Laws that affect the health of people
Health law is a broad and interdisciplinary field that involves any law which affects the health of individuals and the public. The health law field includes specific laws that regulate the health industry, the public's health, and the delivery and financing of health care services. It also includes more general laws that can impact health and health care, such as corporate and tax law, environmental law, tort law, bioethics and law, constitutional law, family law, juvenile and elder law, administrative law, intellectual property law, social welfare law, and international law.
Today’s health lawyer thus needs to have a solid and well-rounded background across many curricular disciplines. For example, health lawyers include:
- Corporate counsel who advise for-profit and not-for-profit health care businesses
- Corporate lawyers who counsel employers on health-related matters, including benefits and health plans, related to their employees
- Attorneys in private practice who advise individuals and families on disability, workers compensation, special education, the welfare of children and the elderly, and other health-related issues
- Legal aid and civil rights lawyers who address the rights of economically disadvantaged and otherwise under-served members of the community and who promote their health and access to health care
- Trial attorneys involved in litigation related to insurance companies, health care enterprises, medical products manufacturers, or individuals' health or health care outcomes
- Government attorneys who prosecute criminal fraud and abuse and other health-related white-collar crimes
- Government attorneys representing administrative agencies or charged with implementing major health legislation at the federal, state or local levels
- Intellectual property lawyers involved with the development of new health care technologies
- Attorneys in private practice who advise on the rights of patients and health care providers, including doctors and institutional providers
- Legal advocates in non-profit organizations who represent the health interests of particular segments of the population
- Mediators who facilitate the resolution of health-related disputes
In addition, many lawyers' pro bono activities are aimed at improving their community's health.
Our core health law courses and electives, health law externships, and clinical programs enrich the students’ understanding of how law plays a pivotal role in ensuring health and access to health care, and they prepare students for successful careers as health lawyers. The Center's educational program includes offerings in our six focus areas:
