RWU Law Annual Report

2019 2019 2020 I AMS UN

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ANNUAL REPORT

A OL OF L

RWU Law students attend a lecture in a socially distanced classroom, fall 2020. The semester was structured on a hybrid model, comprised of online and in-person class work.

TABLE OF CONTENTS A Message From the Deans

1

A Commencement Like No Other

19

Milestones 3

Marine Affairs Institute & Rhode Island Sea Grant Legal Program

21

Conferences & Lectures

23

Admissions 5 Passing the Bar

7 Faculty 25

Career Development

9

Experiential Learning

11

Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

13

Law Library 27 Master of Studies in Law Program

29

Budget 30 Women in the Law

15 Fundraising 31

Pandemic Response

17 A Final Word 32

CONTINUITY A LETTER FROM THE DEANS The 2019-20 fiscal year was filled with changes and challenges, reflection and recommitment to our mission. We have much to be proud of, and much important work ahead of us in 2020-21.

wonderfully to the challenge, and our law students showed the sort of strength and resilience that will make them superb lawyers and leaders in years to come. To celebrate our 2020 graduates, we held a touching virtual commencement ceremony online in May (to be followed by an in-person celebration when it is safe to do so).

Many changes occurred over the past year. In summer 2020, we welcomed a new dean, Gregory W. Bowman, who embraces RWU Law’s service mission to train lawyers and leaders and to serve the public.

“We commit to being a law We also celebrated the success school that brings together of our outgoing dean, Michael J. Yelnosky. We added new all of its stakeholders— members to the law school’s students and alumni, Board of Directors and thanked faculty and staff, as well our outgoing board members for as friends throughout the their service. And in 2019, we legal, business and social said goodbye to our founding dean, the well-loved Anthony service communities—to J. Santoro, who did as much as maximize the impact of anyone to ensure RWU Law’s our mission.” success.

This also has been a year of extraordinary challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic required us to take all teaching and services fully online in the spring of 2020. RWU Law’s faculty and staff rose

This fall, we returned to our Bristol and Providence campuses in modified fashion, with some classes and services in person and others online.

Even with masks, social distancing and other safety protocols, it has been a joy to see our law students in the classroom again—including in the Dorothy R. Crockett Classroom, which we dedicated and named last fall for Rhode Island’s first African-American woman lawyer, admitted in 1932. Those who attended that emotional dedication ceremony will not soon forget the moving keynote speech given by the Honorable O. Rogeriee Thompson, the state’s second African-

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AND CHANGE American woman lawyer, admitted in 1976, nor the personal remarks made by Crockett’s daughter, Dianne Bartleson, who cut the ribbon to dedicate this classroom in her mother’s honor.

This year has been one of national reckoning as well. In the wake of the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and too many other Black lives lost, our law school has recommitted itself to pursuing and achieving social justice in our state and country and to addressing the role of law and lawyers in that fight. We have taken meaningful and measurable steps to make RWU Law a community that embraces diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging—and we will continue to prepare our students for careers in the pursuit of justice. We commit to being a law school that brings together all of its stakeholders—students and alumni, faculty and staff, as well as friends throughout the legal, business and social service communities—to maximize the impact of our mission.

Through it all, we have remained united by a common conviction and belief in RWU Law’s culture, people and mission. The accomplishments and challenges of 2019-20 help point us toward

our future. We will continue to leverage our strengths and improve the quality of our service to our students, our legal community and society—while remaining the most affordable ABA-accredited private law school in the Northeast.

We are pleased to present Roger Williams School of Law’s Annual Report. We thank you for your support and hope you will continue with us on this journey.

Best regards from the shores of Mount Hope Bay,

Gregory W. Bowman Gregory W. Bowman Dean

Michael J. Yelnosky Michael J. Yelnosky Former Dean

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MILESTONES A WARM WELCOME TO DEAN GREGORY BOWMAN On July 1, 2020, Gregory W. Bowman, a nationally recognized scholar who has been serving as dean of the highly regarded West Virginia University College of Law, came onboard as the sixth dean of Roger Williams University School of Law. “I am thrilled to have Dean Bowman joining the law school,” said the Honorable William E. Smith, chairman of RWU Law’s Board of Directors. “He brings broad experience and a solid reputation as a national leader in legal education that will serve us well as we enter our next 25 years. I have no doubt that Dean Bowman will be a terrific asset to the law school, the University, and to the entire Rhode Island legal community.”

Bowman himself expressed enthusiasm about the appointment, saying, “I am so excited and honored to be joining the RWU community.

The law school’s commitment to service and social justice is deeply important.”

Bowman began his law teaching career at the Mississippi College School of Law, where he founded that school’s International Law Center and study abroad program. Prior to his career in higher education, Bowman practiced international trade and corporate compliance law in Chicago and Washington, DC with the international law firm Baker McKenzie.

A FOND FAREWELL TO DEAN MICHAEL YELNOSKY On June 30, 2020, Dean Michael J. Yelnosky stepped down as the fifth dean of RWU Law, concluding a six-year tenure in that role. A visionary leader and champion of social justice in legal education, Yelnosky has dedicated 27 years to the law school (so far), both as a founding faculty member and as dean.

“Whether I was working on new programming, fundraising, diversity and inclusion, board engagement, or attracting and retaining an excellent faculty and staff, I tried to keep the needs of our students and alumni front of mind,” Yelnosky said.

His deanship marked an important period of growth for RWU Law. At a time when many law schools were retrenching in the wake of the Great Recession, Yelnosky focused on positioning RWU Law to remain “aggressively relevant.” Under his leadership, the school developed new and innovative academic programming, while opening an experiential learning campus in Providence, reducing tuition, and taking significant steps toward making the school more diverse and inclusive.

In the process, Roger Williams became the most affordable private ABA-accredited law school in the Northeast.

Yelnosky, a founding faculty member at the law school, will return to teaching in spring 2021.

“Dean Bowman brings broad experience and a solid reputation as a national leader in legal education that will serve us well as we enter our next 25 years.”

The Honorable William E. Smith, Chair, RWU Law Board of Directors

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FAREWELL TO DEPARTING DIRECTORS

WELCOME TO NEW BOARD MEMBERS

Roger Williams University School of Law recognized and saluted the nine members of its Board of Directors who stepped down effective June 30, 2020. “This group of board members worked tirelessly for a decade or more to solidify the place of the School of Law at the University and in the increasingly far-flung communities we serve,” said former Dean Michael J. Yelnosky.

Effective July 1, 2020, RWU Law welcomed 11 new board members, whom board chair the Honorable William E. Smith described as “leaders of the bench, bar and non-profit and business sectors; diverse in every sense; and, like those who preceded them, excellent role models and advocates for our students.”

