Charity Scott, 1951 – 2023 Health Law champion influenced many

It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the death of our colleague and friend Charity Scott. She passed away on March 18, 2023, after a long battle with cancer. Charity taught at Georgia State University College of Law from 1987 to 2020. She loved her 33 years at GSU and the community of students, faculty, and staff that make up the university.

Charity was the founding director of Georgia State College of Law’s Center for Law, Health, & Society and co-founder of the Health Law Partnership (HeLP), our medical-legal partnership. Under her leadership, Georgia State Law’s health law program grew from one course to a nationally recognized program with a vast array of courses and experiential learning opportunities, a certificate program and LL.M. Her most recent efforts focused on the health of students and attorneys, launching programs in mindfulness and wellness.

Charity was a mentor and friend to many health law professors. She designed many teaching sessions at the Health Law

Professors Conference over the years. She also played an integral role in developing the health law sections of the American Bar Association and of the State Bar of Georgia. Charity’s teaching, scholarship, and work in the community have had an enduring impact on Georgia State Law, health law teaching, and the health law profession here in Atlanta and across the country.

A memorial service was held at A.S. Turner Funeral Home on Saturday, March 25. She is survived by her husband, Evans Harrell, her children, Constance and Peter, their spouses, Jacob and Meryl, and two grandchildren, Sam and Faith, as well as several grand-dogs.

If desired, donations can be made in memory of Charity to the Center for Law, Health & Society at Georgia State University. Donations can be made at netcommunity.gsu.edu/give-to-law, and donors can select the center from the dropdown menu under “Designation.”

Tributes sent to lawandhealth@gsu.edu or posted to Twitter will be compiled and shared with the family.

Words Of Gratitude

All at once, I feel profoundly sad and so very grateful to have worked with and learned from Charity with all of you — at a time I like to think she was at her very best, her most creative and influential. Hell — I was doing group improv outside in my bare feet on her say-so that it would make me a better teacher, and it probably did.

Robert Gatter, professor of law and director for the Center for Health Law Studies at Saint Louis University School of Law

Charity was a giant in the field. More important than her intellect and insights, however, was the deep, infectious passion that she brought to her work, and the care and commitment that she showed all who she met. Deep prayers to her family and gratitude for sharing this amazing person with all of us who had the privilege to know and work with her.

Larry Singer, associate professor of law emeritus, Loyola University Chicago School of Law (retired)

I took Professor Scott’s negotiation course. She had such a knack for teaching with humor, practicality, and humility. Over the last 12 years of my career, I’ve consistently referred back to the things I learned from Charity. She’s left such a legacy through her impact on Georgia State Law, and she will be dearly missed!

Jennifer Whitton (J.D. ’12), partner, Krevolin & Horst

When I was entering the legal academy in 2005, Charity was so kind to me. She encouraged me, reached out to me at conferences, and always made sure that I was included . I am grateful for the kindness she extended me, and I would not be where I am today without her help, encouragement, and extraordinary thoughtfulness.

Stacey A. Tovino, William J. Alley professor of law, University of Oklahoma College of Law