Schedule

Networking is often misunderstood as a transactional exercise, but the most durable professional relationships develop naturally over time through shared work, genuine curiosity, and consistent presence. This session reframes networking as a career-long practice and offers practical, authentic strategies for building a professional community — both within AHLA and across the broader health law field.

Mentorship is well established in health law, but sponsorship and active championing of emerging professionals remain underutilized levers for building a stronger pipeline. This session shifts the lens from advice to action, examining how experienced leaders can use their influence and institutional access to create real opportunities for those earlier in their careers — and why doing so strengthens the entire community.

The ability to communicate persuasively — whether drafting a conference proposal, presenting to leadership, or facilitating a room — is one of the most transferable skills a health law professional can develop. This hands-on workshop provides practical guidance on structuring compelling presentations, managing nerves, reading your audience, and delivering content with clarity and confidence.

Effective leadership looks different across contexts — and the most successful leaders are those who understand their own style while remaining adaptable to the needs of their teams and organizations. This session draws on the experiences of practitioners from in-house, firm, and consulting settings to examine the habits, mindsets, and approaches that distinguish strong leaders in the health law community.

Leading volunteers requires a fundamentally different skill set than managing staff — success depends on influence, motivation, and shared purpose rather than formal authority. This session is designed for emerging professionals who are stepping into volunteer leadership roles and want to understand how to engage, energize, and sustain a volunteer community within AHLA and beyond.

Volunteer leaders carry a distinct responsibility: to steward the organizations they serve with care, integrity, and a long view toward sustainability. This session uses case-based discussion to explore the practical realities of governance — including how boards make decisions, navigate competing priorities, and fulfill their obligations to members — equipping leaders to contribute more effectively in their current and future roles.

Whether serving on a committee, a practice group leadership team, or an organizational board, understanding how governance works is foundational to effective leadership. This practical session demystifies the structures, responsibilities, and decision-making processes that define organizational governance — giving emerging professionals the context they need to participate meaningfully and lead with confidence.

Strategic plans only deliver value when they translate into real decisions — about priorities, resources, partnerships, and tradeoffs. This session takes leaders behind the curtain of organizational strategy, exploring how plans are built, how they evolve in response to changing conditions, and how individual leaders can connect their day-to-day work to the broader mission and direction of the organizations they serve.