Dr. Katherine Pearson

Biography

With nearly thirty years of experience, Katherine C. Pearson's academic focus is on the research and writing of laws and policies connected to aging. She served for more than ten years as the director of Penn State's Elder Protection Clinic, where students provided pro bono representation to older adults facing cutting-edge legal issues. Her clinical students specialized in representation for older adults and care providers of disabled older persons. For example, clinical students have recently chaired the Elder Law Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. Professor Pearson utilizes student-involved topics and practical experiences to inform her writing and research. She is the author of numerous articles and book chapters related to domestic long-term care, financing issues, and filial obligations. Additionally, she co-authored the book on Law and Financial Abuse and Exploitation published in 2011. Currently, she is working on chapters for an upcoming research handbook on Law, Society, and Aging, set to be published in August 2024. As a Fulbright Scholar, Pearson will serve as the 2024-25 Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Health Law, Policy, and Ethics, planning an autumn residency in Ottawa, Canada. In the 2009-10 academic year, she was a Fulbright Scholar in the U.K. at Queen's University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, focusing on comparative analyses of laws and policies affecting older persons and consulting on adult social care policies. Professor Pearson integrates important concerns regarding the rights and responsibilities of older persons into her doctrinal courses.

Research Interests