Portrait of Diana Okonkwo

Diana Okonkwo

Partner

Washington

dokonkwo@sterling-ghold.com

Washington DC

Practice areas

Education

  • LL.M. Taxation, Georgetown University Law Center (2006)
  • J.D., University of Michigan Law School (2005)
  • B.B.A. Accounting, Howard University (2002)

Certifications

  • Lean Six Sigma Green Belt
  • Certified Mediator, AAA Commercial Panel

Languages

  • English
  • Igbo

Diana Okonkwo is a leading tax counsel specializing in M&A tax structuring, partnership taxation, and cross-border transactions. She advises multinational corporations and private equity sponsors on tax-efficient deal structures and post-acquisition integrations.

Diana joined Sterling & Ghold from the Office of Chief Counsel at the Internal Revenue Service, where she developed deep expertise in pass-through taxation and international tax provisions.

She is a contributing author to the Bloomberg Tax Management Portfolio series and regularly presents at the American Bar Association Tax Section meetings.

Bar Admissions

  • District of Columbia (2006)
  • Maryland (2007)

Notable Matters

  • Represented underwriters in $850M IPO of biotech issuer
  • Lead counsel in $4.2B cross-border acquisition of MeridianTech (2023)

Cases

  • In re: Apex Industries Sec. Litig., No. 22-cv-04412 (S.D.N.Y.)

Professional

  • American Bar Association
    • Section of Business Law — Vice Chair, M&A Committee
    • Task Force on Corporate Governance
  • New York State Bar Association

Community

  • Habitat for Humanity NYC — Volunteer Counsel

Board Memberships

  • Director, Center for Civic Education
  • Tax Directors Handbook – Recommended (2024)

Articles

  • "The Quiet Revolution in Section 220 Books-and-Records Demands", Del. J. Corp. L. (2023)
  • "Privacy by Design in M&A Due Diligence", IAPP Privacy Advisor (2023)

Presentations

  • Speaker, "Generative AI and Attorney Work-Product", ABA Tech Show 2024

Podcasts

  • Guest, "Deal Flow" Podcast, Episode 142 — "Negotiating Earnouts"
Authored by Diana Okonkwo

Recent insights

Feb 8, 2026
7 min read

Tax Structuring for Private Equity Exits: Five Considerations in 2025

With capital gains rates potentially in flux, PE sponsors are revisiting their exit strategies. Our tax team identifies the most impactful planning opportunities.