Phelps’ Growing Nashville Office Welcomes Health Care Partner Doug Wolford
NASHVILLE — September 24, 2025 — Phelps announces that Doug Wolford has joined the firm as a partner in its Nashville office. He bolsters the firm’s capabilities with his experience advising health care providers, investors and institutions on improving their operations and complying with state and federal laws.
"Doug’s deep understanding of the health care regulatory landscape and his practical, business-minded approach to client service make him a tremendous asset to our growing Nashville team," said David 'Beau' Haynes, partner and Phelps’ health care practice group leader. "His arrival reflects our continued commitment to serving the evolving needs of the health care industry across the Southeast and beyond."
Doug draws from more than 17 years of legal practice to guide clients through strategic business transitions and compliance hurdles, whether it is an ownership change, a new business model, new regulations, enforcement activity or contract negotiations. He guides clients in complying with federal laws such as Stark Law, Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS), False Claims Act (FCA), Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act (EKRA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) as well as state fraud and abuse laws. When clients face allegations or findings of significant noncompliance, Doug brings the experience and skill set needed to help them resolve those issues through internal investigations, self-disclosures, review and development of compliance policies and procedures.
“I decided to join Phelps in Nashville because of its strong culture, collaborative environment, emphasis on young leadership and focus on innovation,” Doug said. “I’m excited to contribute to the firm’s growth in a dynamic market where I have built strong connections on both personal and professional levels.”
This strategic addition in Nashville is an integral part of the firm’s expansion in the Nashville market. It creates another critical link within the Phelps footprint, including the Memphis, Nashville and Birmingham offices where the firm’s lawyers guide clients through business and legal challenges including health care regulatory matters, HIPAA and data privacy concerns, licensing, reimbursement issues, mergers and acquisitions and real estate.
Doug's experience includes more than a decade in senior in-house legal roles at two of the nation’s largest publicly traded hospital companies. He has served as lead regulatory counsel on high-profile transactions, including acquisitions involving physician management service organizations (MSOs), medical wellness centers, aesthetic medicine and behavioral health providers.
Doug has deep roots in the Nashville community, having earned his J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School and his B.A., cum laude, from Vanderbilt University. He is a member of the American Health Law Association and the Tennessee Bar Association.
Phelps’ Nashville office, which opened in 2024 following a combination with Farris Bobango, is located just blocks from the Tennessee State Capitol and currently serves clients in health care, government relations, administrative law, litigation and economic development.
ABOUT PHELPS
Phelps (phelps.com), an AmLaw 200 law firm, helps clients solve complex challenges with clear, business-oriented solutions. With core service offerings in admiralty, business, health care, insurance, labor and employment, and litigation, we deliver tailored legal counsel across industries and sectors. Our more than 425 lawyers collaborate across 17 offices in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and London to serve clients regionally, nationally and globally.
