NEW YORK — The Financial Times recognized Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough for its work with rural healthcare at its Innovative Lawyers Awards on Monday night in New York City.

The Rural Healthcare Initiative (RHI), a collaborative organization of national healthcare consulting firms, with the common mission of creating and maintaining local healthcare delivery options for the 20 percent of Americans living in non-urbanized areas, won the Innovation in Responsible Business category.

RHI was co-founded in September 2021 by Raleigh-based Nelson Mullins partner Robert L. Wilson Jr. along with professionals from Ascendient Healthcare Advisors, Criterion Healthcare, Health Management Resources, and Jarrard Phillips Cate & Hancock. These organizations work together to ensure local officials have the resources needed to revitalize and sustain the delivery of healthcare services. The initiative has consulted with rural community hospitals in North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia and Montana since its inception.

“What is the most satisfying is that this award affirms not just our concept for addressing the needs of rural community healthcare in a holistic manner, but also it recognizes the looming crisis of access to healthcare and keeping healthcare local,” Wilson said. “I hope that we can shine a light on the issue with more discussion and education, and also provide opportunities for unique solutions.”

Firms involved with RHI and providing access to their healthcare professionals and resources include Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, Ascendient Healthcare Advisors, Criterion Healthcare, Health Management Resources, and Jarrard Phillips Cate & Hancock. To learn more about RHI, visit https://www.ruralhealthcareinitiative.org/.

Wilson also received a “Commended” personal ranking from the Financial Times.

Another initiative spearheaded by New York City-based Nelson Mullins partners Ed Hansen and Val Gross, the firm’s Transformation Enablement consulting service, received a commended ranking from the FT Innovative Lawyers Awards.

Transformation Enablement uses methodologies developed by New York City-based partners Ed Hansen and Val Gross that collapse the complexity of navigating transformational, relationship-based deals and ultimately drive innovation and collaboration in a way that transcends contractual commitments.

Their innovation uses these methodologies to create true alignment between their clients and their vendor partners, focusing on shared outcomes and value optimization for both parties, rather than allowing cost and risk to dominate discussions and negotiations.

The FT Innovative Lawyers Program began ranking attorneys and firms in 2006 and assesses lawyers on their innovation for clients and in their own businesses. It consists of rankings and awards based on independent research from RSG Consulting and journalism from The Financial Times. The results are announced at an awards event, and the rankings are published as an FT Special Report.

Established in 1897, Nelson Mullins has more than 930 attorneys and government relations professionals with 31 offices in 15 states and Washington, D.C. For more information on the firm, go to www.nelsonmullins.com.