The “Standard of Care” for Medical Liability and Health Care attorneys: that is the Medical Liability and Health Care Law Committee's mission. We want our Committee membership services, seminars and publications to become the “Standard of Care” for attorneys representing the health care professions. This Committee began with a focus on traditional medical malpractice litigation. Over the years, as the practice has evolved, we have expanded our scope to address the needs of other medical professionals (e.g., chiropractors, pharmacists, physical therapists, podiatrists). Further, we changed the name of the Committee to recognize the growth of the health care law field and added content to our seminars and publications to serve that need.
We produce two seminars each year, the Medical Liability and Health Care Law Seminar and the Nursing Home/ALF Seminar, and co-produce (with the Trial Tactics Committee) the Complex Medicine Seminar. Special features of these seminars include Specialized Litigation Groups (SLGs), breakout sessions covering pharmacy litigation and obstetrical medicine, and Young Lawyer breakout sessions covering the nuts and bolts. These seminars are the preeminent seminars in their areas and are well attended by bar leaders and industry representatives. In addition, we have produced DRI teleconferences.
The Committee’s publications are tailored to be relevant to your day-to-day practices. Our quarterly newsletter, The MedLaw Update, covers current issues facing attorneys and their clients and to provide substantive articles and case summaries. Traditionally, in the November edition of For The Defense, our members offer a collection of articles providing an in-depth analysis of issues and trends in the medical and health care law fields, and our Publications Chair, Summer Stevens, will be seeking contributors for upcoming editions. Last, our HIPAA Best Practices for Defense Lawyers publication has been well received and will be updated in the near future.
Our Expert Witness Chair coordinates an e-mail exchange of inquires and information about experts among the 1,300 Committee members. This is an excellent tool to keep current on the new plaintiff’s experts and to obtain information about experts disclosed by the plaintiff’s attorney in your cases. But, this excellent e-mail exchange also serves a forum; members post inquiries of all kinds and swap useful information. The best part is that it’s a service free to Committee members. Just sign up and join in.
As you can see, we are a dynamic Committee with many opportunities to participate in the workings of the Committee. While our membership has surpassed 1,300, there is always room for more. We put the motto “many hands make light work” into practice and put people to work who want to work. The members of the Committee are quality individuals who enjoy working with each other and participating in the social benefits that arise out of the Committee’s activities. We truly like and help each other, and there is wonderful cross-marketing that takes place.