The Hon. Paul Fioravanti, Jr ‘97 (right) pictured with Delaware Gov. John Carney
Maryland Carey Law welcomes the Hon. Paul A. Fioravanti, Jr. ’97, vice chancellor of the Delaware Court of Chancery, back to the law school as a distinguished jurist-in-residence for the spring 2024 semester. The vice chancellor will teach the Corporate Litigation Bootcamp, a course delving into substantive Delaware corporate law and corporate and commercial litigation procedures in the Delaware Court of Chancery.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to learn from someone with first-hand, insider knowledge of the Delaware Court of Chancery,” said Professor Kevin Tu, director of Maryland Carey Law’s Business Law Program. “Vice Chancellor Fioravanti’s perspective will be incredibly valuable, especially for those interested in pursuing careers in corporate litigation.”
The Delaware Court of Chancery is a non-jury trial court that serves as Delaware's court of original and exclusive equity jurisdiction, and adjudicates a wide variety of cases involving trusts, real property, guardianships, civil rights, and commercial litigation. The court is widely recognized as the nation's preeminent forum for the determination of disputes involving the internal affairs of the thousands upon thousands of Delaware corporations and other business entities through which a vast amount of the world's commercial affairs is conducted.
In the intensive, week-long course, Fioravanti will lecture on the mechanics of litigating a corporate or commercial case, with emphasis on the Delaware Court of Chancery. Discussions will cover subjects such as jurisdiction, expedited litigation, books and records demands, preliminary injunction standards, and fiduciary duties of directors and officers. Students will then apply their knowledge through written and oral advocacy assignments.
Fioravanti is already a familiar face for many students at Maryland Carey Law. Last spring, he was a special guest during Business Law Week, an annual week of lectures, seminars, and networking events where experts in the field share their practical advice and experiences with business law students. Fioravanti presented the 2023 Norman P. Ramsey Distinguished Lecture, “Inside the Delaware Court of Chancery: A Modern-Day Perspective.” Additionally, he attended the 1L Business Law Welcome Reception and participated in a judicial chat with students, discussing judicial law clerk and internship opportunities.
A 1997 graduate of Maryland Carey Law, Fioravanti joined the Delaware Court of Chancery in February 2020. Previously, he was a director at the law firm of Prickett, Jones & Elliott, P.A. in Wilmington, Delaware, where he practiced for 21 years, with a primary focus on corporate and commercial litigation in the Court of Chancery. While in private practice, he served on the Court of Chancery Rules Committee and the Corporation Law Council of the Corporation Law Section of the Delaware State Bar Association.
At Maryland Carey Law, Fioravanti was editor-in-chief of the Maryland Law Review. Upon graduation, he served as a judicial clerk on the Maryland Court of Special Appeals (now the Appellate Court of Maryland) for the Hon. Ellen L. Hollander, who now serves on the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.