Partner | Bone McAllester Norton, PLLC
Arney credits her parents with instilling in her a deep appreciation of the law and thanks circumstances for leading her to the healthcare industry she loves.
Although her family roots were in Tennessee — her father was from Livingston and mother from Nashville — Arney grew up in and around Washington, D.C. Her father was a lawyer and an officer in the U.S. Air Force stationed at the Pentagon, and her mother was a pioneering female attorney who served as Arney’s chief role model.
“I believe she was one of the youngest women to pass the bar in Tennessee. It was 1939, and she was 20 at the time,” Arney said of her mother. “She loved lawyers … theoretically and literally,” Arney continued with a laugh, referencing her father and grandfather, who also were attorneys.
When it came time for college, Arney selected Vanderbilt, her father’s alma mater, followed by law school at Washington & Lee. “When I came to Vanderbilt, I had no intention of staying in Nashville. Now, I cannot imagine a better place for me.”
Returning to the city after law school set the course for Arney’s healthcare career. “My first job as a lawyer was as an associate with a law firm whose principal client was HCA,” she said. “At that time, healthcare law was not its own practice area,” she explained, but added the experience taught her a lot about the laws impacting the business of healthcare.
After a stint as in-house counsel for a managed care company, Arney returned to private practice with even deeper industry insight. Her focus became helping physicians and other providers navigate the complex regulatory environment, negotiate and structure contracts, and forge the best path to build and grow practices from joint ventures to mergers and acquisitions.
“There are two parts to my field that I love,” she said. “First, I love working with people in the profession of caring for patients. Second, I love finding the answers in the puzzle that is healthcare and business regulation.”
She readily admits the legal maze can be trying for providers … and attorneys. “The constant changes in healthcare laws and regulations make it very challenging to stay on top of … and ahead of … the rules, and how they affect my clients,” she noted.
“Everybody pushes back on regulations, and certainly some of them are difficult,” Arney continued. “But sometimes if you look back at the policy behind them, it’s more palatable. Most healthcare rules are there to protect the patient or the payment system.”
She knows firsthand that you miss a lot if you simply scratch the surface. Some might be surprised to learn Arney is chairman of Nashville’s beer board. What might seem incongruous at first glance, however, makes perfect sense when digging a little deeper. She is passionate about her adopted hometown and loves being able to serve while seeing another business side to the city.
Being open to new possibilities also led to husband Steve Gilpatrick, a painting and dry wall contractor, who she met when both were in their late 40s. Opposite in many ways, it’s their similarities that matter. Arney said, “What we share that is important is our values … and we both love to have fun.”
Arney has set a goal to carve out more time for fun. “My husband and I have a long list of destinations we would like to visit, and I would like to start marking some off the list,” she said wryly.
Despite long workdays, Arney is grateful for the personal and professional choices that have brought her contentment. “Law can include more stress than satisfaction. I was lucky that my professional path took me to healthcare law,” she said. “Knowing that I am helping the professionals in our community that keep us healthy and care for the sick is very satisfying.”
