Co-Managing Partner
Erin E. Rhinehart
Erin frequently defends class action litigation in state and federal courts, with a focus on healthcare, consumer, mass tort, privacy/data breach, and environmental issues; and she assists clients as they navigate a variety of contract (licensing, distribution, master services agreements, franchise agreements, non-compete, entertainment, non-disclosure, and non-disparagement agreements) and employment issues. She frequently litigates in state and federal courts across the country, as well as before the American Arbitration Association and the American Health Law Association.
Healthcare: Erin's commercial litigation practice includes extensive healthcare industry practice including payor/provider issues, tortious interference and fraud claims, EMTALA issues, balance billing, and employment claims. She also has extensive experience negotiating and advising physician contract issues, with a focus on non-compete and related provisions. She has defended hospital systems and payors against class action allegations, discrimination claims, and various contract and billing issues.
Representative Matters Include:
- Aubrey-Dean v. CareSource, Case No. 23CV6436 (Montgomery Cty. Ohio) (successfully obtained summary judgment in favor of employer on discrimination claims; affirmed on appeal)
- Rupp, et al. v. Premier Health Partners, et al., Case No. 18CV1916 (Montgomery Cty. Ohio) (successfully defeated class certification and obtained secured summary judgment for client)
- State of Ohio, ex rel. Cable News Network, Inc., et al. v. Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Local Schools, et al., Case no. 2019-1433 (Supreme Court of Ohio) (argued public records issue before the Supreme Court of Ohio; argument available here)
- Rikos, et al. v. The Procter & Gamble Company, Case No. 1:11-cv-226 (S.D. Ohio) (defense of consumer class action)
- Cunningham v. Cox Media Group Ohio, Inc., Case No. 2015 10 2494 (Butler Cty. Ohio) (defense of defamation claims)
- Valco Cincinnati Inc. v. MeltonUS, Inc., Case No. 1:15-cv-00811 (S.D. Ohio) (defense of trademark infringement claims)
- Reed Elsevier Inc., through its LexisNexis Div. v. Legal Research Center, Inc., Case No. 3:15-cv-00256 (S.D. Ohio) (prosecution of breach of licensing agreement)
- Operation: Heroes, Ltd. v. The Procter & Gamble Company, et al., Case No. 2:12-cv-00214 (D. Nev.) (defense of breach of contract claims)
- George, et al. v. Cargill, et al., Case No. 10CV028536 (Preble Cty. Ohio) (defense of class action lawsuit involving water contamination)
Get in Touch
Erin E. Rhinehart
Co-Managing Partner
(937) 227-3714
110 N. Main St., Suite 1600
Dayton, OH 45402
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"Erin is a very good and experienced litigator. She is smart, practical and pragmatic. She's also doing a great job of developing newer attorneys, bringing them along to some of the things that are less sophisticated so that the work can be done at a lower rate. She's great at spotting issues too and can be honest without being abrasive, which is useful from a relationship-building perspective when it comes to other individuals at our company from a non- legal background. She's very tactful in that sense."
