Diana M. Dearmin
Diana Dearmin
Seattle
Washington (WA)
Business Litigation
General Litigation
Employment Litigation: Defense
Profile
Diana Dearmin is a civil trial lawyer who represents corporate, public, and individual clients in a broad range of matters, including cases involving business disputes, employment, fraud, personal injury, and products liability. Ms. Dearmin also acts as a mediator and arbitrator for tort/personal injury, employment, and commercial disputes. Before joining Dearmin Fogarty PLLC, Ms. Dearmin was a Lead Attorney at the Safeco Seattle Legal Department where she was staff counsel from 2001–2008. At Safeco, Ms. Dearmin defended a wide variety of claims, including personal injury, wrongful death, professional negligence, admiralty, underinsured/uninsured motorist claims and cases where a reservation of rights had been issued.
Before joining Safeco, Ms. Dearmin was a principal at the Seattle law firm of Riddell Williams P.S., where she practiced from 1997–2001. While at Riddell Williams, Ms. Dearmin co-founded and co-chaired the Technology Performance Practice Group, which focused on representing clients involved in disputes involving technology transactions and acquisitions. Ms. Dearmin first practiced as a litigator with Williams, Kastner & Gibbs LLP, where among other cases, she obtained asylum for a Sri Lankan refugee following a contested immigration hearing. Ms. Dearmin served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Rosselle Pekelis (Retired) for the Washington State Supreme Court and the Washington Court of Appeals, Division I, from 1993–1995. Before law school, Ms. Dearmin served on the staff of United States Senator Carl Levin in Washington, D.C.
Selected To
Washington Super Lawyers 2011
About Diana Dearmin
Admitted: 1993, Washington
Professional Webpage: dearminfogarty.com/diana.html
Honors and Awards:
- Law Review, University of Puget Sound (now Seattle University) School of Law
- Super Lawyer, Washington Super Lawyers, 2011
Special Licenses/Certifications:
- Rule 39.1 mediator, USDC, Western District of Washington
Bar/Professional Activity:
- Member, Washington Women Lawyers
- Member, Federal Bar Association, Western District of Washington
- Member, WSBA Litigation Section
- Member, WSBA Alternative Dispute Resolution Section
- Member, King County Bar Association
- Admitted to Practice, U.S. District Court, Western and Eastern Districts of Washington
Pro bono/Community Service:
- Arbitrator, King and Snohomish Counties
- Volunteer, King County Neighborhood Legal Clinic
- Volunteer, Safeco Street Law Program
- Trustee, Magnolia Community Club, 2008
- Vice President, Magnolia Community Club, 2009
- President, Magnolia Community Club, 2010
- President, Magnolia Community Club, 2011
- Past President, Magnolila Community Club, 2012
Scholarly Lectures and Writings:
- Where the Tire Meets the Road: Whether to Accept or Reject a Troubled System, Co-Author and Co-Presenter, Mealey’s IT Systems Failure Conference, New Orleans, LA, 2001
- Case Law & Legislative Developments, Advanced Auto Accident Litigation, Author & Presenter, National Business Institute, 2008
- Initial Investigations, Evidence Considerations, and Preparing Trial Witnesses: Handling the Auto Injury Claim, National Business Institute, Seattle, WA, Author & Presenter, 2009
- Underpayment of Benefits and Bad Faith, Lessons Learned from Key Bad Faith Court Rulings, Author & Presenter, National Business Institute, 2009
- When an Insurer’s “Unreasonable” Delay in Claims Handling & Payment Can Give Rise to a Bad Faith Action, Author & Presenter, National Business Institute, 2009
- Panelist, Risk/Reward in Using Informal Evidence in Mediations, KCBA Lawyer as Detective CLE, 2010
- Presenter and Author, Ethical Obligations of Tweeting, Blogging & Marketing & Advertising , WSBA Law of Lawyering CLE, 2010
- Presenter and Author, Recognizing Legal and Ethical Issues in Internet Communications, Half Moon CLE, 2010
- Author, •Lawyers Tweeting, Blogging, and IMing — Oh My! Potential Ethical Pitfalls Under the RPCs, WSBA Bar News, 2010
- Potential Ethical Pitfalls of Attorney Online Social Networking & Adverstising, Presenter, WSBA Office of Disciplinary Counsel Internal CLE, 2010
- Presenter & Author, Avoiding Ethical Pitfalls With E-Discovery and Social Media, KCBA CLE E-Discovery for Fun and Profit: Federal Law, Washington Law, and Practical Considerations, 2011
- Panelist, "MAR Cases: An Arbitrator's Perspective", WSBA CLE How to Handle Your First/Next Motor Vehicle Accident Case", 2011
- Presenter & Author, Ethical Conduct - Recognizing When Your Advocacy Exceeds the Bounds of "Ardent and Conscientious" , How to Deal with Impossible Clients, Witnesses and Opposing Counsel in Litigation CLE, National Business Institute, 2011
- Speaker, Ethical Obligations of Lawyers Tweeting, Blogging and Marketing, KCBA YLD Bridging the Gap Program, 2011
- Presenter, Tips for Successful Motions Practice, Washington Defense Trial Lawyers Defense Practice Academy, 2012
Verdicts and Settlements:
- Obtained political asylum for Sri Lankan Tamil, 1996
- Harcus v. Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, et. al., King County Cause No. 05-2-21080-0SEA, obtained summary judgment dismissal of Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, 2006
- Miller-Panganiban v. Sound Transit- assisted homeowners whose property and home was damaged by voids caused by Sound Transit's tunneling work on Beacon Hill settle claims against Sound Transit. The settlement was reported locally, including: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013073595_voids05m.html and http://blog.seattlepi.com/transportation/archives/223566.asp., 2010
Educational Background:
- National Institute of Trial Advocacy, Trial Skills, 2000
- University of Washington School of Law Professional Mediation Skills Training, 2009
Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process is multi-phased and includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations.
