January 21, 2005
Larry Ebner, partner in MLA's Washington, DC office, was recently honored by CropLife America, the national trade association for the plant science industry, for his role in advocating, before appellate and trial courts across the country, federal preemption of product liability claims under FIFRA, the federal pesticide statute.
Following the recent Supreme Court hearing on FIFRA, Bates v. Dow AgroSciences, No. 03-388, CropLife America held a reception at the U.S. Capitol where they honored Larry Ebner. CropLife America executives presented Mr. Ebner with a framed copy of the amicus curiae brief that he filed in Bates on behalf of their organization, along with a letter of appreciation for his 15 years of advocacy on FIFRA.
Mr. Ebner was also acknowledged in CropLife America's newsletter which described him as "the 'dean' of FIFRA pre-emption for many years." Mr. Ebner heads McKenna Long & Aldridge's Appellate Practice Group and has personally argued and/or briefed the "FIFRA preemption" defense on behalf of pesticide manufacturers, distributors, and applicators, and amicus curiae trade associations such as CropLife America, in more than 100 cases.