The departing members are: • The Honorable Francis X. Flaherty, Vice-Chair Associate Justice, Rhode Island Supreme Court Served 2011-2020 • Joseph D. Whelan, Esq., Treasurer Partner, Whelan Corrente & Flanders LLP Served 2008-2020 • The Honorable Netti C. Vogel, Secretary Associate Justice, Rhode Island Superior Court Served 2011-2020 • The Honorable Edward C. Clifton (Ret.) Associate Justice, Rhode Island Superior Court Served 2008-2020 • Michael W. Field, Esq. ’97 Assistant Attorney General, Deputy Chief, Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General Served 2008-2020 • Linn F. Freedman, Esq. Partner, Robinson & Cole LLP Served 2008-2020 • Valerie Harrison, J.D., Ph.D. Senior Advisor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Temple University Served 2015-2020 • Constance A. Howes, Esq. Former President & CEO, Women & Infants Hospital Served 2008-2020 • Mark S. Mandell, Esq. Senior Partner, Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell, Ltd Served 2008-2020 (as chair 2011-2014)

Incoming members are: • Collin Bailey ’08 Vice President, Technology Business Office, Hudson’s Bay Company • Alyssa Boss ’97 Partner, Cameron & Mittleman LLP • Marek P. Bute ’05 Strategic Engagements Business Development Manager, Amazon Web Services • J. Scott Kilpatrick Partner, Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick Ltd. • Zachary Mandell ’11 Partner, Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell, Ltd. • Michael Robinson ’00 Partner, Shechtman Halperin Savage, LLP • Ondine Galvez Sniffin Owner, Law Offices of Ondine Galvez Sniffin • The Honorable Brian Stern Associate Justice, Rhode Island Superior Court • Katherine Sulentic ’09 Associate Director of Enforcement, NCAA Academic Integrity Unit • The Honorable O. Rogeriee Thompson United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit • Stephen Zubiago Partner, Nixon Peabody LLP

REMEMBERING RWU LAW’S FOUNDING DEAN Anthony J. Santoro, the founding dean of RWU Law and sixth president of Roger Williams University, died on September 9, 2019, after a short illness. He was 77.

“Tony Santoro led Roger Williams during a pivotal time of growth, establishing the law school and expanding our mission to reaching and serving the community in Providence,” said RWU President Ioannis Miaoulis.

“Put simply, nobody has done more for RWU Law than Tony Santoro. Nobody,” said former Dean Michael J. Yelnosky.

“Tony created this remarkable community. He had a vision, he had the talent, and he had the energy to make this happen.

“It was some small solace that we had honored Tony on the occasion of his retirement in 2018 by naming the room where he taught Tax for decades the Santoro Classroom,” Yelnosky added. “He will be missed, but he leaves a remarkable legacy.”

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ADMISSIONS After one of the most tumultuous periods in law school admissions, Roger Williams University School of Law welcomed 183 new students to the law school in August 2020, a class that is even larger than that of August 2019. It appears that the pandemic and a number of national factors impacted our enrollment in positive ways.

We expect another challenging admissions cycle ahead for 2020-21. While there are indications that COVID-19 and the national climate continue to drive applicants towards law schools, much can change quickly. We are currently creating new strategies to recruit in a digital environment, including online events that take place in video-game versions of convention halls. It is a whole new world, and we will work hard to succeed in this rapidly changing environment.

CLASS PROFILE 2018 2019 2020

Overall Matriculants

170 171 183

LSAT 75th Percentile Median 25th Percentile

151 152 153 148 149 149 145 146 146

UGPA 75th Percentile Median 25th Percentile

3.49 3.52 3.56 3.26 3.21 3.21 3.0 2.93 2.91

Diversity Racial/Ethnic LGBTQ+ Veterans

53 44 50 17 23 18 9 9 8

Gender Male Female Other

75 64 85 95 104 98 - 4 1

Residency States Represented RI Residents Out of State International

29 29 29 54 48 57 112 120 123 4 3 4

Average Age 25 25 25

5

RWU LAW MEDIAN 1L LSAT SCORE vs. PEER SCHOOLS 2011-2019 157 155 153 151 149 147 145 143 2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

RWU Law

New England

Suffolk Law

UMass Dartmouth

2017

2018

2019

Western New England

RWU LAW ENROLLMENT 2011-2019 600 550

555 506

500

420

450

424 369

400

431

454

483

370

350 300 250 200

194 151

150

111

138

147

2014

2015

158

161

2016

2017

170

171

2018

2019

100 50

2011

2012

2013

TOTAL

1L

6

PASSING THE BAR Though part of a national phenomenon, we became concerned when our graduates’ bar pass rates fell into a decline over several years. In 2018, our faculty sprang into action, conducting a comprehensive overview of the curriculum and adopting an aggressive set of measures to increase the likelihood of our graduates’ success on the bar examination.

Our first-time pass rates increased in 2019 over 2018 (although that was true of all of our competitors, with the exception of UMass). We are within the ABA’s new bar pass standard, which requires that 75 percent of the graduates in each year pass a bar exam within two years of graduation.

Moreover, there is cause for optimism going forward, because our recent incoming classes have had a slightly higher LSAT profile than their predecessors, and our new bar-pass curricular changes are being implemented. It is also encouraging that our May 2019 graduates passed the bar exam at a rate of 68.7 percent on their first attempt (including UBE waivers) in July 2019.

Due to the pandemic, of course, most jurisdictions postponed their July 2020 bar exams, rescheduling until September or October 2020, depending on the jurisdiction. We worked with our students to help them make good choices about which exam to take and when to take it, and the bar preparation program we offer to graduates was altered to take into account the longer period between graduation and the bar exam.

DEGREES EARNED 2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

JD

90 127 122 133 134

MSL

- 2 5 2 1

ALL BAR CERTIFICATES PROCESSED 2016

468

2017

516

2018

368

2019

392

2020

245 (as of 9.15.2020)

500

average number of transcrpit requests a year 7

FIRST TIME BAR PASS - 2016-2019 95

80

90 85

73

75 70 65 60

69.93 65

68 61 59

61

66.55 63.83 61.23 59.30

60

55 50

55 52

45

47

40 2016

RWU Law

2017

Suffolk Law

2018

Western New England

New England

2019

UMass Dartmouth

PASS RATE WITHIN TWO YEARS: 2017 GRADUATES

PASS RATE WITHIN TWO YEARS: 2018 GRADUATES

95

95

90

89.8

90

80

85 75

78.57

78.57

75.61

75.26

85 75

70

70

65

65

60 55

UMass

New England

Suffolk

UMass

RWU

WNEC

76.85

60

RWU

55

50

50

45

45

40

40

(Peer school rates not yet available) 8

CAREER DEVELOPMENT For RWU Law’s Class of 2019, the number of bar-required, full-time, long-term JD-required and JD-advantage positions is almost the same as last year—65.67 percent in 2019 versus 66.66 percent in 2018.

