Dr. Adrienne Shnier brings a distinctive blend of legal practice, policy expertise, and critical pedagogy to her role as Program Director of Osgoode’s Professional LLM in Health Law. Her work and teaching focus on pharmaceutical policy and regulation, health law, and fraud in the health industry, drawing on both academic research and legal practice.
When asked what excites her about leading the Health Law LLM, Dr. Shnier emphasizes the program’s uniqueness and practical orientation. “It’s one of the most unique LLM programs that I have seen,” she says. “The coursework itself follows the real-time cutting-edge work that is actually happening on the ground, and our professionals are seeing in real time practice.”
She highlights how the program’s faculty – a mix of academics and active practitioners – brings live professional experience into the classroom. “The faculty is made up of academics and professional practitioners, meaning that they’re also bringing their live practice happening now into their teachings,” she explains. Dr. Shnier follows the same approach in her own teaching, often incorporating examples from her practice or inviting colleagues as guest lecturers.
The program is designed to be flexible for students from diverse backgrounds. “Students can actually be creative in the program, making it what they want,” she notes. This approach allows participants to tailor their learning to professional advancement, career transitions, or personal interest, while drawing on a wide range of course offerings and a supportive faculty.
Dr. Shnier also emphasizes the program’s agility in responding to developments in the field. “No academic program should ever be stagnant,” she says. The Health Law LLM regularly introduces new courses in response to emerging issues, from COVID-19 regulatory questions to artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and patient advocacy. “We’re able to see gaps and actually fill them,” she says, noting that this adaptability allows the program to pivot quickly so that courses can be offered the following semester or year.
The classroom experience benefits from the program’s interdisciplinary student body. Many students are non-lawyers, including hospital administrators, physicians, nurse managers, and other health professionals. “The majority of students that I have personally taught are not lawyers,” Dr. Shnier says. “Health law touches every single aspect of our lives, and we don’t realize it.” These diverse perspectives enrich classroom discussion and help students understand the real-world application of legal principles in health settings.
Her teaching emphasizes understanding and critical thinking rather than memorization. “I do not teach to memorize. I teach for understanding, for critical thinking, for analysis, for how do we actually apply this doctrine,” she explains. This approach is particularly important in health law, where legal questions are often deeply personal. “When we’re talking about pharmaceuticals, regulation, or fraud, these issues hit close to home,” she notes. Students are encouraged to connect the frameworks they learn to their professional and personal experiences and are often guided to publish their research. “You’re doing it. Why not?” she says.
Dr. Shnier is also attuned to emerging technologies in the health sector. She underscores the importance of human judgment in the use of AI: “AI, in some form or another, is here… but we need leaders who know how to think before they use AI.” She emphasizes that understanding the values, perspectives, and decision-making behind AI is as important as the technology itself.
Through Dr. Shnier’s leadership, the Health Law LLM continues to evolve as a responsive, practitioner-driven program that equips students with critical frameworks, practical tools, and the flexibility to apply their learning in real-world contexts.
Wondering if the Professional LLM in Health Law is right for you? Get information on course requirements, application dates, tuition and more!