The seminar, which was held at the FIU College of Law, featured four panels covering various public health topics presented by attorneys, judges, and health care professionals; an award presentation; and a keynote speaker. The event culminated with a networking reception.
“The recent pandemic highlighted the important role our legal system plays in public health,” said Alexandra Bach Lagos, a Greenberg Traurig Litigation Practice shareholder who spearheaded the event. “This seminar allowed for key conversations with thought leaders about the legal implications resulting from public health emergencies.”
“FIU Law was delighted to partner with Greenberg Traurig and welcome so many stakeholders to our law school on this topic of vital importance to the state and country,” said FIU Law Dean Antony Page. FIU Law is Miami’s only public law school, and offers among its programs a master’s degree in health care for compliance professionals.
“We were also very pleased to recognize the Chief Judge of the 11th Judicial Circuit, Nushin G. Sayfie, with the FIU College of Law Leadership in the Law Award, for her many contributions to the administration of justice,” Dean Page added.
FIU Law Associate Dean Manuel Gomez for Graduate Studies and Global Engagement, College of Medicine Associate Dean for International Affairs Eneida Roldan, and FIU Law alumna Maria D. Garcia ’08 participated in a panel discussion titled “Obesity and Diabetes: Novel Liability Theories and the Lawsuits that May Lie Ahead,” which discussed the rising rates of obesity and its connection with diabetes.
FIU Law Assistant Professor Taleed El-Sabawi served on a panel titled “Mental Health and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Issues and Solutions.” This panel explored how the pandemic exacerbated the need for improved access to mental health treatment and increased enforcement of federal mental health parity laws.
The Honorable Jose Rodriguez, a judge on Florida’s Eleventh Judicial Circuit and an Adjunct Professor at FIU Law, also served on a panel alongside FIU Psychology Associate Professor Elisa Trucco titled “Tobacco Litigation Update,” which provided an overview of the history of tobacco litigation in Florida and addressed the state of litigation today.
FIU Psychology Professor Matthew Sutherland was joined by industry experts on the panel titled “The Opioid Epidemic: A Crisis in the Community and the Courts.” This panel discussed Florida’s opioid epidemic and the state’s response to the crisis, including government actions, recent settlements and guidelines for prescribers and health care entities, as well as the impact of long-term opioid use on the human brain.
Greenberg Traurig Shareholder Robert P. Charrow delivered the keynote on his experience in Operation Warp Speed, the government program that was designed to accelerate the development, production, and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. Charrow is the former general counsel of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP has more than 2650 attorneys in 44 locations in the United States, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. The firm is a 2022 BTI “Highly Recommended Law Firm” for superior client service and is consistently among the top firms on the Am Law Global 100 and NLJ 250. Greenberg Traurig is Mansfield Rule 5.0 Certified Plus by The Diversity Lab. The firm is recognized for powering its U.S. offices with 100% renewable energy as certified by the Center for Resource Solutions Green-e® Energy program and is a member of the U.S. EPA’s Green Power Partnership Program. The firm is known for its philanthropic giving, innovation, diversity, and pro bono. Web: www.gtlaw.com.