Advocating The Rights Of Employees And Employers
Diane Perez
Contact Me:
Practice Areas
- Labor Law
- Employment Law
Languages
- English
- Spanish
Current Employment Position
- Sole Practitioner
- Board Certified Specialist
Biography
Diane P. Perez is a Florida Bar Board Certified Specialist in Labor and Employment. As a native of Florida, born in Hialeah and raised in Miami and Hollywood, Ms. Perez understands the dynamics of the state, especially the employees and companies she serves throughout Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach. As a second-generation Cuban-American, the law firm she put her name to, Diane Perez, P.A., focuses on employment law litigation and counseling and represents both employers and employees in federal and state courts and before federal, state and local agencies.
Ms. Perez is a graduate from the University of Miami Law School of Law, where she served as an Associate Editor for the University of Miami International and Comparative Law Review and from where she earned her Juris Doctor with High Honors. Ms. Perez also earned a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Magazine Journalism from the University of Florida.
Prior to opening her firm, Ms. Perez gained practical experience in the field of employment law during her tenure with four national labor and employment law firms, exclusively representing management in a variety of labor and employment law matters. She also taught on employment-related issues before the Florida Bar, the Florida Institute of CPAs, the Cuban-American CPAs Association, and the Dade County Bar Assocition, among many others. She has also spoken before the American Bar Association on equal pay.
Ms. Perez has authored and co-authored various articles, including on FLSA class-action lawsuits, unemployment compensation benefits law, and the National Labor Relations Act and has authored articles on pregnancy discrimination under The Florida Civil Rights Act.
Ms. Perez is admitted to practice law by the Florida Bar and before the United States District Court for the Southern, Middle and Northern Districts of Florida and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. She is a former President of the Coral Gables Bar Association and is a former Editor-in-Chief of the Cuban American Bar Association's quarterly publication, "CABA Briefs." She was appointed to and currently serves as the co-chair of the Standing Committee on Technology of the Florida Bar and on the Labor and Employment Law Certification Committee of the Florida Bar.
Past Positions
- Littler Mendelson, P.C., Attorney, February 2022 - July 2022
- Jackson Lewis LLP, Attorney, December 2011-June 2012
- Meyer White LLP, Attorney, January 2010-December 2011
- Ford & Harrison LLP, Attorney, September 2008-January 2010
- Weiss, Serota et al., P.A., Attorney, September 2007-August 2008; May 2006-August 2006
Professional Associations
- Hispanic National Bar Association, Member
- Coral Gables Bar Association, Immediate Past President, 2018 to 2019
- Coral Gables Bar Association, President , 2017 to 2018
- Coral Gables Bar Association, Treasurer, 2015 to 2016
- Coral Gables Bar Association, Director, 2014 to 2015
- Coral Gables Bar Association, Secretary, 2013 to 2014
- Cuban American Bar Association, Editor in Chief of “CABA Briefs”, 2012
Certified Legal Specialties
- Labor and Employment Law, Florida Bar, 2017
Bar Admissions
- Florida, 2007
- U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida, 2008
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida, 2008
- U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 2009
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Florida, 2019
Honors
- “Rising Star”, Florida Super Lawyers
- Super Lawyers, Florida Super Lawyers
Education
- University of Miami School of Law, Coral Gables, Florida
- J.D. - 2007
- Honors: magna cum laude
- Honors: Dean's List
- University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
- B.S. - 2003
- Honors: cum laude
- Honors: President's List
- Honors: Dean's List
- Major: Magazine Journalism
- Minor: Business Administration
Classes & Seminars
- Speaker, Florida Institute of CPAs
- Speaker, Cuban American CPAs Association
- Speaker, Dade County Bar Association
- Speaker, ABA Mid-Year Meeting
- Speaker, The Seminar Group
- Speaker, The Florida Bar
Published Works
- Co-Author, “Pre-Notice Communications with Potential FLSA Class Members May Get Attorneys in Hot Water When They Run Afoul of Florida’s Ethics Rules”, The Checkoff, April, 2010
- Co-Author, "Approved Legislation Revises Florida's Unemployment Compensation Law", CABA Briefs, May, 2012
- Author, “Does the Florida Civil Rights Act Prohibit Pregnancy Discrimination”, The Bulletin, 2012-2013
- Author, “Eleventh Circuit: National Labor Relations Board Erred in Finding Stagehands are Employees of Referring Agency Under the Common Law of Agency”, The Checkoff, July, 2016
Pro-Bono Activities
- Read2Succeed
- Cuban American Bar Pro Bono Project
Representative Cases
- Holding a Private Cause of Action Exists for Discrimination and Retaliation Against Small Employers Under Miami-Dade County' Human Rights Ordinance, Andre White vs. AutoZone Investment Corporation d/b/a AutoZone Auto Parts, Case No. 3D21-598 (Fla. 3rd DCA 2022), 2022, Fla. 3rd DCA, 3D21-598