Diana Sterk’s diverse practice includes major product liability MDLs and class actions involving consumer products and prescription drugs, and a range of complex commercial litigations in state and federal courts throughout the country, including litigation related to financial services, breach of contract, and prescription drug pricing matters. She has expertise in a wide range of pharmaceutical and life sciences matters. She has tried cases to verdict, and is experienced in counseling clients on litigation risks, developing medical and scientific defenses, and implementing discovery and trial strategy across multiple jurisdictions.
Diana maintains an active pro bono trial practice. Her representation of peaceful protestors, injured while protesting against police violence in Denver in 2020, resulted in a multi-million dollar jury verdict against the City of Denver in first trial in the country to challenge the use of force by police. She also represented Planned Parenthood in a federal jury trial in which she obtained a multi-million dollar verdict on all claims against anti-abortion extremists for RICO, trespass, fraud, illegal recording, and contract violations.
Diana received her J.D., cum laude, from Northwestern University School of Law and her B.S. in Civil Engineering from MIT, where she was captain of the soccer team. Prior to law school, she worked as a geotechnical engineer.
Experience
- Pfizer Inc., as national counsel and expert lead in asbestos litigations filed across the United States.
- Hospira, as co-national counsel in multidistrict litigation involving failure to warn claims for breast cancer chemotherapy medication.
- Pharmaceutical company as trial counsel in opioid litigation.
- Financial services entity in litigation related to the sale and repurchase of residential mortgage loans.
- Consumer electronics company in putative class action relating to allegedly defective products.
- Recruiting company in breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and misappropriation of trade secrets claims.
- Planned Parenthood in a federal jury trial for RICO, trespass, fraud, illegal recording, and contract violations, in which she secured a multi-million dollar jury verdict on all claims.
- Protestors in federal jury trial for First and Fourth Amendment violations by the City of Denver during protests against police violence, in which she secured a multi-million dollar jury verdict.
- Pharmaceutical Research Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) in a challenge to a CMS interim final rule to overhaul the Medicare Part B reimbursement system.
- International pharmaceutical company on a risk assessment related to the Medicaid Drug Rebate Statute.
- Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation in a series of pharmaceutical pricing fraud actions brought predominantly by state attorneys general.
- Planned Parenthood Federation of America in defamation case in the Southern District of New York.
Perspectives
Recognition
Credentials
Education
- J.D., Northwestern University School of Law, cum laude
- B.S., Civil Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Admissions
- New York
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York