Health Law and Policy Program

The Ninth Annual AUWCL National Health Law Writing Competition 

We are pleased to have concluded the Ninth Annual AUWCL National Health Law Writing Competition. This competition was designed to encourage law students to write scholarly papers on current topics of interest relevant to health law and/or food and drug law. Current 2L, 3L, and 4L (part-time) JD and LLM students enrolled in a U.S. law school at the time of paper submission were eligible to participate. PAPERS MUST HAVE MET COMPETITION RULES AND REQUIREMENTS. Certificates of Participation have been awarded to all participants.

Prizes

First Place: $1,500
Second Place: $1,000
Third Place: $500


Many thanks to our American University Washington College of Law alumni for generously sponsoring the competition prizes.

The submission portal is now closed.
Stay tuned for December 2024 when we open the Tenth Annual National Health Law Writing Competition!

Please direct all questions to health@wcl.american.edu.

Congratulations to Our 2023-2024 Winners

FIRST PLACE

McCall Johnson
William S. Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada-Las Vegas
Paper title: “Beyond Dobbs: Faith-Based Resistance to State Abortion Laws Under
State RFRA”

SECOND PLACE

Andrew McGirty
Case Western Reserve University School of Law Paper title: “Cracking Causation: The Need for a Workable Link Between the
Anti-Kickback Statute and False Claims Act”

Third Place

Beth Williams
Georgia State University College of Law
Paper title: “The Increasing Criminalization of Pregnancy”

Honorable Mention

Thomas Feil
Seton Hall University School of Law
Paper title: “Taking Your Medicine: Insulating the Drug Price Negotiation Program
from Fifth Amendment Challenge

Meet Our Judges

AJ Custard

AJ Custard

AJ Custard has over 3 years of professional experience implementing and interpreting various healthcare statutes and regulations. Additionally, both his clerkship and educational experiences conducting legal analysis contributes to his overall knowledge of the federal healthcare system. AJ has significant experience in providing administrative and legal support to 501(c)(3) organizations that focus on vulnerable populations, such as Veterans and children. Currently, he supports the Office of Regulatory and Administrative Affairs (ORAA) at Veterans Health Administration (VHA) in response to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) High Risk Series Report of February 2015, with the goal of VHA removal from the GAO High Risk List. In this role he oversees and manages a large portfolio of VHA policy documents throughout the national policy review process, from drafting through publication, and serves as the primary point of contact between ORAA and VHA program offices. 

Heather Dorsey

Heather Dorsey

Heather Dorsey, J.D., is a regulatory counsel at the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), focusing on prescription and generic drugs, nicotine replacement therapies, and hearing requests. She develops policies, serves as an expert on nicotine drug policy, and coordinates FDA and HHS nicotine policy. Previously, she worked as an associate in the Food and Drug Law practice, aiding industry compliance with the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Ms. Dorsey also co-taught Federal Regulation of Drugs and Pharmacy at the University of Florida and served as a Regulatory Counsel in FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. She graduated from American University, Washington College of Law, and served as the Clerk of the Public Health Committee for the Connecticut General Assembly.

CJ Frisina

Christopher J. (“CJ”) Frisina

Christopher J. (“CJ”) Frisina is a senior associate in Alston & Bird LLP’s Health Care Practice Group and focuses his practice on health care fraud, waste, and abuse as well as compliance matters, including the Anti-Kickback Statute, the Stark Law, Civil Monetary Penalties, and the False Claims Act. CJ has advised a variety of health care providers and suppliers, including hospital systems, retail and specialty pharmacies, long-term care and senior living facilities, and clinical laboratories. He has represented his clients in criminal, civil, and administrative investigations and routinely assists clients in responding to government inquiries, including from the Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the HHS Office of Inspector General, and the Office of Personnel Management.

John Johnson III

John Johnson III

John Johnson III is a regulatory attorney at Shook, Hardy & Bacon where he counsels and represents clients regarding FDA and other agencies involving the regulation of food, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, and consumer products. As such, he helps clients manage issues such as how a mentholated cough drop is labeled and registered as a drug product, but made according to the food manufacturing regulations. He also helps clients engage with the regulators in a way that appreciates the difference between an inspector’s observations, a compliance officer’s decision, and recommendations for headquarters. John seeks to combine his passions for history, law, science, and product together as he works with clients. Lastly, his favorite court case involved the legal question: when is a lot of canned asparagus “too woody” to no longer be considered “food.”

