{"id":20491,"date":"2026-06-24T15:45:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T19:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/?p=20491"},"modified":"2026-06-24T09:36:37","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T13:36:37","slug":"justice-karen-valihura-wilmington-university","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/2026\/06\/24\/justice-karen-valihura-wilmington-university\/","title":{"rendered":"At Delaware Supreme Court Session, Justice Karen L. Valihura Revealed Next Chapter at Wilmington University"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.kadence-column20491_75712f-bb > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-right:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);padding-left:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);}.kadence-column20491_75712f-bb > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column20491_75712f-bb > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column20491_75712f-bb > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column20491_75712f-bb > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column20491_75712f-bb > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column20491_75712f-bb > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column20491_75712f-bb{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column20491_75712f-bb > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kadence-column20491_75712f-bb > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column20491_75712f-bb\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<p>Delaware Supreme Court Justice <strong>Karen L. Valihura<\/strong> announced today during a special session of the Delaware Supreme Court that she will join Wilmington University\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/law.wilmu.edu\/\">Farnan School of Law<\/a> faculty as Distinguished Professor of Corporate Law and founding director of the University\u2019s new Corporate Law, Governance and Practice Institute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Justice Valihura brings to Wilmington University a distinguished career on Delaware\u2019s highest court, decades of experience in private practice, and a strong record of service to the legal profession. For students, her appointment offers a meaningful opportunity to learn the law from someone who has shaped, practiced, and applied it at the highest levels. Her addition to the faculty strengthens the law school\u2019s connection to the bench and bar, giving students a closer view of how legal judgment is developed and how the law works in the real world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI am excited to join the distinguished faculty at the Farnan School of Law, where I will be able to combine my love of the law with my desire to help educate and mentor the next generation of lawyers,\u201d says Justice Valihura. \u201cAs head of the new institute, I look forward to drawing on Delaware\u2019s abundant corporate law resources to bring together lawyers, academics and corporate governance professionals for cutting-edge programming designed to advance both academic and practical instruction.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Justice Valihura has served on the Delaware Supreme Court since 2014 and announced in January that she will not seek reappointment when her term ends in July 2026. She became the second woman to serve on the Delaware Supreme Court and, in 2019, became the first woman to serve as interim Chief Justice during a period of transition on the Court. Before her appointment, Justice Valihura spent 25 years at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher &amp; Flom LLP, where she was a corporate litigator and then a litigation partner. Her career has included substantial work in corporate and commercial law, as well as leadership in areas involving access to justice, legal technology, and the administration of justice.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-row-layout-wrap.wp-block-kadence-rowlayout.kb-row-layout-id20491_52bbd3-73{margin-top:0em;margin-bottom:0em;}.kb-row-layout-id20491_52bbd3-73 > .kt-row-column-wrap{align-content:center;}:where(.kb-row-layout-id20491_52bbd3-73 > .kt-row-column-wrap) > .wp-block-kadence-column{justify-content:center;}.kb-row-layout-id20491_52bbd3-73 > .kt-row-column-wrap{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem );row-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem );max-width:var( --global-content-width, 1290px );padding-left:var(--global-content-edge-padding);padding-right:var(--global-content-edge-padding);padding-top:0em;padding-right:0em;padding-bottom:0em;padding-left:0em;grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}.kb-row-layout-id20491_52bbd3-73 > .kt-row-layout-overlay{opacity:0.30;}.kb-row-layout-id20491_52bbd3-73 ,.kb-row-layout-id20491_52bbd3-73 h1,.kb-row-layout-id20491_52bbd3-73 h2,.kb-row-layout-id20491_52bbd3-73 h3,.kb-row-layout-id20491_52bbd3-73 h4,.kb-row-layout-id20491_52bbd3-73 h5,.kb-row-layout-id20491_52bbd3-73 h6{color:#00843d;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id20491_52bbd3-73 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id20491_52bbd3-73{border-top:1px solid #db1313;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kb-row-layout-id20491_52bbd3-73 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}.kb-row-layout-id20491_52bbd3-73{border-top:1px solid #db1313;}}\/**** BLOCKQUOTE CSS ****\/\/* @import \"https:\/\/www.wilmu.edu\/css\/blog\/style.css\"; *\/:root {  --global-md-spacing: 1.5rem;  --color-accent: #f9c22c;  --color-neutral3: #605f60;  --radius-md: 0.625rem;  --quote-size-text: clamp(1.25rem, 3cqi, 2.25rem);  --quote-size: clamp(2.5rem, 8cqi, 5rem);}\/* =========================   BLOCKQUOTE CONTAINER========================= *\/blockquote.wu-blockquote-simple {  container-type: inline-size;   margin-block: 0;  border-radius: var(--radius-md);  border: 0.15rem solid rgba(0 132 61 \/ 6%);  box-shadow:\t\t 0px 3px 1px -2px rgba(0 0 0 \/ 20%),\t\t 0px 2px 2px 0px rgba(0 0 0 \/ 14%),\t\t 0px 1px 5px 0px rgba(0 0 0 \/ 12%);\tposition: relative;\tisolation: isolate;\tcolor: var(--color-neutral3);\tinline-size: 100%;  padding: 1.875rem 2.688rem;  flex: 1;  display: flex;  flex-direction: column;  align-items: center;  text-wrap:balance;}\/* =========================   TEXT BLOCK (anchor)========================= *\/blockquote.wu-blockquote-simple p {\tposition: relative;\tinline-size: -webkit-fit-content;\tinline-size: -moz-fit-content;\tinline-size: fit-content;\tcolor: var(--color-primary);\tmax-inline-size: 40ch;\thanging-punctuation: first last;\tfont-family: ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, \"Times New Roman\", serif;\tfont-weight: 600;\tfont-size: var(--quote-size-text);\tmargin-block: 0 !important;}\/* =========================   QUOTES========================= *\/blockquote.wu-blockquote-simple p::before,blockquote.wu-blockquote-simple p::after {\tposition: absolute;  font-size: var(--quote-size);  font-weight: 700;  line-height: 1;  color: var(--color-accent);  opacity: 0.45;\tz-index: 0;}\/* =========================   OPEN QUOTE========================= *\/blockquote.wu-blockquote-simple p::before {  content: