About
From 2000 to 2011, Dr. Neal Baer served as showrunner and executive producer of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, transforming the procedural format into a platform for social change. Drawing on his background in medicine and sociology, Baer led the series to explore urgent public health and human rights issues—sexual assault, mental illness, domestic violence, LGBTQ+ discrimination, and systemic inequity—with unprecedented depth and empathy. He went on to showrun Law & Order: Special Victims Unit for eleven years.
Under Baer’s leadership, SVU became one of television’s most socially engaged dramas. Episodes like "Fallacy", "Rockabye", and "Lowdown" reframed stigmatized topics—from transgender rights to reproductive health—as moral and medical crises deserving compassion and reform. His use of real-world research and survivor collaboration set a new standard for advocacy through popular media. Baer’s work inspired tangible legislative and social outcomes: his episode Behave, about the backlog of untested rape kits, helped catalyze a national movement and the Joyful Heart Foundation’s “End the Backlog” campaign, leading to widespread state-level reforms. Through SVU, Baer proved that fiction could directly influence public policy—bridging entertainment and civic responsibility.
Awards
GLAAD Media Award Nomination (2003), Best Dramatic Episode, “Fallacy”
PASS Award (2003), National Council on Crime & Delinquency, for “Juvenile”
SHINE Award (2003), Best Dramatic Episode, “Fallacy”
SHINE Special Individual Achievement Award (2003)
Golden Psi Award (2004), American Psychological Association, for accurate depiction of mental health
Media Award (2004), Los Angeles Commission on the Assault Against Women
SHINE Award (2004), Best Dramatic Episode, “Lowdown”
NAACP Image Award (2005)
Image Award (2005), First Star Celebration for Human Rights
ALMA Award (2006), Outstanding Script, “Alien”
Ted Turner Prize (2006), Environmental Media Awards, for “Rockabye”
Maggie Award (2006), Planned Parenthood Federation of America, for “Rockabye”
PASS Award (2006), National Council on Crime & Delinquency, for “Fat”
PRISM Award Nomination (2006), Television Drama Episode, “Blood”
Environmental Media Award Nomination (2007), Television Episodic Drama, “Loophole”
HOPE Award (2007), National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
Sentinel Health Award Finalist (2007), Primetime Drama, “Uncle”
Gracie Award (2007), Best Dramatic Episode, “Fault”
PRISM Award Nominations (2007), Bipolar Disorder (“Influence”) and Mental Health Commendation (“Uncle”)
People’s Choice Award Nominations (2007), Favorite TV Drama; Favorite Detective
ALMA Award (2008), Outstanding Script, “Flight”
GLAAD Media Award Nomination (2008), Best Individual Episode, “Sin”
PRISM Award (2008), Best Dramatic Series
Genesis Award Nomination (2008), Best Dramatic Episode, “Wildlife”
Television Cares Award (2008), Best Episodic Drama
PASS Award (2009), Best Episode Teleplay, “Confessions”
Sentinel Health Award (2009), Best Episode for Global Health Awareness, “Retro”
Voice Awards (2009), Best Dramatic Episode, “Trials”; Finalist, “Selfish”
Hugo Award (2010), Best Dramatic Series, Chicago Film Festival
Vision Award (2010), Best Dramatic Series, NAMIC
New York Festivals International Television Award (2010), Best Dramatic Episode, “Hell”
PASS Award (2010), Best Dramatic Episode, “Hothouse”
PRISM Award (2010), Best Dramatic Episode, “Hammered”
Sentinel Award Finalist (2010), Primetime Dramatic Episode, “Hammered”
Sentinel Award (2010), Best Episode for Global Health Awareness, “Witness”
People’s Choice Award Nomination (2010), Favorite Crime Drama
Edgar Award Nomination (2011), Best Episode Teleplay, “Mask”
Genesis Award Nomination (2011), Best Drama, “Beef”
NAACP Image Award Nomination (2011), Best Drama
Selected Episodes
Awards
George Foster Peabody Award (1995) – for Excellence in Broadcasting, as Writer
Public Service Award, National Kidney Foundation (1995) – for “The Gift” episode
People’s Choice Awards (1995–2000) – Favorite Dramatic Series / Favorite New Series
Golden Globe Nominations (1996–2000) – Best Dramatic Series
Emmy Award Nominations (1996–2001) – Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Writing
Gracie Award (1996) – for “Calling Dr. Hathaway”
Nancy Susan Reynolds Award (1997) – for HIV storyline
GLAAD Award Nomination (1999) – for “Stuck on You”
Literacy in Media Awards (1999, 2000, 2001) – for “Middle of Nowhere,” “Loose Ends,” and “Rescue Me”
Freddie Award (2000) – Outstanding Medical Show on Patient Care
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