Expert panel discusses careers in health care law

Health law professionals gathered at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School Auburn Hills campus for a panel discussion on “Career Pathways In Health Care Law.” Co-hosted by the law school and State Bar of Michigan Health Care Law Section, the event featured three expert panelists to provide tips and insights for those seeking a career path in the health care field.

 The Feb. 16 program was moderated by Lisa DeMoss, WMU-Cooley Law School professor and Director of LL.M. in Insurance Law, and panelists included attorneys Mercedes Varasteh Dordeski, Foley & Mansfield; Julie Hamlet, Foster Swift Collins & Swift; and Gregory M. Nowakowski, Honigman Miller Schwartz & Cohn.

 During the discussion, panelists talked about how health law careers may shift with the proposed changes to the Affordable Care Act. Nowakowski advised those in attendance to build a strong network, and Dordeski encouraged young professionals to stay open-minded about opportunities in the field.

 “Keep your options open and give yourself 100 percent effort on whatever first legal position you land—even if it is not in your preferred field of practice,” Dordeski said.

 DeMoss also emphasized the importance of students exploring all the disciplines that encompass health care law. She said there are health care law professionals working in mergers and acquisitions of hospitals, compliance and risk management, entity formation of medical providers, false claims ‘qui tam’ litigation, administrative law and tele-medicine.

 “Health care law is always changing which makes it an exciting field with many niche specialties,” Hamlet said.