We had four fewer graduates in judicial clerkships in 2019, with the percentage of grads clerking falling to 19.4 percent.

We saw a noticeable increase in the percentage of graduates in law firm positions in 2019, 40.29 percent in 2019 versus 23.48 percent in 2018, which means that law firms were hiring at a higher rate than we have seen in the past few years. As a result of this change, we saw a decrease in the number of graduates in business and government positions.

students who were seeking guidance, advice and potential contacts from leaders in the community.

More than 35 graduates participated in this program.

In 2019, our Office of Career Development created and managed a mentorship program for first-generation law students. For purposes of this program, “First Gen” is defined as a student whose parent(s) or legal guardian(s) have not completed a bachelor’s degree at a four-year college or university.

We sought out mentors from RWU Law’s secondand third-year classes to work with our first-year First Gen students. Student mentors meet with their mentees throughout the year and help guide them through their transition into law school.

In the spring of 2020, we launched a Board initiative in which members of the RWU Law Board of Directors met virtually with graduating

EMPLOYMENT REPORT & SALARY SURVEY CLASS OF 2019

EMPLOYMENT TYPE - CLASS OF 2019 4%

ON-CAMPUS EMPLOYER INTERVIEWS, 2019-20 • Brooklyn Defender Services • Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick Ltd. • Connecticut Superior Court (virtual) • Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG), United States Air Force • Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG), United States Army • LaPlante Sowa Goldman • The Legal Aid Society • Nixon Peabody LLP • Ogletree Deakins (Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.) • Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General • Rhode Island Public Defender • Rhode Island State Government Intern Program EMPLOYER-REQUESTED RESUME COLLECTIONS, 2019-20 • • • • • •

Cameron & Mittleman LLP Cetrulo LLP Formisano & Company Gunning & LaFazia Inc. Locke Lord LLP National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration • New Hampshire Public Defender • Rhode Island Center for Justice • Robinson & Cole LLP/National Grid

EMPLOYMENT SECTORS - CLASS OF 2019

1%

2% 5%

11 1

%

Employed

%

11%

Start date deferred Seeking work

76% 58% FT, Bar Required 7% FT, JD Advantage

Unknown

59% Full-time 41% Part-time

JD Advantage

78% 98% Full-time 2% Part-time

Business

25

%

Government

53%

Professional Non-Professional

Percentages are calculated from the total number of employed graduates (102)

Judicial Clerkships Public Interest

5% 10

Percentages are calculated from the total number of graduates (134)

Law Firm

Bar Passage Required

17%

%

Academic

Percentages are calculated from the total number of graduates (134)

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NATIONAL CAREER FAIRS WITH STUDENT PARTICIPATION • E qual Justice Works Conference and Career Fair, Washington, D.C. • The Lavender Law® Conference & Career Fair, Philadelphia • New York University School of Law Public Interest Legal Career Fair, New York City EMPLOYER VISITS DURING 1L ORIENTATION During 1L Orientation, the entire 1L class traveled to Providence to visit private-sector, nonprofit, and government employers.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Adler Pollock & Sheehan PC Bremer Law & Associates, LLC Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick, LLC City of Providence Law Department Conservation Law Foundation DeSisto Law LLC Federal Defender Office Higgins, Cavanagh & Cooney, LLP Hinckley, Allen & Snyder LLP Locke Lord LLP Nixon Peabody Rhode Island Office of the Governor Rhode Island Center for Justice Rhode Island Legal Services Rhode Island Public Defender Robinson & Cole LLP SouthCoast Fair Housing Textron, Inc. The Honorable John J. McConnell, Jr., United States District Court, District of Rhode Island • United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit

HISTORICAL COMPARISON OF EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES 2015-2019 Employment Status

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

Employed

101 77.69%

70 81.39%

95 77.86%

106 80.30%

102 76.11%

Seeking

20

15.38%

9

10.46%

17

13.93%

10

7.57%

15

11.19%

Unknown

7

5.38%

6

6.97%

9

7.37%

14

10.60%

15

11.19%

LLM

1 0.76%

1 1.16%

0 0.00%

2 1.51%

1 0.74%

Start Date Deferred

1 0.76%

0 0.00%

1 0.81%

0 0.00%

1 0.74%

TOTAL

130 -

86 -

122 -

132 -

134 -

Employment Type

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bar-Required, FT/ LT

68 52.30%

44 51.16%

66 54.09%

76 57.57%

78 58.20%

JD-Advantage, FT/ LT

19

14.61%

4

4.65%

12

9.83%

12

9.09%

10

7.46%

BR+JDA, FT/ LT

87

66.92%

48

55.81%

78

63.93%

88

66.66%

88

65.67%

Employment Sector

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

Law Firm

40 30.76%

18 20.93%

39 31.96%

31 23.48%

54 40.29%

Judicial

19

14.61%

21

24.41%

19

15.57%

30

22.72%

26

19.40%

Business

18

13.84%

16

18.60%

16

13.11%

21

15.90%

10

7.46%

Government

16 12.30%

10 11.62%

14 11.47%

16 12.12%

5 3.73%

Public Interest

5 3.84%

3 3.48%

6 4.91%

6 4.5%

5 3.73%

Academic

1 0.76%

2 2.32%

1 0.81%

2 1.51%

22 1.49%

Type Unknown

2 1.53%

0 0.00%

0 0.00%

0 0.00%

0 0.00%

TOTAL

101 -

70 -

95 -

106 -

102 -

*All percentages are calculated from the total number of graduates for that year.

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EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING The pandemic has created both challenges and opportunities for our experiential education programs. Without missing a beat, our simulation-based courses moved to a hybrid model along with the rest of our curriculum. We continue to offer our students real-world, experiential learning opportunities through our in-house Clinics and Clinical Externship Programs, as well as through pro bono programs via our Feinstein Center for Experiential Education and the Pro Bono Collaborative.

All three of our In-House Clinics are up and running. The Business StartUp Clinic is being run on an entirely remote model, while the Criminal Defense Clinic and the Immigration Clinic are conducted largely in person. The courts are still functioning on a limited basis, so the nature and frequency of any court appearances are different than in the past.

Direct work with clients, however, remains much the same as ever.

Our Clinical Externship Programs have been fully functional this fall, with some placement sites training our students remotely and others training them in person. Our supervisors in the field remain committed to our students and have risen to the challenges of online supervision, incorporating our remote students seamlessly into their offices and their work. We are working to provide further opportunities for our students while also meeting current legal needs by piloting a new Housing/Eviction Defense Clinical Externship for the spring 2021 semester. This program will place our students in organizations addressing the anticipated housing and eviction crisis resulting from economic conditions created by the pandemic.

