Diane Marger Moore is a board certified trial lawyer, certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in pretrial practice. She is a civil trial attorney at Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman, where she focuses her practice on wildfire and arson litigation, whistleblower protection cases and transportation accident litigation. In a career spanning four decades, she has tried over 200 jury trials in courtrooms all over the country, gaining a wealth of experience from positions she has held in both private practice and in public service.
As one of the most experienced fire trial lawyers in the country, Diane is the lead California wildfire lawyer for Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman. She has over 40 years of experience trying civil and criminal fire cases before juries, including her work as Chief Deputy Arson Prosecutor in Indiana.
Diane has substantial experience in investigating and determining the cause(s) of fires, having worked closely with fire investigation units, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), various State Fire Marshals, and multiple city and county fire departments in her career. She also handled many civil fire cases as an insurance defense lawyer. In addition to her courtroom experience, Diane attended ATF fire investigation courses at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia.
Her career in law began in Florida as a criminal defense attorney and federal public defender, handling lawsuits stemming from securities fraud, tax fraud, mail fraud and other complex and document intensive criminal matters. She later moved to Indiana, serving as Deputy Attorney General in Indiana's Federal Litigation Division, Civil Rights Section. In her post, she defended the state in federal civil rights cases, represented judges and handled other general litigation.
After leaving the Office of the Attorney General, Diane served as a chief deputy prosecutor in the Marion County Prosecutor’s office and was appointed as a Master Commissioner and Magistrate in the Major Felony Division, serving as a judicial officer in Indiana's Marion County Superior Court. She also worked in the Civil Division during this time, handling civil and jury trials and motion practice.
Diane also worked as a prominent trial attorney in Georgia for more than eight years, representing governmental agencies in employment claims, and private citizens in property and contract disputes and family litigation. Diane’s earlier practice in Georgia involved aviation practice including service as consulting counsel for the Fulton County Aviation Authority.
She then returned to her home State of Florida to work in government service as a prosecutor for the Division of Business and Professional Regulation and then for the Department of Financial Services, Division of Insurance Fraud, where she prepared high-profile fraud cases for prosecution throughout the state. Later, Diane became the managing attorney for Children's Legal Services in Florida's Department of Children and Families for the Florida panhandle counties surrounding Panama City.
Teaching has also been a big part of Diane's career. At one point she served as a Teaching Assistant at the University of Georgia School of Law in Athens, Georgia and as an Assistant Professor of Criminology at Tift College in Forsyth, Georgia.
She has served as an adjunct professor at Nova University in the masters of education program (teaching school law) and as NITA (National Institute for Trial Advocacy) faculty member at the University of Florida and University of Georgia.
Her public service experience gives Diane valuable insight into conducting investigations and working with prosecutors in whistleblower lawsuits and mass disaster litigation. This, coupled with her success in arguing civil and criminal cases, as both a defense attorney and a prosecutor, make her uniquely suited to investigate, prepare and try complex civil cases.
Diane is also the proud mother of two daughters which, she says, has provided great joy and taught her patience, tolerance and empathy. She has Martindale Hubbell’s highest AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rating, an Avvo superb score of 10, and she is listed in The Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers™ and The Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers. She was also awarded with Avvo’s distinguished Clients’ Choice award.
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Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman, P.C. 10940 Wilshire Blvd Ste 1600 Los Angeles, CA 90024-3910 Los Angeles, CA 90024-3910 |
| Website: | http://www.baumhedlundlaw.com |
| Phone: | 850-242-8902 |
| Fax: | 310-820-7444 |
| Offices: |
Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman, PC
|
Airline Crash Litigation Aviation Accidents Aviation Product Liability Helicopter Crash Litigation
Commercial Truck Accidents
Complex and Multi-District Litigation Consumer Fraud Litigation
| Association name | Position name | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Florida Bar | Member | N/A |
| The American Association for Justice: Leader’s Forum; Qui Tam Litigation Group; Section on Toxic, Environmental, and Pharmaceutical Torts (STEP); Motor Vehicle Collision, Highway and Premises Liability Section, Products Liability Section | Member | N/A |
| Florida Bar Journal | Editorial Board | N/A |
| Louisiana State Bar Association | Member | N/A |
| National Board of Trial Advocacy | Board Certified Civil Trial Advocate | N/A |
| Indiana State Bar | Member | N/A |
| State Bar of Georgia | Member | N/A |
| World Law Students Association | Secretary | 1977 - 1979 |
| Women Law Students Association | Coordinator | 1977 - 1978 |
| Admission to U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia | N/A | |
| Admission to U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana | N/A | |
| Admission to U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida | N/A | |
| Admission to U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida Trial Court | N/A | |
| Admission to U.S. Court of Claims | N/A | |
| Admission to U.S. Court of Claims | N/A | 1991 - 1900 |
| Admission to U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit | N/A | 1993 - 1900 |
| Admission to U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit | N/A | |
