Diana Y. Defino

Partner

Pittsburgh + 1.412.394.9548

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Diana Defino advises clients on complex employee benefits and executive compensation matters, including in the context of acquisitions, dispositions, mergers, and executive transitions.

She has counseled clients on more than 100 completed transactions, including Evoqua Water Technologies Corp.'s recent $7.5 billion stock-for-stock merger with Xylem Inc.; Labcorp's spin-off of its clinical development business resulting in a new public company, Fortrea Holdings, Inc.; Alcoa's sale of its rolling mill business to Kaiser Aluminum for $670 million; and Shiseido's acquisition of the Drunk Elephant skincare brand for $845 million.

Diana also regularly prepares and negotiates employment, separation, bonus, and change-of-control agreements for public and private company clients. She advises clients with respect to equity incentive arrangements and the administration and compliance of benefit plans with the Internal Revenue Code and ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act), and she also drafts and reviews proxy and other disclosures for public company clients. In addition, Diana has experience drafting disclosures related to the golden parachute payment tax implications of executive compensation arrangements in transactions.

Diana was recognized as one of ALM's Legal Intelligencer's "Lawyers on the Fast Track" in 2021 and as "Ones to Watch" in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. She serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Propel Schools Foundation (which supports the mission of Propel Schools, a group of nonprofit charter schools in the Pittsburgh area).

Experience

  • Swander Pace Capital acquires Maple DonutsJones Day advised Swander Pace Capital in connection with the acquisition and financing of Maple Donuts Inc., a Pennsylvania-based manufacturer of high-quality frozen bakery products.
  • MGP Ingredients, Inc. amends, upsizes, and extends its senior secured revolving credit facilityJones Day represented MGP Ingredients, Inc., a distilled spirits and food ingredients producer, in connection with an amendment, extension, and upsize of its senior secured revolving credit facility.
  • MPE Partners acquires IntermaticJones Day advised MPE Partners in the acquisition and financing of Intermatic, a family-owned energy management solutions company that designs and manufactures electrical and mechanical controls for general lighting, outdoor lighting, irrigation, water heating, HVAC/R, and pool and spa applications.
  • J.F. Lehman & Company sells Integrated Global ServicesJones Day advised J.F. Lehman & Company Sale of Integrated Global Services, Inc., a leading international provider of surface protection solutions, to American Securities.
  • Baird Capital portfolio company acquires Integrity Municipal SystemsJones Day represented Baird Capital in the acquisition and financing by portfolio company Cleanwater1, Inc. of Integrity Municipal Systems (IMS), a leading technology and solutions provider of branded, engineered lime systems, odor control and chemical feed system process solutions for the water and wastewater industry.
  • Radial Equity acquires Premier Dental Products CompanyJones Day advised Radial Equity Partners in the acquisition and financing of Premier Dental Products Company, a leading developer and manufacturer of consumable dental products.
  • Morgan Stanley portfolio company acquires Richard Heath & AssociatesJones Day advised Morgan Stanley Capital Partners in the acquisition and financing by portfolio company Resource Innovations, Inc. of Richard Heath & Associates, Inc.
  • American Pacific Group portfolio company acquires OmniData InsightsJones Day advised American Pacific Group in connection with the acquisition by its subsidiary, Fresche Solutions, of OmniData Insights, a leading consulting firm specializing in data and analytics modernization and artificial intelligence solutions.
  • MPE Partners acquires SKB CasesJones Day advised MPE Partners in the acquisition and financing of SKB Cases, a leading manufacturer of specialty protective cases serving the military and industrial, music and pro AV, and sports end markets.
  • American Pacific Group acquires ServerLIFTJones Day advised American Pacific Group in the acquisition and financing of ServerLIFT LLC, a leading provider of data center and server lift equipment and other related equipment.
  • Corpay acquires GPS Capital MarketsJones Day advised Corpay, Inc. in the acquisition of GPS Capital Markets, LLC and its subsidiaries, a group that provides business-to-business cross-border and treasury management solutions, in Corpay’s third largest deal ever.
  • Corpay sells merchant solutions business to PDI TechnologiesJones Day advised Corpay, Inc. in the sale by its subsidiary, Comdata, Inc., of Comdata's point of sale merchant solutions business to PDI Technologies, Inc.
  • Bose acquires McIntoshJones Day advised Bose Corporation in the acquisition of McIntosh Group, the parent company of high-performance and luxury audio brands that include McIntosh and Sonus faber.
  • Riverside acquires CloudpermitJones Day represented The Riverside Company in the acquisition and financing of Cloudpermit, a community development software company for local governments, citizens, and other stakeholders.
  • GE Aerospace sells GE Licensing to Dolby Laboratories for $429 millionJones Day served as labor, employment, and employee benefits counsel to GE Aerospace in the sale of GE Licensing, an intellectual property licensing business primarily targeting the consumer digital media and electronics sectors, to Dolby Laboratories for $429 million in an all cash transaction.
  • MPE Partners portfolio company acquires Allegheny ContractingJones Day represented MPE Partners in connection with the acquisition and financing by portfolio company Precision Pipeline Services of Allegheny Contracting, a provider of technical utility services for the natural gas end market in Pennsylvania and surrounding Mid-Atlantic and Midwest states.
  • MPE Partners acquires Allor-Plesh ManufacturingJones Day advised MPE Partners in the acquisition and financing by portfolio company Webster Industries of Allor Manufacturing, LLC and Plesh Industries, LLC.
  • Program Productions acquires Rhino StagingJones Day advised Program Productions, Inc. in the purchase of substantially all of the assets of Rhino Staging & Event Productions, Inc. and its affiliated companies, a leader in event stagehand labor management and services for live events across the United States.
  • Large financial institution leads syndicate of lenders on $70.5 million senior secured credit facility for water treatment specialistJones Day represented a large financial institution, as administrative agent, in connection with a $70.5 million syndicated senior secured credit facility, consisting of a $15 million revolver and $55.5 million term loan, provided to a water treatment specialist.
  • Norwest Equity Partners acquires MDC Interior SolutionsJones Day advised Norwest Equity Partners in the acquisition and financing of MDC Interior Solutions, LLC, a leading commercial interior wallcoverings and design solutions company.
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    Additional Speaking Engagements

    • February 8, 2024
      "Benefit Trends in Mergers & Acquisitions," Worldwide Employee Benefits Network presentation, Cleveland, Ohio

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