Professional Activities
American Bar Association, Employee Benefits Committee
California Bar Association
Western Pension Benefits Association
Adjunct professor, "Seminar in Taxation of Employee Compensation," Masters in Science Taxation Program, California State University Fullerton, Summer 2019
Recognitions & Accomplishments
The Legal 500 US, Labor and Employment - Employee benefits, executive compensation, and retirement plans - design, 2019
Recent Publications
Diane has been consulted as an expert and quoted by CNBC and other periodicals. She is a frequent speaker at HR forums, including EY Strategic Growth Forum, CFO Roundtables, and Financial Executives Institute.
Diane has co-authored numerous Ballard Spahr Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation alerts, including:
"Changes for CA Gig Economy: Learn Your ABCs," September 23, 2019
"Breach of Fiduciary Duty Case Against University Retirement Plan Fiduciaries Survives Motion to Dismiss," May 12, 2017
"Ballard Opinion Letter Program to Replace IRS Determination Letter Program," December 6, 2016
"New Incentive-Based Compensation: Proposed Rules for Financial Institutions," June 14, 2016
"SEC Issues Final Rule on CEO Pay Ratio," August 6, 2015
"IRS Issues Rules for Recognizing Same-Sex Spouses under Retirement," April 7, 2014
Recent Presentations
"Avoiding Fiduciary Liability While Managing Employee Retirement Plan," Ballard Spahr CLE, Philadelphia, November 29, 2018
"Post Tax Reform Changes to Executive Compensation Planning," Arizona Association of Corporate Counsel, Phoenix, November 13, 2018
"Fiduciary Update," Conference of State Bank Supervisors Trust Forum, Denver, October 16, 2018
"Controlling Employee Conduct: Designing Compensation Incentives and Monitoring Systems to Promote Compliance and Prevent Misconduct," Ballard Spahr webinar, December 14, 2016
"Recent Legal Developments in Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation," Salt Lake SHRM Employment Law Seminar, April 16, 2015