Daniel Kim

Daniel Kim

Daniel Kim is the Sr. Regulatory Counsel for Surescripts, LLC, one of the U.S. largest health information networks. He is the company’s primary legal support for regulatory and compliance matters arising out of a myriad of applicable laws (federal and state), including but not limited to ONC’s 21st Century Cures Act final rule (aka the Information Blocking Rule), Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA), e-Prescribing standards and requirements, Intellectual Property, Clinical Decision Support Software, and health care fraud, waste, and abuse (e.g., Anti-Kickback Statute; Civil Monetary Penalties; and False Claims Act). Prior to joining Surescripts, Daniel was an associate attorney for Epstein Becker Green P.C., where he primarily focused on privacy/security, FDA, telehealth, and transactional matters. During law school, is interned at the Departmental Appeals Board (DAB) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Office of Policy at the Food Drug Administration (FDA), and Doctor on Demand, Inc. Daniel graduated from American University Washington College of Law in 2017. He is a member of the District of Columbia bar.  

Wenxi Li

Wenxi Li

Wenxi Li is Senior Digital Commercial Counsel at ResMed, Inc., a global medical device manufacturer of sleep apnea and respiratory devices. Her practice focuses on HIPAA, digital health, and telemedicine regulatory and commercial matters. Wenxi holds a J.D. from American University Washington College of Law (WCL) and a B.A. from Hamilton College. While at WCL, she served as Editor in Chief of the Administrator Law Review and as President of the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA). She currently serves as Treasurer of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Greater Washington (APABA-DC), and served on the Board of Directors of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association Educational Fund (AEF) from 2016-2018.

Alexis Rose

Alexis Rose

Alexis Rose is a data privacy and compliance attorney. Her work with clients includes a variety of industries, including health care and life science clients, to build their data privacy and security programs. Her prior experience includes working at Octillo, Beckage PLLC, and as a compliance consultant for health care providers. While in that role, she advised clients on Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Office for Civil Rights (OCR), and Office of Inspector General (OIG) regulations and requirements.  She worked with clients who were under Corporate Integrity Agreements or subject to CMS and OIG audits. While in law school, she was a policy intern for HHS OCR and the DC Department of Health. She attended Rutgers University for undergrad, has a Master in Public Policy degree from American University, and graduated with her law degree from American University Washington College of Law in 2018. She is a member of the District of Columbia bar and has a Certification in Healthcare Compliance from the Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA).

Alexandra Spratt

Alexandra Spratt

Alexandra (Alex) Spratt is Director, Commercial Sector Prices at Arnold Ventures. Her work includes the identification of robust philanthropic opportunities, policy research and analysis, and stakeholder engagement and communications efforts aimed at advancing lower prices across the health care system. Prior to joining Arnold Ventures, Alex was a senior policy analyst at CapView Strategies, a boutique health policy consulting firm in Washington, D.C., where she primarily focused on Medicare and Medicaid payment and delivery reform and alternative payment models, health reform, and drug pricing. During law school, she interned on Capitol Hill, in the Maryland Senate, and at several policy and advocacy organizations focused on health care and women’s issues. She graduated from American University Washington College of Law in 2015 and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Florida.

Jessica Winslow

Jessica Winslow

Jessica Winslow is an Associate in the Employers and Health Services practice groups at Groom Law Group.  She advises both health insurers and large plan sponsors on a variety of health law matters, including issues arising under ERISA, the Affordable Care Act, the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, COBRA, and HIPAA.  In her work at Groom Law Group, Jessica helps employers with health plan design and compliance.  She also assists employer plan sponsors and insurers with government investigations. While in law school, she served as a member of the Administrative Law Review.  She is currently licensed to practice in the District of Columbia and Colorado. Jessica received her law degree, magna cum laude, from American University Washington College of Law in 2018, holds a B.S. in Psychology from Utah State University, and worked as a social worker prior to entering law school.  

Past Judges

Vanessa Burrows

Vanessa BUrrows

Counsel, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Judge from 2021-2022

Stefanie Doyle

Stefanie Doyle

Associate, Baker Donelson
Judge from 2021-2023

Sonali Gunawardhana

Sonali Gundawardhana

Assistant General Counsel-Regulatory Law, Cardinal Health
Judge from 2016-2022

Jacob Harper

Jacob Harper

Partner, Morgan Lewis 
Judge from 2016-2023

Garrett Mannchen

Garrett Mannchen

Attorney, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the General Counsel
Judge from 2018-2023

Cybil Roehrenbeck

Cybil Roehrenbeck

Partner, Global Regulatory, Hogan Lovells 
Judge from 2016-2023

Stuart Silverman

Stuart Silverman

Judge from 2015-2016

Cybil G. Roehrenbeck

Chris Smith

Senior Counsel, Epstein Becker Green
Judge from 2015-2023