Health Law

Mythreesons
Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:40:56 +0000

First, let’s make sure what you mean by health law. To lawyers, that generally refers to a corporate practice (as opposed to litigation) where the clients are in the health care field. It involves transactional and advising work for health care providers, drug companies, etc. If that’s what you’re talking about…

Health care as a separate area of practice didn’t exist 20 years ago, but it has since boomed. Virtually all large firms have health care lawyers now. There is, therefore, plenty of opportunity in this area. Starting salaries depend more on the type of firm than the practice. If you can get a job in the health care department of a very large national law firm, you can get starting salaries of $160,000 or thereabouts. However, those jobs are not the norm and you need top credentials. If you go to a smaller firm that represents physicians (as opposed to hospitals and large entities), you’ll make much less. There is no average. There are also many in house jobs that become available after a few years experience at a firm.

My wife has been a health care lawyer with a very large firm for over 20 years. So let me know if you have any other questions.