team-member

Diana Sladen

Shrewsbury, MA

N/A

Law Degree

Awards

Primary Practice Area

Child custody

Language

Portuguese Spanish English

About

For attorney Diana Sladen, the most fundamental area of the law is the law that directly impacts the family. Practicing family law gives Attorney Sladen the chance to practice in an area that truly affects the everyday lives of her clients. She practices in all areas of family law including, pre-nuptial matters, divorce, post-divorce actions, child custody, child support, enforcement actions, modification, adoption, paternity, LGBT matters and juvenile matters. Attorney Sladen takes ownership of each case when a client retains her as his or her counsel. She strives to handle every case with great care, detail and responsibility. Attorney Sladen recognizes the importance of client care in her family law practice. She takes the time and attention to develop specific and unique strategies to meet each client’s needs. She educates her clients on all available options so that her clients make informed decisions. Each and every client is treated with the respect that they deserve. Her clients are as up to date and informed as possible. She returns calls and emails promptly so clients are never left in the dark. She places great importance on hiring an attorney that the client will trust to see them through the legal decisions that need to be made. She is not afraid to tell you what you need to hear rather than what you may want to hear. Attorney Sladen will evaluate the facts in your case and provide thoughtful and professional guidance from start to finish. Attorney Sladen has devoted her entire professional career to the practice of family law. She has represented husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, grandparents and children. She has handled cases involving special circumstances including: mental health issues, children with special needs, substance abuse issues, allegations of domestic abuse, custody disputes that cross state and international borders, concurrent custody disputes in family and juvenile court, parental alienation cases, and military divorces. Prior to starting her own practice, Attorney Sladen worked for the largest domestic relations practice in the country. Later in her career, she gained valuable experience working with a seasoned family law firm litigating difficult custody disputes and high-asset marital estates. She is a member of the Worcester County Bar Association and Rhode Island Bar Association. Attorney Sladen volunteers her time as an ARC (“Attorneys Representing Children”) Attorney for Children in contested custody matters. Attorney Sladen is in the process of becoming certified to act a Category “F” Guardian ad Litem in contested custody disputes. Attorney Sladen speaks Portuguese and Spanish. She is a proud graduate from Providence College (Go Friars!) with degrees in Political Science and Philosophy. Attorney Sladen graduated from Roger Williams University School of Law and is licensed to practice law in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Attorney Sladen is married to her husband, Eric, and the couple have two children together. The Sladen Family resides in Rhode Island. Outside of the office, Attorney Sladen enjoys spending time with her family, travelling, spending summers on the beach and Netflix marathons.

