Impact Story: Jennifer C. Hutchens

Innovating the Future of Health Law 

Jennifer Hutchens, a key figure at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, has been a vital part of AHLA since 2008, engaging in governance roles, program planning committees, speaking at numerous events, and contributing as an author. Her commitment to health law is evident through her active participation in various AHLA councils and her dedication to advancing the field.

I have had an interest in the health care ecosystem ever since I grew up as an only child watching my mom struggle with a mental illness and serving as her primary care giver. This experience gave me compassion for people and a passion for mental health advocacy, which greatly influenced the trajectory of my career. In college, I was elated to discover there were legal frameworks surrounding mental health in the health care industry and went on to focus my honor’s thesis on mental health. After finishing my degree, I decided to go to law school to focus more broadly on health care law matters. I have now been practicing for 15 years and am interested in helping my clients with strategic operational compliance needs. I recently took on a new role as the Global Head of Health Care for Bryan Care Leighton Paisner, where I am leading a national and international practice. In this new capacity, I am building my global understanding and focusing on how innovation and health care can benefit our practitioners and providers. 

I am very passionate about providing the best services for my clients and find gratification knowing that my role is critical in ensuring clients and organizations have the tools they need to do exceptional work in the health care industry. While the health care landscape continues to evolve, I enjoy thinking outside the box to enable and support my clients while keeping them in line with regulations. I enjoy thinking outside the box because I do not believe there is a box! I believe creative thinking is the starting point to enacting groundbreaking innovation that can move the industry forward. 

As a more seasoned professional, I am excited to welcome the young health law professionals entering an innovative and ever-changing field that needs out-of-the-box thinkers. Young professionals are well positioned to react to new challenges in technology and can better provide innovative solutions. I encourage them to not be afraid to roll up their sleeves, broaden their understanding, and voice their ideas! There is nothing you cannot figure out if you are smart, creative, and dedicated. 

AHLA offers boundless opportunities to network and learn from others across the nation. There are so many AHLA lawyers who are innovative, entrepreneurial, and cutting-edge professionals. My membership at AHLA has given me a true sense of community and access to industry experts facing similar health law challenges.  An unspoken benefit of membership I fully take advantage of is interactions with other health law professionals outside of lawyers who enrich my understanding of the field. Linking up with these consultants and members has profoundly influenced my practice and has made me a better lawyer. 

AHLA has numerous volunteer and mentoring opportunities that really added to my career. I always try to find ways to contribute and add value wherever I go. These opportunities have offered rich dividends in knowledge and understanding of the law. As a young associate, I found a few great mentors at AHLA who gave me opportunities to write and speak on special projects in health law. These associations led to leadership opportunities where I planned a couple of conferences and worked on governance and fundraising projects. My leadership opportunities continue to expand at AHLA as I work as a newly appointed AHLA Board Member. 

Even after all these years, I still look forward to seeing AHLA’s educational content in my inbox. AHLA is constantly innovating and adding relevant content that adds so much to my practice. I encourage all members to engage with the AHLA members and staff who want to see you succeed and build your capacities. AHLA has always been a place where I could find comradery, support, and expert knowledge.