TOLEDO, OH – Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP is pleased to announce that Erin Smith Aebel, Jenifer A. Belt, Ronald A. Christaldi, Mark A. Connolly, Edwin G. Emerson, William G. Fischer, and Dennis P. Witherell have been selected for inclusion in Corporate Counsel's "2012 Top Rated Lawyers Guide to Healthcare."

Corporate Counsel is the business magazine for chief legal officers and in-house counsel at corporations throughout the nation. Read by more in-house counsel than any other industry publication, Corporate Counsel is the most renowned source for information and analysis on the legal affairs, business issues and government mandates impacting corporate America.

• Ms. Aebel is a partner in the Tampa, Florida, office and has been certified as a health care law specialist by the Florida Bar. She regularly advises clients on Stark, fraud and abuse, HIPAA and licensure issues arising from joint ventures, acquisitions and changes of ownership. She regularly prepares and negotiates physician employment agreements, physician recruitment agreements and medical director agreements.
• Ms. Belt is a partner in the health law practice group in the Toledo, Ohio office. Her practice includes both transactional and litigation matters for a range of health care providers, including health systems, hospitals, long term care providers, physician groups, physicians, and health care networks. Ms. Belt is listed in The Best Lawyers in America® in the health law category and has been recognized as a Rising Star by Ohio Super Lawyers®. Ms. Belt is also a recipient of the Toledo Business Journal's "Who's Who in Area Law" recognition.
• Mr. Christaldi is a business lawyer with experience in both transactions and litigation. Mr. Christaldi is the Co-Chair of the health care practice group in the Tampa, Florida office. Mr. Christaldi is a Board Certified Health Lawyer. He has been named one of the Top 100 Lawyers in Florida by Florida Super Lawyers®. Mr. Christaldi has also been recognized as one of the Best Lawyers in America® and selected Florida Legal Elite© by Florida Trend. Mr. Christaldi has also been recognized by the Tampa Bay Business Journal with its prestigious "40 Under 40" award for professional accomplishments and community service.
• Mr. Connolly is a partner in the Tampa, Florida office. His principal areas of practice are commercial and land use litigation, health care litigation, and governmental representation. Mr. Connolly serves as the City Attorney for the City of Temple Terrace, Florida, and as general counsel to child welfare agencies in Southwest Florida.
• Mr. Emerson is of counsel in the Columbus, Ohio office. Mr. Emerson has extensive experience in merger, sale and acquisition of health care entities and systems, counsel regarding self-insurance and risk-management programs and negotiation of contractual arrangements with physicians and other professionals. He has substantial experience counseling hospitals with respect to strategic planning, medical staff organization and disciplinary matters, tax, corporate reorganization, governance issues and regulatory compliance. Mr. Emerson has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® and was named the "Columbus Best Lawyers Health Care Lawyer of the Year" for 2011.
• Mr. Fischer is a partner in the Toledo, Ohio office. Mr. Fischer has extensive experience in representing hospitals and other exempt organizations, physicians and physician groups in addition to his general corporate practice. He also regularly practices and plans in the health care tax law area as well as practicing before the Internal Revenue Service at the audit and appellate conference stages.
• Mr. Witherell is a partner in the Toledo, Ohio office and serves as Co-Administrator of the health law practice group. Mr. Witherell exclusively represents health care providers and practitioners, provider networks, and other healthcare-related enterprises. Mr. Witherell has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® and in Ohio Super Lawyers® and is a recipient of the Toledo Business Journal's "Who's Who in Area Law" recognition.

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Founded in 1925, Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP is a full service law firm with 215 attorneys practicing in Toledo and Columbus, Ohio; Tampa and Sarasota, Florida; and Charlotte, North Carolina.