Thaddeus Pope

Thaddeus Pope is a Professor of Law and Director of the Health Law Institute at Mitchell Hamline School of Law. He specializes in medical law, clinical ethics, and end-of-life decision-making, with a focus on patient rights and healthcare policy. Previously held roles include Adjunct Professorships at Albany Medical College and Widener University School of Law, and a Fulbright Canada Research Chair at the University of Ottawa. He earned a J.D. and Ph.D. from Georgetown University, and is a certified Healthcare Ethics Consultant (HEC-C).

Education:

• B.A., University of Pittsburgh (1992)
• M.A., Georgetown University (1997)
• J.D., Georgetown University Law Center (1997)
• Ph.D., Georgetown University (2003)
• HEC-C Certification, 2020

Research interests revolve around bioethical dilemmas in healthcare, including medical aid in dying (MAID), brain death criteria, advance directives, and palliative care options like VSED. His work bridges law, medicine, and ethics to address controversies in end-of-life care, organ donation, and patient autonomy. Notable contributions include critiques of state MAID laws and arguments for standardized death determination criteria.

Scientific awards include Hastings Center fellowship and Fulbright scholarship. Active in policy advocacy, he advises on shared decision-making frameworks and federal healthcare regulations. Maintains a blog on medical futility and teaches courses in Health Law, Torts, and Professional Responsibility.

Labs/Teams: Directs Mitchell Hamline's Health Law Institute, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams on healthcare ethics projects. Active in international forums like the World Brain Death Project.