Our Staff
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Laure Bachich ErginVice President and General Counsel Laure Bachich Ergin joined the University of Delaware in 2010 and was appointed Vice President and General Counsel in November 2015. Prior to joining the University of Delaware, she served for thirteen years as an attorney in the General Counsel’s Office at Drexel University, also serving for four of those years as Drexel’s chief compliance officer. Laure is a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys and the Association of Governing Boards. She earned her undergraduate and law degrees from Saint Louis University. |
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Jennifer Becnel-GuzzoAssociate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel Jennifer Becnel-Guzzo joined the University of Delaware in 2013 as Associate General Counsel. Prior to joining the University, she spent nine years in the Wilmington, Delaware offices of two national law firms representing commercial entities, charter schools, and higher education institutions in all of the Delaware courts. Before entering private practice, Jen served as a law clerk to the Honorable William L. Witham, Jr. in the Delaware Superior Court. She is admitted to the bars of the State of Delaware, the District of Delaware and the United States Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Jen is a member of the Delaware State Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association, and the National Association of College and University Attorneys. She serves as volunteer guardian ad litem through the Office of the Child Advocate and is the past president of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Vanderbilt University Alumni Association. Jen earned a B.E. in Chemical Engineering from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, and a J.D. from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. |
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Daniela IvancikovaAssociate General Counsel Daniela Ivancikova joined the University of Delaware in 2017. Prior to joining the University, she was in-house counsel at a large Delaware corporation and served as deputy attorney general for the State for New Jersey, where she litigated cases in federal, state, and administrative courts, and counseled various agencies on transactional and internal matters. Before entering the legal field, Daniela spent more than ten years working in various business management roles, in Philadelphia, and as a consultant for the European Union, in Slovakia. She is a member of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Bar Associations and of the National Association of College and University Attorneys. She earned an M.B.A. from Comenius University, in Slovakia, and a J.D. from Drexel University R. Kline School of Law, where she has also lectured as an adjunct professor of law. |
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Patricia SheaAssociate General Counsel & Chief Privacy Officer Patricia Shea joined the University of Delaware in 2020. Prior to joining the University, she was a partner with the law firm K&L Gates LLP, where she practiced for 24 years. She focused her practice on national and international privacy issues and compliance and health care law. She is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the National Association of College and University Attorneys. She earned her undergraduate degree from George Mason University, her M.B.A. from Pennsylvania State University, and her law degree from Widener University School of Law. |
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Bradley YopsAssociate General Counsel; NIIMBL Sr. Legal Counsel Bradley Yops joined the University of Delaware in 2006 serving most recently as Director of Technology Transfer prior to joining the Office of General Counsel in 2019 as Assistant General Counsel. He serves as Sr. Legal Counsel to the National Institute of Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL), which is a member of the Manufacturing USA network of institutes funded by the federal government to advance United States competitiveness in advanced manufacturing innovation. He also serves as the primary legal support for the University’s research enterprise, including research administration, regulatory affairs & compliance, innovation & entrepreneurship, and research development. He is admitted to the bars of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the United States Patent & Trademark Office. Brad has served as an Adjunct Professor in the College of Engineering and is a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys as well as the Association of University Technology Managers. Brad earned a B.S. in Biology from Kansas State University, an M.S. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and J.D. from the University of Kansas. |
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Arlene SimbulanAssistant to the General Counsel Arlene Simbulan serves as Assistant to the Vice President and General Counsel and joined the University of Delaware in 2013 as an Administrative Assistant in the Office of General Counsel. Prior employment includes Senior Personnel Assistant at Philam Savings Bank, a member of the Marketing staff at JAKA Investments Corporation, and a member of the Human Resources staff at the Asian Institute of Management, all in the Philippines. Arlene graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of the Philippines. |
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Daisy TapelAdministrative Assistant IV Daisy serves as an Administrative Assistant in the Office of General Counsel and joined the University of Delaware in December 2015. Previous University of Delaware position has been in the Provost Office as Administrative Assistant III. Prior employment outside of the university has included Part-time Medical Receptionist and Billing Assistant at various Healthcare offices. Daisy graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts from Miriam College in the Philippines. |