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Bill Marler Launches Online Newspaper, Food Safety News

By Jim Chen at al.

Bill Marler, food safety expert and food borne illness litigator just announced the creation of a new online food safety newspaper that will launch on Monday, September 14. Food Safety News To Go Live. This is just another step in the fascinating public advocacy/private practice mix that is Marler's career.

Bill Marler has been a major force in food safety policy since the 1990's. He and his partners at Marler Clark have represented thousands of individuals in claims against food companies whose contaminated products have caused serious injury and death. They have secured more than $300 million for their client victims.

But, Marler's work extends beyond litigation. His advocacy for greater food safety has led to invitations to address local, national, and international gatherings, including recent testimony to US Congress Committee on Energy and Commerce. The non-profit corporation that he founded, Outbreak provides advice and consultation to the industry in an effort to prevent future illness. Among his many honors is the 2008 Public Justice Award, given to him by the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association.

Last week, he visited the LL.M. Program in Agricultural & Food Law to teach the Food Law & Policy class and the Emerging Issues in Food Law class. His visit is described in Highlights from the Bill Marler Visit on the LL.M. Program's blog.

Marler is almost constantly in and on the media. For example, he was most recently quoted in the Washington Post article, This Woman Might Die From Eating Cookie Dough, Severe Case Gives Context to Issue of Food Safety. But, his media connections include an impressive array of social networking venues. His very active blog, Marlerblog is regularly visited by both food safety advocates and by defendants in his cases. And, he has an active presence on Twitter. With a nationwide practice, he communicates with clients and colleagues all over the country with almost continual email contact.

Beginning Monday, Food Safety News will be another step in communication, and it should serve to provide additional encouragement for public recognition, enhanced efforts at industry prevention, and a push for constructive government regulation of the problem of food safety.

Full post as published by Agricultural Law on September 12, 2009 (boomark / email).