The pro bono programs we offer through the Feinstein Center for Pro Bono & Experiential Education and Pro Bono Collaborative programs continue in earnest. We have shifted many of our pro bono projects from in-person to remote models. We are providing our students with an array of remote pro bono opportunities, and they are working on projects that address current legal needs resulting from the pandemic in such areas as unemployment, housing and eviction, bankruptcy, and criminal justice.

Though these programs do not look exactly the same as they have in years past, they continue to provide an exceptional educational experience, while also allowing our students to address legal need in the community and support host organizations and agencies in their work.

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Each year, through our In-House Clinics, Clinical Externships,* Summer Stipend Internships, and pro bono activities, RWU Law students provide an astounding volume of valuable legal services, both directly to clients and to public interest organizations and government agencies. *Including externships in the public interest sphere, but not in our Corporate Counsel Clinical Externship Program.

Class of 2020 Pro Bono and other Public Interest Activities 142 Graduates (May 2020 and December 2019)

HOURS

CATEGORY In-House Clinics (Credit Bearing)

11,123

Clinical Externships at Public Interest Organizations or Government Agencies (Credit Bearing)

21,420

7,055

Public Interest work supported by our Summer Stipend Program (Paid)

15,777

Pro Bono (Pro Bono Requirement and hours beyond)

55,375

TOTAL HOURS ESTIMATED VALUE*

$1,417,046

* Based on Independent Sector’s average estimated value of volunteer time for 2019 and 2020, which is $25.59 per hour. Independent Sector is a nonprofit coalition used by the Association of American Law Schools to calculate the value of law student service.

$25.43

Independent Sector 2019 Rate

$27.20

Independent Sector 2020 Rate

$25.59 Three-year average for the Class of 2020

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DIVERSITY, INCLUSION & BELONGING AFFINITY GROUPS AT RWU LAW • A merican Indian Law Students Association (AILSA) • Black Law Students Association (BLSA) • Latino Law Students Association (LLSA) • Alliance (LGBTQ+) • Multi-Cultural Law Students Association (MCLSA) • Older Wiser Law Students Society (OWLS) • Women’s Law Society

COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND PROGRAMMING • Stonewall Lecture • Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Celebration Week • Rhode Island Urban Debate League Annual Tournament • Equity Round Table Series • Hope High School Black Lawyers Initiative • Bridge to Justice • Diversity Symposium Dinner

STUDENT SUPPORT • C OVID-19 Emergency Fund. Thanks to the generosity of many donors within our community, the Dean’s Office, SBA, and AccessLex, we were able to award more than $30,000 in emergency funding directly to law students adversely impacted by the pandemic in terms of food security, housing, loss of employment or work study, homelessness and more.

• RWU Law Jump Start Program. Jump Start is a pre-orientation program for students who want a head start on learning and developing the skills necessary to succeed in law school. Led by the Academic Success Program and the Office of Diversity & Outreach, our first virtual installment of Jump Start served as an opportunity for students to learn how to read and analyze cases, experience the Socratic method, and begin developing clear, precise, and logical communication skills, both written and oral.

• Affinity Organization Leadership Retreats. RWU Law’s Office of Diversity and Outreach organized two leadership retreats for our affinity organization presidents.

Their purpose was the development of support networks for our BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ students, setting individual and collective expectations and goals with group presidents, and creating a strong line of communication with faculty, staff, administration and alumni.

30% OF OUR MAY 2020

GRADUATES ARE STUDENTS OF COLOR

EDUCATING OURSELVES • D iversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

Training Challenge. During the summer of 2020, the Office of Diversity and Outreach initiated an Anti-Racism, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Professional Development Challenge for all law school faculty, staff and administration, with the purpose of sharing best practices that can improve our work in all areas of the law school. Over 86 percent of full-time RWU Law faculty and staff pledged their commitment to join one of more than 30 training sessions.

• Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan.

In August 2020, RWU Law committed to providing a communication every three months on its progress toward the goals articulated in our Strategic Plan for Diversity and Inclusion, and the RWU Law Mission Statement.

• Diversity and Inclusion Best Practices.

A ‘Best Practices’ list was created for the use of faculty in promoting an inclusive and welcoming classroom environment in both virtual and physical classrooms. Some of these tools included a name pronunciation module on our internal website, video uploads of students, and our chosen-name policy to honor the lived experiences of our students.

• Responding to Hate. In the wake of the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmad Arbery, and many other members of the Black community, the Black Law Students Association responded with a list of demands, which was shared during a powerful meeting of the entire law school community, led by BLSA President Matthew Chatelain ’21 and Treasurer Ameratu Kamara ’21.

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REFINING CURRICULUM • L aw School Orientation Updates. Beginning with our fall 2020 1L orientation, RWU Law is requiring all incoming students to take an online diversity and inclusion assessment and training session. Additionally, orientation now includes a 90-minute training session conducted by our Office of Diversity and Outreach, plus several optional engagements, such as multiple affinity organization get-togethers and a Bristol Slave Trade Tour led by Linden Place in Bristol, R.I. • Race and the Foundations of American Law. Members of the faculty, staff and administration voted in June to create a required three-credit course on race and the foundations of American law. Additionally, three Honors Perspective courses were introduced, centering on topics of race and the law and available to all law students.

ENROLLMENT DIVERSITY 2016 2017 2018 2019 Enrolled

424 431 454 483

Diversity #

105 112 124 134

Diversity % 25 26 27 28

“Our hope, and commitment from the law school leadership, is to provide learning opportunities for our community to continue in this critical work. Our law school depends on it.

The legal field depends on it. The lives of the people we serve in this profession depend on it.”

Ralph Tavares RWU Law Director of Diversity and Outreach

RALPH E. TAVARES In November 2019, Ralph Tavares joined the law school as its fourth Director of Diversity and Outreach.

Tavares has nearly two decades of experience in higher education, with a strong background in diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging work. Prior to joining RWU Law, he served as Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Director of Multicultural Student Success at Providence College, and as Associate Director of Admissions and Multicultural Education at Salve Regina University. Tavares is Co-President of Diversity and Inclusion Professionals (DAIP), a nonprofit bringing together diversity professionals from across the state and region. At the center of his work, Tavares says, is “a passion for working closely with students, honoring their stories, and instilling a sense of belonging to ensure their full participation and success in their academic work.”

Tavares builds upon the work of Deborah Johnson, RWU Law’s Director of Diversity and Outreach from 2011 to 2019, who helped double the school’s diversity from 15 to nearly 30 percent.

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WOMEN IN THE LAW Cerebrating the First Women Lawyers of Rhode Island.

In April 2019, RWU Law honored the first 176 women to join the state’s bar, in an event that drew an overflow crowd celebrating the massive strides made since those early days – while recognizing the work still to be done.

“Roger Williams University School of Law honors the pioneering First Women of the Rhode Island Bar (1920 to 1979). Their efforts helped establish the rightful place of women in the legal profession and a foundation “This is kind upon which a more fully inclusive legal of our Hall profession can be built.”

of Fame. I think that’s awesome.”

