Louis Metcalfe has always been interested in rules. As a boy, he devoured a book about football in which his favorite sections were those that explained the guidelines of the game.
Years later, Metcalfe, a 26-year-old attorney with Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, says he’s made good use of a book on HIPAA laws.
“Health care isn’t the easiest area of the law to practice, but I enjoy the investigative aspect of it,” Metcalfe says. “Finding the rule that applies to the matter I’m handling can be satisfying.”
Metcalfe has been with the health care group at Chambliss since graduating from Vanderbilt University Law School last year. He was introduced to the team as a summer associate and then accepted an offer to work with the firm.
“I picked Chambliss because I like its people,” Metcalfe adds. “I work with several partners who have been doing health care for a long time and they’re always helpful. I can bounce things off of them when I’m unsure about something.”
Metcalfe says his fledgling practice often involves the workaday duties of a corporate attorney, only focused on health care. Mergers and acquisitions, employment law and more regularly make their way to his desk, as does regulatory compliance, which is more specific to his field of growing expertise.
Metcalfe says the most enjoyable aspect of his work involves interacting with Chambliss’ clients, which he’s gradually doing more and more.
“When you don’t interact with your clients, you tend to forget why you’re working for them,” he muses. “So, talking with clients and getting to know them as people gives me the perspective I need on the work I’m doing.”
Metcalfe says his fascination with rules sparked an interest in the law at a young age. His casual curiosity turned to resolve while he was taking a high school history class in which he read different Supreme Court cases and studied excerpts from the opinions.
“That was my favorite thing to do in school that year,” Metcalfe recalls.
Even though reading about court cases steered him to law school, Metcalfe didn’t want to become a trial attorney. Instead, he eyed health care early on.
“My little sister was sick growing up, and I spent a lot of time in doctor’s offices with her so I was interested in the health care system and how it works,” he remembers. “When I got along well with everyone in the health care group at Chambliss, they naturally slotted me in.”
While Metcalfe can locate a resource that details the laws pertinent to any endeavor in which he’s involved at work, he lacks a definitive rule book for an even newer venture at home – parenthood.
Metcalfe and his wife are the proud but exhausted parents of a 5-month-old daughter whose internal clock is not yet in sync with theirs. This means busy evenings, sleepless nights and hectic mornings are a matter of policy in their household.
“I’m not getting much sleep these days,” he sighs. “It’s a crazy, crazy time.”
Metcalfe says he does his best to be present when he’s home with his family and then present with his colleagues, clients and responsibilities at work. Keeping the craziness in perspective helps, he adds.
“I’m taking it day by day and bearing in mind that I’ll hopefully be sleeping more someday.”
Metcalfe is originally from Nashville and wound up in Chattanooga via Covenant College, where he studied English.
While he was a student at Covenant, Metcalfe took two international trips that transformed his mindset. From his seminary classes in Columbia to his visits to a mosque and a Hindu temple in India, he learned that other cultures think and do things differently than Americans.
“Even during those brief trips, I saw how people view the world differently and gained a unique perspective on certain things, such as how other cultures treat time. We’re very prompt and rushed. I learned that the way we do things is not the way things have always been done or always the best way to do things.”
Metcalfe also demonstrated a proclivity for service and leadership at both Covenant, where he became student body president, and Vanderbilt, where he did a term as honor council president.
He says both experiences were rewarding and that he’d like to someday take on local leadership roles. However, he recognizes the importance of working his way up an organization’s ladder and is looking forward to “paying his dues,” he adds.
In the meantime, Metcalfe plans to watch Chattanooga and his practice grow.
“A lot of exciting new businesses are coming in and people are starting exciting new endeavors. I’m eager to see what’s coming and become more involved.”
At least after he gets more sleep.