Meet Our Administration
The Dean and members of the administration oversee the effective operation of the Farnan School of Law relating to faculty, staff and students, and act as liaisons between the Farnan School of Law and the central University administration.
Jan Jurden
Dean
Judge Jurden brings over two decades of judicial experience to her role, having served on the Delaware Superior Court since 2001 and as its President Judge from 2015 until her recent retirement. Notably, she was the first woman in Delaware's history to hold the position of President Judge. Her judicial work included oversight of major criminal and civil cases and the establishment of specialized courts focused on the needs of underserved populations, such as veterans and individuals with mental health challenges.
Prior to her judicial career, Judge Jurden practiced law for more than a decade, becoming a partner at a prominent Delaware firm. A U.S. Army veteran, she served with distinction before entering the legal profession. Judge Jurden holds a Juris Doctor from Penn State Dickinson Law and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Muhlenberg College. She has also contributed to legal education by teaching at several universities, including Wilmington University. Judge Jurden has been honored with numerous distinctions, including the Delaware State Bar Association’s Honorable Aida Waserstein Award and its Outstanding Service to the Courts and Bar Award, and has been inducted into the Delaware Women’s Hall of Fame.
Kimberly Gattuso
Associate Dean for Experiential Learning
Combining her experience as a Delaware lawyer, legal recruiter and law firm administrator responsible for hiring and training associate attorneys, Ms. Gattuso helps students develop real-word, practical lawyering skills through a variety of experiential learning opportunities. These programs provide students with valuable hands-on experience that will help them succeed regardless of their future career path.
Prior to transitioning to academia, Ms. Gattuso practiced law for more than 15 years, held leadership positions with the Delaware State Bar Association, ran her own legal recruiting firm and trained associate attorneys at one of the oldest law firms in Delaware. She earned her J.D. from Widener University School of Law and holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Delaware.
Laurie Meehan
Associate Dean for Law Academics
As a leader in academic affairs, Ms. Meehan has overseen strategic enrollment management, academic curriculum planning, course scheduling, registration, advising and exam administration. She has worked in higher education for 18 years—the last 10 at the University of Baltimore School of Law. She earned her J.D. as an evening student in Baltimore’s program while working at the University of Maryland Baltimore County.
Ms. Meehan also holds an M.S. in Sport Management from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. in Communications from Monmouth University.
Marjorie Swain
Assistant to the Dean
Ms. Swain worked for the State of Delaware for 23 years. She began her State service in 2002 with the Delaware Public Defender’s Office (now the Office of Defense Services) where she supported a team of criminal defense attorneys who tried cases in the Court of Common Pleas and in the Superior Court. In 2005, she accepted the position of Judicial Secretary in the Superior Court of Delaware working with the Hon. Jan R. Jurden. When Judge Jurden was elevated to President Judge of the Superior Court in 2015, Ms. Swain assisted the President Judge by assuming several additional responsibilities that included working closely with the Judges and Commissioners, department heads, State agencies, justice partners, other courts, and the Legislature. Prior to her State service, Ms. Swain worked for the DuPont Company for 12 years, finishing her career as the administrative assistant to the Vice President of Business Development in the Pharmaceutical Division. She is excited for this new opportunity at The Farnan School of Law and is looking forward to working with the staff, faculty, and students.
Taylor Warrington-Purcell
Admissions Coordinator
Ms. Warrington-Purcell has worked in various levels of education over the last 5 years. As an educator, she focused on Professional Development, Diversity Training, Childhood Development, and Montessori Teaching principles as an elementary teaching assistant. Ultimately, these tools highlighted the goal to educate diverse individuals and empower them through connection. This led her to work in higher education for Wilmington University beginning 2019. Once The Farnan School of Law was announced, Ms. Warrington-Purcell was excited to start a new path with The Farnan School of Law by connecting students with law staff and faculty.
Ms. Warrington-Purcell has a long history with Wilmington University and is a Delaware native. She holds a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies with concentrations in Education, Criminal Justice, Art, and English from Wilmington University. She is also a member of the Disney Alumni Association after completing her internship in Orlando.
Jeffrey Zavrotny
Associate Dean for Law Admissions
Mr. Zavrotny has worked in admissions for more than 25 years, including undergraduate admissions at King’s College and graduate admissions at the University of Baltimore. He spent the past 16 years at the University of Baltimore in law admissions—the last 14 as assistant dean.
Mr. Zavrotny also worked as a consultant for Oracle PeopleSoft at multiple U.S. universities. He earned his MBA and J.D. as a nontraditional student at the University of Baltimore. He also holds a bachelor’s in History with a second major in Criminal Justice from King’s College.
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