Center for Law, Health & Society | News and Events | Center News | 2012 Archive | Students Compete in National Health Law Competition Students Compete in National Health Law Competition
January 31, 2012
ATLANTA - The Student Health Law Association sent a team of three health law students to compete at the National Health Law Moot Court Competition in Carbondale, Illinois. The three second-year law students - Sarah Danowitz, Scott DeLay, and Sarah Ketchie, along with team coach Leanna Jordan, traveled to Southern Illinois University School of Law to compete against 32 teams from across the country on November 4 and 5, 2011.
"It really has been a great learning experience and pretty exciting to be surrounded by so many students who are all discussing the same issues," said Ketchie. The issues in this year’s competition involved the Alien Tort statute, corporate liability, and informed consent. Students argued whether the Alien Tort Statue provided for corporate liability and jurisdiction over a claim brought by a woman who, with community consent but not individual consent, participated in a study conducted by a pharmaceutical company in pursuit of a solution to a growing infectious threat.
"This year’s problem, unlike the previous years, was immersed in international law, a topic that many law students do not get much exposure to and are, quite frankly, a bit afraid of, but not my team," said Jordan. "This year’s SHLA team, as have the previous teams, approached the questions with genuine inquisitiveness and tenacity from beginning to end. I am extremely proud of them."
The Georgia State Law Moot Court program also sent a team to this competition. That team consisted of three second-year law students - Evelyn Clark, Katie Ginnane, and Brooke Ray, along with team coach Chad Brock. "Competing at the National Health Law Moot Court Competition was a truly rewarding experience," said Ray. "After having spent months writing and submitting a brief as well as practicing oral arguments in front other students, professors, and lawyers from the community, we are all very proud that our team advanced to the semi-quarter finals."
As has been the case in previous years, GSU Law professors, students, alums, and friends graciously gave of themselves and their time to help this year’s team prepare for the competition. Student benchers included recent alum, Ray Lindholm, and current student, Megan Daugherty. Faculty benchers included Charity Scott, Jonathan Todres, Karen Johnston, Paul Lombardo, and Yaniv Heled. Attorney benchers included Dan Brown of The Health Law Partners and Steve Pritchett of Morris, Manning, and Martin, LLP. "We’re very grateful to these attorneys and their law firms for being so generous with their time and expertise," said Ketchie.
This year, the overall winner of the competition was a team from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
Contact:
Amy Grover
Senior Administrative Coordinator