Helaine Wachs Heydemann

Helaine Heydemann has been a partner with Wildman Harrold since 1981. She has extensive career experience litigating matters in state and federal court, and before administrative agencies, including a broad range of health care, tort, professional liability, products, insurance, and employment matters. Her practice includes advising clients on business practices to avoid litigation; she also counsels clients on employment issues, hospital and medical staff issues, ethical issues, risk management, and compliance and contracts. Helaine represents a variety of health care entities, including medical practices, physicians, surgicenters, and hospitals in a variety of health care, regulatory, and business issues. She regularly represents licensed professionals in proceedings pending before the Illinois Department of Professional and Financial Regulation. Helaine was selected by a recent survey of her peers conducted by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company as a “Leading Lawyer” in Health Law. She is AV-rated by Martindale Hubbell.

Representative Experience:

Primary trial counsel responsible for defense of hundreds of professional liability lawsuits. In one unusual professional liability case, Helaine successfully represented a physician defendant in a matter involving 136 separate plaintiffs all claiming same type of alleged physician misconduct; defeated plaintiffs’ motions for class certification and for joinder of claims. The case involved many unique strategic and evidentiary issues as the physician had limited coverage; creative strategies for resolution and focused negotiation with multiple plaintiff counsels resulted in dismissal of all cases.
Has successfully litigated administrative review cases in circuit court
Extensive experience representing licensed professionals in disciplinary proceedings and investigations by State of Illinois administrative agencies including the Illinois Department of Public Aid, and Illinois and the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation. In over 100 matters, has successfully represented licensed professionals at all stages of departmental proceedings from investigation through hearing. These matters have involved physicians, podiatrists, pharmacies, dentists, oral surgeons, physicians’ assistants, rehabilitation professionals’ nurses, clinical social workers, licensed clinical psychologists, optometrists, opticians, professional engineers, and architects.
Successfully prosecuted and defended a wide variety of tort claims involving individuals and corporations, including business torts, defamation, and employment matters

Reported Decisions:

Miceikis v. Field, 37 Ill.App. 3d 763, 347 N.E.2d 320; (1976) LEXIS 2251 (articulating definition of informed consent under Illinois law)

Publications And Presentations:

Chapter Author, “Medical Malpractice,” Treatise on Healthcare Law, multivolume reference published by Matthew Bender.
Co-Author, Defense of Medical Malpractice Handbook, and Supplements, Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education Publications.
Author, “Judicature,” The Journal of the American Judicature Society: Planning and Research for the Courts, 59, no.2 (1974).
Speaker, “Discipline Under the Illinois Architecture Practice Act.”
Speaker, “American Academy of Psychiatry Law Program on Health Care Law and the Forensic Psychiatrist.”
Speaker, Illinois Continuing Legal Education seminar on Defense of Medical Malpractice.
Lecturer, American Hospital Association seminar on Minimizing Malpractice Liability.
Lecturer, “Avoiding Malpractice Liability in the Emergency Room,” Evanston Hospital and Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Speaker, “Minimizing Malpractice Liability,” American Hospital Association Institute on Hospital Law.
Speaker, “Specific Defenses,” Illinois Continuing Legal Education Medical Malpractice Program.
Speaker, “Minimizing Malpractice Liability for Rehabilitation Professionals,” Rehabilitation Today national meeting, New York, NY.
Speaker, “Legal Aspects of Psychiatric Issues for Hospitals and Health Care Professionals,” Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation.
Faculty, American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Annual Meeting.
Faculty, Alabama Citizen’s Conference on Criminal and Juvenile Justice.

Professional Associations:

American Bar Association

Chicago Bar Association

National Health Lawyers Association

Stanford Law School Alumni Association

Legal Club of Chicago

American Hospital Association National Task Force on Medical Malpractice

Bar Admissions:

California, 1973

Illinois, 1975

U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Trial Bar member)

Personal Information:

Helaine was an avid Girl Scout and competitive ice skater growing up in Long Beach, California. She maintains her interest in outdoor activities; she especially enjoys winter sports and bicycling with her husband and two daughters.

Please be aware, if you are not a current client of the firm, the attorney-client privilege does not exist and therefore confidential or sensitive information should not be sent in this email message.

I Understand
Cancel