RWU Law Annual Report 2020-2021 by Roger Williams University

2020 2020 2021 I AMS UN

R S I TY

L IL

ANNUAL REPORT

A OL OF L

Professor Susan Heyman teaches a masked class at RWU Law. The year was marked by significant relaxations of last year’s strict social-distancing protocols, but many precautionary measures remain in place.

TABLE OF CONTENTS A Conversation with the Governor

A Hybrid Commencement 25

Intersections: The School of Law & the University

Marine Affairs Institute & Rhode Island Sea Grant Legal Program

Admissions 9 Conferences & Lectures 29 Passing the Bar 11 Faculty 31 Career Development 13 Law Library 33 Experiential Learning 15 Master of Studies in Law Program Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

17 Budget 36

Women in the Law

19 Fundraising 37

Indigenous Peoples Law

21 Looking to the Future

Pandemic Response

THE DEAN’S PAGE:

A CONVERSATION WITH THE GOVERNOR

I Irecently recentlyhad hadthe thepleasure pleasureofofsitting sittingdown with downRhode with Rhode Island Governor Island Governor Daniel Daniel J. McKee toJ. discuss McKee toissues discuss of common issues ofconcern commonto both concern the Statehouse to both theand Statehouse RWU Law. and Here RWU are Law.some Hereexcerpts. are some excerpts. PANDEMIC RECOVERY Governor McKee: Dean Bowman, you and I both took

office in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is what I would call a baptism under fire. We were tested! But overall, the state of Rhode Island has done extremely well. For example, back in March we were hovering around the lowest vaccination rates and highest infection rates in the country. Today, we’re the second-most vaccinated population with virtually the lowest infection rate in the country. On the economic side, we were able to open up our economy sooner. Right now, according to the Moody’s Back-to-Normal Index, Rhode Island is the fastest-improving economy in the Northeast— and we just became the third-fastest recovering economy in the country.

Dean Bowman: That’s fantastic to hear, Governor. The

role of businesses, both small and large, is going to be very, very important in the economic recovery. Your administration has been very supportive of that, and the School of Law is also working hard— for example, through its Small Business Start-up Clinic and other experiential programs—to lend its support to this effort. Small businesses in particular are an important part of this state’s future. So I think that focusing on them—focusing on helping people create their own jobs and chart their own futures—is deeply important. I’d love to hear your thoughts on economic revitalization in Rhode Island—how your administration is working to support a vibrant future for businesses in the state.

McKee: Well, for starters we ensured that federal funds became available to our small business

community. One of the first things I did as governor, in fact, was to activate about $30 million in funds that went out to well over 4,500 businesses at $5,000 per small business—that really helped. And now we’ve developed the RI 2030 plan, which factors in local businesses, support for families and health care, support for the Blue Economy and the Green Economy, and talks about how small businesses fit into that picture. [Released on Oct. 15, the RI 2030 plan outlines the McKee administration’s vision for the state’s economic recovery and “what we want Rhode Island to look like in the years ahead,” setting out priorities for spending the state’s share of American Rescue Plan funds and, eventually, Build Back Better funds. For more information, visit https://www.ri2030.com.]

Bowman: That’s really exciting. On a related note,

Roger Williams University is working to establish a new Real Estate Center of Excellence, which will focus on various issues relating to real estate —including real estate development, real estate management, community development, the effects of climate change on community resiliency, and more. Also, the University’s Blue Economy Center of Excellence will focus on community and economic issues, while also bringing in other areas of opportunity for economic growth, such as maritime commerce, renewable energy, aquaculture, and so on. In other words, I think there is a lot of overlap between RWU Law’s goals and your administration’s goals: not just to maintain the economy, but really help it grow and thrive.

McKee: What you’re doing is really great leadership

because we have an incredible opportunity, coming out of the pandemic, to reset our state. We’ve historically been the first in and the last out of economic downturns. But today, we’re holding on to first in the Northeast, and third in the country—and we can maintain that with good leadership.

Bowman: People often talk about a small state being

disadvantaged because of its size, but in some ways

it’s a big advantage because we can be nimble. We can put programs in place and see the immediate impact. And in terms of returning to normalcy, when you put money and effort into supporting small businesses—providing them with support, places to start, jobs to create, legal representation—the return on investment is just enormous.

