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Delaware Law
Class of 1981
Harry J. Karapalides,
Esq., ’81, ’85L has authored several books and newspaper and magazine articles. His award-winning script Revolt was entered in the Raindance Film Festival, the largest independent film festival in the United Kingdom. Karapalides holds a BA in government and politics from Widener. He also holds a JD from Widener’s Delaware Law School and has practiced law in Pennsylvania for more than 35 years.
Karapalides is president of the award-winning production company 69th Street Productions and one of the executive producers of the upcoming mini-series Recipes or Love.
Class of 1986
The Honorable Joseph
J. DeRita was presented the Pennsylvania Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Law Section 2022 Irvin Stander Memorial Award. The award is named in
honor of the late Judge Irvin Stander and is presented to an attorney whose dedication to the administration of workers’ compensation law and professionalism and regard for clients and colleagues serves as an example to others.
Class of 1990
Dale S. Ardizzone, Esq.,
has been inducted into the prestigious Cable TV Pioneers Hall of Fame. As the COO for Western content–focused entertainment network INSP,
Ardizzone oversees a cable television network that has become one of the dominant success stories in the industry. At a time when most networks are losing viewers, INSP continues to set viewership records, with increased year-over-year ratings for seven consecutive years—the only network with this record of growth. Ardizzone is also responsible for network lobbying efforts at the federal level. Working with INSP’s lobbying consultants, outside counsel, and other networks, he interfaces with congress and the FCC on legislative and policy issues on a regular basis. Most recently, Ardizzone served as the lead negotiator and point person for the acquisition of 17 major broadcast stations in 12 markets from Cox Media Group and the formation of a legal infrastructure supporting this acquisition.
Class of 1992
Alfred J. Carlson ’92,
’92L managing partner of Martin Law, has been named president-elect of the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association. Carlson has been a litigator in Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Law since 1992. In 2013, he was among the first class of attorneys to become a certified specialist in Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation by the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Section on Workers’ Compensation Law, as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Carlson is a
frequent guest lecturer at Villanova University School of Law and has published numerous articles on the topic of Workers’ Compensation law. He holds degrees in business and law from Widener University.
Class of 1994
Gina F. Rubel, Esq., a graduate of Delaware Law School, celebrated
the 20th anniversary of the founding of her communications firm, Furia Rubel Communications, which launched in 2002.
Over the past 20 years, Furia Rubel has represented clients throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the British Virgin Islands and is the proud recipient of more than 100 industry awards. Furia Rubel is ranked among the top regional agencies and top 50 women-owned businesses by the Philadelphia Business Journal.
Class of 1995
Wendy J. Taylor, Esq.,
started her own animal rescue charity, West Place Animal Sanctuary, after a fire gutted her house, killing her beloved pets—two dogs, six cats, and a goat recuperating from surgery. The nonprofit is home to approximately 100 rescued farm animals, wild waterfowl, and game birds that she and other wildlife rehabtrained volunteers nurture to health on her Tiverton, Rhode Island, property before releasing them back into the wild.
Class of 1999
Jonathan E. Peri, Esq.,
president of Manor College, is using his platform to support Ukraine and their local Ukrainian community. Manor College was founded as St. Macrina College by the Ukrainian Sisters of the Order of St. Basil the Great. The prevalence of this Ukrainian Catholic identity has galvanized a broad range of support for Ukraine, currently in a brutal Russian invasion. The war has killed thousands and displaced at least 12 million. The school—which has vigorously denounced the war,
while calling for international aid and prayer—led a coalition of U.S. colleges and universities in conferring an honorary doctorate on Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Class of 2003
Joel West Williams,
Esq., was appointed deputy solicitor for Indian Affairs by the Biden Administration. West Williams is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and most recently served as an attorney with the Native American Rights Fund (NARF). Prior to that, West Williams was assistant counsel with the Pennsylvania Governor’s Office of General Counsel and senior legislative officer with the Cherokee Nation. He is a former president of the National Native American Bar Association and has taught at Vermont Law School and NYU School of Law.
Class of 2005
The Honorable Monte T. Squire was appointed to serve on the Lawyer
Advisory Committee to the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. The committee is appointed by the Chief Judge and is intended to assist and serve the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware in achieving, dispensing, and administering justice in a fair, impartial, effective, and efficient manner. The work of the
committee includes: serving as a liaison between the bench, the bar, and the public; undertaking projects as requested by the court; and reviewing and recommending local rules, practices, and procedures to improve court proceedings.
Class of 2008
Rules of Professional Conduct, and as a member of the Delaware Superior Court Complex Commercial Litigation.
Class of 2021
Devon M. Potts, Esq., is helping change the face
Class of 2016
The Honorable Patricia
A. Winston was
appointed to the Superior Court of Delaware by Governor John Carney. Judge Winston is a member of the National Bar Association’s Commercial Law Section. In the past, she served as chair of the Delaware State Bar Association’s Litigation Section, a Board Member of the Delaware Supreme Court’s Board of Bar Examiners, a member of the Delaware Supreme Court’s Permanent Advisory Committee on the Delaware Lawyers’ As a Latina, Kelly Navarro emigrated to the United States from Trinidad when she was a child. She experienced poverty and homelessness, and had to drop out of high school in order to work to provide for herself. When she was 20, she became pregnant with her son and vowed to pursue higher education in order to give her son the life she never had. Navarro attended Wilmington University where she earned her BS, and Widener’s Delaware Law School, where she earned an MBA and JD. Navarro presently serves as a chief people officer and is a council member at Boston HR Council. and look of representation in the courtroom as the first Black woman to serve as an assistant public defender in the Delaware County Public Defender’s Office. Potts, who was born and raised in Chester, hopes her presence in this position can help inspire others. “At least seeing someone else who looks like you in the Public Defender’s Office, it kind of gives you hope,” she said. Potts hopes her work in the courts speaks the loudest for the people she represents. “We want to change the narrative in Delaware County’s public defense system,” she said. “We want to level the playing field. We want people who can’t afford attorneys to realize and understand that even though they can’t, they still will receive the same quality of legal representation as if they were paying.”
