Honorable Vivian L. Medinilla ’84

The Honorable Vivian L. Medinilla received her appointment to the Superior Court of the State of Delaware by former Governor Jack A. Markell and began serving on February 5, 2013.

After graduating from Ursuline Academy (Class of 1984), Judge Medinilla earned her B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Delaware and J.D., cum laude, from the Widener University Delaware Law School.

Before her judicial appointment, she served as Cabinet Secretary for the Department of Services for Children, Youth & Their Families, where she led the State agency in efforts to improve the child welfare, juvenile justice, and child mental health systems. Before her Cabinet appointment, she was president and owner of the state’s first multi-lingual law firm. Before her practice, she was an associate at Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor LLP, where she practiced civil litigation.

She currently serves on the Community Board for St. Francis Healthcare. Nationally, she serves on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Women Judges (NAWJ), is District Director for Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the Virgin Islands, and is their representative to the House of Delegates for the American Bar Association (ABA). She also serves as Chair of the Diversity Committee for the National Conference of State Trial Judges of the Judicial Division for the ABA.

She was inducted into the Delaware Women’s Hall of Fame in 2012. She received the Distinguished Hispanic Delawarean Award in 2010, the Strong, Smart & Bold Award from Girls, Inc. in 2012, and the Haskell/Wyeth Award from Delaware Futures in 2009. In 2014, she received the Angela Boyle ’53 Service Award from Ursuline Academy and was appointed by former Governor Markell as the first chair of the Delaware Hispanic Commission.