Cultural Heritage Committee Announces Winners of Student Writing Competition Sponsored by Andrews Kurth

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Lawyers’ Committee for Cultural Heritage Preservation (LCCHP) has announced the winners of the 2007 Student Writing Competition in Cultural Heritage Law sponsored by Andrews Kurth, one of the nation’s leading firms in art and cultural property law.

This year, LCCHP considered 13 papers that addressed cultural heritage law issues dealing with cultural property, art, historic preservation, indigenous cultures and intangible heritage.

James A. Wawrzyniak, a recent graduate of Harvard Law School, won first place with his paper, entitled “Rubin v. The Islamic Republic of Iran: A Struggle for Control of Persian Antiquities in America.” His paper will appear in the Yearbook of Cultural Property Law 2008. James will receive a prize of $300.

Dorothy Schmidt, a 2007 graduate of Lewis and Clark Law School, won second place for her paper, “Subsistence & Sovereignty: Customary Foods as a Component of Self-Determination.” Dorothy’s paper will be published on the LCCHP website. She will receive a prize of $200.

“We are very proud to sponsor these awards,” said Tom Kline, a Partner in the firm’s Litigation section and world-renowned for his experience in art and cultural property law. “The LCCHP and the student writing competition is a vital element in the effort to preserve cultural heritage assets worldwide. We extend our warmest congratulations to James and Dorothy for a job well done.”

The LCCHP also recently announced its 2007-2008 Andrews Kurth Student Writing Competition in Cultural Heritage Law. Starting in 2008, the prize amounts to be awarded are $1,000 for first place and $500 for second place. The deadline for 2008 submissions is June 13. Information for submitting student papers to the competition are available on the LCCHP website.

About LCCHP 

The Lawyers’ Committee for Cultural Heritage Preservation (LCCHP) is a nonprofit organization of lawyers and law students who have joined together to promote the preservation and protection of cultural heritage resources in the United States and internationally through education and advocacy.

About Andrews Kurth

For more than a century, Andrews Kurth has built its practice on the belief that “straight talk is good business.” Real answers, clear vision and mutual respect define the firm’s relationships with clients, colleagues, communities and employees. With more than 400 lawyers and offices in Austin, Beijing, Dallas, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New York, The Woodlands and Washington, DC, Andrews Kurth represents a wide array of clients in all areas of business law. For more information about Andrews Kurth, please visit andrewskurth.com.