The plaque was officially unveiled by Judith E. Hodge, who was admitted to the bar in 1965. Hodge was the earliest bar admittee (23rd of 176) of the First Women attending the event.

A plaque, prominently mounted in - The Honorable the law school’s second-floor Atrium, Netti Vogel includes a listing of all known First Women “and others unknown,” which “It’s been obvious from the start [of the was painstakingly compiled by RWU project] that this issue has resonated with many, Law Library staff. It opens with this preamble: many people,” Professor Emily Sack noted in

her introduction to the ceremony. “This is truly a powerful moment for our legal community, for our law school, and most especially for our students as we focus on the continuing need to achieve gender equity in our profession.”

Speaking for the First Women present, the Honorable Netti Vogel (admitted in 1975), a former RWU Law Board member who did much to help bring the project to fruition, compared the moment to the tear-jerking final scene from the 1992 film A League of Their Own, in which the players in later life visit an exhibition about pioneering women in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

“This is kind of our Hall of Fame,” she said. “I think that’s awesome.”

Some of Rhode Island’s First Women in the legal profession, gathered for RWU Law’s inaugural First Women event in 2019.

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herself a student in RWU Law’s Master of Studies in Law program. “In 1932, she joined the Rhode Island bar, despite attending law school amid the Great Depression, despite being a woman, and despite being a woman of color at a time when racism reigned rife in America.”

Led by reference librarian Nicole Dyszlewski, a team of RWU Law librarians discovered Crockett’s legacy while researching the first female lawyers in Rhode Island. They scoured judicial archives and newspaper clips to piece together Crockett’s story.

Dorothy Crockett, in 1937, as an active member of the Rhode Island bar.

Judge Thompson, who became the second African American woman to join the Rhode Island bar 1976, said she heard long ago that there had been one other Black woman who led the way before her, but no one seemed to remember any details.

“I am grateful to the law school for finally getting the answer to who that wonderful, dynamic woman was; who was a pioneer and upon whose shoulders I stand. And I am forever grateful,” she said.

The Dorothy R. Crockett Classroom

The Linn Foster Freedman Classroom

On September 10, 2019, RWU Law dedicated a classroom to Dorothy R. Crockett, a Black woman from Providence who became, in 1932, the 7th woman ever admitted to the Rhode Island Bar.

On November 1, cybersecurity lawyer Linn Foster Freedman, a longtime RWU Law board member and philanthropist, was honored with a classroom in her name.

The dedication ceremony featured a powerful keynote by 1st the Honorable Ojetta Rogeriee Thompson of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (who this July became an RWU Law Board member), as well as remarks from Crockett’s daughter Dianne Bartleson, who traveled from Arizona to attend the event.

“I think it’s nice to have two women in the mix now,” Freedman said, speaking of her classroom and the Crockett Classroom being added to the several others in the school named for male colleagues. “That feels really great, because it reflects the growing diversity not only of the legal profession, but of the law school itself.”

“It’s hard to imagine the strength, determination, and courage that made Dorothy R. Crockett tick,” noted Providence Journal reporter Katie Mulvaney,

During her term on RWU Law’s Board, Freedman worked tirelessly to increase fundraising for RWU Law. She is now an influential supporter of the law school on the RWU Board of Trustees.

As a partner at Robinson & Cole LLP, where her practice focuses on data privacy and security, Freedman has encouraged the hiring of RWU Law alumni. She has also volunteered her time teaching Privacy Law as an adjunct for several years.

“What I really admire about Linn is that she is among the leaders of the bench and bar, but is still just as willing to spend a fall Saturday with her husband and friends participating in the Law Alumni Golf Tournament, raising money for scholarships for rising 2Ls,” said former Dean Michael J. Yelnosky. “She not only pays to play but she usually goes home with a bunch of stuff she does not need—because she buys so many raffle tickets the odds are stacked in her favor. She is truly a great friend of the law school.”

Linn Foster Freedman at her classroom dedication ceremony.

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PANDEMIC RESPONSE No one in January or February of 2020 would have anticipated a year like this one. When COVID-19 struck this spring, our faculty had only two weeks of break and training to move all classes online. Most had never taught online before, and they rose to the challenge admirably. Our students did as well, putting in a spectacular effort under considerable stress and adversity (as if there wasn’t enough of that in law school already) and finishing the spring semester in grand style.

Thanks to the generosity of many donors within our community, including the Dean’s Office, the Student Bar Association and AccessLex, we were able to award more than $30,000 in emergency funding directly to law students facing food insecurity, housing issues, difficulties due to loss of employment or work study, homelessness and more.

Over the summer, we offered students online courses, while our faculty undertook extensive training to ensure a constantly improving delivery of online courses according to current best practices. This fall, we reopened with both online and (within strict safety guidelines) in-person classes. Depending on their courses, students could choose one or the other, or both in some combination.

Throughout, our goal and our focus at RWU Law has remained keeping our students safe, supporting and strengthening our sense of community, and providing the best quality educational experience we can possibly deliver.

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Education is paramount.

Safety is paramount.

We are committed to both.

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A COMMENCEMENT LIKE NO OTHER The sunny spring afternoon of Friday, May 15, 2020, would have provided the perfect setting for a traditional, outdoor graduation ceremony in Bristol, but circumstances decreed otherwise. So instead, Roger Williams University School of Law’s Class of 2020—along with family, friends, alumni, faculty and staff—gathered online for a virtual commencement to honor our 147 graduates. We anticipate holding an in-person celebration when it is safe to do so (the event is tentatively scheduled for May 2021).

is simple, but profound. We cannot be proximate, and that has robbed you of much of the magic of this day. But not all of it.”

“We did it. And nothing, not even a global pandemic, can take that away from us.”

Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo opened the 45-minute video ceremony, hosted on YouTube Premieres. Dean Michael J. Yelnosky then took the virtual podium, noting that, “What is missing today

Valedictorian Sarah D. Boucher

Chief Justice Margaret H. Marshall, retired 35th Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, delivered the keynote and was awarded an honorary doctorate of law. Honorary degrees were also presented to Dennis W. Nixon, the director of Rhode Island Sea Grant and a member of the advisory board of the Marine Affairs Institute at RWU Law; and to Olin W. Thompson, III, a former assistant federal public defender for the District of Rhode Island who is currently battling ALS. RWU President Ioannis Maioulis, Ph.D., certified

Former Dean Michael J. Yelnosky

the graduates, noting that “there is nothing ‘virtual’ about what you have done over the past three years.”

Despite the lack of an in-person ceremony, valedictorian Sarah D. Boucher urged her classmates to celebrate just the same. “Three years of stress, frustration, maybe a few tears, and an unbelievable amount of hard work and dedication, have finally paid off,” she said. “We did it. And nothing, not even a global pandemic, can take that away from us.”

