October 28, 2011 (Norman, OK) – The winners of the 2011 James E. Beckley Student Writing Competition have been announced by Robin S. Ringo, Executive Director of Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association (PIABA).

Currently a law student at Chapman University School of Law, Blair Russell received 1st Place, a $1,000 stipend, and an invitation to attend the PIABA 20th Annual Meeting in Rancho Mirage, California. His paper, Pervasive Fraud: Disclosure Principles and the Fraud‐Created‐The‐Market Theory of Reliance, will appear in Volume 19, Issue 2 of the 2012 PIABA Bar Journal.

Finishing in second place, and the recipient of a $500 stipend, was Yale Law School student, Daniel Alterbaum. His paper, Control Share Acts, Closed‐End Funds, and the Battle for Corporate Control, will appear in Volume 17, Issue 3 of the 2011 PIABA Bar Journal.

Valparaiso University School of Law student, Jonathan Sichtermann finished in third place and received a $500 stipend for his paper, Tracing a New Path in Federal Securities Regulation. It will appear in Volume 19, Issue 2 of the 2012 PIABA Bar Journal.

The contest judging team included PIABA members Tim Canning of Arcata, CA; Scott Shewan of Fresno, CA; Angela Magary of Boston, MA; Sigmund Schutz of Portland, ME; and Bradley Stark of Coral Gables, FL.