Local student wins ABA TIPS writing competition

Matthew G. Berard, second year evening student at the University of Detroit-Mercy School of Law won the 2010-2011 Law Student Writing Competition for the Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) of the American Bar Association. Berard was awarded $1,500 along with airfare, hotel accommodations and registration fees to attend the American Bar Association annual meeting in Toronto, Canada on August 4-8. As winner, Berard's name and the title of his submission, "Flying Cars: The Reconciliation of Aircraft and Automobile Insurance Policies," will be publicized in the section's magazine, The Brief, and his paper will be submitted to be published in the Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Law Journal. Berard's submission focuses on the recent development of a flying car manufactured by Terrafugia called "The Transition." The submission highlights the conflicts associated with appropriately insuring it and potential solutions to its insurance coverage problems. During the day, Berard works at the Oakland County Circuit Court as a clerk to Judge Shalina Kumar and attends law school at the University of Detroit-Mercy in the evening. Published: Thu, Jun 23, 2011