About Diane
Practicing labor and employment law for more than 25 years, Diane Sugrue brings over ten years of in-house counsel experience to Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, PC. She has significant experience counseling clients in all aspects of labor and employment law on a national basis, including issues relating to employee discipline and discharge decisions, harassment, leave benefits, corporate restructuring and union awareness. Ms. Sugrue has worked closely with senior management and Boards of Directors to provide advice and risk analysis on a variety of employment related matters. She has extensive experience providing employee and management training in numerous employment related areas including harassment, FMLA, ADA, and workplace ethics. In addition, Ms. Sugrue defends employers in state and federal employment cases including whistleblower actions, restrictive covenant matters, and employment discrimination lawsuits.
As a former global compliance officer, she has a wealth of experience structuring the scope and timing of efficient and effective internal workplace investigations, as well as the development and execution of workplace compliance programs. Ms. Sugrue has also served as the Compliance Expert for a global pharmaceutical manufacturer subject to a Corporate Integrity Agreement and was responsible for assessing compliance program effectiveness.
Listed in Super Lawyers®, Employment & Labor 2012 – 2020
The Super Lawyers® list is issued by Thomson Reuters. A description of the selection methodology can be found at http://www.superlawyers.com/about/selection_process.html. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
American Bar Association
New Jersey State Bar Association
William J. Brennan Inn of Court, 1991 – 1993
Professional
Professional Experience
| Ingersoll Rand Company, Montvale, NJ Global Compliance Officer |
2005 – 2006 |
| Novartis, Gerber Products Company Vice President & Associate General Counsel |
2003 - 2005 |
| Novartis Consumer Health, Inc. Vice President, Employment Law and Litigation |
1999 - 2003 |
| Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. Pharmaceuticals Counsel |
1996 - 1999 |
| Genova, Burns & Vernoia, Livingston, NJ Senior Associate |
1995 - 1996 |
| Tompkins, McGuire & Wachenfeld, Newark, NJ Associate |
1992 - 1994 |
Judicial Clerkship
| Honorable Harry A. Margolis, P.J. Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division |
1991 - 1992 |
Background
Education
| Seton Hall University School of Law J.D. |
1991 |
| Montclair State University B.S. |
1989 |
Admissions
| State of New Jersey | 1991 |
| United States District Court for the District of New Jersey | 1991 |
Civic & Charitable Activities
| Community Health Law Project, Board of Directors, | 2007 - Present |
| PECK (Parents for Excellent Care for Kids), Co-Founder | 2006 - Present |
Recent Publications and Speaking Engagements
Speaking Engagements
“Clearing the Haze: What Does Weed in the Workplace Mean to Employers?”, Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, PC, Hot Topics in Employment Law Seminar, November 2018
“Violence in the Workplace: Assessing and Responding to the Threat”, Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, PC, 2nd Annual Employment Law CLE Day, January 2018
“Does Free Speech Work at Work? Conflicting Rights of Employees in the Workplace”, Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, PC, Hot Topics in Employment Law Seminar, November 2017
“Clean as a Whistle, Managing the Current Employee Whistleblower”, Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, PC CLE Day Panel Presentation, January 2017
“The Audit Before the Audit: The Benefits of Conducting an Internal Audit”, Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, PC Hot Topics in Employment Law Round Table, November 2014