Practices Areas

Child custody

Child support

Divorce and separation

Family

Juvenile Law

Language

Portuguese Spanish English

Contact

Sladen & Costigan, PLLCTwo Maple AvenueShrewsbury, MA, 01545

Office: (508) 372-8157

Website: N/A

Reviews

Ben
January 9, 2020

Sladen Family Law consists (at this time) of Diana Sladen and Allison her paralegal. The office is inviting and well-run by 2 awesome women who make a GREAT team. You will be welcomed with a big smile (a nice office décor) and they strive to make you feel comfortable, without passing any judgment no matter what your issue(s) or circumstance may be. My family have been involved with Sladen Family law for almost 10 months as a result of a substantiated 51A filed by a teacher. Diana fearlessly fought for our family from attending home visits, to holding DCF accountable to their own policies (DCF violated many of their own regulations). She did an outstanding and thorough job preparing for our Fair hearing and was brilliant during the fair hearing meeting by calling DCF staff out on their lack of professionalism and disregard for their own policies. DCF reversed their decision and we WON. We have had 2 lawyers prior to finding Diana (one had a judicial nomination within a couple months, the other was lazy and not responsive and we fired him). We can without a doubt confirm that Diana is by far better than both. We were also able to compare her work with opposing counsel from the school that our children attend. The opposing counsel for the school district (who came from a much bigger firm in Worcester) was ill-prepared, disorganized, unresponsive to our requests and clearly used tactics to try and squeeze as much $ from the town/school. Therefore, these are the 10 reasons why Sladen Family Law will not disappoint you: Knowledgeable and sound judgment: Diana knows the law and how to apply it. She is meticulous and always looks at the big picture when advising her clients or before making the next move. Reasonable pricing/plans: Diana is understanding of her clients’ financial need and has different payment plans. Honest: she once advised us to not proceed with a meeting we requested with DCF as we “would be wasting our $ having her there” Prompt responses: Diana acknowledges emails and phone calls within 24 hours or less-so does Allison. Caring and kind: Both Allison and Diana have supported our family during this difficult time and showed great compassion. They answered our many questions, emails, calls and reassured us every time. Result-driven: Diana focuses on the grand prize, in our case, winning the Fair hearing, and we DID Direct/gives you an answer: you will know where things stand with her, you will not be left confused Excellent listener: displays empathy and is able to absorb a lot in at once Fights for you and never gives up: Diana always called DCF out on their lack of follow-thru or lack of response and/or fabricated stories to tear families apart, she got them to close our case sooner and got them to produce case dictations and other documents that we were entitled to. Efficient, Great Oral and Written communicator: Diana challenged the DCF investigator during the fair hearing on a number of things she did (or did not do) the day she showed up at our home. Diana produced an outstanding memorandum to the hearing office pointing out all the areas where DCF failed our family by not following their own protocol, their inconsistent 51B report and showing prejudice the moment they arrived at our home Passionate about her work: Diana loves what she does and is great at it If you are still debating about going with Sladen Family Law, then make an appointment for a free consultation and get to meet Diana and Allison, you will NOT be disappointed!

Manny
June 25, 2019

There is simply not enough positive things that I can say about the Sladen Law team. From the onset of my custody case, Diana and her team made every effort to support my concerns, fears, and lack of familiarity. As a Father navigating in unknown territory (and worried about inequality within the Probate system), Diana was a beacon of hope. During the duration of my case, and even in the many months since, Diana has always made me feel like my son's best interests were her top priority. She has constantly made herself available whenever needed, offered encouraging counsel in the most frustrating of moments, and above all else has been extremely relateable (rare in a crowd of attorneys who come off as ingenuine). If you select Sladen Family Law to represent you; I assure you that you'll find Diana to be an attorney who's knowledge and expertise is second to none; with a level of tenacity (both on your case and in the court room) that will give you peace of mind while in an unsettling situation. Thank you to Diana and team for helping me reach a case resolution I never thought possible. I am forever thankful.

Ally
May 8, 2019

I had an incredibly difficult case spanning 14 years and 4 states. I met with Diana in hopes that she would be able to at least help me sort things out. She blew me out of the water. She rattled off laws and ideas and avenues we could use. I've had several other attorneys before her (from different states) and her approach was so refreshing. She took the time to really understand what I wanted, and had no problems telling me what I needed to hear. She really got to know my family, and not once, ever, did I feel like I was a paycheck, or just a client. My case spanned a year, and she never lost steam. I'd call her literally at 9 pm freaking out about the court appearance the next day, and she gave me a pep talk and calmed my nervous. She always answered my countless questions in ways I could understand. In the court room, she was well-prepared and methodical. Diana recognized the manipulative nature in my ex, and his attorney, and calmly but effectively dominated the case. She laid out all the facts, rebuttals, to the point the OC started stammering and repeating the same thing over and over because her case fell apart. Diana was calm but aggressive, and just filled with confidence. It was just so refreshing to see an attorney who actually believed me, and wanted the best for my daughter like I did. Since then, I have referred 4, maybe 5 of my friends to Diana, and they have all called me thanking me for the referral. We all know that attorneys are sometimes jerks, but I promise, Diana is anything but. She is a breath of fresh air, and I HIGHLY recommend her to anybody.

anonymous
January 10, 2022

Diana and her team are just excellent. I interviewed a dozen or so attorneys and instantly felt comfortable with Diana. Being a mother of young children herself, she was able to relate to my concerns about removing my children from MA and support me through the entire process. If you're like me and are a Type A personality, Diana is definitely a fit for you! She is on top of everything! I was extremely impressed with her use of technology and how much she included me every step of the way. This is drastically different from the service you would get from an attorney without these traits. I highly recommend Diana and her team!

anonymous
January 5, 2022

Diana is professional, compassionate, and understanding. I recommend her for representation for anyone who maybe unfairly investigated by DCF. She will protect you and she knows your rights. She will be there with you if they schedule a home visit. She will fight for your rights and your family

anonymous
November 24, 2021

Diana and her team were very effective, diligent and empathetic while successfully representing our family’s complaint for Judicial Review against Massachusetts DCF in Superior Court. She remained responsive and positive, and was in constant contact throughout the process, which was a difficult 3-year ordeal, and throughout COVID.