McKee: We’re definitely making an effort to embrace

our small businesses, but we can do more. One of my goals as governor is to increase per capita income across the board in all communities. When you develop an economy, you’re going to increase per capita income. But to do that, you need not only entrepreneurs, but a trained and skilled workforce. And that’s what you’re building at Roger Williams University. As you know, a number of your law graduates are working with me here—the advantages of our good relationship with the state’s only law school are not lost on us. And we’re interested in any way you can work with us to create a more small-business friendly state. We’re really making an intentional effort to do that.

COASTAL RESILIENCY Bowman: Can you talk a little bit about your

administration’s efforts to help build coastal resiliency?

McKee: A number of the foundations had been set

before I became governor, but I was pleased to sign the Act on Climate [on April 14, 2021], which is an effort to reduce our carbon emissions by 45 percent by 2030, then 80 percent by 2040, and then to become carbon neutral by 2050. And as part of the RI 2030 plan, we’ve activated a committee to really dig into this issue. In addition, we have a goal of reaching 100 percent renewable on our energy grid by 2030. Off of Block Island, we have the first wind turbine farm in America. And we’re looking at another 50 wind turbines to be built about 15 miles off our coast, which will provide us with about 400 megawatts of energy and the equivalent of 25 percent of our energy needs, and which will electrify 2

are facing today and how your administration is reaching out?

McKee: It’s a combination of things, both long- and

short-term strategies. Rhode Island has always been a place that welcomes a diverse population from around the world, and first-generation immigrants have always found their place in our communities. Education is a big part of that, and I’ve been involved in education strategies now for 20 years or so. In particular, we’ve developed schools that really reach out to communities and families that are struggling financially and close the learning gaps that exist, particularly in the Hispanic community. So that’s a step in the long term. At the level of higher education, I just signed a bill last week which makes sure that if you’re living in Rhode Island, regardless of your residency status, you can have in-state tuition, which opens opportunities as well. Dean Bowman and Governor McKee with some of the RWU Law alumni currently serving on Governor McKee’s staff. L to R: Kate Pirraglia L’11, Doris Adesuyi L’20, and Kim Ahern L’09. as many as 270,000 homes. Based on what we have in place right now and what is coming, I believe we’ll meet those goals. And every time you commit to a renewable, like wind or solar, you’re creating jobs—well-paying jobs, which move us further toward our goal of raising per capita income.

Bowman: That’s really exciting. One of the things that

appealed to me about coming to Rhode Island was the fact that RWU Law is home to the Marine Affairs Institute, through which the law school works closely with the Rhode Island Sea Grant Legal Program and the University of Rhode Island. The opportunity to engage in work related to coastal resiliency and renewables, and to see the impact of this work on the local economy, was very interesting to me.

the effects of climate change and how we can ensure that Rhode Island’s communities adapt and thrive. We are the Ocean State, after all, and these centers can be especially impactful here: there are impacts of climate change that Rhode Island needs to be prepared for, but there are also opportunities that the state can take advantage of.

McKee: Yes, we are the Ocean State and our need for

resiliency is real. The climate issues are real, and Rhode Island is front and center: I recently read that we’ve had an 11-inch rise in our water levels in Newport since 1990 or so. We’re right in the middle of the eye of the storm, so to speak. So all that resiliency is really important.

IMMIGRATION And of course, there is an exciting overlap between the first two Centers of Excellence that RWU is Bowman: As you know, Rhode Island is home to establishing in the areas of Real Estate and the Blue a very diverse immigrant community. Could you Economy. Those centers both address community talk a bit about the challenges these communities resiliency and sustainable coastal futures, including

In the shorter term, we’re really taking care of minority business enterprises—making sure we follow the rules on the percentage of state contracts they receive and making an effort to understand that, for minority-owned businesses and women-owned businesses, access to capital is a challenge. So we’re making an effort, when we distribute federal funds, to make sure that a certain percentage goes to these businesses.

Bowman: It sounds like you’re involved in both

strategic planning and action based on values. At the law school, our Immigration Law Clinic—run by a graduate of our law school, Professor Deborah Gonzalez ’07—is also doing great work for the immigrant community. And within a robust clinical law program, when you have multiple clinics, there can also be provision of services to a client in more than one area. For example, a client might have an immigration issue, but also own a small business or want to start a small business. By helping that client in both areas, we’ve just created a job. That sort of overlap is one of the great strengths of legal education and experiential learning through our clinical programs. 3

Dean Bowman and Governor McKee on a statehouse portico overlooking Providence’s downtown.

