NewHavenBIZ

n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m | N o v e m b e r 2 0 2 1 | n e w h a v e n B I Z 15 C o r n e r O f f i c e By Jean Falbo-Sosnovich A ttorney Tim Diemand knew he chose the right career path when he helped a South African woman seeking political asylum gain her freedom and ultimately a new life in America. Diemand was working the case pro bono at his first job with a Washington, D.C., law firm. He realized upon entering the courtroom, failure was not an option. "To this day I remember feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders when walking into the courtroom and arguing the case and realizing that if I lost, my client would be sent back to her country to face a very dangerous and uncertain future," Diemand said. "We fortunately prevailed and my client was able to start a new life in America." It's cases like that one, and others like it, that make Diemand, 54, enjoy going to work every day. Since 1995, Diemand has been practicing law with New Haven law firm Wiggin and Dana, and for a few years prior as an associate with Patton Boggs in Washington, D.C. All those years of litigation — from defending sovereign countries in the Middle East to representing the mega-heavy metal band Iron Maiden or a major record label in a copyright claims case, and helping several Fortune 500 companies navigate complex issues — have paid off for Diemand. The married father of two grown children, and two rescue dogs, was recently named Wiggin and Dana's new managing partner. Diemand began the role Oct. 1, succeeding Paul Hughes who served as managing partner since 2015. An eight-year veteran of the firm's executive committee, Diemand is also the current president of the Connecticut Bar Association. Diversity focus As managing partner, Diemand serves as chairman of the firm's executive committee, which is responsible for managing the firm and driving strategic initiatives forward. He leads Wiggin and Dana's 150 attorneys based in Connecticut, New York City, Philadelphia, Palm Beach and Washington, D.C., with expertise in health care, life sciences, technology, outsourcing, aerospace and defense sectors and more. "We are near the end of year two Wiggin and Dana's new Managing Partner Diemand focused on recruiting top talent, diversity of a five-year strategic plan that we set in motion, and one of the cool things is how we have really doubled down on increasing diversity initiatives," Diemand said. Part of the strategic plan has included hiring several new attorneys with specific niches focused on trusts and the healthcare and real estate industries. The firm in 2020 also launched the Wiggin Opportunity Initiative, which has pledged $10 million over 10 years to provide free legal assistance to minority-owned businesses in an effort to work toward a more inclusive, diverse and equitable world. "I'm really proud of how we're able to help provide free legal services to historically marginalized communities and underrepresented groups," Diemand said. Speaking of diversity, Diemand said the firm has hired a new director for its New York office specifically focused on bringing more women and minorities onboard to further increase and diversify the staff, as well as offering mentoring and training programs for prospective new hires. "I'll continue to focus on attracting the best legal talent to the firm, and maintaining a culture that values creative thinking, high performance, diversity and collegiality," Diemand added. Hughes said Diemand, with his uncanny ability to listen and lead, was the perfect choice for the job. "Tim is a great listener who follows through on commitments," Hughes said. "He also understands how to break an issue down into manageable parts, address those and bring the whole thing back together in a coherent way that achieves the goal. I think that skill comes from his training and experience as a top trial lawyer. I'd say that people follow Tim's lead because he delivers a crisp message that resonates and they trust him." 'I love to cook' Diemand, who married his college sweetheart Randi, earned his bachelor's degree in international relations from Clark University in Worcester, Mass., and his law degree from George Washington University National Law Center in Washington, D.C. A Waterbury native who resides in Madison, Diemand is not only bullish about the future of his firm, but also the career paths his children, Matthew and Julia, are pursuing. Matthew, a recent graduate of Syracuse University with a sports management degree, is working with the Houston Rockets. And Julia, a sophomore at Elon University, is following in her father's footsteps. "She is my future lawyer — she argues better than anyone I know," Diemand said with a laugh. When he's not trying a case in the courtroom, Diemand can be found in the kitchen, trying out every new recipe that his favorite iron chef Bobby Flay dishes out. "I love to cook," he said. "I love southwest food. I have basically made all of Bobby Flay's recipes in his 'Mesa Grill Cookbook.' " Diemand, a past co-chair of the Connecticut Bar Association's professionalism committee, is no stranger to racking up kudos and awards. He has been lauded for his charitable and pro bono work and recognized by Chambers USA and Benchmark Litigation. In 2017, Diemand was named one of the Connecticut Law Tribune's distinguished leaders. n Tim Diemand Managing Partner Wiggin and Dana Education: Bachelor's degree, international relations, Clark University, Worcester, Mass.; law degree, George Washington University National Law Center, Washington, D.C. Age: 54 395 Whalley Ave., New Haven Mon–Fri, 8:30–4:00 • Sat 8:30–noon print ad EQ UA L O PPO RT U N IT Y LEN D ER . FED ER A LLY I N SU R ED BY N CUA . Looking for a commercial lender who's as committed as you? At GE Credit Union, we have a suite of solutions that will work for you so you can get down to business. • Vehicle purchase and refinancing • Commercial real estate lending • Great rates and flexible terms We are GE Credit Union. Committed to New Haven. Committed to your business. myGECreditUnion.com • 800.992.8472 201907-GE-LO_CommercialLending nspad.indd 1 7/18/19 3:16 PM 395 Whalley Mon–Fri, print ad EQ UA L O PPO RT U N IT Y LEN Looking for a commercial who's as committed At GE Credit Union, we have a suite will work for you so you can get down • Vehicle purchase and refinancing • Commercial real estate lending • Great rates and flexible terms We are GE Credit Union. Committed to New Haven. Committed myGECreditUnion.com 201907-GE-LO_CommercialLending nspad.indd 1 395 Whalley Ave., New Haven Mon–Fri, 8:30–4:00 • Sat 8:30–noon print ad EQ UA L O PPO RT U N IT Y LEN D ER . FED ER A LLY I N SU R ED BY N CUA . Looking for a commercial lender who's as committed as you? At GE Credit Union, we have a suite of solutions that will work for you so you can get down to business. • Vehicle purchase and refinancing • Commercial real estate lending • Great rates and flexible terms We are GE Credit Union. Committed to New Haven. Committed to your business. myGECreditUnion.com • 800.992.8472 201907-GE-LO_CommercialLending nspad.indd 1 7/18/19 3:16 PM Tim Diemand

• Cover