This course will expose students to the exciting world of public health law—through a mix of classroom discussion and practice in the field. Public health law focuses on statutes, regulations, and policies that impact the health of the population. This broad topic results in an array of subjects for discussion and practice. Students will understand the legislative and regulatory processes, particularly in Maryland, through which an idea becomes a law. Students will learn to evaluate public health law and policy through an ethical lens and gain an understanding of the social determinants of health and the impact of racism on public health. Students will read and engage in discussion about how to determine the proper or effective path to secure public health policy and learn to identify particular policy options to decrease inequality and enhance justice in public health practice.

During the semester, students will assist the Network for Public Health Law—Eastern Region and the Legal Resource Center for Public Health Policy in providing technical legal assistance to public health practitioners and their counsel as well as legislators and advocates at the national, state, tribal, and local level. Assistance will be provided on a broad range of public health issues. Skills training will include learning to critically evaluate social science research, advocate for legislative or regulatory change, present written and oral legal material to non-lawyer audiences, and work within coalitions to create sound public health policy.

This clinic will be offered in spring semester 2025 as a one-semester clinic for six credits. All students enrolled in spring clinic will be required to attend in-person clinic orientation on Friday, January 10, 2025, in addition to any clinic-specific orientation that the professor may schedule.