Northeastern Law Ranked No. 9 in Health Care Law for 2026–2027 U.S. News Rankings — Fifth Consecutive Year in the Top 10
4.23.26 — Northeastern University School of Law has been ranked No. 9 for health care law in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026–2027 Best Graduate Schools rankings. The ranking marks the fifth consecutive year that Northeastern Law’s health law program has placed within the top 10 in the country — a sustained record of excellence that reflects the depth and rigor of the school’s Center for Health Policy and Law (CHPL), Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) and other related programs.
Northeastern Law’s leadership in health law reflects an interdisciplinary, justice-centered approach to health law — spanning public health law, pharmaceutical regulation, health equity and cutting-edge emerging areas such as artificial intelligence and health.
“We are thrilled that our health law program has once again been ranked among the top 10 in the country,” said Professor Claudia Haupt, faculty co-director of the Center for Health Policy and Law. “It’s a testament to the exceptional teams across our health-related centers, programs and institutes, our innovative research in cutting-edge areas such as AI and health, reproductive and sexual health, and our longstanding strength in public health law. It is inspiring to work with such a remarkable group of scholars dedicated to educating the next generation of health lawyers.”
Haupt is joined by faculty co-director Professor Wendy E. Parmet in leading the Center for Health Policy and Law, a nationally recognized hub for dynamic, interdisciplinary approaches to combatting public health challenges. In addition to a broad curriculum spanning health law and public health law, CHPL hosts conferences, lectures, colloquia and workshops that connect students to career opportunities in the expanding field of health law and policy. This recognition comes alongside continued momentum for CHPL’s flagship Salus Populi program — the nation’s first initiative to train judges and legal professionals on the social determinants of health. In January 2026, Salus Populi secured its third W.K. Kellogg Foundation grant, a two-year, $600,000 award bringing total WKKF support to $900,000. To date, the program has trained more than 2,100 judges, court personnel and legal professionals.
The Public Health Advocacy Institute built its reputation through landmark tobacco litigation and has long been a pioneer in using law to combat dangerous for-profit industries. PHAI has now turned that same public health litigation model toward predatory gambling, filing suits against operators like Caesars Online Casino, supporting the launch of Families & Friends of Gamblers (FFOG), and co-hosting an international symposium on online gambling and public health this week. PHAI was founded by Professor Richard Daynard, a leading international expert on tobacco control and the obesity epidemic, who serves as its president.
In addition to CHPL and PHAI, the law school is home to The Action Lab at the Center for Health Policy and Law and the Amy J. Reed Collaborative for Medical Safety Device.
The law school offers a JD x Certificate in Health Law and Policy, a Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Compliance, an LLM concentration in Health Policy and Law, and two dual-degree JD/MPH programs in partnership with Northeastern’s Bouvé College of Health Sciences and Tufts University School of Medicine.
The sustained recognition from U.S. News underscores what Northeastern Law has built over the past decade: a program that is both intellectually ambitious and deeply connected to the real-world challenges facing health law practitioners. As health systems navigate rapid change — from AI-driven diagnostics to mounting health equity crises — Northeastern Law’s health law faculty remain at the forefront of the scholarship shaping that landscape.
About Northeastern University School of Law
The nation’s leader in experiential legal education since 1968, Northeastern University School of Law offers the longest-running, most extensive experience-based legal education program in the country. Northeastern provides its students with unparalleled practical legal work experiences through its signature Cooperative Legal Education Program. More than 1,000 employers worldwide in a wide range of legal, government, nonprofit and business organizations participate in the program. With a focus on social justice and innovation, Northeastern University School of Law blends theory and practice, providing students with a unique set of skills and experiences to successfully practice law.
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