Howard Dean and Children's Law Center exec director Judith Sandalow headlined a discussion of legal-medical partnerships recently at McKenna Long & Aldridge, touting the powerful tool, particularly when helping vulnerable children. Gov. Dean, a medical doctor, was top dog in Vermont for 12 years and then DNC chairman before joining McKenna Long as senior strategic advisor. Doctors, he said, are trained to help individuals and drill down into particular health issues; lawyers are trained to see the bigger picture. CLC was an early pioneer of the medical-legal model and works with Children's National Health System in clinics across the city.

Gov. Dean with the incoming CLC advisory board chair, Steptoe's Erica Gerson, and Sidley's Dave Wharwood. As governor, he was known for his work on healthcare reform. He says one unintended positive of ACA is its focus on outcomes through the creation of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). Through changes in reimbursement, it'll focus everybody in the chain of healthcare delivery on prevention and good health outcome, he says.

CLC board members Stradley Ronon partner Ted Segal and The Advisory Board Company GC Evan Farber, flanking AHT Insurance EVP David Schaefer, grabbed coffees in preparation for the breakfast meeting. It's the first in a series of CLC talks with high-profile speakers. The goal, Judith says, is helping make the connections between big ideas at the national level and what we can do for children here in DC.