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Professor Sabrina Germain

Professor in Healthcare Law and Policy, Associate Dean EDI

The City Law School Academic law programmes

Contact details

About

Overview

Sabrina Germain is a Professor in Healthcare Law and Policy and the Associate Dean for Equality Diversity and Inclusion at the City Law School. She is also a member of City University’s Centre for Healthcare Innovation Research (CHIR), the co-lead of the Health and Equity Lab, and a member of the Medical Law Review editorial advisory board.

Her research calls attention to the importance of justice in healthcare law and policy. Prof. Germain looks at these themes at a systemic (theories of justice in law and policy focusing on questions of distributive justice), meso/organisational (the role of medical professionals in resource allocation and policy making) and micro level (barriers and inequalities faced by marginalised groups in accessing formal healthcare). In recent years, she has focused and been recognised for her expertise on inequalities in healthcare relating to race and gender diversity.

Currently Prof. Germain focuses on 3 research projects. 1) She examines regulatory models to provide an alternative framework for a more equitable allocation of healthcare resources for NHS England (with G Veronesi (Bristol); 2) She explores how telemedical abortion has impacted people who traditionally find it most difficult to access healthcare in Great Britain: racialised people and LGBTQ+ people (with EC Romanis (Durham)); 3) She looks at practical and innovative solutions using legal design to foster a better implementation of socio-economic reproductive and sexual rights in Nepal (with A Allbon (City) and M Malagodi (Warwick)).

In the video below, Prof. Germain discusses her research on justice and inequalities in healthcare:

Shaping the world through research with Dr Sabrina Germain

In recent years she has also been called to comment on emergency measures put in place to preserve the NHS during the COVID-19 pandemic and on several occasions she has contributed to specialised articles in Al Jazeera (English), The Times (London), The Conversation (UK) and live TV interviews.

At City, she convenes the modules in Medical Law and the module on Law Rights and Context for which she is the co-host of the City Law School Law & Society Podcast. In 2019, Oxford University Press awarded her the Law Teacher of the Year Prize.

Prior to City, Prof. Germain was a lecturer in Law and Public Policy at the University of Surrey and held visiting scholarships at the University of Cambridge, University of Cape Town and Brooklyn Law School. Prof. Germain is admitted to the practice of law in the State of New York and has worked as a transactional lawyer in an international law firm.

Qualifications

  • Fellowship, Higher Education Academy
  • New York Bar, New York State Bar, United States
  • JSD, Cornell University, United States
  • LL.M., Cornell University, United States
  • DESS Master in Economic Law and Market Regulation, Sciences Po, France
  • Bachelor of Arts, McGill University, Canada

Employment

  • Professor in Healthcare Law and Policy, City, University of London, United Kingdom, August 2025 - present
  • Associate Dean EDI, City, University of London, United Kingdom, January 2023 - present
  • Reader, City University of London, United Kingdom, August 2022 - present
  • Graduate Entry Programme Director, City, University of London, United Kingdom, July 2020 - August 2022
  • Senior Lecturer, City University London, United Kingdom, August 2019 - August 2022
  • Lecturer, City University London, London, United Kingdom, August 2017 - July 2019
  • Lecturer, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom, January 2016 - August 2017
  • Visiting Scholar and Guest Lecturer, Brooklyn Law School, United States, October 2014 - February 2015
  • Visiting Researcher, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom, January 2012 - September 2014
  • Visiting Scholar, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa, October - December 2011

Awards

  • Institute for Medical Ethics (2024). Research Funding I Medical Ethics
    £9147.40
  • City University of London (2024). QR Participatory Research Fund
    £4,092
  • National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) (2024). Programme Development Grants
    £158,953.16
  • Higher Education Innovation Fund (2024). Higher Education Innovation Fund
    £7,570
  • ROLE UK ( Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (2024). Advocates for International Development
    £52,296
  • Higher Education Innovation Fund (2023). Higher Education Innovation Fund
    £9,900
  • Quality Related Research Funding (REF) (2023). Quality Related Research Funding (REF)
    £5,431.70
  • Higher Education Innovation Fund (2022). Financial Support for Educational Projects
    £1,139
  • Higher Education Innovation Fund (2021). Higher Education Innovation Fund
    £ 7,102
  • Higher Education Innovation Fund (2020). Higher Education Innovation Fund
    £3,400
  • Higher Education Innovation Fund (2019). Higher Education Innovation Fund
    £7000
  • Oxford University Press (2019). Law Teacher of the Year