open-quote;  \/* optical margin alignment *\/  left: -0.65em;  \/* top: -0.25em; *\/}\/* =========================   CLOSE QUOTE========================= *\/blockquote.wu-blockquote-simple p::after {  content: close-quote;\t-webkit-margin-after: -1rem;\tmargin-block-end: -1rem;}\/* ========================= CITATION ========================= *\/blockquote.wu-blockquote-simple cite {  display: block;  inline-size: -webkit-fit-content;  inline-size: -moz-fit-content;  inline-size: fit-content;  margin-inline: auto;\tfont-family: proxima nova, system-sans, sans-serif;  font-style: italic;  color: var(--color-neutral3);\t-webkit-text-stroke: 0.25px rgba(0 0 0 \/ 25%);\tletter-spacing: .03em;}.wu-blockquote-row {\tmargin: 0 !important;}<\/style><div class=\"kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id20491_52bbd3-73 alignnone FULL wu-blockquote-row wp-block-kadence-rowlayout\"><div class=\"kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-1-columns kt-row-layout-equal kt-tab-layout-inherit kt-mobile-layout-row kt-row-valign-middle kb-theme-content-width\">\n<style>.kadence-column20491_c4805d-de > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-md, 2rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-md, 2rem);}.kadence-column20491_c4805d-de > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column20491_c4805d-de > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column20491_c4805d-de > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column20491_c4805d-de > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column20491_c4805d-de > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column20491_c4805d-de > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column20491_c4805d-de{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column20491_c4805d-de > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kadence-column20491_c4805d-de > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column20491_c4805d-de kb-section-dir-vertical wu-blockquote-section\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote wu-blockquote-simple wp-container-content-9cfa9a5a is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">\u201cJustice Valihura\u2019s career reflects the best of Delaware\u2019s legal profession.<\/p>\n<cite>\u2014  Farnan School of Law Dean Jan R. Jurden<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cJustice Valihura\u2019s decision to join the faculty of the Farnan School of Law and lead the new Corporate Law, Governance and Practice Institute is significant for our University, our students and Delaware\u2019s legal community,\u201d says Wilmington University President <strong>Dr. LaVerne Harmon<\/strong>. \u201cAt this point in her career, I believe Justice Valihura could have continued her service to the legal profession in many ways. Choosing to teach at Wilmington University and help build the institute reflects the strength of the Farnan School of Law, its accomplished faculty and its promising students, while advancing our mission to provide meaningful, career-focused education.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cJustice Valihura\u2019s career reflects the best of Delaware\u2019s legal profession,\u201d says Farnan School of Law Dean <strong>Jan R. Jurden<\/strong>. \u201cShe is someone I have long admired for the seriousness and care she brings to the law, and for her belief in the humanity at the center of it. That perspective will matter in the classroom, where students are learning legal doctrine and beginning to understand the responsibility that comes with becoming a lawyer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Wilmington University Corporate Law, Governance and Practice Institute will be based in Delaware\u2019s corporate law and judicial community, giving students direct access to the lawyers, judges, business leaders, regulators and policymakers who help shape the field. It will offer practical instruction, bring people together to discuss emerging legal issues and create programming that connects the law school with the public and private sectors. With the Farnan School of Law and the University\u2019s Convocation Center that is expected to open in late 2026, the institute will be positioned to host programs for the local legal community as well as larger conferences with broader reach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Justice Valihura earned her bachelor\u2019s degree from Washington &amp; Jefferson College and her law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. She also served as a law clerk to Judge <strong>Robert E. Cowen<\/strong> of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Delaware Supreme Court Justice Karen L. Valihura announced today during a special session of the Delaware Supreme Court that she will join Wilmington University\u2019s Farnan&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":20494,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[1083,14,15],"class_list":["post-20491","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-farnan-school-of-law","tag-wilmington-university","tag-wilmu"],"acf":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":2,"label":"ACADEMIC NEWS"}],"post_tag":[{"value":1083,"label":"Farnan School of Law"},{"value":14,"label":"Wilmington University"},{"value":15,"label":"WilmU"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/justice-karen-l-valihura-480x480.jpg",480,480,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Rachel Marchione","author_link":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/author\/rachel\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":2,"name":"ACADEMIC NEWS","slug":"academic-news","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":559,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":473,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":2,"category_count":473,"category_description":"","cat_name":"ACADEMIC NEWS","category_nicename":"academic-news","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":[{"term_id":1083,"name":"Farnan School of Law","slug":"farnan-school-of-law","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1640,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":3,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":14,"name":"Wilmington University","slug":"wilmington-university","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":571,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":373,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":15,"name":"WilmU","slug":"wilmu","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":572,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":307,"filter":"raw"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20491","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20491"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20491\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20497,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20491\/revisions\/20497"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20494"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20491"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20491"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20491"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}