Diane B. Patrick
Senior Counsel
Diane Patrick is senior counsel at Ropes & Gray. She has over thirty years of experience representing and advising employers in connection with a broad range of labor and employment-related matters, including providing strategic counseling to clients regarding their compliance with federal and state employment laws, representing clients before federal and state administrative agencies, counseling employers on matters involving wage and hour regulations, providing general advice on employment policies and practices, conducting investigations, negotiating collective bargaining agreements, providing counsel on contract administration, and representing employers in labor arbitrations. During her more than 20-year tenure at Ropes, Diane served on numerous committees, including on the Associate Development Committee, and as Chair of the Diversity Committee. At the time of her retirement, Diane was serving as co-managing partner of the firm’s Boston office. While practicing at Ropes, Diane also served eight years as First Lady of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
In addition to her years in private practice, Diane served for eight years at Harvard University as both University Attorney responsible for Harvard’s labor and employment matters and as the University’s Associate Vice President of Human Resources. Currently, Diane serves as co-vice chair of Massachusetts General Hospital’s Board of Trustees; Director on Mass General Brigham’s Board where she leads the system’s United Against Racism Task Force; member of the Black History and Culture Advisory Council of The Trust for Public Land; Trustee of Epiphany School; and member of Agiliti Inc.’s Board of Directors.
Education
- JD, Loyola Law School, 1980; Chief Justice, Moot Court Honors Program; Dean's List; American Jurisprudence Award; Winner - Best Appellant Brief in Statewide Moot Court Competition; Outstanding Graduate Award for outstanding academic performance and citizenship; Awarded Honorary Scholarship; Awarded Scholarship, Wives of the Bench and Bar 1979 and 1980
- BA (Education), cum laude, Queens College, The City University of New York, 1972; Kappa Delta Pi National Honor Fraternity; departmental honors for excellence in major
Admissions / Qualifications
Qualifications
- Massachusetts, 1987
- New York, 1984
Awards
- Boston Arts Academy: Recipient of the BAA Foundation Champion Award (2020)
- Boston Bar Foundation: Recipient of the 2019 Public Service Award
- Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce: Inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Bostonians (2015)
- Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association: Recipient of 2015 Trailblazer Award
- Chambers Global: The World's Leading Lawyers for Business (2015)
- Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business (2008-2015, 2020-2021)
- The Best Lawyers in America (2012-2016)
- Massachusetts Super Lawyers (2010-2015)
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America (2013-2014)
- Named by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly as one of 2012’s “Top Women of Law”
- Named by The Network Journal as one of 2010’s “25 Influential Black Women in Business