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Practice Group Appointment Process

Practice Group (PG) leaders identify educational topics, recruit speakers and authors, and facilitate the production of resources and publications to support its PG members in meeting the unique challenges of their discipline. Once a year, applications open to be a leader of any of AHLA's 17 Practice Groups: 

  • Academic Medical Centers and Teaching Hospitals Practice Group 
  • Antitrust Practice Group 
  • Behavioral Health Practice Group 
  • Business Law and Governance  
  • Fraud and Abuse Practice Group 
  • Health Care Liability and Litigation Practice Group 
  • Health Information and Technology Practice Group 
  • Hospitals and Health Systems Practice Group 
  • In-House Counsel Practice Group 
  • Labor and Employment Practice Group 
  • Life Sciences Practice Group 
  • Medical Staff, Credentialing, and Peer Review Practice Group 
  • Payers, Plans, and Managed Care Practice Group 
  • Physician Organizations Practice Group 
  • Post-Acute and Long Term Services Practice Group 
  • Regulation, Accreditation, and Payment Practice Group 
  • Tax and Finance Practice Group 

Anyone who wants to be considered for appointment must apply by completing and submitting an application. The President Elect, in consultation with the President Elect-Designate, the Chief Executive Officer, staff liaisons and current leaders (as necessary) will review applications with the President Elect making the final decision on all appointments (excluding Leadership Development Program Participants). 

Potential leaders are asked to review, understand, and meet the expectations, qualifications needed, and potential issues preventing appointment before completing their application as outlined below. 

Expectations of an AHLA Leader 

  • Be an active AHLA member while serving as an AHLA Leader. 
  • An ability and willingness to serve at least one two-year term. (Leaders may also be reappointed for an additional two-year term.)**  
  • Commit to attending and being fully prepared for meetings of your leadership group, and to be an active and inquisitive participant on any subgroups/work groups and related projects as assigned. 
  • Act with due care for AHLA, and perform leadership responsibilities loyally, in good faith, and in a manner reasonably believed to be in the best interest of AHLA.  
  • Support AHLA’s effort to expand the volunteer and leadership pipeline by engaging members in content development and networking. 
  • Actively work to advance and promote inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility within AHLA through participation in unconscious bias training provided by AHLA, using inclusive language, and abiding by the Conflict of Interest Policy and Non-Harassment Policy requirements.  
  • Attend and actively participate in AHLA leadership orientation and training sessions specific to your group and role as a non-Board leader. 
  • Support AHLA’s mission on an annual basis with a combination of volunteer time and a monetary donation that is meaningful to the leader, as a recognition of commitment to AHLA.  
  • Support AHLA’s educational activities by promoting them to your professional network, and through your own participation and consumption. 

Qualifications 

  • Appointees must be a Member of AHLA while serving as leader; Practice Group leaders must be members of the respective Practice Group. 
  • A minimum of two years working in the health law industry (preferably within the topical area or setting of the Practice Group) unless noted.** 
  • Demonstrated level of volunteer service (e.g., author, speaker, mentor, etc.) to AHLA.  
  • Recognized accomplishments in the health law profession/industry/community. 
  • Demonstrated experience implementing or supporting inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility programs within AHLA, the candidate’s own organization or with another professional or personal affiliation. 
  • Has not served on the AHLA Board.  
  • Will not be serving in a Board or another non-Board leadership position within AHLA for the duration of the two-year term. 

Issues Preventing Selection 

  • Works in the same firm or organization as an existing member of the same leadership group. 
  • Does not belong to the Practice Group to which one is applying. 
  • Does not meet qualifications. 
  • Did not complete demographic profile (profile responses include “prefer not to answer” – selecting this option does not constitute failure to complete the profile). 
  • Current service at the highest levels of leadership in a competing organization that would prevent the applicant from fulfilling their responsibilities to AHLA with recurrent conflicts of interest.