ABA Health Law Section Diversity & Inclusion Fellowship Program

About the Program

The ABA Health Law Section Diversity & Inclusion Fellowship Award will be awarded to up to 5 Young Lawyers who meet ABA Goal III Diversity criteria, are actively practicing health law, and interested in expanding their career development opportunities through networking within the Health Law Section.

The Fellowship awardees’ term will be from September 1, 2023 through August 31, 2024. The Fellowship will be awarded at our Emerging Issues in Healthcare Conference being held April 3-5, 2024 in New Orleans, LA.  Fellowship awardees are eligible to receive up to $500 for airfare, $150 per day per diem for 2 days, and a waiver of conference attendance fees.

Awardees will also be eligible to participate in the Section’s Annual Leadership Meeting being held July 21-22, 2023 in Detroit, MI. Awardees will be eligible for reimbursement of up to 2 hotel nights at the contracted hotel.

The ABA Health Law Section’s Fellowship Program seeks candidates with a demonstrable interest in the health law field, and a commitment to taking increasing leadership roles and responsibilities within the Section. The program is designed to provide Fellows with opportunities to gain experience with the Section and help them advance their careers in the health law field.

Fellowship awardees will be assigned to work with a Section interest group or task force of their interest, as expressed in their application.  The assigned Interest Group or Task Force Chair will serve as a mentor and engage the Awardee in all aspects of the Interest Group or Task Force, helping the Awardee to get involved in a substantive project, publication, policy or program that will be detailed in the Awardee’s work plan.

The Awardee will also work very closely with the Section’s D&I Committee and the Membership Vice Chair who, together with the relevant Interest Group or Task Force Chair, will be responsible for mentoring the Awardee, monitoring their progress and providing periodic reports to the Section Council. These mentors are also expected to help the Awardees navigate the Section to identify and maximize future opportunities for participation and advancement to leadership within the Section.

You can learn more about the ABA Health Law Section click here. 

To learn more about each of our interest groups, click here.

Benefits of Being a Fellow

1. Dedicated mentorship and guidance from the Section’s D&I committee, as well as the Chair and/or Vice Chairs of a substantive interest group or task force related to a health law subtopic of your interest.
2. Direct engagement with Section leadership, who represent some of the world's top health law thought leaders, practitioners, and educators.
3. Meaningful speaking and publishing opportunities on substantive health law topics.
4. Complimentary registration for attendance the Section’s Emerging Issues in Healthcare Law Conference. The 2024 Conference is April 3-5, 2024 in New Orleans, LA.
5. Eligibility to attend the Section’s Annual Leadership Meeting being held July 21-22, 2023 in Detroit, MI. 

Requirements of Fellows

1. Be a member of or join the ABA Health Law Section upon being awarded the Fellowship.
2. Each Awardee will be assigned to work with a substantive Interest Group (IG) or Task Force and the Chair of the IG or Task Force, based on the practice areas in which they have expressed interest through the application process. During the term of the Fellowship, Awardees are expected to:
   1. Participate in all of the interest group or task force’s meetings.
   2. Be actively involved in at least one substantive project of the assigned interest group or task force.
   3. Commit to continue active involvement in the Section after the Fellowship year by mentoring new members / Fellows, staying involved in Section committees, and assuming leadership positions within the Section.
   4. Attend up to five Fellows program check-in calls in January, April, July, and October.

These activities are anticipated to total at least four hours per month. 

Who Should Apply

• Young lawyers interested in expanding their network and developing their careers within the Health Law Section.
• Professionals with Health Law-related and/or legal experience. There is no upper limit on experience.
• Experienced, young lawyers looking to transition to a career in health law (A “young lawyer” means a lawyer who has been admitted to practice in their first bar within the past ten years, or is less than thirty-six years old)

If you have any questions, please contact Simeon Carson ([email protected]).