Governor John Carney on Thursday announced that he intends to nominate the following two individuals for judicial appointment to the Court of Chancery. The Delaware Senate plans to consider the nominations during a special session on October 3.
The nominations reflect legislation that added two vice chancellors to what many consider to be the nation’s leading business court.
Despite predictions from some in the corporate legal community outside Delaware that the court is losing its relevance, the number of dispositions has risen since fiscal 2013. The court had a record year in 2012
Morgan Zurn, Court of Chancery – Zurn is currently serving as a Master on the Court of Chancery, where she presides over trials and motions involving all subjects within the Court’s jurisdiction.
Prior to joining the Court of Chancery, Master Zurn worked as a Deputy Attorney General in the Delaware Department of Justice, in the Consumer Protection Unit and, later, arguing appeals before the Delaware Supreme Court.
Zurn was also a patent litigator in private practice, and she served as a law clerk for Richard G. Andrews on the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. She holds a Juris Doctorate, cum laude, and a Master’s degree in Bioethics from the University of Pennsylvania, and she holds a B.A., with distinction, from the University of Virginia.
Kathaleen McCormick, Court of Chancery – “Katie” McCormick is a Partner in the Corporate Counseling and Litigation Section of Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP, where her focus is corporate, commercial and alternative entity litigation in the Court of Chancery.
McCormick has experience advising and litigating on behalf of clients in a variety of substantive areas, including corporation and alternative entity law, mergers and acquisitions, derivative claims, control disputes, compensation disputes, indemnification and advancement, and data privacy.
McCormick has also handled significant public interest litigation for and against the State of Delaware. McCormick holds a J.D. from Notre Dame Law School and an A.B. in Philosophy, cum laude, from Harvard University.