In the words of one compliance attorney, “A litigator is sought out when a problem has already happened, and a transactional attorney is summoned when a deal is in the works. But a compliance attorney comes in before such situations arise.” Corporate compliance attorneys working in law firms or in-house at corporations and nonprofit organizations design, implement, and monitor internal policies and practices to ensure that their client’s organization is in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements pertaining to human resources, privacy and data protection, and more. For example, they may be charged with drafting an internal code of conduct or conflict of interest policy, designing a training program to ensure that all employees are prepared to protect consumer privacy, or developing a reporting mechanism for whistleblowers. Many compliance attorneys specialize in a particular area of regulation – such as, securities regulation, export controls, or anti-corruption law. Others specialize in advising clients in particular industries– such as life sciences, health care, finance, or telecommunications. Clients’ compliance needs vary depending on their industry, size, and operational complexity. Nonetheless, there are principles, practices and skills that compliance attorneys rely on in a variety of settings. At AUWCL, we offer cross-cutting courses and programs that equip students with the knowledge and skills to build a career in compliance, in addition to curricula, programs, and student groups that focus on particular regulatory frameworks and industries.
Administered by the Health Law and Policy Program, the Health Care Compliance Certificate designates J.D. and LL.M students who have completed a concentration of courses in health care law and compliance.Read more
Health Law & Policy Program congratulates students Andrew Balland, Chloe Shannon, India Russell-Pena, and AJ Custard on their second-place win Saturday at the 7th Annual Health Law Regulatory & Compliance Competition hosted by University of Maryland Carey School of Law.
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On Jan. 18, Walter Shaub ’96 addressed a packed audience in Claudio Grossman Hall with“An Ethics Agenda for 2018.” Shaub, who was appointed director of the Office of Government Ethics by President Obama in January 2013 and resigned from that post in July 2017, is senior director, ethics, at the Campaign Legal Center, a leading nonpartisan NGO dedicated to protecting and strengthening democratic processes across all levels of government.
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The American University Business Law Brief made the transition to a full Law Review in Fall 2011, becoming the first comprehensive business law journal in Washington, D.C. Since then, the Business Law Review (BLR) has significantly increased law review opportunities for students at AUWCL – more than 230 students have participated in BLR since its launch.
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In the wake of the financial crisis, compliance officers have assumed enhanced responsibilities. The responsibilities and risks of chief compliance officers continue to be a source of tension between industry and regulators. The symposium addressed the appropriate scope of responsibilities of a CCO, issues inherent in their role as corporate advisor, the risks a CCO should be aware of, and how to mitigate those risks.
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