Diane C. Utz, Esq.
Of Counsel, Attorney at Law
EDUCATION
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, B.S., 1989
Major: Building Construction Management
Seattle University School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 2007
Moot Court Board Chairman
ADMISSIONS
2008, Washington; 2008 U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington; 2012 Idaho (currently inactive); 2012 U.S. District Court of Idaho; 2012, Oregon; 2012 (currently inactive); U.S. District Court of Oregon; 2017, Colorado; 2017 U.S. District Court of Colorado; U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York; U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.
MEMBERSHIPS
Colorado Bar Association – Construction Law Section
Pitkin County Bar Association
American Bar Association, Forum on Construction Law
American Arbitration Association – Construction Panel Member
PRIOR AFFILIATIONS/EXPERIENCE
Founding Partner at Utz Construction Law, LLC (Aspen, Colorado), LLC, 2018 – present
Partner at Beltzer, Bangert, and Gunnell, LLP (Denver, Colorado) 2017 – 2018
Partner at Watt, Tieder, Hoffar & Fitzgerald, LLP (Seattle, Washington) 2010 – 2017
Associate at Oles, Morrison, Rinker & Baker, LLP (Seattle, Washington) 2007 – 2010
In-House Construction Consultant, Stanislaw Ashbaugh (Seattle, Washington) 1999 – 2004
Project Manager, Lease Crutcher Lewis (Seattle, Washington) 1998 – 1999
Project Engineer, Hensel Phelps Construction Company (Seattle, Washington), 1989 – 1998
HONORS DISTINCTIONS
Washington Super Lawyers – Rising Star, 2011 – 2018
Colorado Super Lawyers – Super Lawyer, 2020 – 2026
America’s Best Lawyers, Construction Litigation, 2018 – 2026
Diane C. Utz is a trial lawyer with extensive experience in construction litigation. She brings something most attorneys do not—years of real-world construction experience before entering the legal profession. At Ferguson Schindler, she represents contractors, developers, design professionals, and property owners in complex construction disputes, contract negotiations, and project claims.
Diane handles cases in state and federal courts and in arbitration proceedings, and regularly advises clients on contract drafting, risk management, and claim strategy. Her work includes construction delay and/or defect claims, breach of contract disputes, payment and lien issues, and other high-stakes construction conflicts that arise on major projects.
Before practicing law, Diane worked in the construction industry as a project manager and engineer on significant commercial and public projects across the western United States. That hands-on background is what sets her apart by giving her a practical understanding of how projects actually operate—scheduling pressures, cost issues, and field realities—and allows her to advocate effectively for clients when disputes arise.
Diane earned her J.D., cum laude, from Seattle University School of Law and holds a B.S. in Building Construction Management from Purdue University. She is admitted to practice in Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho and serves as an arbitrator on the Construction Panel of the American Arbitration Association. Her professional recognitions include consistent yearly selection to Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers in America for construction litigation. Diane is active in the American Bar Association’s Forum on Construction Law and the Colorado State Bar Association’s Construction Law Section. She is also a frequent speaker at construction law seminars and conferences nationwide.
When she is not practicing law, Diane enjoys skiing, hiking, snowmobiling, paddleboarding, travel, and exploring the mountains of Colorado.
