Diane Polscer

Diane Polscer

Managing Partner, Portland

9755 SW Barnes Road, Suite 650
Portland, Oregon 97225
Telephone: 503-242-2922
Fax: 503-242-1264





Diane Polscer is the managing partner of Gordon & Polscer, L.L.C. in Portland. Gordon & Polscer was recently named as one of the 2011-2012 U.S. News & World Report - Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms," recognized as Tier 1 in Portland for Insurance Law. Diane focuses her practice on insurance coverage and commercial litigation, including appellate law.

Diane has been selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers since 2006. This is the seventh consecutive year Diane has been named to this peer-elected distinction that is presently awarded to only the top 5% of attorneys in Oregon. She was also named a Corporate Counsel Super Lawyer. In addition, Diane was recognized as one of the "Best Lawyers in America" in 2011, 2012 and 2013, and has been a Martindale-Hubbell 5.0 AV Preeminent Rated Lawyer for almost 20 years.

She has extensive complex commercial litigation experience including business and insurance disputes. She has worked on numerous bad faith claims and appeals. Diane is a frequent speaker and author, and a faculty member of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy. She served as past Chair of the Excess and Reinsurance Subcommittee of Defense Research Institute (DRI) Insurance Law Committee, is a member and speaker for the DRI Product Liability Committee and an active member of the Commercial Litigation and Construction Committees. Diane is also past Chair of the Insurance Coverage Section of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (FDCC).

Diane is a co-founder and regular contributor to the National Insurance Law Forum, which is a law blog devoted solely to legal and legislative developments in the area of insurance law. The blog, which is run by Gordon & Polscer in conjunction with five other nationally recognized insurance law firms, was recently named as a LexisNexis Top Blog for Insurance Law – 2011 Honoree. You can view the blog and subscribe to updates here.

Diane is also a proud member and president of the Oregon Chapter of the International Network of Boutique Law Firms (www.INBLF.com), which is an organization of highly credentialed and preeminent single-discipline law firms throughout the United States and some of the world's most prominent full-service law firms in foreign nations.

Education and Credentials
B.A., with distinction, Pennsylvania State University
J.D., University of Oregon School of Law
University of Oregon Law Review, Associate Editor
Law Clerk, Chief Judge Robert J. McNichols, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Washington
Admissions to Practice
Oregon State Courts
Washington State Courts
United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
United States District Court, District of Oregon
United States District Court, Western District of Washington
United States District Court, Eastern District of Washington
Recognitions and Honors
Martindale-Hubbell 5.0 out of 5.0 AV Preeminent Rated Lawyer for almost 20 years
Oregon Super Lawyer, 2006-2012
Oregon Super Lawyers Business Edition
Oregon Super Lawyer Corporate Counsel
The Best Lawyers in America, Insurance Law, 2010-2012
Board, Executive and Honorary Positions

Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees (Member, 2012-Present)

International Network of Boutique Law Firms (President, Oregon Chapter, 2007- Present)

Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel since 1998 (Second woman lawyer in Oregon to be selected; FDCC Foundation Board, 2012-2013; Chair, Insurance Coverage, 2006-2008; Board Member, Class Action and Multidistrict Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Products Liability and Construction; Past Chair, New Membership and Corporate Development Subcommittee; Admissions Committee, Diversity Committee, Foundation Committee, Membership Development & Retention Committee)

National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms (Admissions Committee Member; Chair, Insurance Coverage Committee)

National Charity League, (2006-Present; Chair, Recognition Event; Susan G. Komen Liaison; Special Olympics Liaison; Portland Art Museum Liaison)

Oregon Episcopal School, (Chair, Friends of OES Library, 2005-Present; Parent Common Link, 2005-Present)

Defense Research Institute (Past Chair, Insurance Law Excess & Reinsurance Committee; Program Chair, Reinsurance Program; frequent speaker and author on commercial litigation and insurance issues)

American Bar Association (Member, Litigation Section, Insurance Coverage and Tort and Insurance Practice Sections; Past Chair, Tort and Insurance Practice Self-Insurers Committee, 1996-1997; Co-Chair of Annual Program, 1994; Editor, Tort and Insurance Practice Section Self-Insurers Newsletter, 1994; Co-Editor, Tort and Insurance Practice Section Self-Insurers Annual Survey, 1993)

Litigation Counsel of America (Selected Member)

Insurance Litigation Institute of America of the Litigation Counsel of America (Founding Member of Insurance Law Institute)

Oregon State Board of Bar Examiners (Appointed by Oregon Supreme Court, 1991-1994)

Institute for Managerial and Professional Women (Member, Board of Directors, 1991)

Oregon Women Lawyers (Member, Board of Directors, 1989-1991; Secretary, 1989-1990; Treasurer, 1990-1991; Chair, Professional Liaison Committee, 1989-1990)

Oregon State Bar Judicial Administration Committee (Appointed Member by Oregon Supreme Court, 1989-1992)

Washington Women Lawyers (Member, Board of Directors, 1987)

Inland Empire Girl Scout Council (Member, Board of Directors, 1984-1987)

Professional and Community Memberships and Activities

Federal Bar Association

Oregon State Bar Association (Member, Litigation, Construction Law and Toxic Tort sections)

Washington State Bar Association (Member, Litigation and Construction Law sections)

Gus Solomon American Inns of Court (Founding Member, Master)

National Institute for Trial Advocacy (Selected faculty member for the professional training program in Trial Advocacy Skills)

Northwest Environmental Claims Association (Frequent speaker and author)

Lawyers for Civil Justice

Litigation Counsel of America (Founding Member)
Insurance Litigation Institute of America of the Litigation Counsel of America
The Litigation Counsel of America is a trial lawyer honorary society composed of less than one-half of one percent of American trial lawyers. Fellowship in the LCA is highly selective and by invitation only.

Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel
FDCC Membership is limited, selective, and by nomination only. Election is by the Board of Directors upon recommendation of an independent Admissions Committee charged with the responsibility of making a careful investigation into the qualifications of each nominee to insure that those selected have distinguished themselves professionally.

Claims & Litigation Management Alliance
The CLM is a nonpartisan alliance comprised of thousands of insurance companies. Selected attorneys are only offered membership through invitation only based on nomination from CLM Fellows.

Associates of Good Samaritan Hospital, Portland, Oregon (Member, 1995-Present)

Children's Cancer Association, Dream Catcher Program (Volunteer, 2001-Present)