McKee: Our Hispanic community is one of the

McKee: I recall that the value of RWU Law was

highest-growing populations for small businesses somewhat debated in the beginning—did we really right now. That’s why Rhode Island is wise to invest need a law school, and so on—but today, 30 years in the work that you were just talking about, both later, it’s very much established itself as Rhode for the short-term Island’s law school. It’s part of goals of aligning the state’s culture, and we’re all “The advantages of our good people with jobs and really proud of that. Our School relationship with the state’s only encouraging them to of Law really matters, providing law school are not lost on us.” open up their own access to a legal education, businesses, and the and room for high-level legal long-term goal of discussions and scholarship right - R.I. Governor Daniel J. McKee investing in these here at home. That matters a lot. people through education. Bowman: It’s interesting, Governor. Thirty years ago, back when I went to law school, the main goal of Bowman: About 10% of our law students are firstmany students was just to get out and get a goodgeneration students. I’m really proud of the work paying job with a law firm. Fifteen or 20 years ago, those students are doing and the policies that got we began to see a shift—students said they wanted them there. On a personal note, my father was a to go out and do well, and then, later in their first-generation student himself. His mother had careers, to start making a difference. But according maybe a 6th grade education. My mom’s dad was to surveys of today’s law students, they want to first-generation too. I am where I am because of the come in and make a difference right now. They’re opportunities that my parents had. And seeing that coming to law school to make the world a better process repeating through the eyes of RWU Law’s place right now. Which may sound sentimental, students really moves me. but it’s a fact. That’s what law students are telling

us. And so at RWU Law we have a law school that gives our students that opportunity: to work in state government, federal government, the public interest sector, as public defenders, or anything else they want to do—business, real estate, you name it.

McKee: And there is a lot of need for their services in Rhode Island and beyond.

Bowman: Absolutely. Thank you for your time, Governor McKee.

McKee: It’s been a pleasure, Dean Bowman.

INTERSECTIONS

A CONVERSATION WITH ROGER WILLIAMS UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT IOANNIS N. MIAOULIS 5

efforts. It benefits the University by attracting stronger undergraduate students, it benefits those students by creating a more seamless transition to law school, and it benefits the School of Law by providing more students who are better prepared to excel. Everyone’s a winner.

Bowman: It also lowers the cost of education. It

means that students can both deepen and broaden their education, earning valuable degrees in less time and beginning their careers sooner. The 3+3 early admission program is an exciting place to begin thinking about how we can coordinate our programs even more effectively, both at the undergraduate and the law school level. And in a significant way, those explorations have already begun.

Miaoulis: Absolutely. The School of Law’s joint

degree programs—the Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration program comes to mind as one terrific example—have already benefited both undergraduate and law students.

RWU President Ioannis (Yannis) Miaoulis and I enjoy a terrific working relationship. We recently got together to discuss some important “intersections” where the University and the School of Law can build and enhance areas of cooperation and collaboration.

advantage of the law school’s coexistence with RWU’s other schools and colleges. Breaking down the barriers between schools will help us develop some really unique programs at the intersections. That’s an added value that Roger Williams is uniquely capable of offering, and one that will ultimately set us apart from other institutions.

Dean Bowman: Yannis, one of the things that

Bowman: We’ve already got a good foundation to

first attracted me to Roger Williams University is your focus as president on interdisciplinary collaboration. That approach, in my opinion, truly represents the future of higher education—and in particular, of legal education.

President Miaoulis: I agree, and I see RWU Law as one of the University’s most important assets. I believe your deanship offers great potential for taking full

A MORE AFFORDABLE EDUCATION build on at the University and RWU Law, but there are so many other possibilities I’m excited to explore. We have an opportunity here to provide more degree programs, more certificate programs, and more early admission programs—which will, in turn, benefit more and more students going forward.

