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Overview
Introduction
Diane is the former chief judge of the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One.
Before her appointment to the bench, Diane Johnsen represented clients in California and Arizona in matters involving media law, contracts, torts, and environmental litigation.
During her 14 years as a judge, Diane chaired the Phoenix Judicial Selection Advisory Board and was a member of the Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct. In 2020, she was named the Arizona Judicial Branch's Judge of the Year and received the Arizona State Bar Association's James A. Walsh Outstanding Jurist Award. After retiring from the bench in 2020, Diane served for two years as the special projects attorney for the Arizona Court of Appeals.
Diane joined Ashurst Perkins Coie in 2020 as a member of the firm’s Appeals, Issues and Strategies subgroup.
Education & credentials
- Duke University, LL.M., Judicial Studies, 2016
- Stanford University, J.D., Stanford Law Review, 1982
- The University of Arizona, B.A., magna cum laude, 1975
- Arizona
- Supreme Court of the United States
- Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One, Phoenix, AZ, Judge, 2006-2020; Special Projects Attorney, 2020-2022
- Osborn Maledon, Phoenix, AZ, Attorney, 1985-2006
- Munger Tolles & Olson, Los Angeles, CA, Attorney, 1983-1985
- Arizona Daily Star, Tucson, AZ, Reporter, 1975-1979
- Hon. Ben C. DuniwayU.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Professional recognition
Listed in Best Lawyers in America: Commercial Litigation, 2005-2026; Appellate Practice; Environmental Law, 2024-2026
Named the Best Lawyers "Lawyer of the Year" for Appellate Practice, 2026
Impact
- American Law Institute, Member
- American Bar Association, Member
- State Bar of Arizona, Member
- Arizona Women Lawyer’s Association, Member
- Children’s Action Alliance, Board Member, 2004-2006
- Maricopa County Superior Court, Judge Pro Tempore, 1995-2006
- Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest, Board Member, 1993-2006
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