Law in the Time of COVID-19: A Northwestern Teach-Out

The COVID-19 crisis raises a number of important legal issues. The matter of federal authority, growing principally out of the White House’s orders, looms large. The actions of governors and local authorities have been especially critical, as emergency shelter-in-place and other important regulations are directed at individuals and businesses. Health care strategies, such as telemedicine, and decisions of the Food & Drug Administration prompt specialized legal considerations. At the person-to-person level, many matters of legal duty and liability arise, emerging from contracts, insurance, and employment relations. Even as the disease curve flattens, legal issues will persist. For example, the necessity for testing and tracing infected individuals raises difficult issues of privacy as the government engages in surveillance and continues its strategies of control. This Teach-Out is an opportunity to explore together how the law impacts and is impacted by events as they unfold around us. This free Teach-Out will begin on Monday, April 27th and run for four weeks. In an attempt to stay as current as possible, we will be releasing the course materials on a rolling basis each week.