New Judge Appointed to Delaware Bankruptcy Court - Judge Karen B. Owens

Monday, June 17, 2019

 

NEW JUDGE APPOINTED TO DELAWARE BANKRUPTCY COURT

On June 17, 2019, Karen B. Owens was sworn in as a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Delaware. The oath was administered in a private ceremony before Hon. Leonard P. Stark, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Delaware.  Judge Owens along with her new colleague, Judge Dorsey, fill two much-needed, newly created seats, which were established by Congress after tireless efforts by the Administrative Office of U.S. Courts and the strong support of the Delaware Congressional delegation, particularly Senator Chris Coons and his staff.  This brings the Court’s current complement of judges to eight. 

Before her appointment, Judge Owens was a Director in the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Group of Ashby & Geddes, P.A.  At Ashby & Geddes, Judge Owens maintained a diverse practice, representing corporate debtors, estate professionals, various secured and unsecured creditor constituencies, and other interested parties in reorganization and liquidation proceedings and bankruptcy-related litigation.  Prior to joining Ashby & Geddes, she started her career at Skadden Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom as a corporate restructuring associate, and later went on to serve as a law clerk to Hon. Brendan Linehan Shannon of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

Judge Owens earned her law degree, summa cum laude, from American University, Washington College of Law, where she served as Associate Managing Editor for the American University Law Review and as Legal Intern to Hon. Stephen S. Mitchell, United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.  She earned her bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University, University Park, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

            A public investiture will follow.

 

-      Chief Judge Christopher S. Sontchi