Bruce J. Winick, JD

Bruce J winickTitle/Position: Co-Founder, Therapeutic Jurisprudence

Bruce J. Winick was a Professor of Law and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He died Aug. 26, 2010. The co-founder of the school of social enquiry known as therapeutic jurisprudence, Winick was Director of the University of Miami School of Law Therapeutic Jurisprudence Center. He was the first the recipient of the Laurie Silvers & Mitchell Rubenstein Distinguished Professorship during the 2009-2010 academic year.

Winick authored, co-authored, and co-edited numerous books, including Civil Commitment: A Therapeutic Jurisprudence Model (Carolina Academic Press 2005), Judging In A Therapeutic Key: Therapeutic Jurisprudence And The Courts (Carolina Academic Press 2003), Protecting Society From Sexually Dangerous Offenders: Law, Justice And Therapy (American Psychological Association Books 2003), Practicing Therapeutic Jurisprudence: Law As A Helping Profession (Carolina Academic Press 2000), The Essentials Of Florida Mental Health Law (W. W. Norton 2000), The Right To Refuse Mental Health Treatment (American Psychological Association Books 1997), Therapeutic Jurisprudence Applied: Essays On Mental Health Law (Carolina Academic Press 1997), Law In A Therapeutic Key: Developments In Therapeutic Jurisprudence (Carolina Academic Press 1996), and Essays In Therapeutic Jurisprudence (Carolina Academic Press 1991). He also authored over 100 articles in law reviews and interdisciplinary journals.

Winick was Chair of the American Association of Law Schools’ section on Balance in Legal Education. He was co-editor of the American Psychological Association Books book series, Law and Public Policy: Psychology and the Social Sciences. Winick was also legal advisor and member of the board of editors of Psychology, Public Policy & Law, served on the editorial board of Law & Human Behavior, and was a reviewer for numerous interdisciplinary law journals. He served as legal consultant to the American Psychiatric Association Task Force on Consent to Voluntary Hospitalization, and has chaired the Association of American Law Schools Section on Law and Medicine.

Winick received numerous awards. In 2009, he received the Philippe Pinel Award of the International Academy of Law and Mental Health, the Academy’s highest honor. In 2007, he was named Honorary Distinguished Member of the American Psychology-Law Society. He also received the University of Miami Provost’s Award for Scholarly Excellence, the Thurgood Marshall Award of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, and the Human Rights Award of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

Prior to joining the faculty of the University of Miami, Professor Winick served as New York City’s Director of Court Mental Health Services and as General Counsel of the New York City Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services. He received his law degree from the New York University School of Law.

Professor Winick taught Constitutional Law II, Advanced Criminal Procedure, New Directions in Lawyering: Interviewing, Counseling, and Attorney/Client Relational Skills, Psychology and Law seminar, and Therapeutic Jurisprudence seminar.