Georgia State Law’s Center for Law, Health & Society has partnered with the American College of Legal Medicine on its interdisciplinary publication, the Journal of Legal Medicine.
The partnership developed out of a lunch Professor Roy Sobelson had last year with his former student, Bill Hinnant (J.D. ’01), a lawyer and physician. Hinnant was then ACLM president, and he was looking for a new academic partner for the journal. Sobelson connected Hinnant with Leslie Wolf, director of the Center for Law, Health & Society. The rest, they say, is history.
“We have discussed having a health law journal for years, but the right opportunity hadn’t arisen until now,” Wolf said. “The center and the ACLM both value interdisciplinary work in health law, which is – and will continue to be – reflected in the journal.”
Wolf sees the journal filling a niche that the Center is well positioned to foster and grow. “We want to publish scholarship that has an impact on health policy,” said Wolf. “This is a peer-reviewed journal that will publishes shorter articles that will be accessible to a broad readership.”
The ACLM did not take the decision to partner lightly. A team of Georgia State representatives, including associate director Stacie Kershner (J.D. ’08) and associate dean of library and information services Kris Niedringhaus, met with the ACLM board and the journal’s editorial board at the ACLM annual meeting in Charleston.
“After meeting with the GSU Law representatives, both boards enthusiastically supported the partnership” Hinnant said “Given the center’s stellar national reputation, its amazing faculty, and its vision, ACLM knew we had found a partner who could take the journal to new levels.” As an alumnus, Hinnant added, he was excited for the opportunities the journal will provide for Georgia State Law students.
Kershner echoed Hinnant’s comments. “Although the journal will be peer-reviewed, we intend to involve students in the substantive work of the journal,” she said. “It is wonderful to be able to provide this experience that students have been requesting.”
The Journal of Legal Medicine is published quarterly by Taylor & Francis. Submissions are accepted year-round at tandfonline.com/loi/ulgm20.