Mitchell Hamline Students Learn from Nationally Recognized Health Law Experts
Professor Pope’s Trailblazing Year in Bioethics and Beyond
In June 2023, Professor Thaddeus Mason Pope spoke at the 2023 International Conference on Clinical Ethics and Consultation in Rome. He presented on the “Top Ten Things Clinical Ethicists Need to Know About VSED.” Pictured to the right is Pope outside the Gemelli Hospital where it was held.
In 2023, Professor Pope was elected a Fellow of The Hastings Center, the oldest independent, nonpartisan, interdisciplinary bioethics research institute in the world. Fellows are a group of more than 200 individuals of outstanding accomplishment whose work has informed scholarship and public understanding of complex ethical issues in health, health care, science, and technology.
Also in 2023, Professor Pope published more than 30 articles and book chapters, including chapters on “Medicolegal Issues” for the widely used Merck Manual. He delivered more than 30 presentations to professional societies, hospitals, and universities from Yale to the University of Washington. Professor Pope served as a legal consultant to health law reform task forces in the United States and Canada. And he served as an expert witness in lawsuits on organ donation and medical futility.
Throughout the year, Professor Pope has made significant contributions to the field of bioethics, focusing on various aspects of end-of-life care, medical ethics, and legal considerations. Here are some highlights from his publications and presentations:
- Determination of Brain Death (November 17, 2023): Published in the Pediatric Neurocritical Care Education Series by the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Medicine’s Department of Critical Care Medicine.
- Connecticut’s Bill on Medical Aid-in-Dying (November 14, 2023): Explored ethical dimensions at the Yale Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics.
- Ethical Controversies in Death Determination (October 11-14, 2023): Shared expertise at the ASBH 24th Annual Meeting in Baltimore.
These contributions showcase his commitment to advancing discussions on critical bioethical issues, influencing both academic and practical spheres. You can learn more about the work he’s done this year on his website.
Mitchell Hamline Health Law Professor and Students Honored with Attorney of the Year Awards
Mitchell Hamline Professor Ana Pottratz Acosta and several of her health law clinic students were part of a team of immigration attorneys that worked to pass legislation to allow Minnesotans to obtain drivers licenses, regardless of their immigration status. The effort was 20 years in the making and was one of the groups recently recognized by Minnesota Lawyer’s 2023 Attorneys of the Year awards.
2024 Roy Snell Health Care Regulatory and Compliance Writing Competition
Law students from around the country invited to compete
We host the Roy Snell Health Care Regulatory and Compliance Writing Competition every spring. This rigorous competition requires students to analyze a hypothetical fact pattern involving an organization facing multifaceted legal challenges. The competition recognizes law students for innovative, strategic, and sound approaches to tackling complex contemporary health care regulatory and compliance issues.
The 2024 competition runs from February 1st to March 13th. Once registration closes on January 31st, participants will receive the Competition Problem and have six weeks to submit all deliverables. Judged anonymously by an independent panel, the top three winners will receive cash prizes and complimentary registration for the 2025 HCCA Annual Compliance Institute.
- 1st Place — $5000 cash prize
- 2nd Place — $3000 cash prize
- 3rd Place — $1500 cash prize
The competition is open to all full and part-time law students in J.D. programs who have completed their 1L year. The competition is also open to any student currently enrolled in a Compliance Certification Board (CCB) accredited program.
Mitchell Hamline’s Health Law Institute
Giving students a competitive edge through a comprehensive approach
Certificate Specializations: Our Health Law and Health Care Compliance Certificates offer students a specialized and customized curriculum to help them achieve their goals and aspirations and enter the market with a competitive edge. The Health Care Compliance Certificate is one of only a few in the country to be accredited by the Compliance Certification Board (CCB).
Food Law Center: The Health Law Institute’s Food Law Center offers students specialized education in the legal challenges associated with food production, manufacturing, and consumption of food including a new course that was offered spring 2023 titled “Food Safety and the Law.”