Who We Are

With roots extending back to 1911, ASLME is a nonprofit educational organization. Our mission is to provide high-quality scholarship, debate, and critical thought for professionals at the intersection of law, medicine, and ethics. Our members come together to examine big health questions with far-reaching social ramifications, like genetic testing and research, medical record privacy, end-of-life decisions, and the dynamics of informed consent. We believe our greatest strength is our multidisciplinary focus. This creates a dynamic forum to exchange ideas from a wide range of perspectives, to:

Protect public health
Reduce racial, ethnic, and economic health disparities
Promote patient safety and quality of care
Facilitate dialogue on emerging biomedical science and research

We publish two nationally acclaimed peer reviewed journals: the Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics and the American Journal of Law & Medicine. We sponsor conferences and webinars, many of which offer continuing education credits, on the key issues of the day. And we connect teaching professionals across North America for the exchange of ideas, classroom materials, and curricula. Our efforts have earned awards from industry groups such as Growth House and the Oncology Nursing Society. It all adds up to a vital community, asking important questions and finding insightful answers for the benefit of our members, our professions – and the culture at large. Please join us!

Our History

1911

Founding

Our organization is founded under the name “Massachusetts Society of Examining Physicians.” Dinner meetings were held at least once a year for many decades.

1911
1968

Attorneys Attend

Attorneys are allowed to join the organization as associate members.

1968
1972

Name Change

Organization changes name to “Massachusetts Society of Law and Medicine.”

1972
1973

Name Change (Again), New Periodical

Organization changes name to “American Society of Law and Medicine. (ASLM).” ASLM publishes its first ever issue of a periodical: Medicolegal News. Boston University Professor George Annas is the inaugural Editor-in-Chief.

1973
1975

American Journal of Law & Medicine

ASLM begins publishing the American Journal of Law & Medicine (AJLM). John Norris is the inaugural Editor-in-Chief.

1975
1977

Partnership With MIT

AJLM is co-published by ASLM and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

1977
1978

First Conference

ASLM co-hosts first ever “Health Law Teachers” conference at Boston University.

1978
1980

New Publication

AJLM  begins publishing Nursing Law and Ethics.

1980
1981

New Affiliation, Publication Consolidation

AJLM changes academic affiliation and is co-published by ASLM and the Boston University School of Law.

Our flagship journal, Medicolegal News, is consolidated with Nursing Law and Ethics and is retitled Law, Medicine & Health Care.

1981
1993

Name Change: Third Time’s the Charm

ASLM becomes the American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics (ASLME).

Our flagship journal changes its name from Law, Medicine & Health Care to the Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics (JLME).

1993
2002

New Conference

ASLME co-hosts first ever “Public Health and the Law” conference with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

2002
2021

First Virtual Conference

The Health Law Professors Conference goes fully virtual for the first time with the help of the Northeastern University School of Law.

2021
2023

Happy Half Century!

ASLME and JLME celebrate their 50th birthdays. They don’t look a year over 40.

2023
2025

50 Years of AJLM

AJLM celebrates its 50th birthday.

2025
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