Hon. Diane Wayne (Ret.)
Hon. Diane Wayne (Ret.), who is widely recognized for her professional competence and approachable manner, is one of California's most highly regarded neutrals, serving as a mediator, arbitrator, and discovery referee. As a mediator, Judge Wayne quickly built a reputation for successfully resolving complicated cases, often employing innovative techniques to help the parties reach an agreement.
ADR Experience and Qualifications
- Diverse experience in mediation, settlement conference, arbitration, court referee, evaluation and pro tem trials
- Successfully resolves complex multi-party cases and class actions, including business, employment, intellectual property, environmental, toxic tort, land use, insurance coverage and bad faith, as well as entertainment and securities matters
- Frequently chosen as a referee for her ability to solicit cooperation and provide effective case management, resulting in streamlined, focused and efficient discovery
- Developed complex litigation expertise from her tenure as Supervising Judge of the Writs and Receivers Department. She heard such diverse matters as preliminary injunctions, challenges to legislative actions, judicial review of complicated land use decisions and trade secret litigation
- Presided over thousands of settlement conferences and trials and helped implement the "Fast Track" system during twenty years of distinguished service on the Los Angeles Superior Court
Representative Matters
- Has served as discovery referee, arbitrator and mediator in insurance coverage, including bad faith cases, earthquake coverage issues, disability insurance and business torts
- Arbitrated dispute between California Department of Fish and Games and a golf course concerning issues of environmental soundness
- Has served as discovery referee for several years in major toxic tort class action involving alleged ground water pollution from toxic chemicals
- Served as discovery referee in dispute between two major computer software companies involving theft of trade secrets and unfair business competition
- Has mediated numerous race and sex discrimination cases for major publicly traded companies
Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities
- Recognized as a Top 50 California Neutral, Daily Journal, 2003, 2004, and 2009
- Recognized as a Top 40 California Neutral, Daily Journal, 2007 and 2008
- Recognized as One of the 500 Leading Judges in America, by Lawdragon Magazine, 2006
- Trial Judge of the Year and honored with the prestigious Alfred J. McCourtney Award, Los Angeles Trial Lawyers Association, 1987
- Member, California Judges Association, California Women Lawyers Association and Association of Business Trial Lawyers; Board of Directors, Los Angeles Women's Foundation
Background and Education
- Judge, Los Angeles Superior Court, 1980-1997
- Judge Pro Tempore, Los Angeles Superior Court, 1978-1980
- Judge, Los Angeles Municipal Court, 1975-1978
- Partner, Christy and Wayne, specializing in civil litigation, 1971-1974
- Trial attorney, Los Angeles Neighborhood Legal Services, 1969-1971
- Trial attorney, honors program, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 1967-1969
- Faculty advisor for several law schools
- Former Associate Professor of Law, Southwestern University
- Lecturer for the CEB, CJA, CJER, and the Rutter Group
- Authored Employment Litigation (published by Bancroft Whitney), as well as articles on civil procedure, employment, and trade secrets
- J.D., University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 1967
- B.A., University of California, Los Angeles, 1964