With a passion for solving complex real estate issues, Diane is driven to find innovative, efficient and community-centered legal solutions for her clients.

Overview

Diane strives to build strong, healthy communities by helping clients buy, sell, lease, develop and redevelop properties, which, in turn, brings housing, employment, commerce, energy, entertainment and many more assets to communities.

She helps clients identify practical solutions to complex and novel legal problems that clients face in real estate transactions. She provides clients efficient, thorough legal research that is communicated clearly—skills that she honed after law school while serving as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Justice Margaret Chutich of the Minnesota Supreme Court. While serving the state's top court, Diane advised the court's justices regarding the state's most unique and difficult legal issues, and she became proficient in presenting the issues and the law in simple terms.

Diane’s practice is rooted in her background in and commitment to public health and community development. Before practicing law, she studied at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and worked with the Minnesota Department of Health. During law school, Diane worked with the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Center for Indian Country Development at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.

In addition to her real estate practice, Diane represents clients in family law matters with the law firm's Deinard Legal Clinic, a medical-legal partnership with a Minneapolis medical clinic serving low-income clinic patients.

Outside of work, Diane enjoys swimming, canoeing Minnesota's lakes and rivers, and biking to local breweries.

Experience

Counsels property owners, developers, investors and real estate developers in the purchase, sale and financing of commercial properties nationwide.

Represents commercial landlords in negotiating, drafting and modifying leases, including lease workouts and buyouts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Works with local government authorities in Minnesota to obtain zoning approvals for clients, including conditional use permits and variances.

Represents a national homebuilder in the acquisition of land, the development of single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums, as well as the formation of homeowner associations.

Assists clients with the purchase and sale of contaminated industrial properties, which includes allocating post-closing obligations to remediate environmental contamination and obtaining liability assurances for brownfield redevelopment.

Represents clients in title clearance matters, including Torrens proceedings for initial registration and proceeding subsequent.

News & Insights

Publications

Co-author, "Fostering Client Altrusim & the Common Good in the Practice of Law: Learning from Emerging Movements in Business & Economics," 44 Mitchell Hamline Law Review 1, 2018

Co-author, "A Call to Cultivate the Public Interest: Beyond Pro Bono," 51 Washington University Journal of Law & Pol'y 95, 2016

"Property Law: The Crossroads of Capacity and Livability: A Green Light to Neighborhood Opposition as a Factual Basis for Denying Conditional Use Permits," 42 Mitchell Hamline Law Review, 2016

Recognitions

Recognitions

Recognized for pro bono work by the Minnesota Supreme Court and Minnesota State Bar Association, 2020

Student Award of Merit, Mitchell Hamline Alumni Association, 2017

Outstanding Service Award, Minnesota Justice Foundation, 2016

Professional & Civic Activities

Professional & Civic Activities

Minnesota Lavender Bar Association

Minnesota State Bar Association, Real Property and Environmental, Natural Resources and Energy Law Sections

YMCA Camp Menogyn, Community Board

Mitchell Hamline School of Law, Adjunct Professor, Judicial Writing: Preparing for a Judicial Clerkship

Admissions

  • Minnesota, 2017

Education

Mitchell Hamline School of Law, J.D., summa cum laude, 2017

  • Mitchell Hamline Law Review, Executive Editor
  • Mitchell Hamline Self-Help Clinic, Executive Director

Tulane University, B.S. Public Health, B.A. History, magna cum laude, 2011

Clerkships

  • Honorable Justice Margaret Chutich of the Minnesota Supreme Court
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