Governor of Rhode Island Gina Raimondo 19

DEAN’S DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD:

RAQUEL ORTIZ The Dean’s Distinguished Service Award for 2019-20 went to Professor Raquel M. Ortiz, Assistant Dean for Library & Information Services. In presenting the award, Dean Michael J. Yelnosky focused on Ortiz’s extraordinary work in helping the School of Law prepare for March’s sudden shift from inperson to online classes.

PROFESSOR OF THE YEAR:

ADJUNCT PROFESSOR OF THE YEAR:

TARA ALLEN

DAVID COOMBS

Professor Tara I. Allen was chosen by the graduating Class of 2020 as Professor of the Year.

Chosen by the graduating class, Chief Justice Weisberger Visiting Professor of Law David Coombs was named Adjunct Professor of the Year.

“What I love most about teaching is showing students how to find their own voices rather than insisting that they parrot back mine,” Professor Allen said, adding that the Class of 2020 was especially open to this sort of dialogue. “This class embraced my rather nontraditional teaching methods and trusted themselves enough to step boldly into that space between mystery and mastery of the law.”

A seasoned JAG and private defense attorney, Professor Coombs has often appeared in the news, both nationally and worldwide, as the lead defense counsel in the highly publicized case of PFC Chelsea Manning, the soldier who provided classified information to Wikileaks.

Before joining RWU Law, Allen was an Assistant Federal Public Defender in the District of Rhode Island. She also served as a trial attorney for federal public defenders’ offices in the Western District of Pennsylvania and the Eastern District of California.

“I love teaching at RWU Law,” he said. “I enjoy getting to know all the different students and feeling like I make an impact (however small) in their lives.”

“Raquel was instrumental in helping any and all of us learn how to teach and communicate with our students and each other remotely, a paradigm shift we had all of about 14 days to wrap our heads around and operationalize,” Yelnosky said. “She went above and beyond in many ways large and small.”

STAFF PERSON OF THE YEAR:

ANN MARIE THOMPSON The Class of 2020 selected Ann Marie Thompson, RWU Law’s Assistant Director of Student Finance & Records, as Staff Person of the Year.

“The amount of dedication and passion she puts into her work on behalf of our students is remarkable,” one student noted. “And she does it all with flair and quick wit.”

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MARINE AFFAIRS INSTITUTE & RHODE ISLAND SEA GRANT LEGAL PROGRAM RWU Law’s Marine Affairs Institute (MAI) is a partnership between: • Roger Williams University School of Law • The University of Rhode Island • Rhode Island Sea Grant

OUR PRIMARY GOALS EDUCATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF MARINE AND COASTAL LAW AND POLICY LEADERS In the Classroom. A variety of courses in both Environmental/Natural Resources Law and Admiralty/Maritime Law. T he Rhode Island Sea Grant Law Fellow Program.

2Ls and 3Ls research and analyze a full range ocean, coastal, and maritime topics for outside organizations.

T he Environmental and Land Use Externship Program (ELUE). Students gain experience in environmental litigation and advocacy while externing with organizations such as the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office Environmental Unit, and the Conservation Law Foundation.

J uris Doctor/Master of Marine Affairs. Students earn their juris doctor degree at the law school and their masters degree at URI. Students examine complex marine and environmental issues beyond the legal context, incorporating science, social science, economics, and policy.

This joint-degree program prepares students for a wide variety of jobs after graduation.

SERVING AS A RESOURCE FOR OCEAN AND COASTAL LAW AND POLICY RESEARCH iennial Marine Law Symposium. In fall 2018, the B MAI held a symposium titled, “Legal Strategies for Climate Adaptation in Coastal New England.”

The fall 2020 symposium, which was to have focused on environmental justice, has been postponed to fall 2021.

Policy Analyst. A one-year, grant-funded position piloted in 2018-19.

In 2020-21, the MAI hired a one-year, grantfunded Research Attorney, Catherine Schluter, to focus on aquaculture issues in New England.

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RHODE ISLAND SEA GRANT LAW FELLOWS In the last two years, the MAI has worked with 27 Rhode Island Sea Grant Law Fellows on 24 projects, on such topics as: • What legal challenges may affect “blue carbon” projects seeking to use coastal wetlands for carbon sequestration • Whether fishermen and other offshore workers may be able to recover damages if they catch COVID-19 aboard a vessel • Potential liability for selling “organic” seafood in the United States • How civil rights laws apply to programs to purchase flooded properties after hurricanes Each project is conducted in partnership with Rhode Island Sea Grant, together with organizations such as:

Brynáe Riggins ’20 presents her work as a Rhode Island Sea Grant Law Fellow. Her project, Direct-to-Market Sale of Finfish in Rhode Island: A Guide to Permitting, helped the fishing industry and regulators understand how to safely and legally sell fresh fish to consumers at the docks.

• The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation • Connecticut Sea Grant • MIT Sea Grant • The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation • Restore America’s Estuaries • Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns • Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council • Rhode Island Housing • Save The Bay • The Waitt Institute • Woods Hole Sea Grant

Jackie Rolleri ’11, a former JD/MMA student and Rhode Island Sea Grant Law Fellow, now works as Deputy Chief, Oceans and Coasts Section, Office of General Counsel, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Washington, D.C. 22

CONFERENCES & LECTURES

In addition to our usual array of academic and experiential offerings, RWU Law offers students, alumni and the wider community a steady flow of expert workshops, roundtables and presentations by leaders in their fields. Examples from 2019 included Boston District Attorney Rachael Rollins and Congressman David Cicilline; in 2018, late U.S Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg became the eighth U.S. Supreme Court justice to travel to Rhode Island and address RWU Law students.

In fall 2019, the annual Santoro Business Lecture featured a discussion of what makes a good business lawyer, featuring alumni Collin Bailey ‘08, vice president of the Technology Business Office for the Sak’s Fifth Avenue and Hudson’s Bay family of retailers in Manhattan, and Alicia Samolis ‘05, partner and chair of Labor & Employment Practice at Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP in Providence.

Collin Bailey ’08 speaks at the 2019 Santoro Business Lecture.

Robin Steinberg, CEO of The Bail Project, delivers the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Week keynote lecture, January 2020.

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Blake Liggio, one of the nation’s first out transgender law partners in BigLaw, delivered RWU Law’s Third Annual Stonewall Lecture at RWU Law in 2019, speaking about how law firms can make a place for trans lawyers—and what the profession stands to gain from the effort.

“The legal industry has traditionally been a relatively homogenous profession,” Liggio said, but today, “many organizations now are really realizing the benefits of diversity and equity and inclusion in all different subsectors of lawyering.

These environments should be able to withstand you being who you are. That’s true equity, true inclusion, and really where we’re trying to get to.”