Languages

French (can read, write, speak, understand spoken, peer review)

Research students

Suzana Rahde Gerchmann

Attendance: September 2021 - present

Thesis title: Gendered Subjectivity, Law, And Capitalism: Gender Pricing, Regulation and the Role of Law In Emancipation

Role: 1st Supervisor

Publications

Publications by category

Books (4)

  • Romanis, C.E., Germain, S. and Herring, J. (Eds.), (2025). Diverse Voices in Health Law and Ethics: Important Perspectives. Bristol University Press.
  • Germain, S. and Yong, A. (Eds.), (2023). Beyond the Virus: Multidisciplinary and International Perspectives on Inequalities Raised by COVID-19. Bristol University Press.
  • Germain, S., Denis, J.-.L., Régis, C. and Veronesi, G. (2022). Medical Doctors in Health Care Reforms. Bristol: Policy Press.
  • Germain, S. (2019). Justice and Profit in Health Care Law. Hart Publishing. ISBN 9781509902705.

Chapters (9)

  • Germain, S., Ashcroft, R. and Benatar, S.R. (2025). International Perspectives on Resource Allocation. International Encyclopedia of Public Health (pp. 355-362). Elsevier. ISBN 9780323972802.
  • Romanis, E.C., Germain, S. and Herring, J. (2025). Introduction to Diverse Voices in Health Law and Ethics. In Romanis, E.C., Germain, S. and Herring, J. (Eds.), Diverse Voices in Health Law and Ethics: Important Perspectives Bristol University Press.
  • Kaur Johal, H. and Germain, S. (2025). Health Disparities, Equity, and Pandemic Ethics. In Romanis, E.C., Germain, S. and Herring, J. (Eds.), Diverse Voices in Health Law and Ethics: Important Perspectives Bristol University Press.
  • Tongue, Z.L., Romanis, E.C. and Germain, S. (2025). Medical Negligence. In Romanis, E.C., Germain, S. and Herring, J. (Eds.), Diverse Voices in Health Law and Ethics: Important Perspectives Bristol University Press.
  • Germain, S. and Yong, A. (2023). Beyond the Virus: Perspectives on Power, Gender and Marginalization. (pp. 3-13).
  • Germain, S. and Yong, A. (2023). Beyond the Virus, Towards Social Justice. (pp. 187-193).
  • Germain, S. (2019). Will there be justice in healthcare post-Brexit? On Brexit Edward Elgar Publishing. ISBN 9781789903003.
  • Germain, S. (2018). Health Law Outside its Traditional Frontiers: “Trading” Medical Tourism for Just Health Care in the Post-Brexit Context. In Khoury, L., Regis, C. and Kouri, R. (Eds.), Health Law at the Frontiers Montreal: Yvon Blais, Thomson Reuters. ISBN 9782897304362.
  • Germain, S. (2016). For a new and more diverse comparative legal education. Academic Learning in Law Theoretical Positions Teaching Experiments and Learning Experiences (pp. 180-197).

Internet publications (7)

  • Romanis, E.C. and Germain, S.(2024).An Intersectional Analysis of Proposed Fertility Leave in England and Wales.
  • Germain, S.(2021).Justice and Profit in Health Care Law: A Comparative Analysis of the United States and United Kingdom (Hart Publishing 2019). British Association of Comparative Law.
  • Germain, S. and Yong, A.(2020).Coronavirus shows how hard it is for ethnic minority and migrant women to access healthcare. The Conversation UK.
  • Germain, S.(2020).How coronavirus is threatening the equal access principle at the core of the NHS. The Conversation.
  • Germain, S.(2018).The NHS at 70 needs saving, will the EU help?
  • Germain, S.(2016).Health Care: the Undebated Issue of the 2016 American Presidential Elections.
  • Germain, S.(2016).Brexit: Is an exit from the EU a solution for health issues in the UK?

Journal articles (13)

Reports (2)

  • Germain, S., Couture-Ménard, M.-.È., Nilangi, P. and Heynemand, L. (2026). The Role of Law in Local Participatory Governance to Reduce Health Inequities (Evidence Brief)..
  • Germain, S., Stavropoulou, C. and Ziemann, A. (2021). Key areas for targeting innovations to tackle health inequalities in the English NHS..

Working papers (5)

Professional activities

Editorial activity

  • Editorial Advisory Board Member, Medical Law Review editorial advisory board member, January 2024 - present.