Miaoulis: Our 3+3 program with RWU Law is a great example of the win-win nature of these

Bowman: Yes, our JD/MBA program is a powerful

combination of degrees. We also have a fantastic JD/Master of Science in Historic Preservation in collaboration with the School of Architecture, Art and Historic Preservation. Those programs, together with our Juris Doctor/Master of Science in Cybersecurity program with the School of Justice Studies, have drawn some very passionate students to RWU Law.

Miaoulis: That really highlights the interdisciplinary

quality we’re trying to build. Because when a student joins Roger Williams University as an undergraduate, then gets early admission into law school and pursues a joint degree, they end up with three degrees in less time and at a lower cost than it would normally take to get two degrees.

Bowman: That also demonstrates how seriously we take affordability. Over the next several years, I’d like to see more dually listed courses across

different colleges, so that we’ll have more and more students from the School of Law and students from our other colleges sitting in the same classroom. It could then be extended even further—to more experiential learning placement opportunities for more students, and more job placements as well. RWU Law has many wonderful connections through its alumni network that can provide great opportunities for our students to launch their careers in ways that will—thanks to the collaborative and interdisciplinary approach we’re discussing—give them a real advantage in their careers. I really believe that, going forward, we will see more and more of these collaborations blossom.

Miaoulis: Another affordability factor worth

mentioning is the Sibling Discount. There are a lot of parents, many of them alumni, who send several children to Roger Williams University and/or RWU Law simultaneously. To help make that a bit more affordable, we offer a 10 percent tuition discount for the first and second sibling, 20 percent for the third, and 25 percent for the fourth—and beyond, in theory at least!

Bowman: These sorts of generational connections

are just now starting to play a role at the School of Law, too. Our first class graduated 25 years ago this year, and we look forward to seeing more secondgeneration students soon!

the Real Estate Center of Excellence, and they are very excited about it. Property is one of the oldest areas of law. It touches on so many legal subjects: construction, real estate management, community development and revitalization, zoning, affordability of housing, coastal resiliency. The list goes on and on.

Miaoulis: During

CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE Miaoulis: Another important driver of collaboration

is our establishment of what we call our Centers of Excellence—in areas such as the Blue Economy, Real Estate, Food Policy & Science, and other areas that infuse entrepreneurship with innovation. These University-level Centers, which will engage multiple colleges and programs across Roger Williams University, will help attract and retain excellent students who come to RWU for their undergraduate degrees but stay for law school as well.

Bowman: I’ve talked with a number of lawyers about

Computing and Construction Management, and the School of Architecture, Art and Historic Preservation. And we began an ongoing process of designing unique and realistic programs that draw upon all of these disciplines.

Bowman: There are so many ways for lawyers to

“Our Centers of Excellence, which will

engage, and for RWU Law to support them. It’s a perfect way to develop collaboration across disciplines in a way that’s immediately relevant to our students, our alumni, and the communities we serve.

my first year engage multiple colleges and programs here, before across the University, will help attract COVID struck, and retain excellent students who come I realized that some of our to RWU for their undergraduate degrees most successful but stay for law school as well.” alumni had Miaoulis: And let’s talk about the built their Blue Economy. Growing up in - RWU President Ioannis Miaoulis careers around Greece, I spent almost all my real estate, summers on the water—fishing, and that programming in this area could be a real sailing, scuba diving, the whole thing. I’ve always opportunity for us. In the months that followed, we had a great affinity for the ocean and the sea. And put together teams—spanning the School of Law, for me, one of the most attractive assets of Roger the School of Business, the School of Engineering, Williams is its location on this beautiful peninsula 7

on Mount Hope Bay. Even before I formally took office here, I understood that RWU has all the necessary ingredients to be an international leader in the Blue Economy. We have outstanding marine biology and aquaculture programs. Our architectural faculty does a lot of work on the impact of rising sea levels; our engineering faculty works on wind energy. And, of course, we have one of the nation’s top maritime law programs.

Bowman: Indeed we do, and the Blue Economy

Center of Excellence plays to some of RWU Law’s key strengths, such as the Marine Affairs Institute. It’s an exciting opportunity to engage in initiatives that will greatly benefit the local community while also expanding the University’s national and global reputation and impact.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND BELONGING Miaoulis: Our conversation wouldn’t be complete

without discussing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. These are values embedded throughout the University’s new Strategic Action Plan. And the School of Law has been a leader—not just within the University, but among other law schools as well. When the ABA accreditation team visited earlier this year, they spent quite a bit of time telling me just how impressed they were with all the good work that’s happening at the law school in this area.

efforts. We’ve formed a Diversity Strategic Plan Steering Committee that is comprised of students, faculty, alumni, staff, and School of Law Board members, to provide us with guidance and ensure that we hold ourselves accountable and maintain transparency, acknowledging our successes as well as those areas where we need to do better.

