Diane’s diverse and successful practice focuses in the litigation arena, primarily in the following areas: Family Law, and Business & Civil Litigation, including landlord/tenant and contract dispute cases, Employment Law Litigation (ADA, ADEA, FMLA, and gender discrimination), in both State and Federal Courts.

It’s interesting to note that Diane’s eclectic litigation track record, as either lead-counsel or co-counsel, has been on behalf of some of the Nation’s largest and most recognized entities in their respective classes of operation (Real Estate Management Firms, Car Dealerships, etc.). The most common element amongst her multi-area litigation practice is her consistency and outstanding level of success.

With her diverse background in the healthcare arena, and distinguished academic career, prior to entering the practice of law, Diane has become a sought out board member, writer and speaker on many timely issues of the day.

Representative Cases

Employment Law

• Co-Represented a major Real Estate Management firm to achieve a $2.5 million verdict.
• Co-Represented an International Trade School in connection with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) cases brought in State and Federal courts.  Cases successfully resolved, with limited exposure.
• Co-Represented a large regional, multi-store shoe retailer, in connection with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) claims brought in Federal District Court.  While exposure was in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, the result achieved was successful, with limited exposure.
• Co-Represented one of the largest independent automobile dealerships in Maryland in Federal Court in connection with a sexual harassment and retaliation claim brought by an employee. The case has successfully settled with limited ownership exposure.
• Counseled numerous businesses -- Banks, Manufacturers, Retailers, etc. -- in advising and counseling regarding employment related issues such as discrimination, sexual harassment, Americans Disabilities Act (ADA) and Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and FSLA compliance.
• Co-Represented and counseled a nonprofit organization on employment related issues such as hiring and termination practices, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and FSLA compliance.

Family Law

• Represented both husbands and wives in limited divorce, absolute divorce and child custody cases, including preparing and negotiating separation agreements. 
• Represented pro bono cases in limited divorce, absolute divorce and child custody cases with successful resolutions for her clients. 
• Represented families in adult guardianship proceedings for disabled adult children and parents. 
• Trained in Collaborative Law.

Landlord-Tenant  Litigation

• Represented some of the region’s and nation’s most prestigious real estate management firms in landlord-tenant proceedings in District Court and multi-million dollar proceedings in Circuit Court. 

Business & Civil Litigation

• Represented corporations and individuals in various contract disputes to successful settlements and/or judgments.
• Trained and Certified as a Mediator

Publications & Presentations

"Family Medical Leave Guidelines Are Nothing for Employers to Sneeze At" in The Baltimore Business Journal, February 11, 2005.

"Barrier for Sea Shifts: Constitutional Amendment Process Should Not Change" in The Daily Record Law Day Supplement, May 1, 2004;

“Changing Medicare’s Procedures for Funding Augmentative and Alternative Communication Devices”, Sw.U.L. Rev.Vol. 29, No. 2 (1999-2000);

“Assistive Technology”, in A Guide to Rehabilitation (Paul M. Deutsch & Horace W. Sawyer eds. 1995), co-authored with Gail L. Pickering

PRESENTATIONS

“Evictions: Residential and Commercial” for Lorman Education Services

“Plaintiff’s Personal Injury: Practice Tips and Application” for National Business Institute.

“Advanced Personal Injury Procedures in Maryland” for the Experienced Litigation Paralegal. 

 “Essential Litigation Skills for California Paralegals” for the Institute for Paralegal Education in California

“The Impact of Recent United States Supreme Court Decisions on the American with Disabilities Act” for Consumer Attorneys of California and Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference.

Honors & Awards

Southwestern University School of Law Review

Award for Excellence in Editing, Southwestern University School of Law Review

Who’s Who: American Law Students

Who’s Who Among American Students in Colleges and Universities

Omicron Delta Kappa, National Leadership Society

ADMITTED TO PRACTICE

State of Maryland

District of Columbia

State of California

U.S. Supreme Court

U.S. District Courts:

District Court of Maryland

Central District of California 

Eastern District of California

EDUCATION

B.S., Magna Cum Laude, Old Dominion University

M.S., Speech –Language Pathology, Purdue University

J.D., Summa Cum Laude, Southwestern University School of Law

Professional Organizations

Women’s Bar Association of Maryland, Inc., Co-Chair, Judicial Selections Committee

Baltimore City Bar Association

Maryland State Bar Association

California Bar Association

Forward Visions, Board Member

Volunteer Judge, Introduction to Pretrial Civil Litigation, Univ. of Maryland

Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (Pro Bono)

Maryland Disability Law Center (Pro Bono)

Hoover Elementary School Community Outreach Program, Los Angeles, California (Volunteer)

Lost Angeles Aid Society (Pro Bono)

Volunteer Judge, Moot Court Competition, Southwestern Univ. School of Law

Volunteer Interviewer, Moot Interview Program, Southwestern Univ. School of Law

Professional Background

Howarth & Smith (Los Angeles, CA)

Judge Terry J. Hatter, Jr. Chief Judge, U.S. District Court (Central District of California) – Externship

Prior to entering the field of law, Diane had extensive experience in the disability area, as a licensed speech-language pathologist, in both private and university practice (California State University, Northridge, Louisiana State University Medical Center, Children’s Hospital in New Orleans and the John F. Kennedy

Institute in Baltimore (presently Kennedy-Kreiger Institute).

Adjunct Professor for Business Law, Family Law, and Introduction to Paralegal Studies at Strayer University