The Food and Drug Law Institute 2013 Writing Competitions -Due June 7th
The Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI) sponsors the H. Thomas Austern Memorial Writing Competitions for law students interested in food and drug law. There are two competitions - one for papers with a maximum of 40 pages, and one for papers between 41 and 100 pages. Papers longer than 100 pages will not be accepted.
The Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI) sponsors the H. Thomas Austern Memorial Writing Competitions for law students interested in food and drug law. There are two competitions - one for papers with a maximum of 40 pages, and one for papers between 41 and 100 pages. Papers longer than 100 pages will not be accepted.
ELIGIBILITY
Entrants must be currently enrolled in a J.D. program at, or be a 2012-2013 academic year graduate from, any of the nation's ABA-accredited law schools.
TOPICS & REQUIREMENTS
Papers should provide an in-depth analysis of a current legal issue concerning food, drugs, animal drugs, biologics, cosmetics, diagnostics, dietary supplements, medical devices or tobacco. FDLI welcomes the submission of papers prepared for course work, but entrants must edit their papers to address competition requirements. Entrants should access the FDLI website for suggestions of suitable topics.
PAPER REQUIREMENTS
Noncompliance with these requirements will affect evaluation and may result in disqualification.
• Papers for the short paper competition shall not exceed 40 pages in length, including appendices (if any) and footnotes, which may be single-spaced. The maximum number of pages for the long paper competition is 100 pages (41-100 pages).
• Submission must include a cover page that includes paper title and a 250 word or less abstract.
• Papers may not include any identifying information.
• Submissions shall be typewritten, double-spaced on 8½ x 11 inch paper.
• The submission must be a WORD® document, printouts of which should conform to all other paper requirements.
• Papers shall include footnotes, not endnotes. Text and footnote type shall be in 12-pt. Times Roman font.
• Papers shall have one-inch margins (right, left, top, and bottom).
JUDGES
Committees of practicing attorneys and law professors with relevant food and drug expertise will judge the papers. The following factors will be considered:
• Thoroughness and depth of legal analysis
• Originality and difficulty of topic
• Evaluation of judicial precedents, statutes, and regulations
• Discussion of conclusions and future impact
• Quality of legal research
• Writing style
• Conciseness; quality will be valued over quantity
• Form and quality of citations
• Conformity with rules of competition
About H. Thomas Austern
These writing awards honor the memory of H. Thomas Austern, who practiced food and drug law for more than 50 years at the firm of Covington & Burling. As a result of his work on the drafting and negotiation surrounding the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and his many scholarly contributions, Austern became known as the "Dean of the Food and Drug Bar." Austern served on the Editorial Advisory Board of the Food Drug Cosmetic Law Journal from its inception until his death in 1984, and was a strong supporter of FDLI since its founding in 1949.