IN CONCLUSION Bowman: On a personal note, one thing I did not

know about you until I arrived at RWU is what an amazing chef you are. Really fantastic. So any time you want to invite me to your home for dinner, you know the answer will always be yes!

Miaoulis: And I didn’t realize that you were such a

talented woodworker! And since the carpenter who was supposed to work on my cabin just bailed on me… [Laughter.]

Bowman: We are proud to be at the forefront of

the diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging work being done in legal education. For example, we’re one of very few law schools now requiring a course on race in the law. We piloted the course last spring, and it became part of the required curriculum this fall. It has been very well received by students. Looking forward, we’ve been deeply involved in programming, strategic planning, and direct engagement with our student affinity organizations and Student Bar Association as leaders in these 8

ADMISSIONS

In August 2020, the School of Law welcomed a class with the highest LSAT credentials in a number of years. The class size grew again, to 183, as the pandemic and a number of other national factors created a strong admissions environment for all law schools. In 2021, a limited amount of in-person recruitment resumed. Instead of relying heavily on college fairs, the School of Law continued to diversify its partnerships with other schools for online panels and workshops that drew significant attention from applicants. As the world contemplates a new normal, we expect to continue seeing a mix of in-person and virtual events as the best way to recruit the modern law student.

CLASS PROFILE 2019 2020 2021

Overall Matriculants

171

183

185

152 149 146

153 149 146

155 150 148

3.52 3.21 2.93

3.56 3.21 2.91

3.52 3.17 2.89

44 23 9

50 18 8

50 21 4

64 104 4

85 98 1

71 109 5

29 48 120 3

29 57 123 4

31 62 119 4

LSAT 75th Percentile Median 25th Percentile

UGPA 75th Percentile Median 25th Percentile

Diversity Racial/Ethnic LGBTQ+ Veterans

Gender Male Female Other

Residency States Represented RI Residents Out of State International

Average Age

RWU LAW MEDIAN 1L LSAT SCORE vs. PEER SCHOOLS 2012-2020 157 155 153 151 149 147 145 143 2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

RWU Law

New England

Suffolk Law

UMass Dartmouth

2019

2020

Western New England

RWU LAW ENROLLMENT 2012-2020 600 550 500

517 506

454 420

450

431

424 369

400

483

370

350 300 250 200 150

151

111

138

147

158

2014

2015

2016

161

170

171

183

2017

2018

2019

2020

100 50

2012

2013

TOTAL

PASSING THE BAR

Continuing with our bar pass efforts and programming, we have experienced an increase in our bar pass numbers over the last year. Our faculty voted to implement a number of bar passage initiatives in 2018, and we believe we are beginning to see the benefits of those changes in our curriculum and programming for our students. Our first-time pass rates increased in 2020 over 2019 and 2018. For our ultimate bar passage rate, we are well above the ABA’s bar pass standard, which requires that 75% of the graduates in each year pass a bar exam within two years of graduation. Our ultimate bar passage rate went from 75% for the Class of 2017 to 80% for the Class of 2018. The Class of 2019 is currently already at an 85% rate and this number will increase. Due to the pandemic, many jurisdictions administered online bar exams in February 2021 and July 2021. We are currently waiting to see trends in bar passage data to determine whether administering the bar exam online, as opposed to in person, has any long-term impact on scores.

DEGREES EARNED 2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

127 122 133 134 139

MSL

2 5 2 1 1

ALL BAR CERTIFICATES PROCESSED 2017

516

2018

368

2019

392

2020

245 (as of 9.15.2020)

2021

157 (as of 9.03.2021) 11

FIRST TIME BAR PASS: 2017-2020 90 85

68 61 59

65 60

67 64 61 59

60 55

69 62

52 47

50 45 40 2017

2018

RWU Law

Suffolk Law

2019

Western New England

New England

2020

UMass Dartmouth

PASS RATE WITHIN TWO YEARS: 2018 GRADUATES

PASS RATE WITHIN TWO YEARS: 2019 GRADUATES

65 60 55

UMass

New England

RWU

Suffolk

WNEC

70 65 60

The red line in the two charts above denotes the ABA requirement that 75% of a law school’s graduates who sit for the bar exam must pass it within two years.

