Connie L. Diekema

Connie L. Diekema is an attorney at Finley Law in Des Moines, Iowa, whose practice focuses on health care litigation, medical malpractice defense, professional liability, insurance defense, and administrative law. Diekema represents health care providers and facilities in malpractice claims and appears before agencies including the Iowa Board of Medicine, Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals, and the Office of Inspector General. Her work also includes licensing, EMTALA, HIPAA, Medicare and Medicaid fraud and abuse, credentialing, and restraint-of-trade issues.

Diekema earned her J.D. from Drake Law School in 1987, an M.H.A. from the University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences in 1999, and a B.S. from Morningside College in 1983. While practicing full time, she became the first attorney to complete the health care administration master’s program at the institution now known as Des Moines University. Her combined legal and health care administration training supports her work on complex clinical, regulatory, and professional liability matters.

For the first ten years of her career, Diekema prosecuted patient claims against health care providers. She has since spent more than twenty years defending physicians, other professionals, and health care facilities against medical malpractice claims. Her experience includes health care trials and administrative proceedings involving professional licensing, federal health care requirements, reimbursement-related fraud and abuse concerns, credentialing, and other regulatory issues. This background gives her experience addressing disputes from both patient and provider perspectives.

Connie L. Diekema is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a member of the Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers. She was named Best Lawyers’ 2027 Lawyer of the Year for Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants in Des Moines and is also recognized for health care and insurance litigation. Diekema has held leadership roles with the Iowa State Bar Association, Polk County Bar Association, judicial nominating commissions, and professional Inns of Court, reflecting longstanding involvement in Iowa’s legal community.

Law Office Affiliations

• Attorney, Finley Law Firm, P.C.
• Member, American College of Trial Lawyers
• Member, Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers
• Member, Iowa Defense Counsel
• Member, Iowa Trial Lawyers Association
• Member, Iowa Organization of Women Attorneys
• Member, American Bar Association, Section-Health Law
• Member, Iowa State Bar Association
• Member, Polk County Bar Association

Licensed State

• Iowa

Education

• Drake Law School
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• Morningside College
  Master of Health Administration (MHA)
• Morningside College
  Bachelor of Science (BS)

Awards & Badges