Diane is a dedicated, creative and tenacious attorney, who assists her clients in all phases of litigation, from Alternative Dispute Resolution (“ADR”) through trial. From the moment Diane assumes the defense of a case, her focus is on how to efficiently and successfully resolve the case, while simultaneously assessing trial strategy.

Diane has been asked by her clients to step in and try complex cases in challenging venues. Her diverse experience allows her to offer clients a unique perspective for settlement options, defenses and trial strategy.

Diane has 28 years of experience and her practice focuses on transportation litigation, including the defense of school bus companies, paratransit transportation companies, commercial transportation companies and railroads (Federal Employers’ Liability Act); professional liability litigation, including nursing homes, and assisted living/senior living facilities; defense of non-profit entities; general liability; and catastrophic personal injuries, including wrongful death and traumatic brain injuries, in the state and federal courts of New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York.

Her unique experience also includes the successful defense of nursing homes and assisted/senior living facilities for over 15 years and providing such entities advice regarding risk management. She has also successfully defended transportation companies against allegations of physical and mental abuse of passengers and students.

Among Diane’s notable results are:

• Favorable settlements in extensive multi-party mediations in multiple states, involving cases of wrongful death, traumatic brain injuries, catastrophic injuries and nursing home liability, resulting in a cap of exposure and reducing her client’s litigation costs;


• A defense verdict for a student transportation company and two of its employees, where plaintiff, a severely autistic minor, was allegedly physically and verbally abused by the client’s bus driver and bus aide, resulting in severe PTSD and worsening of his autism;


• A successful Frye hearing avoiding trial of multi-million dollar case by precluding plaintiff from proceeding to the jury with claims that he suffered a stroke as a result of an accident involving a bus company;


• A defense verdict on liability for major commercial bus company, with bifurcated trial, avoiding a damages trial with over $8 million in boardable expenses, for a plaintiff who had three surgeries and had been out of work for 12 years;


• Favorable jury verdict for a national student transportation company of $101,000 wherein plaintiff claimed a traumatic brain injury and orthopedic injuries with boardable damages of over $6 million;


• A defense verdict in a stipulated liability case with disputed damages, where plaintiff had arthroscopic shoulder and cervical fusion surgeries;


• Defense verdicts in transportation and general negligence cases.

Diane is a member of the firm’s marketing committee.

She has presented to clients on numerous topics, including the impact of internet and social media on litigation and trial strategy; defending transportation companies against allegations of physical and verbal abuse of its passengers and students; deposition preparation of transportation employees/drivers/corporate representatives; catastrophic accident investigation; strategic use of accident reconstruction and biomechanical experts; and preservation of evidence.

Diane has been selected as a member of Lawyers of Distinction for 2021 and 2022. Lawyers of Distinction is a legal fraternity of lawyers from all 50 United States as well as abroad. A description of their selection methodology can be found here. Membership is not meant to infer any endorsement of Lawyers of Distinction by any of the 50 Untied States Bar Associations or the District of Columbia Bar Association.

Diane has been selected to the list of Best Lawyers in America for 2024. Best Lawyers is published by Woodward/White. A description of their selection methodology can be found here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Diane has also previously taught as an Adjunct Professor – Legal Research and Writing at Seton Hall University School of Law.

After law school, she clerked for the Hon. G. Donald Haneke, U.S. District Court of New Jersey.