RWU

(Peer school rates not yet available) 12

ON-CAMPUS EMPLOYER INTERVIEWS, 2020-21

CAREER DEVELOPMENT For RWU Law’s Class of 2020, the number of bar-required positions; full-time, long-term barrequired positions; and JD-advantage positions dropped from the previous year—58.45% in 2020, versus 65.67% in 2019. However, we saw an increase in the number of students whose employment start-date was deferred, and who pursued an LL.M. degree. This is likely the result of hiring freezes during the pandemic, as well as the delayed administration of bar exams. We had the same number of graduates in judicial clerkships this year as in 2019—but since the Class of 2020 had more graduates, the percentage dropped slightly from 19.4% in 2019 to 18.3% in 2020. We saw a noticeable increase in the percentage of graduates in government and public interest jobs in 2020, with a combined percentage of 15.5% in 2020 compared to 7.6% in 2019, which indicates that public sector employers

EMPLOYMENT REPORT - CLASS OF 2020

were hiring at a higher rate than we have seen in the past few years. We saw a decrease in the number of graduates in law firm positions. In the spring of 2021, we launched a virtual “Employer Spotlight Series,” which hosted employers and alumni throughout the semester, including Air Force JAG; Assalone & Associates; Cameron & Mittleman LLP; FM Global; the NCAA; Rhode Island Legal Services; the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, Environmental Unit; and Sony Pictures Television. The Office of Career Development continued to grow our mentorship program this year for firstgeneration law students. We sought out mentors from RWU Law’s second- and third-year classes to work with our first-year First Gen students. Student mentors met with their mentees throughout the year to help guide them through their transition into law school.

EMPLOYMENT TYPE - CLASS OF 2020

11%

Employed Start date deferred

52% FT, Bar Required 9% FT, JD Advantage

• • •

EMPLOYER-REQUESTED RESUME COLLECTIONS, 2019-20 • • • •

Cameron & Mittleman LLP Cetrulo LLP McIntyre Tate LLP National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration • New Hampshire Public Defender • Rhode Island Center for Justice • Robinson & Cole LLP/National Grid

EMPLOYMENT SECTORS - CLASS OF 2020 % 5% 1

Bar Passage Required

17 15

59% 87% Full-time 41% 13% Part-time

JD Advantage

Seeking work

68%

•

Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick Ltd. Committee for Public Counsel Services Connecticut Superior Court Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG), United States Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG), United States Army Pierce Atwood LLP Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General Rhode Island State Government Intern Program

% 5% 1

% 3% 2

16%

• • • •

Unknown LLM

77% 99% Full-time 1% Part-time

Law Firm Business

6% 8% 10

27%

18%

Judicial Clerkships Public Interest

Professional Non-Professional

Government

25%

Academic LLM/Deferred Unemployed/Unknown

Percentages are calculated from the total number of graduates (142)

Percentages are calculated from the total number of employed graduates (97)

Percentages are calculated from the total number of graduates (142)

NATIONAL CAREER FAIRS WITH STUDENT PARTICIPATION (virtual for 2020-21) • 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

HISTORICAL COMPARISON OF EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES 2016-2020 Employment Status

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

EMPLOYER VISITS DURING 1L ORIENTATION

Employed

81.39%

77.86%

106

80.30%

102

76.11%

67.60%

During 1L Orientation, the entire 1L class met virtually with private-sector, nonprofit, and government employers.

Seeking

10.46%

13.93%

7.57%

11.19%

15.49%

Unknown

6.97%

7.37%

10.60%

11.19%

11.26%

LL.M.

