Law Student Contributors

Pooja Awatramani is a first year law student at Seton Hall University, School of Law. She graduated from Boston College in 2007 with a B.S. in Biology and Philosophy. From 2007-2009, she worked as a Program Associate for the National Institute for Reproductive Health in New York. One of her primary responsibilities while at the National Institute was monitoring health care reform.  Specifically, she evaluated health care reform bills and proposals to determine how each would affect women’s access to health care. She met with Congressional leaders to discuss health reform bills and advise the bills’ sponsors on how to ameliorate gaps in health care coverage for women.

Prior to working for the National Institute, Pooja interned with Raising Women’s Voices, a women’s health care advocacy initiative. She was also involved in assisting Massachusetts residents secure health insurance after the state transitioned to a mandated health care system in 2006.

She may be reached at pooja.awatramani@gmail.com

James Christiano is a first-year law student at Seton Hall Law.  He graduated from Rutgers University in 2002 with a B.A. in psychology and worked, from 2003 to 2008 as a District Adjudications Officer for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), an agency within Department of Homeland Security.  During his time with USCIS, James was primarily responsible for adjudicating applications for immigration benefits, including naturalization, lawful permanent resident status, and work authorization.  (DISCLOSURE:  James’ wife is employed as a physician in New Jersey)

He may be reached at christjc@shu.edu

Jordan T. Cohen graduated cum laude from Cornell University with a B.A. in Philosophy as well as Science & Technology Studies. Jordan’s interest in health law-related issues arose after implementing an electronic medical record system for his father’s neurology practice. Jordan continued to explore these interests, culminating in an undergraduate thesis at Cornell which focused on the privacy issues surrounding electronic medical records. In addition to his interest in electronic medical records, Jordan has become interested in the impact that cutting-edge neuroscience will have on the legal system–specificlly its evidentiary role. Jordan is a contributor to Seton Hall’s Health Law Outlook, and his latest article, “Neuroimaging and the Law: Powerful Legal Applications and Important Considerations,” can be found in the latest issue of the Outlook that is located at www.HealthLawForum.com–a blog for students participating in the Health Law Forum.

He may be reached at jordantcohen@gmail.com

Tamara R. Coley graduated from Haverford College with a B.A. in Biology and a concentration in Africana Studies.  She went on to pursue an MPH at Columbia University concentrating in Sociomedical Sciences - Health Promotion Disease Prevention.  Prior to attending Seton Hall Law School, Tamara was a freelance writer for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder where she covered the health beat. She later worked for the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in community health programming and evaluation positions. Tamara’s health reform interests include Medicaid and improving access to affordable care for the uninsured.

She may be reached via email at tamara.coley@student.shu.edu

Jacob V. Hudnut graduated cum laude from Montclair State University with a B.A. in Political Science.  His minor concentration thesis focused on comparative national health care systems. Prior to attending Seton Hall Law, Jacob was Special Assistant to a Commissioner of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey.  He previously served on two committees convened by Governor McGreevey and Senator Corzine respectively on New Jersey LGBT issues in state law.  Jacob’s health reform interests include state initiatives in expanding health coverage and health care reform.

He may be reached via email at Hudnutja@shu.edu

Corey Klein is a first year law student. After graduating with a degree in Journalism from Rutgers University in 2005, Corey joined North Jersey Media Group as an editorial clerk for the Record. He then became a staff reporter for the South Bergenite newspaper, a weekly publication with a circulation of 29,000. While at the South Bergenite, Corey reported on topics such as the controversial Xanadu Mall, Giants Stadium and the New Jersey Meadowlands. As a reporter, Corey garnered numerous awards from both the New Jersey Society of Professional Journalists and the New Jersey Press Association. While reporting on the Meadowlands, where public and private efforts have thus far failed to prevent hundreds of acres of trash from seeping into reclaimed wetlands, Corey became interested in environmental law and joined Seton Hall Law School’s evening program. In addition to law and writing, Corey occasionally performs as the lead singer/guitarist in his own rock band at small venues around New York City and northern New Jersey.

He may be reached at kleincorey@gmail.com

Neelu Pal is a first year law student at Seton Hall. She is a board certified general surgeon who completed residency training in 2005 at University of Medicine and Dentistry in Newark. She went on to complete fellowship training in Bariatric surgery at University Medical Center at Princeton in 2007. She is currently self employed and in the process of starting a private practice in Jersey City. She believes that the law and medicine are based on similar profound ethical principles and is interested in this confluence and the impact that it has on health care delivery. She is especially interested in the areas of patient safety, fraud and abuse and drug and device law.

She can be reached at neelu.pal@student.shu.edu

Kaitlin Semler is a second year law student at Seton Hall University School of Law concentrating in Health Law.  She graduated in 2003 from Georgetown University with a B.S. in Health Studies and a concentration in Health Systems Administration. While attending Georgetown University, Kaitlin completed internships in the pharmacy department of Washington Hospital Center and in the Risk Management Department of INOVA Health System, both in Washington, D.C.

After graduation, Kaitlin worked as a Medical Education Event Manager at Jespersen & Associates, a medical communications firm located in Boston, Massachusetts. Last summer Kaitlin interned at the Community Health Law project in South Orange, New Jersey.  She is a member of the Seton Hall Health Law Forum and the Secretary of the Haiti Rule of Law Association of Seton Hall Law. She is a contributor to the Seton Hall Health Law Outlook, and her article, New Jersey’s Health Care Reform Law S-1557: What the Law Aims to Do and Who It Will Affect, may be seen in the Outlook’s latest edition.

Kaitlin’s area of interest includes the reform of prescription drug and medical device policy.

She may be reached via email at kaitlin.semler@student.shu.edu