Header Image: Professor Kate Shaw and Graduate Rachael Totz were Honored in the 2026 Cudahy Writing Competition.
The Cudahy Writing Competition honors the legacy of Judge Richard D. Cudahy by recognizing scholarship that reflects his deep understanding of legal doctrine, insight into the institutional forces shaping how doctrine is put into practice, and attentiveness to the public consequences of legal and institutional choices—including fairness, participation, and transparency.
Shaw was recognized in the lawyer category alongside Leah Litman (University of Michigan Law School) and Melissa Murray (New York University School of Law) for their co-authored article, “Unsettling the Presidency.” The article argues that the Trump administration has sought to expand executive power by drawing on and appropriating the authority of the courts, through both litigation and what the authors describe as “ersatz legal processes,” to silence and deter critics and consolidate power within the presidency.
A nationally recognized scholar of constitutional law, administrative law, executive power, and the Supreme Court, Shaw joined the Penn Carey Law faculty in 2025. She is also a contributing opinion writer with the New York Times and a co-host of the legal podcast Strict Scrutiny with Litman and Murray.
Totz, who earned her JD/MBE from Penn Carey Law in May 2026, was recognized in the law student category for her article, “Redefining Program Integrity: Protecting Consumers and Systems in the Affordable Care Act Marketplaces.” Totz’s piece addresses unauthorized plan switches and enrollments within ACA marketplaces—a persistent problem with significant costs for consumers—and argues that marketplace integrity must be evaluated through a consumer protection lens that safeguards access to affordable insurance while protecting enrollees’ rights.
The recognition of both a Penn Carey Law faculty member and a recent graduate underscores the Law School’s longstanding commitment to scholarship that shapes public discourse and advances understanding of the nation’s most consequential legal issues.
Winners were recognized during the ACS 2026 National Convention in June.
Source: https://www.law.upenn.edu/live/news/18641-2026-cudahy-writing-competition
