

Regulatory Attorney for Cannabis, Alcohol, Equine, and Other Regulated Fields

Peter S. Murphy is a regulatory compliance lawyer based in Delaware and trusted throughout the northeast.

Regulatory attorney in Delaware for regulated fields like cannabis and alcohol

Legal Guidance for Growth in Regulated Industries

You have a clear vision for your company. And in your industry, navigating regulation with foresight is essential to achieving it.

You’re not just looking for someone to handle filings. You need a legal partner who thinks alongside you. Someone who understands your industry, knows the regulators, and sees the nuance — not just the rules.

At P.S. Murphy Ltd., we deliver insightful legal guidance to help you grow wisely, avoid costly missteps, and build something that lasts.

The legal partner for founders who want to build and grow confidently

Legal guidance for regulated industries

Why Founders Trust P.S. Murphy Ltd.
as Their Regulatory Counsel

Specialized expertise in high-risk and regulated industries

Most lawyers are generalists. We’re not. We bring the real-world fluency in cannabis, alcohol, agriculture, equine, and other emerging sectors.

Built for the middle market, the engine of the economy

We serve the companies that actually do the work: the growers, the makers, the operators, the owners.

Big Law isn’t built for you, but our low-overhead, high-access model is.

A legal partner you can actually build with

With us, you don’t get passed off or buried in process. You get a partner-level advisor who’s in the room when decisions are made — someone who sees around corners and sticks around when things get complicated.

“Pete Murphy is the man. He has provided my growing startup with valuable legal advice in the ever-changing world of THC beverages from day 1. Navigating the legal complexities of this category with the confidence that comes with a partner like Pete saves time, hassle, anxiety, and money. He is prompt, efficient, and once provided legal support while on the side of a mountain. Beyond his legal acumen, he's a great human. I highly recommend his services.”

– Albe Masland, Founder and CEO, Ambassador Distributing, LLC

Regulatory attorney in Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York

What We Help With

You didn’t start your business to become an expert in compliance. But you still need to get it right, because in your industry, one misstep can cost you everything.

That’s where we come in.

We handle the regulatory terrain — the paperwork, the prep, the judgment calls — so you can focus on the work that actually moves your business forward.

  • Navigating licensing and regulatory frameworks (state and federal)

  • Advising on legal structures built for your specific industry

  • Preparing for inspections and responding to agency inquiries with clarity and confidence

  • Running regulatory due diligence for investors, financings, and acquisitions

  • Drafting compliance policies people actually follow

  • Structuring your entities to reduce risk before it becomes a problem

Industries We Serve

We work with founders and operators in complex, regulated industries, those where legal strategy isn’t optional. 

If the rules are still evolving, the regulators are paying attention, and the stakes are real, that’s where we belong.

    • Cannabis & hemp

    • Alcohol & tobacco

    • Equine & agriculture

    • Food & beverage

    • Emerging consumer products

    • Any business where state or federal oversight is real and constant

If your business lives in the gray — between innovation and regulation — we’re probably a good fit.

Bartender preparing cocktails at a speakeasy
Peter S. Murphy is a regulatory and compliance attorney in Delaware

Peter S. Murphy

Founder, P.S. Murphy Ltd. | Regulatory and Compliance Attorney

For over a decade, I served as a partner at AmLaw 200 firms and in-house counsel. I founded P.S. Murphy Ltd. to make that level of strategic legal insight available to the growth-minded founders who’ve historically been priced out of access.

My practice provides corporate, transactional, and regulatory counsel to clients who want more than reactive legal work; they want a trusted advisor.

I work with a deliberately limited number of clients to provide the kind of high-touch, long-term support typically reserved for companies with in-house teams.

When you work with us, you're not handed off to junior staff or buried in process. You get me: directly, consistently, and without the gatekeeping you’d find at a big firm.

Education

  • B.S., Indiana University (Bloomington, Indiana)

  • J.D., magna cum laude, Delaware Law School (Wilmington, Delaware)

Law Reviews

  • Delaware Journal of Corporate Law (2006-07)

  • Delaware Law Review (2008-2020)

You’re Looking to Do Things Right and Stay Ahead of What’s Coming. That’s Where We Come In.

We keep our client roster deliberately small to ensure each engagement receives the attention, access, and judgment it deserves. If your business operates in a regulated environment and you're seeking a legal partner for the long term, we invite you to inquire below.

Please note: all engagements begin with a retainer.

“I built American Fiber Company with Pete Murphy as our Chief Legal Officer, and he was in the trenches with me every step of the way — winning licenses, raising capital, writing legislation, and leading complex M&A and asset deals. We even helped build an international cannabis business together. Pete knows the law, he knows business, but he also knows the bottom line.”

– James Brobyn, Founder and CEO, American Fiber Company