Carolyn V. Metnick

Partner
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Carolyn Metnick

Overview

Carolyn Metnick advises healthcare organizations and digital health companies on regulatory and data governance challenges at the intersection of privacy, security and artificial intelligence. She focuses on HIPAA, other health information laws, data strategy and security incident response—helping clients deploy innovative technologies while managing compliance risks across federal and state privacy frameworks.

As the founder and leader of Sheppard Healthy AI, Carolyn brings together a cross-disciplinary team dedicated to the compliant development, deployment and use of AI in healthcare. The initiative guides stakeholders through governance, vendor contracting, notice/consent and risk allocation—aligning emerging technologies with evolving laws, regulations and industry best practices.

Carolyn counsels hospitals, health systems, physician organizations, payors and technology companies on the full life cycle of health information and all related issues. Her work includes structuring data-sharing collaborations, developing privacy and security programs, responding to security incidents and navigating federal and state privacy laws. She is a Certified Information Privacy Professional/United States and a Certified Information Privacy Professional/Europe.

In transactions, Carolyn supports corporate deal teams on privacy, data security and AI strategy, diligence and risk allocation across Sheppard’s largest deals. She conducts diligence on privacy, security and data use, analyzes representations and warranties in the privacy and cybersecurity context, and advises on post-closing remediation and risk mitigation. Drawing on experience as a former litigator, she approaches contractual protections and regulatory exposure with an emphasis on dispute avoidance and practical risk management.

Carolyn is an avid runner—putting in daily mileage. Outside the office, she enjoys time with her family, boating, skiing, reading fiction and attending live music performances.


Education

LL.M., Loyola University Chicago School of Law, 2007

J.D., Santa Clara University School of Law, 2003

B.A., University of Chicago, 2000

Admissions

Illinois 

California 

Minnesota 

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana 

  • Illinois Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers, 2026
  • Notable Leader in Health Care Technology, Crain's Chicago Business, 2025-2026
  • Thought Leadership Awards, Food, Drugs, Healthcare, Life Sciences, Mondaq, Autumn 2024
  • Chambers USA, Leading Lawyer, Healthcare, 2019-2026
  • Recommended Lawyer, Legal 500, 2024-2025
  • The Best Lawyers in America, Health Care Law, 2016-2026
  • Crain's Chicago Business, Notable Women in Law, 2024
  • Super Lawyers, “Rising Star” for Healthcare, 2008-2010, 2013-2018
  • National Law Journal, Chicago’s 40 Under 40, 2013
  • Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Distinguished Service Award, 2007 
Chambers 2026
Chambers USA 2025_ Carolyn Metnick
Carolyn Metnick - Chambers 2024
Legal 500 Recommended Lawyer 2025
Legal 500 Recommended Lawyer 2024
Mondaq Thought Leader Autumn 2024

  • Coalition for Health AI (CHAI), Member

  • American Heart Association Go Red for Women Campaign, executive leadership team member, 2018 to present 
  • American Health Lawyers Association, Transactions Program Planning Committee, 2018 to present; Business Law & Governance Practice Group, vice chair, 2012 to 2018; Governance Affinity Group, co-chair, 2009 to 2012 
  • Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys, president, 2019; board member, 2014 to 2020 
  • Illinois State Bar Association, Health Law Section Council, member, 2006 to present; chair, 2013 to 2014; vice chair, 2012 to 2013; associate editor of Health Care Lawyer, 2007 to 2008; member of Standing Committee on Professional Conduct, 2006 to 2008 
  • International Association of Privacy Professionals, member, 2017 to present 
  • Ballet Chicago, board member, secretary, 2012 to 2015 
  • The Junior League of Chicago, member, 2004 to present; new member chair-elect, 2009 to 2010; corporate relations chair, 2007 to 2009 
  • ILHIE Legal Task Force Patient Consent Subcommittee, 2011 to 2012 
  • University of Chicago Alumni Club of Chicago, board member, 2008 to 2011
  • Chicago Bar Association, YLS Health & Hospital Law Committee, co-chair, 2006 to 2009 
  • Chicago Volunteer Legal Services, child representative/guardian ad litem, 2004 to 2007 
  • St. Vincent de Paul Center, associate board president, 2005 to 2007; associate board member, 2004 to 2007 
  • Adjunct Instructor at University of Illinois-Chicago, School of Public Health, Health Policy and Administration Division, 2013 to 2019 

"Innovation in the Industry," 2024 WHLC Women in Healthcare Leadership Summit, October 24, 2024

"Grappling with the 'Promise and Peril' of AI in the Healthcare Industry?" April 3, 2024

"Transition to Practice - Physician Employment Agreements," Mayo Clinic, Neurology Residents, November 2, 2023

