News at Hamline University School of Law

Barbara Colombo, Senior Fellow

ehertog01 — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 13:15:58 -0500

We are very fortunate to have Barbara Colombo join us as our new Sr. Fellow. Barb is an attorney and a critical care nurse. While practicing law, she specialized in product liability and medical malpractice. Additionally, Barb served as Assistant Commissioner of Health during the Carlson administration and most recently has served as an independent legal and policy consultant, providing advice to corporate, individual and nonprofit clients. Barb has been a member of the adjunct faculty at the University of St. Thomas, William Mitchell College of Law, and Hamline University School of Law. Barb will be directing our Compliance Certificate Program, teaching Compliance Laws and Regulations, and Health Law Quality and Liability, advising certificate program students, overseeing planning, placement, and expansion of the externship program in 2009. Barb will also help to develop, plan and implement a program for governance training for non-profit board members.

Alumni Engaged in Career Services Programs

cbielke01 — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 15:56:10 -0500

Hamline's Career Services Office (CSO) has unleashed an active semester of helpful events and program for students, many of which could not happen without the active support of alumni. One such event, an employer reception held in conjunction with orientation in August, gave students the chance to network with potential employers on campus. Among the CSO's upcoming programs is a series of mentoring lunches in which alumni volunteers will help students explore where they might best fit into the legal profession. Please contact CSO Director Nancy Lochner at 651-523-2470 if you are willing to lend your time and expertise at a mentoring lunch or another event for current students.

Barriers to Justice to be Explored at JPLP Spring Symposium

cbielke01 — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:42:45 -0500

In commemoration of the centennial of Southern Minnesota Legal Services (SMRLS), The Journal of Public Law and Policy at Hamline University School of Law in Saint Paul, Minnesota, will host a symposium entitled "Barriers to Justice: Responding to the Needs of the Low-Income Population in America." The symposium will begin on Thursday, March 12 and will continue throughout the day on Friday, March 13, 2009.

This symposium will gather local and national scholars, law practitioners, policymakers and government officials to address the challenges to providing meaningful access to the justice system to low income persons. This will include such topics as barriers to jobs, benefits, education, health-care and housing faced by low-income persons as a result of racism and poverty.

On Thursday evening, scholars, community leaders and students will reflect on and celebrate more than a century of Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Service's (SMRLS) commitment to providing a full range of high quality, free legal assistance to low income people. On Friday, participants will look forward and discuss policies and practices that will ensure that all Americans have equal access to the justice system. The symposium will service as a springboard for a reinvigorated commitment by the legal community to ensuring the provision of quality access to the legal system for low income persons.

Mark your calendar now and plan to join us. More details will be forthcoming.

Hamline Issues Recommendations for Resolving Conflicts in the Health Care System

cbielke01 — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:45:02 -0500

Hamline University School of Law has released a report, "Guiding Principles for Creation of Dispute Resolution Systems in Health Care," which is available in PDF and hard copy. The report is the outcome of a November 2007 Hamline Law School sponsored symposium, "An Intentional Conversation about Conflict Resolution in the Health Care," which brought together leading health care providers, payors, regulators, recognized patient representatives, attorneys and experienced conflict resolution professionals and scholars.

Among the symposium participants was Deb Gerardi, Chair, Program on Collaboration and Conflict Resolution in Healthcare, Werner Institute for Negotiation and Dispute Resolution Creighton University School of Law, who noted, "The Hamline symposium provided an important opportunity for a national dialogue among scholars and professionals who are interested in improving how complex health care conflicts are addressed."

Barbara Balik, Director at Large, Board of Governors, National Patient Safety Foundation, also participated. She said, "The symposium was a unique opportunity to bring together scholars and professionals. The guiding principles offer a patient-centered approach to resolving the conflicts that arise in health care settings."

The report provides a thorough summary of the symposium dialogue, along with eight specific recommendations for the creation of patient-centered dispute resolution systems. The report states that a Dispute Resolution System in Health Care must be one that:

Centers on the patient
Recognizes and addresses disputes within the health care team
Places individual conflicts in the broader health care picture
Promotes communications skills and professionalism
Exudes transparency
Encourages timely truth telling and acceptance of responsibility
Focuses on "how did this happen" rather than "who did it"
Recognizes the centrality of emotion

"As the human and financial costs of resolving conflicts in health care continues to grow, more people are coming to the realization that there has to be a better way of ensuring just and responsible conflict resolution that doesn't cripple the health care system," said Hamline Dispute Resolution Institute Director and Professor of Law James Coben. "The guiding principles in this report represent a critical step toward building consensus in the health care industry about the need for patient-centered dispute resolution systems that can accomplish these objectives."

"Disputes between physician and nurse; doctor and patient; insurance company and enrollee all damage health care outcomes if not well handled," added Hamline Health Law Institute Director and Professor of Law Lucinda Jesson. "The recommendations in this report represent the best thinking of today's leaders on how to create fair resolution systems in this unique industry."

Hard copies of "Guiding Principles for Creation of Dispute Resolution Systems in Health Care" may be requested by contacting Hamline Health Law Institute Assistant Director Marcia K. Miller at 651-523-2625 or mmiller14@hamline.edu.

Hamline Marks 9/11 Anniversary with Terrorism Negotiation Expert

cbielke01 — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:44:57 -0500

Michael Tsur, Founder and Director of the Mediation and Conflict Resolution Institute of Jerusalem (shown here with Professor David Cobin), spoke at Hamline on September 11 on "High-Risk Negotiations in a World of Increasing Terror." He described how terrorism has influenced the negotiation process, particularly in the business world. He said after the attack on the World Trade Center, "the world became a smaller place" and that general suspicion and an obsession with security have delayed trust building in business development.

Tsur stressed the importance of the team process to overcome these barriers in crisis, high-risk and emergency negotiations. Any and every interaction could have a far-reaching effect on the relationship between the parties he said. He also noted that successful high-risk negotiations require team building, a clear definition of the situation, open communication channels, and stabilization of the situation through trust building. Finally, and of most concern to the business world, the relationship between the parties must be maintained and monitored after a deal is reached, Tsur said.