J.D. Program: Health Law Concentration

Seton Hall Law School has specialized in health law for more than two decades. U.S.News & World Report has consistently ranked the Seton Hall health law program among the leading programs in the country. The health law faculty specialize in a wide range of topics, influencing health care policy throughout the United States and the world.

Seton Hall Law offers a Concentration in Health Law that provides J.D. students with a strong foundation in traditional health law or life sciences law.  Students have increasingly integrated the Concentration with intellectual property courses too.  Students pursuing the concentration may list it on their resumes.  Upon graduation, the Concentration will be reflected on graduates' transcripts and they will receive certificates indicating receipt of the Concentration in Health Law. 

All interested students in the Health Law concentration should submit a Concentration Declaration Form. This form must be submitted by the end of the first week of classes in the student's final semester.

Note: Students may not apply courses taken Pass/D or Fail toward the Concentration credit requirement.

Concentration Planning and Advice

Faculty advice is available to students pursuing or considering the Concentration or the Compliance track. 

Concentration Requirements

To graduate with a Concentration in Health Law, students must complete a minimum of 13 credits in health law courses and fulfill the health law concentration requirements outlined below. Students seeking curricular advisement should contact Professors Jacob Elberg, Carl Coleman, and Doron Dorfman.

In-Class JD/LLM/MSJ Courses (not available to Certificate Students)

Only available to JD, LLM and MSJ students

*Students may be able to participate in the Health Law Semester in DC Program in the fall, spring, or summer semesters, depending on satisfaction of Program requirements. Interested students should contact Prof. Ragone to explore their options.

Externship Program

Seton Hall Law School's externship program offers Health Law students an opportunity to apply their knowledge in a health care or policy setting. These externships provide students with unparalleled opportunities to meet attorneys who represent providers, payors, consumers, and manufacturers who become a bridge to their careers in health law.  Students pursuing the concentration are encouraged to participate in an externship.  However, an externship is not a requirement for completing the concentration.

To learn more about these exciting health law externship opportunities, please contact the Office of Career Services at [email protected].  If you wish to discuss your options with a faculty member, please see Professor Jacob Elberg.

Semester in D.C.

Students may earn 8 credits in a semester-long externship, plus 2 credits in a required attendant class, in a government agency. To qualify, students must plan their studies carefully to satisfy their course and residency requirements prior to the D.C. semester. Students are responsible for obtaining their own housing during their semester in D.C. Professor Tara Ragone oversees this program. 

Summer Compliance Fellowships

Each year, several health and life science companies offer paid summer compliance fellowships to students who have completed their first year of law school.  These opportunities expose students to the world of compliance, thereby enabling them to compare the compliance profession to the practice of law after spending the second year summer in a law firm or other legal setting.  Fellowship applications are generally available after first semester grades become available.  Questions may be directed to the Center for Health & Pharmaceutical Law at [email protected] or the Office of Career Services at 973-642-8746.