Diane Sherwood was born in Wichita, Kansas, and raised in Lawrence, Kansas where she graduated from high school in 1979.  She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 1983 from the Colorado College in Colorado Springs.  Her first job after college was at the National Children’s Rehabilitation Center in Leesburg, VA.  She returned to Wichita and worked as Personnel Director/Human Resources Vice President at Sherwood Construction Co from 1984 to 1998, attending law school at the University of Tulsa from 1990 – 1993.

Diane Sherwood has been licensed to practice law in Kansas since 1994.  After spending over 10 years in human resources in the construction industry, Diane Sherwood began mediating professionally in 1996.  In 1998, she went into the private practice of mediation focusing solely on family and custody issues.  She also handles a process called Limited Case Management which is a mediation/arbitration process regarding custody matters in Sedgwick County, as well as Case Management in which the parties are assigned to her until their youngest child turns 18 or until they can co-parent peacefully for two years without her help.

In 2005, Diane Sherwood was one of the first five attorneys in Sedgwick County trained in the process of Collaborative Family Law.  In this process, the parties and attorney sign a contract agreeing not to access the Court to finalize the divorce.  This process intends to protect the parties’ children and assets in a private and confidential process.  It allows the Parties to agree to things that the Court may not have the ability to order.  In 2008, Diane Sherwood also earned her Masters of Social Work degree from Newman University, where she was an Adjunct Professor teaching Mediation.

Some people, however, want the Court to make decisions in their case and opt for a traditional divorce.  Diane Sherwood works hard to help your divorce be as peaceful as possible but certainly understands that some cases need court intervention for resolution.  She has been a successful trial attorney when that is necessary.

Diane Sherwood has been active professionally, a leader in nearly every group she is or has been involved with:  The Kansas Contractors Association, The Wichita Bar Association, The Mediation Center of Wichita, The American Inns of Court,  Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, Central Kansas Collaborative Family Law Group.

Diane Sherwood is married to Jeff Cocking.  She has three step sons, one son, two daughters-in-law and three grandchildren.