Diane L. Bellquist

With over 12 years’ experience working for regulatory agencies of the State of Kansas, Ms. Bellquist now utilizes her government experience to defend licensed individuals and entities before their respective regulatory boards. Her practice includes appealing application denials, responding in investigations of complaints, negotiating settlement agreements, defending against allegations in formal disciplinary proceedings, and petitioning for judicial review of agency actions.

Ms. Bellquist has a thorough understanding of the Kansas Administrative Procedures Act and the Kansas Judicial Review Act. Having the experience as an insider in these governmental agencies, she has the unique practical advantage of having already-established relationships with agency personnel, as well as an understanding of the unwritten protocols and practices.

Ms. Bellquist has significant legal knowledge of the healthcare industry, having served as Assistant General Counsel for the Kansas Board of Healing Arts and focusing on healthcare in private practice. She has defended a multitude of physicians, chiropractors, and physician assistants in actions involving their licensure. Similarly, she regularly defends nurses before the Kansas State Board of Nursing and defends other healthcare providers before their respective administrative agencies.

Having served as General Counsel to the Office of the State Bank Commissioner, Ms. Bellquist worked closely with federal regulators who had overlapping regulatory authority, such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Federal Reserve Bank. Bringing that depth of experience to her private practice, she now offers consulting and defense services to regulated entities in the financial industry, including banks, trust companies, money transmitters, payday lenders, mortgage companies, and debt management companies.

Additionally, Ms. Bellquist’s regulatory defense practice includes defending attorneys responding to bar complaints, investigations, and disciplinary proceedings involving alleged violations of the Kansas Rules of Professional Conduct.