Center for Health Law Studies Celebrates First in the Nation Ranking in Health Care Law
The Saint Louis University School of Law Center for Health Law Studies was once again ranked number one in health care law by U.S. News & World Report. The center has been consistently a top program for as long as the practice has been ranked, holding the top spot for nearly 20 of those years.
Since its founding in 1982, the center has been at the forefront of health law education, scholarship, research, and advocacy. The center delivers a comprehensive education in health law and policy, grounded in a sustained commitment to identifying and addressing health injustice in all its forms. In partnership with its students, faculty, and a distinguished nationwide and global network of alumni, the center continues to shape the future of health care law and policy.
“This recognition affirms the center’s leadership in the field of health law and policy,” said Professor Kelly Gillespie, the director of the Center for Health Law Studies. “At a time when questions of access, equity, and accountability are more urgent than ever, our work is focused on preparing graduates to meet those challenges with clarity and purpose and to help shape health systems that better serve communities across the country and around the world.”
The center has long served as a hub for important discussions in the academic community, hosting annual symposia and serving as the home of the Health Law Scholars Workshop, which is co-hosted by American Society of Law, Medicine and Ethics (ASLME). Now in its 25th year, the Health Law Scholars Workshop brings together emerging scholars in health law and bioethics to present works in progress and receive substantive feedback from leading voices in the field, fostering mentorship, advancing new scholarship and strengthening connections across the academic community.
That commitment to advancing timely and impactful dialogue is also reflected in the health law symposia, where this year, leading scholars, practitioners, and policymakers examined the evolving relationship between science, law and public trust. In the discussions that will grace the pages of the SLU Health Law Journal, scholars and participants alike explored how legal frameworks shape vaccine development, access, and confidence, reinforcing the center’s role in elevating critical conversations at the intersection of health and policy.
“We take great pride in the Center for Health Law Studies and its continued recognition as the nation’s top program,” said Twinette Johnson, dean of Saint Louis University School of Law. “That distinction reflects not only its enduring leadership in the field, but also the strength of its faculty, the impact of its scholarship, and a sustained commitment to advancing health justice through teaching, research, and meaningful engagement with communities and policymakers.”