When forming an HIE, it will be necessary to engage not only specialized consulting services for business plans and technical architecture, but also legal services. HIEs will need to find legal counsel in the states they operate in. The American Bar Association offers an online directory for consumers to search for legal assistance by state. The American Health Lawyers Association may also be a valuable resource for engaging legal services.

HIEs will need to engage legal counsel for the following:

• Governance and by-laws
• Non-profit incorporation
• Software and Hardware licensing and maintenance agreements
• State and Federal laws and regulations including: HIPAA regulations, data sharing, ePrescribing, and CMS rules
• Insurance and liability issues
• Food and Drug Administration and Federal Communications Commission regulations
• Creation of legal and data sharing agreements (Insert link to section of module that discusses these agreements)