Health Law Practicum: Alternative Dispute Resolution

Course Catalog Number:
5447
Course Credits:
3
Course Type:
Practicum
Course Priority:
Limited Enrollment - 3rd Year Priority
Graduation Requirements:
"W" Writing
Professional Skills
Experiential Learning
Full Year Course:
No

Course Description

The Health Law Practicum offers third and second year law students an opportunity to work with lawyers in hospitals, health insurance companies, and in a variety of other placements in health law. The primary emphasis of this practicum is legal representation of a non-profit enterprise in the changing health law environment. One of the changes being experienced in all health law environments is the resolution of disputes through the use of negotiation, mediation and other alternatives to adversary adjudication. 
The practicum comprises both a classroom component and a field placement. Both focus on work in the health law environment; however, the focus on alternative dispute resolution is primarily in the classroom component of the course. The classroom sessions of two hours every other week will be devoted to a consideration of the application of ADR techniques to health law disputes. Besides studying substantive health law issues, students will participate in ADR simulations as part of their classroom experience.
In addition to the classroom component of the course, students will work in the field with supervising attorneys for a minimum of 104 hours per semester. Students will be exposed to working in a health law environment in these placements. Whether students will be afforded an opportunity to participate in alternative dispute resolution as part of their site experience will depend on the projects then being undertaken at the placement site.