<p>The Widener University School of Law and its Health Law Institute are pleased to announce that U.S.News &amp; World Report&rsquo;s 2009 edition of America&rsquo;s Best Graduate Schools has listed the law school&rsquo;s health law program among the nation&rsquo;s 10 best.<br /><br />Widener&rsquo;s program is ranked ninth in the top-10 field. The school has maintained a near-constant presence among the elite health law programs singled out by the news magazine in recent years.<br /><br />&ldquo;The health law faculty and the whole Widener community are gratified that the excellence of our Health Law Institute continues to be recognized,&rdquo; said Professor John G. Culhane, Director of the Institute. &ldquo;Of course, it is based on past accomplishments, and we are continuing to move forward. Health law is a vast and fast-changing field, and our Institute is energized by leading scholars, enthusiastic lawyers and health-care providers, and our deep and diverse student population. Working together, we&rsquo;re developing new initiatives and programs and will keep striving to make even better connections with the legal and broader communities in this important area of the law.&rdquo; <br /><br />The magazine sets rankings based on votes by law faculty members at accredited schools around the country who teach in the health law field.<br /><br />Widener&rsquo;s Health Law Institute, located on its Delaware campus, was formally established in 1989 and fosters health law education within the J.D. and four graduate health law programs. Courses offer in-depth study of legal issues created by health care delivery including medical malpractice, changes in Medicaid and Medicare programs and state and federal regulation of managed care. The institute last year added a joint-degree program with Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, focused on public health law.<br /><br />Widener&rsquo;s faculty consists of specialists in areas that include public health law, bioethics, toxic torts, elder law and health care finance, regulation and fraud. The school&rsquo;s adjunct faculty includes experienced assistant U.S. attorneys, partners in major health law firms and a professor who simultaneously holds law and medical degrees. One member of the faculty directs a Veterans Law Clinic on both law campuses, which is one of the nation&rsquo;s few programs dedicated to assisting veterans in their efforts to recoup medical benefits from the government.<br /><br />&ldquo;Widener has worked hard to build a first-class program and this recognition is a welcome vote of confidence,&rdquo; Law Dean Linda L. Ammons said.<br /><br />The rankings are expected to appear in the April 7-14 edition of U.S.News &amp; World Report, which hits newsstands Monday, March 31.<br /><br /> </p>