1.16%

0.00%

1.51%

0.74%

2.81%

Start Date Deferred

0.00%

0.81%

0.00%

0.74%

2.81%

TOTAL

122

132

134

142

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Adler Pollock & Sheehan PC Bremer Law & Associates, LLC Locke Lord LLP National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General Rhode Island Center for Justice Rhode Island Legal Services Rhode Island Public Defender Robinson & Cole LLP SouthCoast Fair Housing Textron, Inc. The Honorable Mary McElroy, United States District Court, District of Rhode Island

Employment Type

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

Bar-Required, FT/ LT

51.16%

54.09%

57.57%

58.20%

50.70%

JD-Advantage, FT/ LT

4.65%

9.83%

9.09%

7.46%

7.74%

BR+JDA, FT/ LT

55.81%

63.93%

66.66%

65.67%

58.45%

Employment Sector

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

Law Firm

20.93%

31.96%

23.48%

40.29%

25.35%

Judicial

24.41%

15.57%

22.72%

19.40%

18.30%

Business

18.60%

13.11%

15.90%

7.46%

7.74%

Government

11.62%

11.47%

12.12%

3.73%

5.63%

Public Interest

3.48%

4.91%

4.5%

3.73%

9.85%

Academic

2.32%

0.81%

1.51%

1.49%

0.70%

Type Unknown

0.00%

TOTAL

106

122

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

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Professor Andrew Horwitz chats with clinical students before court at the Garrahy Judicial Complex in Providence.

While the pandemic has created ongoing challenges for RWU Law’s experiential education programs, it has also presented terrific opportunities. We continue to offer our students real-world, experiential learning opportunities through our in-house Clinics and Clinical Externship Programs, and via our Feinstein Center for Pro Bono & Experiential Education and the Pro Bono Collaborative. All three of RWU Law’s in-house Clinics—the Business Start-up Clinic, the Criminal Defense Clinic, and the Immigration Clinic—are fully operational. As always, these programs provide students with outstanding hands-on training and experience helping real clients solve real problems. After a brief hiatus due to the pandemic, the Veterans Disability Appeals Field Clinic is also back in full swing, allowing students to work directly with those who have served our country and been disabled in the process of doing so. Our Clinical Externship Programs are also fully functional again, with some placement sites training students remotely and others in person. Supervisors in the field remain committed to our students and have, where necessary, risen to the challenges of online supervision, incorporating our remote students seamlessly into their offices and their work. Though we continue to offer remote pro bono opportunities through the Feinstein Center and Pro Bono Collaborative programs, some projects—such as our Street Law and VITA projects—have returned to in-person operations. We are also developing new and exciting opportunities that respond to the tremendously increased unmet need for legal representation in our communities. In Fall 2020, for example, in partnership with the courts and local legal services providers, we launched an Eviction Help Project that brings students into the courthouse to meet with and guide low-income tenants facing eviction due to COVID-related inability to pay rent. RWU Law always offers students an array of pro bono opportunities that address current legal needs in our low-income communities, in such areas as unemployment, license restoration, criminal record expungement, and immigration. One silver lining of the pandemic is that going forward, we will most likely continue to offer remote pro bono opportunities—generally supporting national efforts to increase access to justice—in addition to our in-person offerings. 15

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 2021 Pro Bono and other Public Interest Activities 150 Graduates (May 2021 and December 2020)

CATEGORY

HOURS

In-House Clinics (Credit Bearing)

12,324

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

24,030

Public Interest work supported by our Summer Stipend Program (Paid) Pro Bono (Pro Bono Requirement and hours beyond) TOTAL HOURS ESTIMATED VALUE*

8,220 14,718 59,292 $1,604,442.00

*Three-year average of the Independent Sector average estimated value of volunteer time is $27.06 per hour. Independent Sector is a nonprofit coalition used by the Association of American Law Schools to calculate the value of law student services.

Last year’s figure was 55,375 Total Hours, with an Estimated Value of $1,417,046.

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

COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND PROGRAMMING • 5th Annual Stonewall Lecture • Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Week • Rhode Island Urban Debate League Annual Tournament • Equity Round Table Series • Integrating Doctrine and Diversity Discussion Series • Diversity Symposium Dinner

BUILDING COMPETENCIES • F aculty Diversity and Inclusion Group. A dedicated group of law school faculty members and staff meet weekly to discuss issues of race and racism at the law school. Established in July 2020, the gathering focuses on how to create inclusive classrooms, develop anti-racist strategies, and brainstorm about various approaches to facilitate challenging conversations among students, staff, and faculty. • S o You Want To Talk About Race Book Club for Staff. The law school welcomed Andrea Garr-Barnes, Chief Executive Officer of EQ Diversity Consultants and Director of Diversity, Equity, and Engagement at Boston University School of Law, to facilitate a reading group on So You Want to Talk About Race? by Ijeoma Oluo. Over the course of eight weeks, a group of 10 staff members met regularly to discuss the book and issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