Elise
November 23, 2021

This is the human being you want by your side for your legal issues. Diana and her office were easy to talk to & timely with replies and gathering materials. Diana herself was competent and reasonable in and out of court. I felt like she guided me to the best end result I could hope for. Intelligence and professionalism wrapped up in a very compassionate persona.

Emily
November 19, 2021

I had contacted Sladen Family Law and several other practices regarding the removal of my children from the Commonwealth. After speaking with Diana, I hired here immediately. She brought up my divorce case file while talking with me for the consultation. Other firms had no interest in taking on a relocation case or even calling me back. Diana stuck with me for 11 months to fight for relocation, fair custody and child support. She gave me guidance and support through the process. Her team was very helpful and someone was always around to give a quick answer. The process that I went through was mentally draining and Diana and her team did everything they could to see to a fair resolution on child support and custody with relocating without costing an arm and a leg. I would recommend her to anyone that is going through child custody and support issues and I would contact her again in the future if any other issues arise.

Nick
November 15, 2021

I’m a Divorced Father of three children and needed representation to settle an urgent custody situation. The team at Slayden & Costigan listened to what was important to me and produced immediate results. I couldn’t be happier with the final agreement and I would highly recommend them to anyone in need of exceptional council to settle any family law situation.

Jezriel
July 30, 2021

Diana and her team worked really hard on my case. She dug up information and prepared vital questions during court proceedings and during conciliation meetings. If you want someone who will go above and beyond for you hire Diana Sladen Family Law.

Ben
January 9, 2020

Sladen Family Law consists (at this time) of Diana Sladen and Allison her paralegal. The office is inviting and well-run by 2 awesome women who make a GREAT team. You will be welcomed with a big smile (a nice office décor) and they strive to make you feel comfortable, without passing any judgment no matter what your issue(s) or circumstance may be. My family have been involved with Sladen Family law for almost 10 months as a result of a substantiated 51A filed by a teacher. Diana fearlessly fought for our family from attending home visits, to holding DCF accountable to their own policies (DCF violated many of their own regulations). She did an outstanding and thorough job preparing for our Fair hearing and was brilliant during the fair hearing meeting by calling DCF staff out on their lack of professionalism and disregard for their own policies. DCF reversed their decision and we WON. We have had 2 lawyers prior to finding Diana (one had a judicial nomination within a couple months, the other was lazy and not responsive and we fired him). We can without a doubt confirm that Diana is by far better than both. We were also able to compare her work with opposing counsel from the school that our children attend. The opposing counsel for the school district (who came from a much bigger firm in Worcester) was ill-prepared, disorganized, unresponsive to our requests and clearly used tactics to try and squeeze as much $ from the town/school. Therefore, these are the 10 reasons why Sladen Family Law will not disappoint you: Knowledgeable and sound judgment: Diana knows the law and how to apply it. She is meticulous and always looks at the big picture when advising her clients or before making the next move. Reasonable pricing/plans: Diana is understanding of her clients’ financial need and has different payment plans. Honest: she once advised us to not proceed with a meeting we requested with DCF as we “would be wasting our $ having her there” Prompt responses: Diana acknowledges emails and phone calls within 24 hours or less-so does Allison. Caring and kind: Both Allison and Diana have supported our family during this difficult time and showed great compassion. They answered our many questions, emails, calls and reassured us every time. Result-driven: Diana focuses on the grand prize, in our case, winning the Fair hearing, and we DID Direct/gives you an answer: you will know where things stand with her, you will not be left confused Excellent listener: displays empathy and is able to absorb a lot in at once Fights for you and never gives up: Diana always called DCF out on their lack of follow-thru or lack of response and/or fabricated stories to tear families apart, she got them to close our case sooner and got them to produce case dictations and other documents that we were entitled to. Efficient, Great Oral and Written communicator: Diana challenged the DCF investigator during the fair hearing on a number of things she did (or did not do) the day she showed up at our home. Diana produced an outstanding memorandum to the hearing office pointing out all the areas where DCF failed our family by not following their own protocol, their inconsistent 51B report and showing prejudice the moment they arrived at our home Passionate about her work: Diana loves what she does and is great at it If you are still debating about going with Sladen Family Law, then make an appointment for a free consultation and get to meet Diana and Allison, you will NOT be disappointed!