In a “fireside chat” with Professor Emily Sack at RWU Law’s Inaugural Women in Law Leadership Lecture, Columbia Law Dean Gillian Lester urged young women lawyers and law students to be confident that “you have a place at the table.”

She advised women lawyers to “work collectively, talk through and share your stories, find mentors and sponsors—and once you’ve found your place in the law, pay it forward.”

“We’re going through this path at different times, each with our own challenges. I feel an incredible sense of responsibility not to measure challenges of the next generation by the yardstick that I had when I was going through the process.”

AMANDA WALSH ’11 One of the most authoritative voices at RWU Law’s fall 2019 symposium, “Adjudicating Sexual Misconduct on Campus: Title IX and Due Process in Uncertain Times,” was that of Amanda Walsh ’11. As Senior Attorney at the Victim Rights Law Center in Boston, Walsh provides training and technical assistance in the field to colleges and universities across the country. Walsh made headlines a few years ago as the first Title IX Program Officer at Brown University, where she implemented that university’s sexual and gender-based harassment and violence policy and complaint procedures, built its flagship Title IX Office, and oversaw complaint investigations. Walsh and her husband, Kurt Rocha ’11, met at RWU Law and live in Providence.

TITLE IX: GRAPPLING WITH LAWS ON CAMPUS SEXUAL MISCONDUCT For decades, allegations of sexual misconduct have been governed by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. In recent years, however, an atmosphere of uncertainty has surrounded the statute’s current reach, application and impact. Last fall, RWU Law convened a major national symposium on the topic, hosted by the Law Review.

“It was wonderful,” said Amanda Walsh ’11, who attended the event both as a panelist and an audience member.

“It offered a lot of very high-level, nuanced conversation. Typically, Title IX training sessions are very complianceoriented. People are hungry for something more substantial in a time of so many unknowns.”

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AN OUTSTANDING FACULTY At RWU Law, students benefit from professors with national reputations for excellent scholarship, as well as adjuncts at the top of their fields. Here’s the latest on a few of our full-time faculty members.

LOGAN APPOINTED AS ADVISOR ON RESTATEMENT THIRD OF TORTS Professor David A. Logan has been appointed as an Advisor on the new American Law Institute (ALI) Restatement of the Law Third, Torts: Defamation and Privacy. Logan, who served as Dean of RWU Law from 2003 to 2014, will address issues of defamation and privacy in the age of the Internet.

Former Dean Michael J. Yelnosky said the appointment was a richly deserved recognition for years of scholarship. “This section of the Restatement will cover lots of new issues created by the advent and ubiquity of the Internet,” he noted, “and the list of advisors reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of academics, judges, and lawyers.”

“My scholarship has focused on the intersection of Torts and the First Amendment,” Logan said. “I look forward to working with other experts to restate this fascinating area of law for the next generation of lawyers and judges.”

TEITZ AT THE HAGUE Professor Louise Ellen Teitz represented the United States at the 22nd Diplomatic Session of the Hague Conference on Private International Law in finalizing the Hague Convention on Judgments, which was adopted on July 2, 2019, at the Peace Palace Hall of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands.

It would be a once-in-a-lifetime event for many, but it’s a second for Professor Teitz, who signed the earlier Hague Choice of Court Convention in 2005. Teitz is a renowned scholar of private international law and international procedural law, as well as a founding member of RWU Law’s faculty. She served as First Secretary at the Hague Conference on Private International Law from 2011 to 2014, with a primary focus on Family Law areas — including the 1980 and 1996 Conventions; as well as related projects on enforcement of family mediation agreements, the “Malta Process” (Sharia-based legal systems), cross-border parentage, unmarried couples, and relocation.

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RYAN SEEKS ‘SECRET SAUCE’

Since 2010, law schools have faced declining enrollment and entering classes with lower predictors of success. As a result, bar exam pass rates have dropped and remain at historic lows.

In response, Professor Christopher J. Ryan Jr. is conducting research that seeks to identify law schools across the country that consistently overperform—and underperform —on their expected bar exam passage rates, controlling for the quality of the students they accept.

“We are examining which state bar exams law graduates take and the difficulty of those bar exams,” Ryan explained. “We will also look at the school-specific characteristics”—the “secret sauce,” he terms it—

MARGULIES ON THE MOVE

One of RWU Law’s most prolific scholars, Professor Peter Margulies has enjoyed a busy year despite the pandemic.

In April 2020, he spoke on “U.S. Surveillance Law for Privacy Lawyers” for the ABA’s Center for Professional Development Webinar. This summer, he appeared on an Immigration Law panel at a virtual meeting of the Southeastern Association of Law Schools in Boca Raton, Fla. And this fall, he delivered talks on “Privacy, Surveillance, and Human Rights” at Columbia Law School and Fordham Law School. Margulies also contributes regularly to the influential Lawfare blog on immigration and U.S. surveillance.

“that lead to overperformance among law schools that consistently beat their estimated bar passage rate by interviewing deans at these law schools.”

Ryan’s research is funded by a $125,000 grant from the AccessLex Center for Legal Education Excellence (the highest dollar amount of any award granted by the organization for this period). It runs from Jan. 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021.

In addition to identifying actionable strategies for law schools, “this research will also provide an important data point for students considering the value of law schools,”Ryan said.

Along with Penn State Law’s Professor Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia and other pro bono counsel, Margulies served as co-counsel for amici curiae Immigration Law teachers in several challenges to Trump Administration policies that limited asylum claims or legal immigration.

Margulies also published widely, arguing for more robust judicial review of administrative actions that attempt to roll back inclusive measures (including DACA, the census, and the military’s transgender policy) from earlier administrations, and of immigration decisions in general.

He also published in the fields of Cybersecurity and Surveillance Law.

SACK’S FOCUS ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, CHILD ABUSE AND BEYOND Professor Emily J. Sack, an internationally renowned scholar in Family Law, is writing a chapter for the International Handbook of Family Policy: A LifeCourse Perspective (Oxford, forthcoming 2021), a multidisciplinary project involving a prestigious array of experts from around the world.

“My chapter provides an historical and conceptual review of issues in domestic violence law and policy, exploring both American and international trends in the field from a comparative perspective,” Sack explained.

In addition to her scholarly contributions, Sack is also deeply involved in community outreach. She helped address the rise in domestic violence and child abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic on several fronts, including involvement in planning a Facebook Town Hall on Violence Prevention that included Governor Gina Raimondo and the entire Rhode Island congressional delegation. Earlier this year, Sack spoke on the death penalty and the impact of racial bias in the U.S. criminal justice system during a panel discussion following a special screening of the 2019 film Just Mercy, held by the Rhode Island Chapter of the NAACP.

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LAW LIBRARY Despite two librarian vacancies that spanned most of the year and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our in-person services, the RWU Law Library completed another successful year of service in 2019-20.

