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Top-Ranked Health Care Lawyers in Jacksonville, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.25 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked health care lawyers in Jacksonville, Florida are Gregory Scott Baity (LexRank 84.00), Charmaine Tsin Ming Chiu (82.60) and Vivian Menge Gallo (82.60).

This ranking lists 5 health care lawyers in Jacksonville, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. All 5 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Health Law by The Florida Bar, a credential held by 4.9% of Florida lawyers in any field. Their experience ranges from 25 to 43 years in practice.

Lawyers ranked
5
Fully verified
5 of 5

The ranking

Ordered by organic LexRank score; paid placements are labelled and never affect a position. How we rank

  1. No change

    Gregory Scott Baity

    Independent practice · Jacksonville, FL

    Verified
    • 29 years experience
    • Health Care
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #1?

    Ranks #1 with 84.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 8.9)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.3)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
  2. No change

    Charmaine Tsin Ming Chiu

    Smith Hulsey & Busey · Jacksonville, FL

    Verified
    • 26 years experience
    • Health Care
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #2?

    Ranks #2 with 82.60: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15) and Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (4/20). 1.40 points behind #1, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.3)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 30)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    1.40 points behind #1 (Gregory Scott Baity): Data quality −1.4.

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  3. No change

    Vivian Menge Gallo

    Independent practice · Jacksonville, FL

    Verified
    • 34 years experience
    • Health Care
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #3?

    Ranks #3 with 82.60: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15) and Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.3)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 30)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  4. No change

    Paul Edward Risner

    Independent practice · Jacksonville, FL

    Verified
    • 43 years experience
    • Health Care
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #4?

    Ranks #4 with 82.60: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15) and Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.3)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 30)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  5. No change

    Jon Patrick DeBardeleben

    Independent practice · Jacksonville, FL

    Verified
    • 25 years experience
    • Health Care
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #5?

    Ranks #5 with 78.85: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20). 3.75 points behind #4, mostly professional credentials.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 30)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    3.75 points behind #4 (Paul Edward Risner): Professional credentials −3.8.

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

Data sources behind the scores

Every score on this page is calculated from facts backed by these sources. Each profile shows which source supports which fact and when it was last checked.

  • floridabar.org · Official / regulatory · 5 profile pages50 facts for 5 lawyers

Health Care market in Jacksonville

LexRanked tracks 5 lawyers and 1 law firm in health care law in Jacksonville, Florida. 5 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 22, 2026.

Lawyers
5
Law firms
1
Verified professional data
5 of 5
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
29 years5 lawyers

Calculated by LexRanked from its own records on ; data verified . Ratings and review counts count only when backed by a source; figures from fewer than three profiles are withheld. All lawyers in Jacksonville

What sets these Jacksonville lawyers apart

All 5 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Health Law by The Florida Bar, which only about one in twenty Florida lawyers achieves in any field. Florida Bar board certification requires at least five years of practice, substantial involvement in the field, peer review by other lawyers and judges, continuing legal education and a written exam, and it must be renewed every five years. The figures below come from each lawyer's Florida Bar profile.

Fact about the 5 ranked lawyers Figure
Board Certified in Health Law 5 of 5
Years in practice 25 to 43 (median 29)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer
Most common law school University of Florida, Fredric G. Levin College of Law (2 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Jacksonville office address and health care as a practice area on record. It compares 5 health care lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. How we rank.

Florida rules to know

Florida health law regulates how providers are licensed, paid and referred patients: kickbacks and patient brokering are prohibited, and every clinic location needs its own state license.

Rule What it means
Kickbacks Health care providers may not offer, pay, solicit or receive kickbacks for referring patients (Fla. Stat. § 456.054)
Patient brokering Paying or receiving anything to induce patient referrals is a third-degree felony with a $50,000 fine (§ 817.505)
Clinic licensing Each clinic location must be licensed separately by the Agency for Health Care Administration (§ 400.991)
Patient records Practitioners must furnish copies of a patient's reports and records on request, in a timely manner (§ 456.057)
Hospital records Licensed facilities furnish copies of patient records on written request after discharge (§ 395.3025)
Court Where cases are heard
State court circuit Duval County is in Florida's Fourth Judicial Circuit

How to choose among these lawyers

Confirm the license, ask who will handle your matter, and get the fee terms in writing before you sign.

  1. Look up the lawyer in The Florida Bar's directory and check the bar number shown on their LexRanked profile.
  2. Ask whether the lawyer you meet will handle your matter personally, and how many matters like yours they have handled recently.
  3. Ask how they charge and what costs are extra, and get the agreement in writing.

Further reading

Sources for the rules above

Frequently asked questions

Is it legal to pay for patient referrals in Florida?

No. Section 456.054 bars kickbacks for referrals, and under section 817.505 paying or receiving anything to induce a referral is patient brokering, a third-degree felony with a $50,000 fine, subject to the exceptions listed in the statute.

Does a medical clinic need a license in Florida?

Yes, unless it falls under an exemption: each clinic location needs its own license from the Agency for Health Care Administration.

How do I get copies of my medical records in Florida?

Ask the practitioner, who must furnish copies in a timely manner under section 456.057; a hospital furnishes copies on written request after discharge under section 395.3025.

Who certifies health lawyers in Florida?

The Florida Bar certifies lawyers in Health Law after at least five years of practice, peer review and a written exam.

What does Board Certified in Health Law mean?

It is a credential from The Florida Bar for lawyers with substantial experience in the field who have passed peer review and a written exam. 5 of the 5 lawyers in this ranking hold it; 4.9% of Florida lawyers hold a board certification in any field.

Which court handles cases in Jacksonville?

State court cases in Duval County are heard in Florida's Fourth Judicial Circuit.

How is this ranking ordered?

By the LexRank score, calculated only from facts with a cited source: experience, practice-area relevance, awards on record such as board certification, professional credentials, data quality and location. Client reviews do not affect the LexRank score: neither star ratings nor the number of reviews is scored. Payment never changes a position.

Do client reviews affect the LexRank score?

Client reviews do not affect the LexRank score: neither star ratings nor the number of reviews is scored. Reviews are shown on profiles for information only, and Reputation counts only awards on record, such as board certification. How we rank

Which lawyers are verified?

5 of the 5 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Gregory Scott Baity, Charmaine Tsin Ming Chiu, Vivian Menge Gallo, Paul Edward Risner and Jon Patrick DeBardeleben.

What is the difference between the top two lawyers?

Gregory Scott Baity scores 84.00 and Charmaine Tsin Ming Chiu 82.60, a gap of 1.40 points, mostly in data quality. Compare them side by side

About this ranking

Last updated
Methodology
LexRank v1.2 - deterministic, reproducible scoring
Editorial review
LexRanked editorial team,
Independence
Positions are never sold. Paid placements, if any, are labelled and do not affect scores.

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