Diane F. Bosse, a long-time leader in the Section who Chaired the Section’s Council from 2019-2020, left us all too soon on March 17, 2024. An incredible loss felt by so many, Diane was a loving wife, sister, daughter, and friend, and an accomplished and highly esteemed lawyer. Diane most recently served as Special Counsel to the law firm of Hurwitz Fine in Buffalo, New York.
Diane was appointed by the New York Court of Appeals to the New York State Board of Law Examiners in 1998, after serving as an assistant to the Board for 19 years. She served as chair of the Board from 2001 to 2020. She served on the Board of Trustees of the National Conference of Bar Examiners from 1999 to 2008 (chair, 2006-2007), and was a member of the Conference's Implementation Steering Committee for the NextGen bar exam. She was a past president of the Defense Trial Lawyers of Western New York and a past member of the boards of directors of the Bar Association of Erie County and of the Western New York Trial Lawyers Association.
In 2014, Diane was named Lawyer of the Year by the Bar Association of Erie County. She was selected as one of the New York Law Journal’s Top Women in Law for 2016. Her prior awards include the Award of Merit from the Bar Association of Erie County, the Distinguished Alumnus Award for Public Service from the University at Buffalo Law Alumni Association, the Defense Trial Lawyer of the Year from the Defense Trial Lawyers of Western New York, the New York State Bar Association Award for Excellence in Public Service, the Chair’s Award from the National Conference of Bar Examiners, and the Lamplighter Award from the Eighth Judicial District Gender & Racial Fairness Committee.
Diane served on the Council of the Section from 2014-2021 (chair, 2019-2020). She served on the Section’s Accreditation Committee for six years (2007-2013), including two years as chair; on the Standards Review Committee for three years (2004-2007); and on the Bar Admissions Committee for two years (2002-2004). She was the recipient of the Section’s 2023 Robert J. Kutak Award which is presented annually to honor an individual who has made significant contributions to the collaboration of the legal academy, the bench, and the bar.
In sharing fond memories of Diane, Council member Tom Galligan recalled, “Diane was a fabulous person, a great lawyer, an inspirational leader, and a wonderful friend. We started together on the Accreditation Committee in 2015 and spent six years working together. I learned a lot from her about professionalism and dedication to getting things right. She was committed to our work and always got it right. Diane was also very cognizant of the importance of the committee members getting along. At dinners, she would often take pictures of people and send them along later. She remembered people’s families; she would always make sure to tell me, ‘Say hello to Susan,’ and I will always remember Diane’s smile and her laugh; Diane Bosse was the best.”
Managing Director Bill Adams remarked, “Diane was a brilliant attorney tirelessly dedicated to improving the legal profession and legal education for whom it was an honor for me to work with. She was also a thoughtful, kind, and generous person admired and missed by all who were fortunate enough to know her.”
Vice Chair Daniel Thies shared, “It is a rare person who combines strategic vision, meticulous attention to detail, and wisdom. Diane had all of these things in spades, and tied the whole package together with a warmth and generosity that was apparent to everyone she met. Her contributions to legal education and to the bar are wide-ranging and will endure long into the future. It was an honor to know her and to work alongside her on the Council.”
While Diane is greatly missed, her legacy will no doubt live on through the work of those who knew her, and those whose lives were impacted by her great work. To read more about Diane, click here.