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MSU College of Law

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 28, 2010

CONTACT: ERIKA MARZORATI
517/432-6848, marzorat@law.msu.edu

MSU Law Student Wins Food & Drug Law Writing Competition

East Lansing, MI — Michigan State University College of Law student Jason Murdey received first place in the short paper category of the Food and Drug Law Institute’s 2010 H. Thomas Austern Memorial Writing Competition.

The competition challenged law students to submit papers on current legal issues involving the regulation of food, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, biologics, or tobacco. The short paper category was reserved for entries up to 40 pages in length. Law professors and attorneys with expertise in food and drug law selected winning papers based on depth and quality of legal analysis and research, originality of topic, assessment of future impact, and writing style.

Murdey’s winning article, “Preemption of ‘Fraud on the FDA’ Exception to Michigan’s Tort Immunity Statute for Drug Manufacturers: Reconsidering Garcia and Desiano after Levine,” will appear in the February 2011 issue of the Food & Drug Law Journal. Murdey, a 3L, also won a $4,000 cash prize.

“Adjunct Professor Neal Fortin went above and beyond in providing me help and encouragement in writing this paper,” Murdey said. “His guidance was instrumental in this success.”

Second place and honorable mention awards in the competition’s short paper category went to law students at Suffolk University Law School and Harvard Law School, respectively.

The Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI) is a nonprofit organization that provides educational resources, conferences, and training on issues involving food and drug law and regulation. It has more than 10,000 members and affiliates. Its annual writing competition honors H. Thomas Austern, a senior partner at Covington & Burling who practiced food and drug law for more than 50 years. Austern, a strong supporter of FDLI until his death in 1984, is best known for his involvement in the drafting and negotiations surrounding the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

Michigan State University College of Law is a leading institution of legal education with a long history of creating practice-ready attorneys. As one of only a few private law schools affiliated with a major research university, MSU Law offers comprehensive interdisciplinary opportunities combined with a personalized legal education. After 100 years as a private and independent institution, the affiliation with MSU has put the Law College on an upward trajectory of national and international reputation and reach. MSU Law professors are gifted teachers and distinguished scholars, its curriculum is rigorous and challenging, and its facility is equipped with the latest resources—all affirming MSU Law's commitment to educating 21st-century lawyers.

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320B Law College Building
East Lansing, MI 48824
www.law.msu.edu

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