Former Third Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Kent Jordan Joins Richards, Layton & Finger

Richards, Layton & Finger announced today that Judge Kent Jordan, who served as a federal judge for more than two decades, including a tenure on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit from 2006-25, has joined Richards, Layton & Finger as a director. He will practice in the Litigation Department’s Intellectual Property Group and act as a mediator and arbitrator of commercial disputes.

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Former Third Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Kent Jordan (Photo: Business Wire)

“We are honored to welcome Judge Jordan, who over a 40-year career as a private practitioner, general counsel, federal prosecutor, and federal judge has earned universal respect for his fidelity to the law, his even-handed treatment of others, and his keen legal insights,” said Lisa Schmidt, president of Richards Layton. “The perspective he has gained from his time on the bench and beyond will be invaluable to our attorneys, our clients, and parties seeking a neutral capable of navigating the most complex disputes.”

Judge Jordan was first confirmed to the federal judiciary in 2002, serving as a judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware for four years before his elevation to the Third Circuit, where he succeeded now-Senior Judge Jane Richards Roth, a former partner at Richards Layton. Previously, he served in the Department of Justice as an assistant U.S. attorney in the District of Delaware, where, in addition to prosecuting criminal actions, he handled civil matters as chief of the civil division. Judge Jordan’s broad base of experience also includes a five-year period as general counsel of the Corporation Service Company, which operates today in 140 global jurisdictions.

At Richards Layton, Judge Jordan will lend his insights on brief-writing and litigation strategy across the firm’s entire Litigation Department, drawing on his experience with diverse subject matter including corporate, antitrust, securities, and bankruptcy disputes. He will also advise on intellectual property litigation, an area in which he accumulated significant experience as a trial judge in one of the most active federal districts for patent disputes, as well as in private practice. He currently teaches a class on patent litigation at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School.

“The impeccable reputation of Richards, Layton & Finger is a result of the superb attorneys and staff who have worked there over the years,” said Judge Jordan, who served on the Third Circuit alongside Judge Roth and Judge Thomas Ambro, the former head of Richards Layton’s Bankruptcy and Corporate Restructuring Department. “I’m now looking forward to contributing to the firm and helping people resolve significant legal problems, including through alternative dispute resolution.”

Judge Jordan is the former president of the American Inns of Court Foundation. While a sitting judge, he served on the Advisory Committee on Civil Rules and the Committee on Federal-State Jurisdiction for the U.S. Judicial Conference. He is a former member of the board of directors of the Federal Judicial Center.

About Richards, Layton & Finger

Defining Delaware law since 1899, Richards, Layton & Finger helps sophisticated clients navigate complex issues and the intricacies of Delaware law. We advise global companies, business partnerships, leading financial institutions, local businesses, and individuals across a wide range of practices, including corporate law, alternative entities, commercial law, bankruptcy and corporate restructuring, intellectual property, tax, trusts and estates, commercial real estate, and litigation.

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