As quoted in Chambers USA
Media & Communications Law
Branding & Advertising
First Amendment
Defamation
Public Records
Open Courts
Privacy Torts
False Advertising
Trademark
Copyright
Class Action Defense
Health Care
Data Breach
False Advertising
Consumer
Mass Tort
Environmental
Breach of Contract
Non-Compete
Non-Disclosure
Operating Agreements
Master Services Agreements
Licensing Agreements
Hospital and Physician Services Agreements
Distribution Agreements
Environmental Litigation
CERCLA
Strategic coordination with EPA and OEPA in litigation
Florence E. Allen Award for Outstanding Achievement, awarded by Federal Bar Association, Dayton Chapter, 2023
Premier Health Care Lawyer (Dayton 2020-2025)
The Healthcare Lawyers, recommended Attorney in Ohio (2022-2023)
America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators 2018-2024
Benchmark Litigation
-Top 250 Women in Litigation, 2021-2025
-Litigation Star recognition, 2019-2024
BTI Client Service All Star, 2020, 2022-2024
Super Lawyers – 2019-2025
-Top 100 Ohio Super Lawyers (2023)
-Top 50 Ohio Super Lawyers (2023)
-Top 50 Cincinnati Super Lawyers (2023)
-Top 25 Women Cincinnati Super Lawyers (2023)
Super Lawyers – Rising Star, 2014-2018
Dayton Business Journal, Power 50 Honoree, 2018-2022 (recognized as one of the most influential women in business in Dayton)
40 Under 40 Award – Dayton Business Journal, 2013
40 Under 40 Hall of Fame Inductee – Dayton Business Journal, 2020
Ohio Women’s Bar Association, President’s Choice Award, 2017
WiBN/BBB Top 25 Women to Watch Honoree, 2016
The Business Journals 2019 Influencers: Law 2019
The Federal Service Award – Federal Bar Association, Dayton Chapter, 2020
UD Women Lead, University of Dayton Center for Leadership – Graduate of Inaugural Cohort, Class of 2020
Leadership Dayton – Dayton Chamber of Commerce, Class of 2012
Ohio State Bar Association Foundation, Community Service Award, 2008
Supreme Court of Ohio
United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
Supreme Court of the United States
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
American Bar Association
Columnist (Survival Guide, Esq.), ABA Journal (2024-current)
Editor, Section of Litigation, Litigation Journal (2017-2023)
Co-Chair, Section of Litigation, Content Summit (2018-2019)
Member, Forum on Communications Law
Fellow, American Bar Foundation
Editorial Board Member, TYL (official publication of ABA’s Young Lawyers Division) (2006-2015)
Ohio State Bar Association
Chair, Media Law Committee (2016-2018)
Life Fellow, Ohio State Bar Foundation
Ohio Women’s Bar Association
President, May 2021-May 2022
President-Elect, May 2020-May 2021
Vice President, May 2019-May 2020
Member, Board of Trustees – District 2 (2016-April 2019)
Federal Bar Association, Dayton Chapter
Chapter President (October 2017-October 2018)
Executive Board Member (2013—present)
Chair, Publicity & Public Relations Committee (2013-2015)
On the Merits newsletter, founder & inaugural publisher/editor (2013-2015)
Dayton Bar Association
Board of Trustees, Secretary (2023-2024)
Fellow, Dayton Bar Association
Co-Chair, Women in Law Forum (2019-2020)
Co-Founder & Co-Chair 5 for the Kids 5k race to benefit CARE House (2006-2008)
Miami University Farmer School of Business
miniMBA Certificate, Business Administration and Management, General (2020)
University of Dayton School of Law
Presidential Scholarship
Honor Council
Dayton Law Review – Staff writer (published)
Clerk for former Immigration and Naturalization Service, Office of the District Counsel, Chicago, IL
Law clerk for Judge John M. Meagher, Ret., Dayton, OH
Miami University – BA, Political Science
Study Abroad Program – Western Europe: International Accounting, International Business Law
Kappa Alpha Theta
Order of Omega
Boys & Girls Club of Dayton, Ohio -- Board Member (2023-present)
Dayton Daily News Community Board, Member (2021-2023)
Mentoring Monday Mentor – 2015-2019
Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, Associate Board Member (2016-2019)
Dayton Business Journal, BizWomen Mentoring Monday, Keynote Speaker (2017)
Dayton Business Journal, BizWomen Mentoring Monday, Mentor (2015-2017)
University of Dayton School of Law, Adjunct Professor (2008-2013)
Dayton Bar Association, YLD 5 For the Kids, Co-Founder & Chair (2006-2008)
Chaminade Julienne High School Mock Trial Team — Legal Advisor (2005-2008)
American Bar Association, YLD, Young Lawyer Rising Podcast (Guest, 2022)
Federal Bar Association
The Federal Lawyer magazine
American Bar Association
ABA Journal
Litigation
Pretrial Practice & Discovery
TYL
The Student Lawyer
MLRC, Media Law Newsletter
Dayton Business Journal
Dayton Bar Association
Bar Briefs magazine
Ohio State Bar Association
Ohio Lawyer magazine
Be Leaderly, Contributor
Dayton Law Review (University of Dayton)
Faruki+ Blog