Vishnubhakat Wins National Writing Competition

3L Saurabh Vishnubhakat has been named winner of the Washington Legal Foundation's 2009 Freedom and Justice Legal Writing Competition. His 1200-word essay was a constitutional analysis of proposed legislation, H.R. 2966, that would prohibit pharmaceutical companies from deducting advertising costs as an ordinary and necessary business expense.

In making the award, Constance Claffey Larcher, President and Executive Director of Washington Legal Foundation said that, while the Foundation received essays from law school students throughout the country, “Saurabh's essay stood out for its thorough research, clear prose, and lucid application of the Central Hudson Test.”

This is not the first accolade Vishnubhakat has received at Pierce Law. He was also a regional semifinalist in the Giles S. Rich Moot Court in Patent Law; he holds the position of Associate Editor for Pierce Law Review and has been Research Assistant to Professor Jordan C. Budd, a Constitutional Law expert.  He expects to receive joint JD and LLM degrees in Intellectual Property this May.

According to The Washington Legal Foundation's website, “National in scope, the Washington Legal Foundation (WLF) works with our allies in government and our legal system to maintain balance in the Courts and help our government strengthen America's free enterprise system. WLF champions free market principles, limited and accountable government, individual rights, business civil liberties, and legal ethics.”