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The CALA Watchdog
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For Immediate Release – June 15, 2005 Contact:
KEARNY EDUCATIONAL COMPLEX HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT AWARDED SCHOLARSHIP
CONGRESSIONAL, STATE SENATE , ASSEMBLY & OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIP WINNER WITH CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION
SAN DIEGO, CA – San Diego County Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA) awarded Mr. Kelly Loi a junior at the Kearny Educational Complex, School of International Business, (formerly known as Kearny High School) a $1,000 CALA Scholarship at the 2005 Annual CALA Luncheon held at the Town and Country Hotel/Convention Center in Mission Valley last week, on Wednesday, June 15th.
Congressman Duncan Hunter authorized a Congressional Certificate of Recognition to be presented to Kelly Loi in honor of his first place winning essay answering the question “Supersize It! When Does Personal Responsibility End and a Lawsuit Begin?” In addition, Mr. Loi received certificates of Special Recognition from Senators Denise Ducheny, Dennis Hollingsworth and Bill Morrow, Assemblymember Jay LaSuer, and County Supervisor Pam Slater Price.
Loi’s essay was selected as the first place winner in CALA’s sixth annual High School Essay/Scholarship Contest. All entries were judged on the following criteria: definition of lawsuit abuse; determination as to whether lawsuit abuse undermines principles of individual responsibility; how lawsuits affect our economy as well as creativity, eloquence, and understanding of the topic. The essay topic this year was: SUPERSIZE IT! SUING THE FAST FOOD INDUSTRY. WHEN DOES PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY END AND A LAWSUIT BEGIN?”
Loi stated in his essay that: "…There is nothing new about these outrageous measures people resort to in the attempt to find legal loopholes to hold corporations responsible for people’s health. . . America is a free country and every single person has the ability to make their own choices . . . The responsibility between either a good or bad choice lies solely on the shoulders of the consumer.”
“We had such a great response for this contest, and so many well thought out essays that selecting winners was a tough job for our judges,” said Andy Kotner, President of San Diego CALA. “Kelly Loi’s parents, school and community should be proud of his accomplishment.”
“We hope that by participating in this essay contest, students are now more aware of the importance of personal responsibility and good health when it comes to food choices.” Kotner added.
Other scholarship winners were: Lauren Murphy of Fallbrook High School (2nd Place), and Bethany Graham of the Kearny Educational Complex, School of International Business (3rd Place).
CALA presented the students with their scholarships at a special Luncheon which featured Award-Winning, Best-Selling author, Joseph Wambaugh, as the keynote speaker. Wambaugh , who has been the victim of numerous abusive lawsuits, called for “loser pays” legislation to stop frivolous lawsuits. “Curtailing litigation should be a nonpartisan issue. We can’t do anything about contingency-fee lawsuits from indigent plaintiffs, but most plaintiffs do have assets that can and should be put at risk along with the defendants,” said Wambaugh to a group of 400 legal reformers who attended the luncheon. Other speakers were Parisimi Roshanzamir, Miss City of San Diego and Erika Palmer, Valedictorian of San Pasqual High School, who was CALA’s spokesperson on a National Survey of U.S. Teenagers about their attitudes toward lawsuit abuse.
Judges for the essay contest included: Professor Thomas Barton, California Western School of Law; State Senator Jim Battin; Superior Court Judge, Joseph P. Brannigan; United States Justice Department;
George Coles, President, Coles Carpets; U.S. Representative Susan Davis; Jim Edwards, Senior V.P. & General Counsel, Wireless Facilities, Inc.; Pete Fuentes, Investigative Reporter, Fox 6 News; David Geerdes, Heller Ehrman, LLP; Matthew Gleason, M.D.; Dan Hapke, Habitat for Humanity; El Cajon Mayor Mark Lewis; San Diego Councilmember Jim Madaffer; San Diego Councilmember Brian Maienschein; Senator Bill Morrow; Deputy District Attorney Wendy Patrick; San Diego Councilmember Scott Peters; Lloyd Rowland, V.P. & General Counsel, Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; and San Diego County Supervisor Pam Slater Price.
CALA is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots, public education organization dedicated to serving as a watchdog over the legal system and those who would seek to abuse it for undeserved gain. Nearly 10,000 San Diego residents are CALA supporters.
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