| School Mediation Project, Indiana State Bar | Facilitator | 1994 - 1994 |
| Admission to U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana | N/A | 1994 - 1900 |
| Admission to U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana | N/A | |
| Committee on the Civil Rights of Children, State Bar of Indiana | Member | 1996 - 1999 |
| Indiana State Bar | Chairman | 2000 - 2002 |
| Admission to U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit | N/A | |
| Admission to U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit | N/A | 2005 - 1900 |
| Admission to U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio | N/A | 2014 - 1900 |
| Admission to U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio | N/A |
| Award name | Grantor | Date granted |
|---|---|---|
| Top 100 Trial Lawyers | The National Trial Lawyers | 2014 |
| Clients’ Choice Award | Avvo | 2012 |
| Outstanding Contribution to the Sect | Florida Bar | 1992 |
| Outstanding Contribution to the Division | Florida Bar | 1989 |
| Order of the Barristers (National Moot Court Honorary) | University of Georgia School of Law | 1978 |
| Listed, Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers | Lexis Nexis Martindale-Hubbell | 2024 |
| AV® Peer Review Rated | LexisNexis Martindale Hubbell® | 2024 |
| Listed, The Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers | LexisNexis Martindale Hubbell® | 2024 |
| School name | Degree | Graduated |
|---|---|---|
| Florida State University | BA - Bachelor of Arts | 1974 |
| International Moot Court Team | 1977 | |
| Georgia Journal of International and Comparative Law | Editorial Staff | 1978 |
| University of Georgia School of Law | JD - Juris Doctor | 1978 |
| University of Georgia School of Law | JD - Juris Doctor | 1978 |
| Moot Court Executive Board | Dean’s List | 1978 |
| University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill | National Institute for Trial Advocacy | 1980 |
| Harvard University Law School | NITA - Teacher Training Session | 1982 |
| Federal Law Enforcement Training Center | Advanced Arson / Explosives for Prosecutors, Department of ATF | 1996 |
| State | Number | Status | Acquired | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DC | Good Standing | 2013 | 11/15/2021 | |
| FL | 268364 | Member in Good Standing | 1979 | 11/15/2021 |
| GA | Active Member in Good Standing | 1978 | 11/15/2021 | |
| IN | Active In Good Standing | 1990 | 11/15/2021 | |
| KY | Authorized to Practice Law | 2015 | 11/15/2021 | |
| LA | Eligible to Practice Law | 1979 | 11/15/2021 | |
| VA | Authorized to Practice Law | 2015 | 11/15/2021 |
| Publication name | Title | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Res Gestae | Indiana’s Corpus Delicti Rule: Time for A Change | 2001 |
| Attorneys Handbook, Fla. C.L.E. | Florida Criminal Appellate Practice - A New Lawyer’s Guide | 1993 |
| Fla. C.L.E. | Motion Practice in Criminal Cases | 1992 |
| 65 Fla. Bar J. 35 | New Grievance Procedures: A Summary and Analysis | 1991 |
| Fla. C.L.E. | Federal Practice in Southern District of Florida | 1989 |
| Florida Pretrial Practice in Criminal Cases, Fla. Bar C.L.E. | Interviewing the Client, Fact Investigation & Theory of Defense | 1987 |
| 59 Fla. Bar J. 333 | New I.R.S. Reporting Law: A Further Decline of Client Confidentiality | 1985 |
| Vol. III, No. 1 Crim. L. Section Newsletter, 1984; M. Kadish & R. Brofman, Trial Investigation and Preparation, Criminal Law Advocacy Series, Matthew Bender, Contributing Author | The Trafficking Act and Youthful Offenders | 1982 |
| Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE Georgia) | Criminal Law in Georgia - Misdemeanors | 1981 |
| Georgia Continuing Legal Education, Misdemeanor Practice | Misdemeanor Practice in Georgia | 1981 |
| Georgia Continuing Legal Education Bridge-the-Gap | Pretrial Motions in Criminal Cases | 1981 |
| Conference name | Title | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Gerald Bennett Memorial Trial Skills Clinic | Trial preparation, witness preparation and jury trial practice and strategy | 2014 |
| Gary Christy Memorial Georgia Trial Skills Clinic | Faculty: Trial Skills | 2013 |
| The Institute for Continuing Legal Education in Georgia | Qui Tam Litigation: Critical Issues—Identifying A False Claims Act Case, Drafting and Deciding Where to File” and Panelist “Panel Discussion: Handling Urgent Legal Matters | 2012 |
| Women’s Bench Bar Retreat | Whistleblower (Qui Tam) Litigation in Indiana: The Facts and Recent Decisions | 2012 |
| Children’s Legal Services First Annual Trial Training Seminar | Faculty Chairman: Trial Practice for Dependency Cases | 2011 |
| Second Annual Women and the Law | How to Set Up a Law Practice | 2006 |
| Crawford and Company Annual Property Seminar | Adjusting Condominium Losses: The New Florida Condominium Act” | 1992 |
| Young Lawyer Seminar on Criminal Practice | "Motion Practice in Criminal Cases" | 1991 |
| Bridge-the-Gap Seminar | “Interviewing and Counseling of Clients” | 1988 |
| National Association of Pretrial Services Agencies | "Impact of Bail Reform Act of 1984" | 1986 |
| Title | Company name | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Public Defender | Southern District of Florida | 1986 - 1987 |
| Deputy Attorney General | State of Indiana's Federal Litigation Division, Civil Rights Section | 1992 - 1994 |
| Chief Arson Prosecutor | Marion County Felony Division | 1995 - 1997 |
| Chief Arson Prosecutor | Marion County Felony Division | 1995 - 1997 |
| Master Commissioner and Magistrate | Marion County Superior Court, Major Felony Division / Civil Division | 1999 - 2001 |
| Master Commissioner and Magistrate | Marion County Superior Court, Major Felony Division / Civil Division | 1999 - 2001 |
| Assistant General Counsel | Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation | 2009 - 2010 |
| Senior Attorney | Florida Department of Financial Services | 2009 - 2010 |
| Senior Attorney | Florida Department of Financial Services | 2009 - 2010 |
| Assistant General Counsel | Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation | 2009 - 2010 |
| Managing Attorney | Children's Legal Services, Florida Department of Children and Families | 2010 - 2011 |
| Managing Attorney | Children's Legal Services, Florida Department of Children and Families | 2010 - 2011 |