Events/conferences (32)

  • Health Services UK Conference. (Conference) University of Oxford (2024). Session/Day Chair Invited speaker.
    Paper: Roundtable event: Innovations are widening health inequities
    Author: Germain, S.
    Co-authors: Mehay, A.
  • Institute for Infection and Immunity Seminar. (Seminar) St George's University of London (2024). Invited speaker.
    Paper: Justice in Healthcare Law and Policy?
    Author: Germain, S.
  • SLSA 2024. (Conference) Portsmouth (2024). Panel Member
    Paper: A Reproductive Justice Analysis of Abortion Law and Provision in Great Britain
    Author: Germain, S.
    Co-authors: Romanis, EC
  • Health Law Research Group. (Seminar) University of Sheffield (2024). Panel Member Invited speaker.
    Paper: Legal Design and Reproductive and Sexual Rights in Nepal
    Author: Germain, S.
    Co-authors: Malagodi, M.
  • University of Birmingham Centre for Health Law Science and Policy seminar series. (Seminar) Allbon, E. (2024). Invited speaker.
    Paper: Reproductive Rights as Socio-Economic Rights in Nepal
    Author: Malagodi, M.
    Co-authors: Germain, S.
  • Centre for Health, Law and Society (University of Bristol). (Seminar) Bristol, UK (2023). Invited speaker.
    Paper: Harnessing deliberative regulation for a more equitable access to healthcare
    Author: Germain, S.
    Co-authors: Veronesi, G.
  • WINIR Workshop: Regulation and the Common Good. (Workshop) University of Sheffield (2023). Invited speaker.
    Author: Germain, S.
    Co-authors: Veronesi, G.
  • Colloque Annuel du CrRDG. University of Sherbrooke (2023). Panel Member Invited speaker.
    Paper: La régulation délibérative pour remédier aux inégalités d'accès aux soins de santé en Angleterre
    Author: Germain, S.
    Co-authors: Veronesi, G.
  • Reproducing Law Otherwise? Roundtable reflections on new directions in abortion law and reproductive justice after #Dobbs, #Repealedthe8th, #Decrim #AbortoLegal and more. (Public lecture) Queen Mary University of London (2023). Panel Member Invited speaker.
    Author: Germain, S.
  • UCL Legal and Political Theory Forum: Health, Social Care, and Justice: A Post-Pandemic Political Philosophy Colloquium. (Public lecture) University College London (2023). Panel Member Invited speaker.
    Paper: Deliberative Methods in Healthcare Regulation: Using Experiences to Inform Resource Allocation
    Author: Germain, S.
    Co-authors: Veronesi, G.
  • Abortion at the Borderlines. (Conference) King's College London (2023). Panel Member
    Paper: A Reproductive Justice Analysis of Abortion Law and Provision in Great Britain
    Author: Germain, S.
    Co-authors: Romanis, C.E.
  • SLSA 2023. (Conference) University of Ulster (Derry) (2023). Panel Member
    Paper: An Innovative Meta-Regulatory Approach to Address Inequalities in Accessing Healthcare Services in England
    Author: Germain, S.
    Co-authors: Veronesi, G.
  • SLSA 2023. (Conference) University of Ulster (Derry) (2023). Panel Member
    Paper: Reproductive Rights as Socio- Economic Rights in Nepal: using legal design to improve access to justice
    Author: Allbon, E.
    Co-authors: Germain, S.; Malagodi, M.
  • Centre de Recherche sur la Regulation et le Droit de la Gouvernance. (Seminar) Université de Sherbrooke (online) (2023). Invited speaker.
    Paper: The Role of Medical Professionals in Regulating Resource Allocation During The COVID-19 Pandemic in England
    Author: Germain, S.
  • Centre for Distance Education Conference on Research in Distance Education (RIDE). (Conference) (2022). Panel Member Invited speaker.
    Paper: The City Law School Law & Society Podcast
    Author: Germain, S.
    Co-authors: Yong, A.
  • Law Society Association Conference. (Conference) Online (2021). Panel Member Invited speaker.
    Paper: Guidance Drafting During a Pandemic
    Author: Germain, S.
  • Association of Law Teachers Conference. (Public lecture) Online (2021). Panel Member Invited speaker.
    Paper: Keynote Address 'Disruption for Greater Inclusion in Legal Education'
    Author: Germain, S.
  • SLSA Conference 2021. (Conference) Online (2021). Invited speaker.