Manny
June 25, 2019

There is simply not enough positive things that I can say about the Sladen Law team. From the onset of my custody case, Diana and her team made every effort to support my concerns, fears, and lack of familiarity. As a Father navigating in unknown territory (and worried about inequality within the Probate system), Diana was a beacon of hope. During the duration of my case, and even in the many months since, Diana has always made me feel like my son's best interests were her top priority. She has constantly made herself available whenever needed, offered encouraging counsel in the most frustrating of moments, and above all else has been extremely relateable (rare in a crowd of attorneys who come off as ingenuine). If you select Sladen Family Law to represent you; I assure you that you'll find Diana to be an attorney who's knowledge and expertise is second to none; with a level of tenacity (both on your case and in the court room) that will give you peace of mind while in an unsettling situation. Thank you to Diana and team for helping me reach a case resolution I never thought possible. I am forever thankful.

Ally
May 8, 2019

I had an incredibly difficult case spanning 14 years and 4 states. I met with Diana in hopes that she would be able to at least help me sort things out. She blew me out of the water. She rattled off laws and ideas and avenues we could use. I've had several other attorneys before her (from different states) and her approach was so refreshing. She took the time to really understand what I wanted, and had no problems telling me what I needed to hear. She really got to know my family, and not once, ever, did I feel like I was a paycheck, or just a client. My case spanned a year, and she never lost steam. I'd call her literally at 9 pm freaking out about the court appearance the next day, and she gave me a pep talk and calmed my nervous. She always answered my countless questions in ways I could understand. In the court room, she was well-prepared and methodical. Diana recognized the manipulative nature in my ex, and his attorney, and calmly but effectively dominated the case. She laid out all the facts, rebuttals, to the point the OC started stammering and repeating the same thing over and over because her case fell apart. Diana was calm but aggressive, and just filled with confidence. It was just so refreshing to see an attorney who actually believed me, and wanted the best for my daughter like I did. Since then, I have referred 4, maybe 5 of my friends to Diana, and they have all called me thanking me for the referral. We all know that attorneys are sometimes jerks, but I promise, Diana is anything but. She is a breath of fresh air, and I HIGHLY recommend her to anybody.

anonymous
January 10, 2022

Diana and her team are just excellent. I interviewed a dozen or so attorneys and instantly felt comfortable with Diana. Being a mother of young children herself, she was able to relate to my concerns about removing my children from MA and support me through the entire process. If you're like me and are a Type A personality, Diana is definitely a fit for you! She is on top of everything! I was extremely impressed with her use of technology and how much she included me every step of the way. This is drastically different from the service you would get from an attorney without these traits. I highly recommend Diana and her team!

anonymous
January 5, 2022

Diana is professional, compassionate, and understanding. I recommend her for representation for anyone who maybe unfairly investigated by DCF. She will protect you and she knows your rights. She will be there with you if they schedule a home visit. She will fight for your rights and your family

anonymous
November 24, 2021

Diana and her team were very effective, diligent and empathetic while successfully representing our family’s complaint for Judicial Review against Massachusetts DCF in Superior Court. She remained responsive and positive, and was in constant contact throughout the process, which was a difficult 3-year ordeal, and throughout COVID.

Elise
November 23, 2021

This is the human being you want by your side for your legal issues. Diana and her office were easy to talk to & timely with replies and gathering materials. Diana herself was competent and reasonable in and out of court. I felt like she guided me to the best end result I could hope for. Intelligence and professionalism wrapped up in a very compassionate persona.

