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Diane is a shareholder in the firm of Briggs and Morgan, Professional Association. In her more than 18 years of practice, Diane’s primary focus has been handling civil appeals in several federal and state appellate courts, including the Minnesota Court of Appeals, Minnesota Supreme Court, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th, 8th and 9th Circuits. She is a member of the firm's Business Litigation Section and Appellate Practice Group.
She practices primarily in the areas of:
State and Federal Appellate Law
Diane has practiced almost exclusively in civil appeals for more than 18 years. She also frequently consults or has been admitted pro hac vice for appellate matters in North Dakota, Wisconsin and Iowa. She has handled many appeals involving a wide range of issues, including constitutional law, employment law, trust and probate matters, trade secrets, business contracts, insurance law, ERISA litigation, complex civil procedure, product liability and tort liability.
In 2006, Diane was inducted into the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers as a fellow, a prestigious honor in her field. She was recently appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court's Advisory Committee on Rules of Civil Appellate Procedure by Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Magnuson. She also currently serves as president-elect of the Eighth Circuit Bar Association, chair of the Program Committee and member of the Steering Committee of the Defense Research Institute’s (DRI) Appellate Advocacy Committee, and 8th Circuit editor of Certworthy. In addition, Diane was appointed to the Amicus Curiae Committee of the Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association (MDLA). She has frequently represented various amici, both public and private, in the appellate courts.
Diane is an adjunct professor at the University of St. Thomas Law School, where she has taught "Appellate Advocacy" since 2002. She regularly speaks on general appellate topics at various industry seminars, CLEs and conferences. She is also a contributing author to several respected appellate publications, including a chapter on post-decision appellate procedures for the Eighth Circuit Appellate Practice Manual; chapters on brief writing, appellate procedure and oral argument in Matthew Bender’s Art of Advocacy: Appeals; and "Appellate Process" in West Publishing’s Minnesota Practice: Methods of Practice.
Business Litigation
Although Diane’s primary focus is appellate law, she also regularly consults with trial attorneys on complex matters that show potential for future appeals. Comprehensive legal consultation covers all aspects of pre-trial practice, including advising on dispositive motion practice, monitoring trials to ensure that a proper record is made, and handling significant post-trial motions and arguments.
In her service to the community, Diane currently lends her legal skills to two reputable local nonprofits. First, she handles pro bono asylum appeals for the low-income clients of Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights. In one recent case, she won an appeal on behalf of an Ethiopia native and citizen who sought asylum based on past persecution and fear of future persecution due to her ethnic identity and political activity. Diane is also active with pro bono appeals through Chrysalis. In addition, Diane volunteers with the youth and teenage programs at her family’s church and assists with fundraising for the Champlin Park High School music and theater departments.
Diane is admitted to practice in Minnesota state and federal courts, as well as U.S. Courts of Appeals for the 7th, 8th and 9th Circuits. She has been listed in Minnesota Super Lawyers (as seen in Minnesota Law & Politics ), and named among the "Top 100 Women Super Lawyers" in Minnesota and a top appellate lawyer by Minnesota Law & Politics. In 2007, the Minnesota chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) named her a "Woman of Achievement."
Diane received her B.A. in political science and journalism from Macalester College, graduating summa cum laude. She received her J.D. cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School, where she was note and comment editor of the Minnesota Law Review. She practiced appellate law for nearly 20 years before joining Briggs in 2007.
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