    Paper: The Role of Medical Professionals in Shaping Healthcare Law and Policy in England during COVID-19
    Author: Germain, S.
  • Institute for Government and AHRC: Arts and Humanities Research in the COVID-19 Pandemic. (Public lecture) Online (2021). Panel Member Invited speaker.
    Paper: The Impact of COVID-19 on an ECR's Research in Law
    Author: Germain, S.
  • Centre for Law & Social Change. (Seminar) Online (2021). Panel Member Invited speaker.
    Paper: Accidental Feminism: Gender Parity and Selective Mobility among India’s Professional Elite
  • Gendered Pandemic. (Conference) Online (2021). Panel Member Invited speaker.
    Paper: Ethnic Minority and Migrant Women in England: Struggles in Access to Healthcare During the COVID-19 Pandemic
    Author: Germain, S.
    Co-authors: Yong, A.
  • IALS Director's Seminar Series Law and Humanities in a Pandemic: Life, Death and Health During the Pandemic. (Seminar) Online (2020). Panel Member Invited speaker.
    Paper: The Role of Medical Professionals in Shaping Healthcare Law During COVID-19
    Author: Germain, S.
  • Justice, Injustice and Brexit. (Conference) London, United Kingdom (2018). Panel Member Invited speaker.
    Paper: Will There Be Justice in Healthcare Post-Brexit
    Author: Germain, S.
  • McGill University and University of Montreal Health Law Seminars. (Conference) Montreal, Canada (2017). Panel Member Invited speaker.
    Paper: Trading Medical Tourism for Just Health Care
    Author: Germain, S.
  • University of Bristol Democracy Beyond Election. (Conference) (2017). Panel Member Invited speaker.
    Paper: The Participation of 'For-Profit' Actors in the Elaboration of Just Healthcare Laws
    Author: Germain, S.
  • Transnational and Global Public Health. (Public lecture) Brooklyn Law School, New York USA (2014). Invited speaker.
    Author: Germain, S.
  • Brooklyn Law School Fellow and Staff Seminar. (Seminar) Brooklyn, USA (2014). Invited speaker.
    Paper: Career in Legal Academia
    Author: Germain, S.
  • Social Justice in the Next Century. (Conference) London School of Economics, London UK (2014). Panel Member Invited speaker.
    Paper: Just Allocation of Healthcare Resources
    Author: Germain, S.
  • Centre for Medical Law and Ethics Seminar. (Seminar) King's College London, UK (2014). Invited speaker.
    Paper: Taking Healthcare Seriously
    Author: Germain, S.
  • Cambridge Journal of International and Comparative Law Conference. (Conference) Cambridge, UK (2013). Panel Member Invited speaker.
    Paper: Teaching Legal Traditions in an Untraditional Environment: Notes of an Instructor on the Teaching of Comparative Law in a Maximal Security Prison
    Author: Germain, S.
  • Law and Boundaries. (Conference) Sciences Po Paris, France (2012). Panel Member Invited speaker.
    Paper: Is the South African Constitutional Dialogue a Remedy for the American Health Care System?
    Author: Germain, S.
  • Yale Law School Doctoral Scholarship Conference. (Conference) New Haven, USA (2011). Panel Member
    Paper: Chronic Diseases and the Law: Just Distribution of Health Resources for Chronically Ill Employees
    Author: Germain, S.

Keynote lecture/speech

  • Disruption for Greater Inclusion in Higher Education. Association for Law Teachers Conference (2021).

Media appearances (2)

  • TRT World News- The Impact of COVID-19 on the NHS workforce and available healthcare resources.
  • TRT World News- COVID-19 may spell the end of an egalitarian NHS. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0BIqJWEVqo&feature=youtu.be

Online articles (7)

Other (7)

  • Trustee , SLSA (April 2021 - May 2024).
  • Co-convenor of the Health Law Section , SLS (January 2021 - July 2023).
  • Co-Director , Centre for Law & Social Change ( 2021 - 2022).
  • Member , Centre for Healthcare Research Innovation (CHIR) (January 2019 - present).
  • Research Associate , Health Hub: Politics, Organisations and Law (H-POD) ( 2018 - present).
  • Member , Central London NHS Ethics Committee (September 2017 - January 2020).
  • Research Associate , Canada Research Chair in Collaborative Culture in Health Law and Policy (January 2016 - September 2024).