The closing of the campus in March 2020, immediately followed by the shift to online instruction, changed the Law Library’s focus from providing traditional library services to adding educational technology instruction and support. Within a two-week timeframe, our librarians learned several new technologies and helped our faculty move from in-person to remote instruction using synchronous and asynchronous learning technologies.

From March to June 2020, the law librarians performed the following virtual services as RWU Law moved all of its operations online: • provided more than 40 training sessions and one-on-one meetings with faculty; • created 20 handouts and three online sites on remote teaching and learning resources for faculty and students; and • provided technology, consultations and support to student organizations and administrative departments for their meetings, town halls, and commencement.

Most importantly, the Law Library staff demonstrated resiliency and commitment to our mission of service.

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Collections New Book Acquisitions New Databases Archives Collections Processed Law Faculty Scholarship Downloads from the RWU Digital Repository Law Items added to the RWU Digital Repository

212 9 30

88,896 125

Research, Reference, and Instruction Research Classes

180

Reference Questions

444

Research Consultations & Major Projects

189

New & Updated LawGuides Courses for Credit Taught

36 2

Educational Technology Support Zoom, Meetings, and Bridges training sessions Instructional Technology Questions answered

39 128

Outreach Blog Posts

42

Book Displays

6

Student Events

13

Librarian Professional Development & Service Webinars & Training Sessions

30

Conferences

7

Internal Committees

7

External Committees

7

External Presentations

2

Publications

8

AWARDS & SCHOLARSHIPS • M ichael Muehe, JD ’15, Research & Access Services Librarian, received the American Association of Law Libraries George A. Strait Minority Fellowship, George A. Strait Scholarship, and AALL Annual Meeting Scholarship.

• R aquel M. Ortiz, Assistant Dean for Library & Information Services, received the Dean’s Distinguished Service Award.

NICOLE P. DYSZLEWSKI Head of Reference, Instruction, and Engagement Dyszlewski was selected for the 2020 Volunteer Service Award by the American Association of Law Libraries.

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MASTER OF STUDIES IN LAW PROGRAM RWU Law’s innovative and versatile Master of Studies in Law program offers a practical, career-focused approach to the study of law that is designed to provide mid-career professionals with an understanding of legal doctrine and reasoning. It is a course of study that enhances their skills and marketability across a broad array of fields, including accounting, business, compliance, education, environment protection, healthcare, information technology, law enforcement, media, real estate and more.

Today’s economy requires a dynamic grasp of shifting legal and regulatory landscapes that most courses of study don’t even begin to satisfy. By the end of the program, graduates are ready to: • i dentify, analyze and apply basic concepts and rules of law, both in general and in their chosen areas of specialization; • spot potential legal issues and craft arguments and conclusions based on relevant facts and laws; and • use legal skills and materials to independently research, analyze, and evaluate law-related matters in their field.

Since the MSL Program was launched in 2016, more than 19 students have entered, with 11 students earning the degree to date.

JOHN MARION Executive Director, Common Cause Rhode Island Now in his 12th year as executive director of Common Cause Rhode Island, John Marion discovered that RWU Law’s MSL program has enhanced his performance in new and often unexpected ways. “It’s exactly the sort of thing that I needed, given what I do for a living,” he says.

“I work in the law all day, though I’m not a lawyer,” he explained. “RWU Law’s MSL program was exactly what I’d hoped it would be—enough of a legal education so that I can better understand both the law and the type of thinking that goes into it. The MSL program has helped to inform the debate for me.”

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BUDGET In fiscal year 2020, the number of full-time students in the 1L class was six students higher than anticipated in budget planning. The number of returning students also increased, reflecting lower attrition and a larger number of part-time students enrolled for a longer period of time.

In fiscal year 2021, the 1L class was budgeted, pre-pandemic, at a lower number than the number of students who actually enrolled. The fact that there were no academic dismissals and no loss of scholarships for our rising 2L class also contributed to the increase in the FY 2021 student body.

FY 2019

FY 2020

FY 2021

Actual

Actual

Actual

JD Program

454

483

518

64

14%

MSL Program

8

4

5

-3

-38%

Dual Degree

5

5

10

5

100%

JD Tuition Rate

$35,735

$37,525 $39,865

$4,130

12%

Average aid per 1L student

$13,814

$15,726 $18,145

$4,331

31%

2-Year Change

HEADCOUNT

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FUNDRAISING We are grateful to each and every donor whose gifts to RWU Law play an important role in advancing our mission—to train the lawyers and leaders of the future for our state and the nation, and to promote social justice and the rule of law.

We do so by upholding the highest standards of legal education and through our public service work, much of which is focused on Rhode Island’s residents and communities. We deeply believe in our mission, and we are proud of it.

ANNUAL FUND: FY 2013-2019 $300,000

$200,000

$90,014

$100,000

$860.00 $102,704.88

$180,856

$170,546 $146,015

$150,000

$50,000

$122,193.71

$241,522

$250,000

$111,522

$32,465

$0 2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

ALL FUNDRAISING: FY 2013-2019 $600,000 $550,000

$109,867.13

$519,922

$500,000 $450,000

$427,982

$400,000

$348,599

$350,000

$200,000.00

$17,400.00

$341,049

$300,000 $250,000

$237,656

$218,030

$229,039

$200,000

Annual Giving

Leadership Giving

Corporate Relations

Other Fundraising

Foundation Relations

Gifts in Kind

$150,000 $100,000 2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

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THE ROAD AHEAD …

As you’ve seen in the pages of this Annual Report, we have achieved something extraordinary at Roger Williams University School of Law. RWU Law in 2019-20 aligns with—and in fact exceeds—the original vision laid out three decades ago by founding Dean Anthony Santoro and the blue-ribbon committee chaired by Chief Justice Joseph Weisberger of the Rhode Island Supreme Court. Since opening the doors to our first class in 1993, we have trained generations of lawyers and leaders. Year after year we have served the public, and especially those in need. We have worked diligently to make Rhode Island a better place for all. The legacy of our founders lives on. We stand on their shoulders, and we thank them.

Yet much work remains to be done, and it is not enough to rest on our past achievements. It is not enough to maintain the status quo. And that is certainly not why I moved to the Ocean State to join this special law school. I came here because RWU Law has a strong foundation and bright opportunities for future greatness.

But to get there—to achieve RWU Law’s full potential—we need your continued help. We must celebrate our many successes, determine what we can do better, and lean into our current challenges. Only by doing so—together—can RWU Law serve all of its stakeholders, and most importantly our students, to the absolute best of our ability.

Over the coming year, please join me in supporting RWU Law. There are many ways to do so: financial contributions, hiring our graduates, accepting our students as externs, teaching as adjunct faculty, sending us excellent new students, and more. Thank you in advance—and I hope to meet you in person soon!

All my best,

Gregory W. Bowman Dean Gregory W. Bowman

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