Diane Robben

Diane Robben is a shareholder and joined Sandberg Phoenix in 1997. She focuses her practice in the firm’s Health Law practice group. For years she led the firms’ Associate Committee, mentoring newer associates into the practice of law and the nuances of working in a large law firm. She also previously co-chaired the firm's Women’s Committee.

Health Care Transactional and Regulatory Practice

Diane leads the firm’s transactional and regulatory health care practice, devoting a significant amount of time advising hospitals, physicians, nursing homes and other healthcare providers on a variety of issues to find practical solutions to complicated legal problems. For instance, she routinely advises healthcare providers on various risk management, compliance and operational issues, such as general healthcare, patient care issues, medical records release, HIPAA/HITECH compliance, policy and procedure review, human resources, end-of-life issues and guardianships. Furthermore, she regularly offers guidance on regulatory and transactional issues related to business transactions, such as fraud and abuse, anti-kickback, Stark, joint ventures, physician recruitment, EMTALA, Medicare compliance, contract review, physician practice association, and medical staff issues.

Diane also assists practitioners in reviewing, drafting, and negotiating contracts pertaining to operational and management functions, including but not limited to personal services, physician recruitment, employment, medical directors, vendor services, consulting, shared services, and lease/equipment rental.

Representing physicians, chiropractors, psychiatrists and nurses before the Department of Professional Regulation in Illinois and the Board of Healing Arts in Missouri also comprises a portion of Diane’s litigation work. She is experienced in medical staff credentialing, governance, disciplinary matters, impaired health professional issues, patient rights issues and bio-ethical issues. She has served as a Hearing Officer in medical staff peer review proceedings at numerous hospitals, as well as counsel to both physicians and medical Executive Committees.

Medical Malpractice Defense

A substantial portion of Diane’s work comprises representing hospitals and healthcare providers in Illinois and Missouri, defending cases involving wrongful death, catastrophic brain injuries, and a wide array of medical matters including emergency medicine, obstetrics/gynecologic, neonatology, post-surgical management, negligent credentialing, chiropractic care and nursing negligence. She represents physicians, nurses, chiropractors and other health care professionals in all phases of litigation, including mediation and trial.