Epidemics and the Law: Lessons Learned from the Ebola Crisis

Public health matters to each and every one of us. The legal and ethical issues raised during the Ebola crises confirmed the belief that the United States will, at some point, face a health epidemic, stemming from origination in another country. We must be prepared in many ways, not the least of which, due to the many geopolitical, constitutional, ethical and complex public health issues involved, is legal preparedness. The recent Ebola virus crises present a myriad of issues to study, including international/national/local emergency response laws and regulations, border law, quarantine, vaccination, property seizure, commercial disruption, insurance matters, labor law, and privacy. Fear plays a part in response to any emergency. The lessons learned from the Ebola crisis as it touched the United States should help to control fear, and to allow for rational, timely and measured emergency and legal response in the face of catastrophic events.

Reed Smith partner Michael Sampson, a member of the firm's Insurance Recovery Group, will be a featured panelist at this seminar and will present on the topic:  "Epidemics, Pandemics, and Insurance Coverage: Lessons “Learned” from the 2014 Ebola Outbreak."

For more information or to register, visit www.acba.org.