"HHS-OIG’s New Health Information Blocking Rule: Covered Actors; Costly Violations; Federal Interagency Coordination," Strafford, October 12, 2023

Co-Presenter, "HIPAA Year in Review: Recent Enforcement Actions and Guidance," International Association of Privacy Professionals, Chicago KnowledgeNet, August 2, 2023

"Legal Considerations for Machine Learning in Healthcare: Contractual Issues and Risk Management," myLawCLE, June 21, 2023

Co-Presenter, "HIPAA Unwrapped: Latest Enforcement, Guidance, & Trends," Greater Illinois Chapter HIMSS, May 23, 2023

Moderator, "Health Care Transactions, Trends in Transactions," American Health Law Association, April 17, 2023

Co-Presenter, "Machine Learning in Healthcare: Regulatory Requirements, Reimbursement Challenges, Privacy and Security Risks," Strafford Publications, March 9, 2023

Co-Presenter, "Introduction to Digital Health," McDermott First Year Health Advisory Boot Camp, January 11, 2022

"Healthcare Overview: What You Need to Know about Physician Employment Agreements," Mayo Clinic, Neurology Department, October 27, 2022

Co-Presenter, "Health Data Protection and Management," Strafford Publications, May 4, 2022

"What You Need to Know about Physician Employment Agreements," Mayo Clinic, Radiation Oncology Program, March 8, 2022

Co-Panelist, "Mergers & Acquisitions: The Trials, Tribulations and Lessons Learned," Greater Illinois Chapter HIMSS/NYS HIMSS, January 22, 2022

Co-Presenter, "Introduction to Digital Health," McDermott First Year Health Advisory Boot Camp, January 11, 2022

Co-Panelist, "How to GO to Market: Commercializing AI-Based Health Technologies," RESI AI, September 17, 2021

Co-Presenter, "Complying with HIPAA, Privacy Laws and Exceptions During a Public Health Crisis," Strafford Publications, November 24, 2020

Co-Presenter, "A privacy Odyssey: Conducting Privacy Assessments on AI Projects," International Association of Privacy Professionals, AI, November 5, 2020

"What You Need to Know about Physician Employment Agreements," Mayo Clinic, Department of Neurology, Transition to Practice Program, October 19, 2020

Co-Panelist, "Tech Bias: A Health (Equity) Risk Assessment," HLTH VRTL, October 16, 2020

"What You Need to Know about Physician Employment Agreements," Mayo Clinic, Department of Neurology, Transition to Practice Program, October 8, 2020

Co-Presenter, "Precision Medicine: Structuring Collaborations and Avoiding Fraud and Abuse Pitfalls," Strafford Publications, August 20, 2020

Co-Presenter, "Physician Enterprises after COVID-19: Capturing and Assessing Opportunities," McDermott Event, August 6, 2020

Co-Presenter, "Precision Health: Perspectives on Precision Partnering," McDermott Event, June 29, 2020

Co-Presenter, "Understanding OCR HIPAA Enforcement Waivers for Telehealth during COVID-19," McDermott Event, March 30, 2020

"HIPAA Year in Review – What happened last year and what can we expect in 2020?," HIMSS-Greater Illinois Chapter, February 18, 2020

"Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare," The University of Alabama, CLE Alabama, November 15, 2019

Co-Panelist, "Prepare to Protect: Responding to Crisis," Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys Annual Symposium, November 6, 2019

Co-Author, "Summary of Recent HIPAA Developments," HIMSS Greater Illinois Chapter, August 2023

Co-Author, "OCR Guidance on Online Tracking Technologies," American Health Law Association, Health Information and Technology Practice Group Briefing, April 6, 2023

Co-Author, "Navigating Data Privacy Questions Post-Dobbs, Vol. 48, No. 3.," Employee Relations Law Journal, Winter 2022

Co-Author, "Navigating Data Privacy Questions Post-Dobbs," McDermott On the Subject, July 8, 2022

Co-Author, "FTC Issues Policy Statement Expanding Interpretation of Health Breach Notification Rule’s Scope," McDermott On the Subject, September 20, 2021

Co-Author, "OCR Issues Proposed Modifications to HIPAA Privacy Rule to Remove Barriers to Coordination of Care and Reduce Regulatory Burden," McDermott On the Subject, December 17, 2020

Co-Author, "Beware Fraud and Abuse Pitfalls in Precision Medicine," Law360, June 4, 2020

Co-Author, "OCR Enforcement Waivers of Certain HIPAA Requirements in Furtherance of Telehealth During COVID-19 Pandemic," McDermott On the Subject, March 23, 2020

Co-Author, "Regulating the Future of Artificial Intelligence," American Health Lawyers Association, February 2020