Emily
November 19, 2021

I had contacted Sladen Family Law and several other practices regarding the removal of my children from the Commonwealth. After speaking with Diana, I hired here immediately. She brought up my divorce case file while talking with me for the consultation. Other firms had no interest in taking on a relocation case or even calling me back. Diana stuck with me for 11 months to fight for relocation, fair custody and child support. She gave me guidance and support through the process. Her team was very helpful and someone was always around to give a quick answer. The process that I went through was mentally draining and Diana and her team did everything they could to see to a fair resolution on child support and custody with relocating without costing an arm and a leg. I would recommend her to anyone that is going through child custody and support issues and I would contact her again in the future if any other issues arise.

Nick
November 15, 2021

I’m a Divorced Father of three children and needed representation to settle an urgent custody situation. The team at Slayden & Costigan listened to what was important to me and produced immediate results. I couldn’t be happier with the final agreement and I would highly recommend them to anyone in need of exceptional council to settle any family law situation.

Jezriel
July 30, 2021

Diana and her team worked really hard on my case. She dug up information and prepared vital questions during court proceedings and during conciliation meetings. If you want someone who will go above and beyond for you hire Diana Sladen Family Law.

Ben
January 9, 2020

Sladen Family Law consists (at this time) of Diana Sladen and Allison her paralegal. The office is inviting and well-run by 2 awesome women who make a GREAT team. You will be welcomed with a big smile (a nice office décor) and they strive to make you feel comfortable, without passing any judgment no matter what your issue(s) or circumstance may be. My family have been involved with Sladen Family law for almost 10 months as a result of a substantiated 51A filed by a teacher. Diana fearlessly fought for our family from attending home visits, to holding DCF accountable to their own policies (DCF violated many of their own regulations). She did an outstanding and thorough job preparing for our Fair hearing and was brilliant during the fair hearing meeting by calling DCF staff out on their lack of professionalism and disregard for their own policies. DCF reversed their decision and we WON. We have had 2 lawyers prior to finding Diana (one had a judicial nomination within a couple months, the other was lazy and not responsive and we fired him). We can without a doubt confirm that Diana is by far better than both. We were also able to compare her work with opposing counsel from the school that our children attend. The opposing counsel for the school district (who came from a much bigger firm in Worcester) was ill-prepared, disorganized, unresponsive to our requests and clearly used tactics to try and squeeze as much $ from the town/school. Therefore, these are the 10 reasons why Sladen Family Law will not disappoint you: Knowledgeable and sound judgment: Diana knows the law and how to apply it. She is meticulous and always looks at the big picture when advising her clients or before making the next move. Reasonable pricing/plans: Diana is understanding of her clients’ financial need and has different payment plans. Honest: she once advised us to not proceed with a meeting we requested with DCF as we “would be wasting our $ having her there” Prompt responses: Diana acknowledges emails and phone calls within 24 hours or less-so does Allison. Caring and kind: Both Allison and Diana have supported our family during this difficult time and showed great compassion. They answered our many questions, emails, calls and reassured us every time. Result-driven: Diana focuses on the grand prize, in our case, winning the Fair hearing, and we DID Direct/gives you an answer: you will know where things stand with her, you will not be left confused Excellent listener: displays empathy and is able to absorb a lot in at once Fights for you and never gives up: Diana always called DCF out on their lack of follow-thru or lack of response and/or fabricated stories to tear families apart, she got them to close our case sooner and got them to produce case dictations and other documents that we were entitled to. Efficient, Great Oral and Written communicator: Diana challenged the DCF investigator during the fair hearing on a number of things she did (or did not do) the day she showed up at our home. Diana produced an outstanding memorandum to the hearing office pointing out all the areas where DCF failed our family by not following their own protocol, their inconsistent 51B report and showing prejudice the moment they arrived at our home Passionate about her work: Diana loves what she does and is great at it If you are still debating about going with Sladen Family Law, then make an appointment for a free consultation and get to meet Diana and Allison, you will NOT be disappointed!

Manny
June 25, 2019

There is simply not enough positive things that I can say about the Sladen Law team. From the onset of my custody case, Diana and her team made every effort to support my concerns, fears, and lack of familiarity. As a Father navigating in unknown territory (and worried about inequality within the Probate system), Diana was a beacon of hope. During the duration of my case, and even in the many months since, Diana has always made me feel like my son's best interests were her top priority. She has constantly made herself available whenever needed, offered encouraging counsel in the most frustrating of moments, and above all else has been extremely relateable (rare in a crowd of attorneys who come off as ingenuine). If you select Sladen Family Law to represent you; I assure you that you'll find Diana to be an attorney who's knowledge and expertise is second to none; with a level of tenacity (both on your case and in the court room) that will give you peace of mind while in an unsettling situation. Thank you to Diana and team for helping me reach a case resolution I never thought possible. I am forever thankful.

