MSBA Health Law Section
2007-08 Annual Report

Mission
The mission of the Health Law Section is to serve its members and the community by enhancing knowledge of health care laws and regulations, stimulating interest and involvement in the field of health law and promoting collegiality among its members.

History
The Section was established in 1986. It evolved from the “hospital law” societies that formed in the 1970s and MSBA's Medical-Legal Committee, comprised of individual lawyers in the community. They recognized that changes in the health care industry created a need for professional growth and development of lawyers focused on the legal and regulatory aspects of the industry. In mid-1970, the Minnesota Society of Hospital Attorneys formed and thrived for more than a decade. The Hennepin County Bar Association (HCBA) Health Law Committee also formed around that time.  In 1980, the HCBA Health Law Committee  became the MSBA Health Law Committee and, in 1986, it was recognized as an MSBA section. There was also an MSBA committee called the Medical-Legal Committee that was formed to work collaboratively with the Minnesota Medical Association on issues of common interest.  That committee continued for awhile after the Health Law Section was established. The MSBA Medical-Legal Committee and the MSBA Health Law Section eventually merged in the early 1990s.

Today, the Health Law Section continues its tradition of providing opportunities for professional development and collegiality through frequent continuing legal education seminars, volunteer initiatives and maintenance of a website.

Membership
There are currently 405 Section members. They practice health law throughout the State and in a variety of practice settings, including large and small law firms, trade associations, academic institutions, government agencies and in-house settings for product manufacturers, service providers, health care facilities and insurers. Section membership is gender and age diverse.

Governance and Management
The Health Law Section's Governing Council, operating under MSBA-approved bylaws, provides overall direction. Governing Council Members are elected by Section members at the annual meeting held in May or June. The Nominating Committee presents a slate of candidates to the Council, which in turn advances it to Section members for consideration and vote. Council members usually serve three-year terms and generally serve no more than two consecutive terms. Terms are staggered to enhance continuity.

The Governing Council generally meets in September, November, January, March and May.   A typical Council meeting agenda includes reports of the chair, secretary and treasurer, progress updates on current projects, consideration of new program ideas and consideration of other MSBA business referred to the Section.

Officers are elected by the Governing Council and traditionally rise “through the chairs” from treasurer to secretary, to vice chair, to chair.  The chair appoints committee chairs as needed with approval by the Council.  The Council also elects a voting Delegate and Alternate Delegate to the MSBA Assembly.

The 2007-2008 Governing Council membership, effective July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008, included the following attorneys:

Mary Prentnieks, Chair
Murray Sagsveen, Vice-Chair
Brian Felton, Secretary
Gail Brandt, Treasurer
Susan Gannon-Kratz, Ex-Officio Member
Nancy Berry, Program Chair
Bethan Davies
Donna W. Loomis
John J. Hoefs
Lucinda Jesson
Lori Ketola
Thomas F. Pursell
Shirley Qual
Neal Peterson
Mark Traynor
Trudi Trysla
Judith Walker
Jeff W. Reed
Stephen K. Warch
Mary Zilinski

Programs and Activities

In 2007-2008, the Section met six times (including its summer meeting).  Council meeting minutes are available on the Section’s website.  Activities of the Health Law Section included:

• nine successful CLE seminars;
• a successful law student reception;
• a survey of outstate members to determine how to better meet their program needs;
• participation in the MS Society’s MS Walk by staffing a rest stop;
• maintenance and update of health law related website links on the Section’s website; and
• co-sponsorship in conjunction with Minnesota CLE of the Health Law Institute continuing legal education seminar.

CLE Breakfast Meetings
In 2007-2008, the Section sponsored a number of well-attended health law seminars, including:  seven breakfast seminars in Minneapolis, two breakfast seminars in St. Paul, and one luncheon meeting in St. Paul.  Two of the seminars were co-sponsored with other groups: one seminar with the Tax and Business Law Sections to discuss a timely and relevant non-profit tax case (this seminar was free of charge to all members); and the other with Hamline Law School to discuss off-label marketing with presentations by an Assistant U.S. Attorney from Massachusetts and a private white collar crime defense attorney from Philadelphia. The Section thanks Council member and Director of Hamline’s Health Law Institute, Lucinda Jesson, who was the primary driver of this event. 

The Section continued its tradition of encouraging law student interest by offering its breakfast seminars to a limited number of students without charge on a first-come-first-served basis. 

The Section is grateful to all presenters who generously shared their time and talent in delivering the programs, a list of which can be found on the Section’s website.  The Section is also very grateful to Nancy Berry, Program Chair, for all of her hard work and effort in making this another successful year in bringing relevant and timely programs to Minnesota health lawyers.

Law Student Reception
The Section sponsored a very successful law student reception.  Approximately, fifty people attended with about half of the attendance representative of law students.  The reception allowed students from all of the area law schools to meet practicing health lawyers, ask questions and learn more about health law practice as well as seek information about the Section.  This was a good chance to reach out specifically to health law students, distinguishing this event from the annual MSBA law student reception.  The Section thanks the following law student liaison Council members who coordinated this initiative and were primarily responsible for its success:  Gail Brandt, Lori Ketola, Trudi Trysla, Shirley Qual, Mary Zilinski and Steve Warch.  The Section also thanks Elise Farnsworth, MSBA staff member, for her hard work and effort in helping to coordinate this event.

Financial Report

The Section continues to be fiscally sound.  Financial reports are available upon request.  The ending balance including investments as of April 30, 2008 was $28,819.08.

Finally, the Section thanks Meaghan Harper, MSBA Section Liaison.  None of our work would have been possible without Meaghan’s constant attention to detail and keeping us on task.  Thank you, Meaghan.

It has been a pleasure and privilege to serve as Chair of the Health Law Section. 

Respectfully submitted,
Mary Prentnieks