Diane C. Ferrante

Diane C. Ferrante is the Managing Partner of Duncan Craig LLP and a member of the firm’s litigation group, with a focus on family law and insurance and risk management. She began her legal career at Duncan Craig LLP as a summer student, completed her articles with the firm, and was admitted to the Alberta Bar in September 2008. Diane became a partner in January 2015.

In her family law practice, Diane has been involved in matters through mediation (as counsel and mediator), collaborative divorce and within the court system addressing issues such as child support, decision-making, parenting time, mobility, division of property, and spousal and partner support claims.

As a trained collaborative family lawyer, Diane actively engages with the collaborative team in every phase of the collaborative process, taking on the roles of educator, advisor, and advocate for her clients. She supports clients in cultivating their interests, effectively expressing them, comprehending information and legal analyses, exploring diverse options, and communicating adeptly throughout negotiations. Those exploring Collaborative Divorce can find valuable insights on the Collaborative Divorce Alberta Association’s website.

As a trained mediator, Diane proactively mediates family disputes to guide parties to resolution outside of court. Recognizing the unique benefits of mediation, Diane believes it to be an optimal pathway for families. Mediation not only facilitates open communication, understanding, and cooperative decision-making but ensures a more cost-effective and efficient resolution process. Diane's commitment to mediation is underscored by her completion of an extensive course on Mediation of Family and Divorce Conflicts through the Legal Education Society of Alberta.

In her insurance and risk management practice, Diane has worked on files defending claims relating to professional negligence, property damage, fire loss and personal injury. Proudly, Diane has been awarded by her peers as Best Lawyer for Insurance Law in 2025.

Diane has appeared before all levels of Court in Alberta and has taken part in several different alternative dispute resolution processes to assist her clients in reaching a solution to their matter. She also has experience as counsel in a public inquiry that spanned several months.

In Diane's Own Words:

"Early on in my practice I learned that the area of family law was riddled with hurdles that required individuals to have competent, practical and understandable legal guidance to work through their issues. Over the last 17 years, I have worked with individuals in their family’s restructuring process and continued to educate myself on alternative avenues to help clients find resolution outside of court such that they are in control of their own destinies and what their new normal is going to look like. A relationship breakdown is traumatic for all involved and I provide my clients with advice and recommendations that focus on the best interests of their family first and foremost within the parameters of the legislation which families are bound by."