NASHVILLE, TN--(Marketwired - May 14, 2014) - Waller, one of the nation's preeminent law firms serving the healthcare industry, announced today that Morgan Ribeiro has been named Executive Director of the firm's healthcare department. In this newly-created position, Ribeiro will work directly with Waller's Healthcare Steering Committee to lead in the development and implementation of the department's strategy and client development activities.

Prior to Waller, Ribeiro served as a Senior Executive Advisor with Jarrard Phillips Cate & Hancock, a strategic healthcare communications firm based in Nashville, Tenn., where she developed and managed communications campaigns for healthcare organizations, including tax-exempt and investor-owned hospitals and health systems and start-up healthcare technology companies.

"Service to the healthcare industry has been at Waller's core for nearly 50 years, and it is a focal point of our strategic plan," said Waller chairman John Tishler. "The addition of the Executive Director position will bring us greater focus and allow us to build on our past successes. A recognized leader in the industry, Morgan will be a great asset as we expand our firm's extensive healthcare practice."

A graduate of Tulane University, Ribeiro has significant experience working with a wide range of healthcare organizations, including hospitals, health systems, and pharmaceutical and healthcare technology clients throughout the United States. At Jarrard, she worked with more than 30 clients in 10 states through a variety of matters, including mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures, certificates of need, privacy breaches and other regulatory issues.

"Morgan is a dynamic professional with a broad range of experience," said Ken Marlow, who chairs the firm's multidisciplinary healthcare department. "Her expertise and perspective on today's complex healthcare environment, coupled with her ability to lead teams of professionals, will allow us to achieve our strategic objectives."

Prior to Jarrard, Ribeiro was an account executive with rbb Public Relations in Miami, where she managed the firm's account with the Cleveland Clinic in Florida. She also was an account executive with Cohn and Wolfe Healthcare in New York City.

Ranked among the nation's largest healthcare law firms, Waller represents publicly traded and privately owned healthcare companies as well as tax-exempt and publicly owned hospitals and health systems throughout the United States. The firm also advises providers of outpatient services, behavioral health services, home health and hospice services, long-term care and skilled nursing. Waller's deep roster of healthcare attorneys provides counsel regarding regulatory compliance, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, government investigations, real estate transactions, commercial finance and securities, commercial litigation, labor and employment, employee benefits and more.

About Waller
Waller, a leading provider of legal services to the healthcare, financial services, retail and hospitality industries, is headquartered in Nashville, Tenn. with offices in Birmingham, Ala., Austin, Tex., and Memphis, Tenn. The firm has been ranked among the nation's ten largest healthcare law firms since 2005. With approximately 200 attorneys, Waller helps clients navigate a diverse range of complex transactional, regulatory and litigation issues. Founded in 1905, Waller has client relationships spanning decades because clients, time and again, come for the lawyer and stay for the firm(SM). For more information, please visit www.wallerlaw.com .