Skip to Main Content.

Industries

Practices

Biography

Barbara is a nationally recognized health care, data privacy and AI governance attorney who has been involved since the beginning at the intersection of Internet technology and the law.  She holds the AI Governance Professional (AIGP) certification from the International Association of Privacy Professionals.  Noted for her M&A, data privacy and governance, and strategic business advice, Barbara has led transactions and provided counsel for sophisticated and complex health care and other businesses that have included numerous multinational Fortune 50 companies.

A sought-after critical thinker and trusted strategic legal advisor, Barbara has counseled clients that include health plans, hospital systems, behavioral health businesses, labs, pharmaceutical and device manufacturers, and companies providing IT, revenue cycle, turn-key management and data analytics services. She has been a successful senior partner in a top-ten global law firm, as well as having more than a decade of in-house legal and business experience, including as General Counsel.

Other Info About Barbara

Experience

Legal Work Highlights

Primary outside legal counsel for establishment and operation of global enterprise privacy and data governance function for complex Fortune 20 health care services company.

Advised on strategies for the creation, use and protection of large corporate databases for multiple Fortune 25 clients.

Lead outside legal counsel for Fortune 20 health care services company for negotiation, documentation, maintenance and renewals of complex and material private label and services contract relationship.

Regularly reconciled and integrated privacy, security and data protection laws of multiple countries in advising on the development and implementation of global products and services, many involving health information.

Lead counsel to a private for-profit entity in deals to provide development, construction and operating services to ambulatory cancer centers affiliated with teaching hospitals.

Represented large investment bank on innovative strategy for the acquisition of more than a dozen hospitals by a consortium of non-profit providers.

Managed numerous data breaches for large publicly-traded businesses, including forensics, legal analysis and communications strategy.

Designed and implemented roll-out strategy and associated legal documents for national health care franchise.

General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for health plan management company.

Associate General Counsel for leading University and Medical Center.

Judicial Law Clerk, Judge Thomas Wiseman, USDC, MDTN, 1983-84.

Education

Law School

Vanderbilt University Law School, J.D., Order of the Coif, Articles Editor, Vanderbilt Law Review

Undergraduate School

Vanderbilt University, B.S., Mathematics, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa

Bar Memberships

Barbara is licensed to practice in the following state(s):

Tennessee Bar Association

Recognition

Local & National Recognition

Washington, DC Super Lawyers, 2007-2013, including Top 50 Women, 2007-2010

Legal Times Life Sciences Leading Lawyer (solo award), 2006

Expert Guide to Leading U.S. Health Care Lawyers, 2006

Professional Affiliations

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), AI Governance Professional Certification (AIGP), 2024

Tennessee Bar Association AI Task Force, 2024

International Women’s Forum, 2012-present

Board of Advisors, Rock the Street Wall Street, 2016-2018

Board of Directors, Nashville CARES, 2011-2014

Civil Justice Reform Act Advisory Group, U.S. District Court, 1991-1993

Tennessee Supreme Court Commission on Dispute Resolution, 1992-1995

Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, U.S. District Court, 1994-1995

Tennessee Bar Commission on Status of Women and Minorities in Profession

Board of Directors, National Association of College and University Counsel, 1991-1994

Firm Committees

Barbara serves or has served in the following leadership role(s) at Frost Brown Todd:

Committee on Artificial Intelligence, Vice Chair

Presentations

Barbara was invited to speak at the following events:

“AI in Data Security & Privacy” Lexology Masterclass Webinar Series, Presenter, December 2024

“Navigating the AI Frontier – Legal Risks and Opportunities for Corporate Counsel,” Tennessee Bar Association, October 25, 2024

“Doing the Right Thing: How to Use AI to Practice Law and Medicine within Ethical Boundaries,” 37th Annual Texas Health Law Conference, October 8, 2024

“Navigating the AI Drama with a Governance Program,” the Ohio Society of Health Care Risk Managers (OSHRM) and the Society for Ohio Health Care Attorneys (SOHA) 2024 Fall Conference, September 27, 2024

“AI in Health Care:  Harness its Power, Manage its Risks,” University of Kentucky Health Law Institute, September 4, 2024

“The Role of AI in Reducing Clinician Burnout,” Qualivis Webinar, August 15, 2024

“AI in Communications,” Chorus, June 26, 2024

“Three Steps to AI Success for CEOs,” Women’s Presidents Organization, June 14, 2024

“A Little Less Antiquated, A Little More Innovation,” Qualivis Roundtable 2024, May 22, 2024

“AI Governance in Health Care: Focus on Data Privacy and Security,” Tennessee Bar Association, April 29, 2024

“Navigating the AI Drama with a Governance Program,” Texas Hospital Association, Annual Meeting, February 2024

“Realizing the Promise and Managing the Peril of AI,” Bayou City Bio Pulse; Greater Houston Partnership, December 2023

“Realizing the Promise and Realizing the Risk of AI with a Governance Program,” Tennessee Bar Association, December 2023

“AI in Health Care: Navigating Privacy Risk,” Cincinnati Bar Association, December 2023

“Art of Ethical AI,” Page One Legal, December 2023

“How to Advise Clients on AI with only a Law Degree,” Association of Corporate Counsel, November 2023

Major Publications

Barbara is an author or contributor to the following publications:

Co-Author: “HIPAA Final Rule Addressing Reproductive Health Requires Significant Compliance Measures by December 2024,” Westlaw Today, August 2024

Editor-in-Chief of 600+ page BNA treatise: eHealth Business and Transactional Law, 2002 with 2004 and 2006 Supplements

Barbara Bennett, Application of the HIPAA Privacy Rule to Employer Benefit Plans and a Compliance Theory of Statutory Interpretation, JOURNAL OF HEALTH LAW, Spring 2004, at 225.

Related Insights