In the early months of 2020, Charles Widger School of Law Professor Todd Aagaard, JD, had planned to teach a climate change course during the fall semester. But when COVID-19 hit the United States in February, he pivoted his approach and created this course on the legal aspects of the evolving pandemic.

鈥淲hen the pandemic first began, it was largely looked at as a public health issue,鈥� says Professor Aagaard. 鈥淏ut soon it created a legal tidal wave impacting all areas鈥攅mployment law, bankruptcy, landlord and tenant issues, insurance, contracts, health law and more.鈥�

In 鈥淭he Law of Pandemic Disease鈥� course, students examined legal responses to public health emergencies that arose from pandemic infectious diseases and the intersection of law and policy.

Each student was assigned a state and researched the potential impacts of an infectious disease outbreak there, as well as the laws that may be affected. At the end of the semester, students developed an analysis and recommendations for how their state鈥檚 laws should respond to COVID-19 and prepare for future pandemics, based on factors such as epidemiology, politics and economics.

鈥淭he second and third waves were a real challenge for the students, because it has upended some of their narratives,鈥� Professor Aagaard says. 鈥淪ome states that seemed to have successfully responded during the spring and summer had more difficulties in the fall when COVID fatigue set in.鈥�

It was a challenging semester for students, evaluating an issue on such a large scale with so many constantly moving parts. But they walked away knowing how to research, organize and write analytically on a multidimensional, multidisciplinary and controversial topic. Attorneys have to adapt to changing circumstances and address unforeseen emergencies. This course was an opportunity for students to participate in a simulated version of that experience.

鈥淭hey had to try to figure out in real time what the lessons of COVID will turn out to be, which involves a lot of uncertainty,鈥� Professor Aagaard says. 鈥淭his is something that lawyers and leaders have to do all the time, but it鈥檚 not something that students necessarily get much experience with.鈥�

Illustration of a woman underneath an imbalanced scale of justice, trying to hold one side up

ILLUSTRATION: DAN BEJAR

Did You Know?

In the US, crisis management is typically organized from the ground up鈥攍ocal governments take the lead with support from their state government. In larger emergency situations, the federal government steps in.