Health Law and Ethics Network
Health Law and Ethics Network (HLEN) was formally established at Melbourne Law School in 2018
The key objectives of HLEN are to promote high quality, inter-disciplinary research, teaching and engagement in health law and ethics, and to foster collaboration among scholars and clinicians across the University of Melbourne and Parkville precinct. The research facilitated by the Network is directed towards growing the scholarship, offering policy solutions to governments, informing judicial decision-making, and providing input into clinical practice guidelines.
Overview of the Health Law and Ethics Network
HLEN includes researchers working across the gamut of topics in the health, law and bioethics, including reproductive health; mental health; regulation of health professionals; genomics and other emerging technologies; disability; public health; control of non-communicable diseases; neonatal intensive care; children’s surgeries; and distributive justice.
One of HLEN’s main activities is to host monthly lunchtime seminars on a variety of current issues arising in health law and ethics, providing an opportunity for people working in the field to present their work, exchange ideas and develop connections. HLEN sees these seminars as integral to the development of new inter-disciplinary collaborations. In addition to these monthly seminars, HLEN hosts various public and MLS lectures given by leading international experts in health law and ethics.
HLEN seeks to bring together staff and students from across the University of Melbourne, government and industry. HLEN’s events attract people from Melbourne Law School, the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Stem Cells Australia, the Melbourne Genomics Institute, the Doherty Institute, the McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria, the Royal Children’ Hospital, the Royal Melbourne Hospital, and the Department of Health and Human Services.
Health Law and Ethics Network (HLEN) on the COVID-19 pandemic
COVID-19 and its health, economic, social and political consequences have generated important questions for health law and ethics. Through their research, teaching and service to the public, members of the Health Law and Ethics Network at Melbourne Law School are offering informed, insightful and innovative responses to these legal, ethical and policy challenges.
Read HLEN's Responses to COVID-19
COVID-19 and its health, economic, social and political consequences have generated important questions for health law and ethics. Through their research, teaching and service to the public, members of the Health Law and Ethics Network at Melbourne Law School are offering informed, insightful and innovative responses to these legal, ethical and policy challenges.
Find out more about how Melbourne Law School legal experts are responding to the resulting legal, ethical and policy challenges
Law in the time of COVID-19
Directors
Consultative Group
Melbourne Law School Staff
-
Associate Professor Anna Arstein-Kerslake
Associate Professor
-
Professor Heather Douglas
Professor
-
Professor Shaun McVeigh
Professor
-
Professor Clara Gaff
-
Jamie Walvisch
Senior Lecturer
-
Associate Professor Jonathan Liberman
Associate Professor in Law & Global Health
-
Professor Bernadette McSherry
-
Professor Megan Munsie
Professor of Emerging Technologies (Stem)
-
Christine Parker
Professor
-
Megan Prictor
Senior Lecturer
-
Mark Taylor
Professor
-
Professor John Tobin
Francine V Mcniff Chair in Human Rights Law
-
Danya Vears
Senior Research Fellow
-
Dr Piers Gooding
Research Fellow
-
Casey Haining
Research Assistant
Members of the Health Law and Ethics Network produce high quality research on a wide range of topics in the health law and ethics field. The topic areas below represent their major expertise and interests, around which members collaborate with each other and researchers in Australia and overseas on projects, publications, grants and conferences.
There is an extensive suite of study options in health law and ethics at Melbourne Law School. These include subjects offered at the JD level, a world-class specialist Health and Medical Law Masters, and the opportunity for doctoral study.
In their studies at Melbourne Law School, students engage with cutting-edge issues in health law and ethics, taught by leaders in the field from Australia and overseas. The learning experience of students is enhanced by our deep connections with lawyers working in health law in private practice and health professionals from the public and private sectors.
Juris Doctor
Subjects which may be offered include:
- Health Law and Ethics (Not available in 2023)
- Creating Life: Law & Ethics (Legal Research)
- Doctors’ Duties, Patients’ Choices (Legal Research)
Breadth
Subjects which may be offered for undergraduate degrees include:
Masters of Health and Medical Law
Graduate Diploma of Health and Medical Law
The is Health and Medical Law Specialisation in the Melbourne Law Masters open to lawyers and to health professionals and administrators (with no prior legal qualification).
Subjects which may be offered include:
- Comparative Health Law
- Global Health Law
- Global Health, Trade and Investment Law
- Health Data Governance
- Health Law and Human Rights
- Health Law: Patient Safety and the Law
- Institutional Abuse and Legal Redress
- Law and Emerging Technologies
- Medical Ethics
- Medical Litigation
- Mental Health and Disability Law
- Public Health Law
- Regulation of Health Practitioners: Accountability and Enforcement
For more details, please visit the degree page on the Melbourne Law Masters website.
Graduate Researchers
The following students are completing their PhD studies under the expert supervision of Melbourne Law School academics.
Health Law and Ethics Network hosts a series of lunchtime seminars and events throughout the year with researchers from the University of Melbourne, external collaborators, and visitors from around the world on a wide variety of health law and ethics issues.
-
HLEN Monthly Seminars
HLEN hosts monthly lunchtime seminars on topics of current interest and controversy in health law and ethics with researchers from the University of Melbourne and external collaborators. Each seminar consists of two complementary presentations and collegial discussion.
-
HLEN Forthcoming Events
HLEN hosts seminars throughout the year with University of Melbourne researchers and visitors from around the world on a wide variety of health law and ethics issues.
-
HLEN Past Events
HLEN hosted a series of seminars and events.
-
Other Health Law and Ethics Events
HLEN seeks to operate as a hub for news about health law and ethics events and opportunities at the University of Melbourne, from across Australia and from overseas.