Ally
May 8, 2019

I had an incredibly difficult case spanning 14 years and 4 states. I met with Diana in hopes that she would be able to at least help me sort things out. She blew me out of the water. She rattled off laws and ideas and avenues we could use. I've had several other attorneys before her (from different states) and her approach was so refreshing. She took the time to really understand what I wanted, and had no problems telling me what I needed to hear. She really got to know my family, and not once, ever, did I feel like I was a paycheck, or just a client. My case spanned a year, and she never lost steam. I'd call her literally at 9 pm freaking out about the court appearance the next day, and she gave me a pep talk and calmed my nervous. She always answered my countless questions in ways I could understand. In the court room, she was well-prepared and methodical. Diana recognized the manipulative nature in my ex, and his attorney, and calmly but effectively dominated the case. She laid out all the facts, rebuttals, to the point the OC started stammering and repeating the same thing over and over because her case fell apart. Diana was calm but aggressive, and just filled with confidence. It was just so refreshing to see an attorney who actually believed me, and wanted the best for my daughter like I did. Since then, I have referred 4, maybe 5 of my friends to Diana, and they have all called me thanking me for the referral. We all know that attorneys are sometimes jerks, but I promise, Diana is anything but. She is a breath of fresh air, and I HIGHLY recommend her to anybody.

anonymous
January 10, 2022

Diana and her team are just excellent. I interviewed a dozen or so attorneys and instantly felt comfortable with Diana. Being a mother of young children herself, she was able to relate to my concerns about removing my children from MA and support me through the entire process. If you're like me and are a Type A personality, Diana is definitely a fit for you! She is on top of everything! I was extremely impressed with her use of technology and how much she included me every step of the way. This is drastically different from the service you would get from an attorney without these traits. I highly recommend Diana and her team!

anonymous
January 5, 2022

Diana is professional, compassionate, and understanding. I recommend her for representation for anyone who maybe unfairly investigated by DCF. She will protect you and she knows your rights. She will be there with you if they schedule a home visit. She will fight for your rights and your family

anonymous
November 24, 2021

Diana and her team were very effective, diligent and empathetic while successfully representing our family’s complaint for Judicial Review against Massachusetts DCF in Superior Court. She remained responsive and positive, and was in constant contact throughout the process, which was a difficult 3-year ordeal, and throughout COVID.

Elise
November 23, 2021

This is the human being you want by your side for your legal issues. Diana and her office were easy to talk to & timely with replies and gathering materials. Diana herself was competent and reasonable in and out of court. I felt like she guided me to the best end result I could hope for. Intelligence and professionalism wrapped up in a very compassionate persona.

Emily
November 19, 2021

I had contacted Sladen Family Law and several other practices regarding the removal of my children from the Commonwealth. After speaking with Diana, I hired here immediately. She brought up my divorce case file while talking with me for the consultation. Other firms had no interest in taking on a relocation case or even calling me back. Diana stuck with me for 11 months to fight for relocation, fair custody and child support. She gave me guidance and support through the process. Her team was very helpful and someone was always around to give a quick answer. The process that I went through was mentally draining and Diana and her team did everything they could to see to a fair resolution on child support and custody with relocating without costing an arm and a leg. I would recommend her to anyone that is going through child custody and support issues and I would contact her again in the future if any other issues arise.

Nick
November 15, 2021

I’m a Divorced Father of three children and needed representation to settle an urgent custody situation. The team at Slayden & Costigan listened to what was important to me and produced immediate results. I couldn’t be happier with the final agreement and I would highly recommend them to anyone in need of exceptional council to settle any family law situation.

Jezriel
July 30, 2021

Diana and her team worked really hard on my case. She dug up information and prepared vital questions during court proceedings and during conciliation meetings. If you want someone who will go above and beyond for you hire Diana Sladen Family Law.