Biography
Managing Partner of the firm's Charlotte office, Diana centers her practice on commercial real estate transactions, with particular focus on financing (closing, servicing and enforcement), purchase and sale, ground-up development and leasing. Adept with lenders, investors, and developers, she offers clients a holistic perspective on structuring and managing risk in deals.
Diana’s dedication to using productivity tools and teamwork drives her transactions to close smoothly and collegially. She has extensive experience working with major lenders (banks and life insurance companies) to develop commercial real estate loan documents, policies, loan closing procedures and training programs.
Diana is skilled with niche property types and issues, including:
- timberland
- assisted living facilities
- ground leasing
- railroad rights-of-ways
- land title research
Before Fox Rothschild
Diana was a partner at Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP, which combined with Fox Rothschild in 2018.
She was formerly in-house counsel for Lincoln Financial Group (formerly Jefferson-Pilot Financial) in Greensboro, NC, and was also formerly in-house counsel for Wachovia Bank, N.A. in Winston-Salem, NC.
Beyond Fox Rothschild
Diana was selected as an American College of Mortgage Attorneys Fellow in 2004, and she is currently active in several leadership roles in the organization as her way to promote ACMA’s mission: “To provide the best environment in North America for preeminent private practice and in-house commercial real estate finance lawyers to develop professional excellence, trustworthy national business networks and lasting collegial relationships."
She is an active member of CREW Charlotte (a chapter of the Commercial Real Estate Women Network, a global organization of real estate professionals), and she has participated in various committees in the past in support of CREW Charlotte’s mission: “To transform commercial real estate by accelerating the advancement of women while empowering our community to remove barriers throughout the industry."
She also is an active member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, N.C.
Bar Admissions
- North Carolina
Education
- Erskine College (B.A., magna cum laude, 1989)
- English
- Wake Forest University School of Law (J.D., 1992)
Memberships
- American College of Mortgage Attorneys
- Fellow since 2004
- Board of Directors, ACMA Foundation
- Co-Coordinator of the State and Provincial Chairs Committee
- Co-Chair, Strategic Planning Committee
- Co-Chair, 50th Anniversary Planning Committee
- Former Co-Chair, Third Party Legal Opinions Committee
- Former North Carolina State Chair
- Former Member of Board of Regents (Two terms)
- CREW Charlotte, Inc. (Commercial Real Estate Women)
- Former Member of the DEI Taskforce
- Former Coordinator of the CREW Charlotte Professionals with Disabilities Cohort
- Former Co-Chair, Communications Committee
- North Carolina Bar Association
- Real Property Council (past member)
- Real Property Section
Honors & Awards
- Named to the "Icons" list by North Carolina Lawyers Weekly (2026)
- Recipient of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award from CREW Charlotte (2023)
- Selected to the Diversity Impact 50 list by Career Mastered Magazine (2023)
- Named to Business North Carolina's Legal Elite Real Estate (2021, 2022) and Real Estate Hall of Fame (2022-2025) lists
- Named to North Carolina Super Lawyers, Listed Real Estate (2020-2022, 2024-2025)
- Named a Women in Business Honoree by the Charlotte Business Journal (2019)
- Selected to the "Best Lawyers in America" list for Banking and Finance Law (2018, 2020-2026) and Real Estate Law (2018-2026) in Charlotte, NC by Best Lawyers
- Named among the 50 Most Influential Women by The Mecklenburg Times (2016)
- Named a Leader In Law by North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Magazine (2013)
- Recipient of the Women Extraordinaire Award from Charlotte Business Leader Magazine (2011)
- Inducted into the Erskine College Academic Hall of Fame (2010)
- Recipient of the Erskine College Young Alumni Award (2004)
