William Marler to Address International Food Safety Conference in Beijing

BEIJING--(BUSINESS WIRE)--William Marler, food safety advocate and expert in foodborne illness litigation, will speak at the China International Food Safety Conference and Expo on Wednesday, September 24 at 4:30 p.m. His lecture, titled “How U.S. Consumers Hold Producers liable: A Civil Litigation Lesson in the U.S. Market,” will be presented at the Landmark Hotel and Towers, 8 North Dongsanhuan Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 1000004.

“The current milk crisis underscores the need for Chinese business and government to take a hard look at food safety and quality”

“China is experiencing growth on a level that is almost incomprehensible,” said Marler from his office in Seattle, Washington. “The job of maintaining food safety and quality during that growth is a task on the same scale. I got involved with the conference—both as a speaker and a sponsor—because I believe that the Chinese food safety officials are doing exactly the right thing by inviting those at the forefront of the field worldwide to come to China and share their expertise.”

William Marler began litigating foodborne illness cases in 1993, when he represented Brianne Kiner, the most seriously injured survivor of the Jack in the Box E. coli O157:H7 outbreak, resulting in her landmark 15.6 million dollars (106,407,600 CNY) settlement. Marler has focused his practice on representing individuals in litigation resulting from E. coli, Salmonella, Shigella, hepatitis A, and other food contamination cases. He has represented victims of every major foodborne illness outbreak in the United States, securing over 500 million dollars (3,417,764,736 CNY) for his clients.

Mr. Marler travels widely to address industry, government, and consumer groups in an effort to improve food safety around the world. Earlier this year, he organized and hosted a food safety conference in Seattle, Washington where experts from the US, EU, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and China met to discuss food safety in the global marketplace.

“The current milk crisis underscores the need for Chinese business and government to take a hard look at food safety and quality,” continued Marler. “The challenges couldn’t be clearer.”

The China International Food Safety Conference and Expo runs September 23-24, 2008. The conference is hosted by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection, and Quarantine, PRC and produced by the China Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Association.

BACKGROUND: William Marler has been a major force in food safety policy in the United States and abroad. 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. His advocacy for better food regulation has led to invitations to address local, national, and international gatherings on food safety, including recent testimony to US Congress Committee on Energy and Commerce. Marler Clark is considered the United States’ foremost law firm representing victims of foodborne illness and other serious personal injuries. For more information, please contact Mary Siceloff at [e-mail]. Mr. Marler can be reached at [phone]. More information is also available at www.MarlerClark.com and Mr. Marler’s blog: www.marlerblog.com.