- Now Accepting Mediation Cases
- Los Angeles County
From high-stakes class action defense to compassionate mediation—leveraging four decades of employment law mastery to resolve complex disputes.
Few attorneys possess a 360-degree view of the legal landscape. Diane Kimberlin does.
“This rare, dual background allows Diane to quickly identify the core of a dispute.”
With a career spanning over 45 years, Diane has stood on both sides of the aisle. Her journey began with eight years representing labor unions, fighting for employee rights. For the subsequent 37 years, she served at Littler Mendelson, the world’s largest employment law practice. At Littler, Diane counseled clients on how to avoid violating employee rights and defended them in a wide range of matters, from individual discrimination and harassment claims, to defending employers in complex Wage & Hour actions.
Today, she is transitioning from the courtroom to the conference room, using her training from Pepperdine’s Straus Institute to serve as a Mediator and Volunteer Settlement Officer.
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Litigation is often a war of attrition. Resolution is an art of understanding.
Diane is now dedicating her expertise to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). By combining her deep knowledge of the law with a commitment to listening and asking the right questions, she helps parties navigate out of conflict and into closure.
She knows how cases play out in court, giving her the authority to explain the risks of litigation to both sides. Four decades of trial experience inform every mediation session.
Her history representing both unions and management allows her to understand the motivations of all parties involved. She speaks every stakeholder’s language.
Training with the Los Angeles County Superior Court and with the Southern California Mediation Association builds on lessons learned at Straus. She is also a member of the Statewide California Mediation Association.
For nearly four decades, Diane has been a go-to defense attorney for employers facing their most challenging legal hurdles. Her practice at Littler Mendelson focused on high-exposure cases and critical regulatory compliance.
Successfully defeating class certification and negotiating advantageous settlements in complex overtime and misclassification cases.
Guiding major corporations through the interplay of FMLA (Leave of Absence) and ADA (Disability Accommodations).
Advising employers on vaccination mandates, remote work reimbursement, and pandemic-era regulations.
In her analysis of Duran v. U.S. Bank National Association, Diane championed the rights of employers to due process. She articulated why statistical sampling to determine liability for a large class of employees is statistically unsound and legally unjust.
“Speed and efficiency cannot outweigh the obligation of the courts to provide fair and accessible justice… due process principles require individualized inquiries.”
FEATURED ANALYSIS
Employment Law / Class Certification / Due Process
Legal expertise is a privilege that must be shared with the underserved.
Delivering legal services to veterans, immigrants, survivors of domestic violence and those facing eviction. Diane has been a board member since 2015 and concludes her term as President in June 2026.
Providing a safe haven and support for underserved families in Los Angeles.
Schedule a consultation to discuss your dispute resolution needs.
