Diana Fitzpatrick

Diana Fitzpatrick

J.D. · New York University School of Law

Diana Fitzpatrick is a former Legal Editor at Nolo who specialized in small business, tax, and nonprofit law. She is a graduate of Barnard College and New York University School of Law. 

Early career. Diana started her career in New York City where she lived and worked before moving to the Bay Area in 1990. Her first job after law school was as an associate at the New York law firm of Wilkie, Farr & Gallagher, where she worked in the corporate and securities department. After moving to San Francisco, she worked at the San Francisco City Attorney's Office as a deputy city attorney in the bond department. 

Nolo. Diana joined Nolo in 2003 after taking a few years off work to be at home with her two young children. She was drawn to Nolo with its mission to help people navigate the law and find solutions to their problems or answers to their questions. She enjoyed making legal information more accessible to all and working with some of Nolo’s long-time writers on business, nonprofit, and tax books.

Other pursuits. Diana serves as President of the Western States Endurance Run Foundation and is a volunteer coach at San Quentin State Prison and a Marin County high school.

Articles By Diana Fitzpatrick

Chart: Ways to Organize Your Business
The pros and cons of corporations, LLCs, partnerships, sole proprietorships, and more.
How to Get a Small Business License in Florida
When starting a new business in Florida, you will need to examine state, county, and municipal regulations on obtaining a business license.
How to Get a Small Business License in California
The Golden Bear state is home to many entrepreneurs who must decipher how to get a small business license in California.
How to Start an LLC
Here's what you need to do to form a limited liability company.
Qualifying to Do Business Outside Your State
If your LLC or corporation operates in more than one state, you could have yet another bureaucratic hurdle to tackle: qualifying to do business in other states. Each state has rules for when you must qualify to do business. Read about when and how to qualify your foreign business.
How to Dissolve a Corporation
Learn the basic steps for dissolving a corporation in your state.
When Is a Written Contract Required Under the UCC?
Both lawyers and businesspeople will tell you that, when you make a deal with someone, you should always “get it in writing.” In practice, however, many commercial deals are made on a handshake.
How Sole Proprietors Are Taxed
As a sole proprietor you must report all business income or losses on your personal income tax return; the business itself is not taxed separately.
How LLC Members Are Taxed
An LLC does not pay its own federal income taxes (though some states tax LLCs annually). Instead, all of an LLC's profits and losses "pass through" the business to the LLC owners (called "members"), who report the LLC's profit and loss information on their personal tax returns. The members are considered self-employed business owners and are not subject to tax withholding, but most do have to make contributions to the Social Security and Medicare systems.
Advantages of an LLC
Many new start-ups are structured as Limited Liability Companies (LLCs)  which offer key  advantages  over other business entities.   An LLC blends certain positive at