Posted by Diane Webster will serve as a panelist in our upcoming program, “How To Become a Rising Star: Tips from Chicago’s Best,” on October 25 from 12:00-1:30 pm at the law firm of Romanucci & Blandin. Join us to hear more practical tips about how to make yourself stand out in Chicago’s legal community. Click here to register.
Where do you work and what is your practice area?
Diane: I am a Litigation Partner and also serve as the Partner in Charge of our Chicago office at Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP. I am a trial attorney who focuses on a broad range of civil defense and commercial litigation matters including healthcare litigation, products liability, personal injury, and wrongful death where I defend a number of clients including hospitals, physicians, corporations, municipalities, school boards, religious orders, and youth organizations.
When you were a young attorney, did you network or become involved in the community? If so, how?
Diane: Fortunately, I began networking early. One of the organizations I got involved in early on was ALPFA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building Latino leaders. I recommend choosing a cause that you are interested in or that is important to you. The relationships you will build through that organization will happen organically because you share an interest that you are both passionate about. And, as I soon discovered, relationships are everything in life.
What do you believe you did differently from your peers in order to succeed?
Diane: Pretty early on, I developed a sort of informal cabinet of wise mentors, not all of whom were lawyers, that I could go to for advice, guidance, and direction. I was and am still very grateful for their help and precious time.
What are you most proud of accomplishing so far in your legal career?
Diane: Like many, I do not have any lawyers on either side of my family. My mother came to this country as an immigrant from Uruguay to hopefully provide opportunities for her children that she would not otherwise have in her native country. I am very proud and honored to serve in this noble profession, to utilize my skills to help my clients, and to provide a different face to the legal profession, particularly one that is inclusive of women and diverse attorneys.
What piece of advice would you give to our readers who are looking to excel in their careers?
Diane: Persistence and authenticity. You must be persistent and keep going even when the going gets tough because, at times, it will. Be authentic. You will excel in all aspects of your career (and life) if you have the self-awareness to know who you are and embrace it because this will lead to meaningful and honest relationships with all of those around you.
On October 25th, the Chicago Bar Association’s YLS will give a rare learning opportunity to learn about networking, career development, and substantive skills from several accomplished attorneys in Chicago at Romanucci & Blandin. Lunch will be served, and there will be free admission. If you want to become a rising star, this is the event for you!
About Diane:
Diane Webster is a trial attorney who focuses her practice on civil defense
litigation including medical and healthcare litigation, products liability,
pharmaceutical liability, and medical/surgical device litigation. Her clients
include hospitals and physicians, insurance companies, a medical/surgical
device company, state and county governments, and a major league baseball
organization. Her practice also includes premises liability, municipal law and
government litigation.
Ms. Webster has defended a number of complex/catastrophic litigation cases
involving medical negligence, birth trauma, obstetrical, neonatal negligence and
neurologic injuries. For example, Ms. Webster defended a $21 million claim
against an oncologist for an alleged failure to diagnose and treat underlying
cardiomyopathy which led to heart failure and a decreased life expectancy. The
jury returned a same day verdict of not guilty as to all counts. She has been an
integral player in a number of multimillion dollar litigation cases that were
successfully resolved to the satisfaction of her clients, including a $25 million
claim against a local hospital, alleging obstetrical negligence, that was
successfully settled on behalf of the hospital. Ms. Webster also has experience
litigating cases involving allegedly defective or malfunctioning medical devices.
For example, she successfully defended a wrongful death action involving a
high tech interventional vascular closure device.
Ms. Webster also practices in all aspects of insurance and general liability
defense, including allegations of sexual abuse, personal injury, premises
liability, product liability, and wrongful death. She also practices in the area of
commercial litigation and has defended class action lawsuits alleging violation
of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (“BIPA”).
Ms. Webster is the Partner in Charge of Hinshaw’s Chicago office, which was
recognized as one of the “11 Coolest Offices” in Chicago by Crain’s Chicago
Business.
Ms. Webster is Co-Chair of Hinshaw’s Hispanic/Latino Attorney Network and
also serves on the firm’s Hiring Committee and Attorney Life Committee. She is
active in the firm’s mentoring program, where she mentors both associate
attorneys and summer associates.