• R WU Law Jump Start Program. The Office of Academic Excellence and the Office of Diversity & Outreach jointly sponsored the 2020 Jump Start Program to help ensure that entering law students have the resources “to learn how to learn” and to thrive in law school. The program is open to students who have been historically underrepresented in the legal profession. These underrepresented groups might include students of color and first-generation students—as well as those who have been out of school for a significant number of years, who are unfamiliar with the American legal system, who are eligible for accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, or who have faced or overcome challenges or obstacles on the path to law school. • A ffinity Organization Leadership Retreats. RWU Law’s Office of Diversity & Outreach organized two leadership retreats for our student affinity organization presidents. The purpose of the retreats was to develop support networks for our BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ students, set individual and collective expectations and goals with group presidents, and create a strong line of communication with faculty, staff, administration, and alumni.

34% OF OUR MAY 2021

GRADUATES ARE STUDENTS OF COLOR

INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE • L aw School Orientation Updates. RWU Law now requires all incoming students to attend an online diversity and inclusion assessment and training session. Additionally, orientation now includes a 90-minute training session conducted by our Office of Diversity & 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. • I nclusive Classroom Practices. The law school’s faculty and staff have adopted some of the best practices in the country to promote an inclusive and welcoming classroom environment in both their virtual and physical classrooms. The law school has adopted a name pronunciation tool, including gender pronouns in email signatures and Zoom profiles, honorific stickers and pronoun ribbons during orientation check-in, and a chosen-name policy that honors the lived experiences of our students.

ENROLLMENT DIVERSITY 2017 2018 2019 2020 Enrolled

431

454

483

517

Diversity #

112

124

134

136

Diversity %

A REQUIRED COURSE ON RACE AND THE LAW RWU Law made headlines last summer as one of the first law schools in the country to pilot (in Spring 2021) and then add a required course titled “Race & the Foundations of American Law” to its core legal curriculum. “Offering this course aligns perfectly with our institution’s larger social justice mission,” said Dean Bowman. “It is something we needed to do, something transformative, something that will better equip our graduates to work within the legal system to create a world that is more equitable for all.” After three years of strategic planning and a year of national reckoning, RWU Law designed the course to offer important and often overlooked perspectives on race, and to prepare students for the fast-evolving legal landscape in which they will soon be practicing. “In the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd, BLSA students told us that we needed to do more to help educate all students about the ways in which the legal system perpetuates racial hierarchies,” said Professor Jared Goldstein, RWU Law’s Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. “The

faculty agreed that we should create a required course on race and the law, one that every student would take. Making this change will help us carry out the mission we have long been dedicated to.” 2Ls who took the pilot course were enthusiastic. “In my 19 years of formal education, this was the best and most eye-opening class I’ve ever taken,” said Brooklyn Crockton of Rochester, N.Y. “When the course started, I thought I knew a lot more than I did because I am African American myself. I thought I had a good grasp of how the law intersects with African-American issues and history, because I grew up with it. But I’d say about 90% of the course content was totally new to me—and I was an Africana Studies minor, too!” Dominick Gargano, of Morristown, N.J., said that as a white male, he found the course to be a powerful and practical legal tool. “What we were really studying in this class is history, factual information,” he said. “It’s not a ‘version’ of something, or an interpretation. We’re doing what we do in every other law class: looking at the facts. And you deal with that information, and then you start to think about what we can do to make things better.” 18

WOMEN IN THE LAW A Celebration in Uncertain Times

An excerpt from an essay by Nicole P. Dyszlewski, Esq., of the RWU Law Library, and Louisa Fredey L’21, who served as president of the Women’s Law Society. How will 2020 be remembered? Certainly as the year of COVID-19. Doubtlessly as a year marked by a contentious presidential election, and one in which a much-needed racial justice reckoning took hold. But we should not forget that 2020 also marks a momentous anniversary for our country and our state. For it was 100 years ago, in 1920, that women, nationally, finally won the right to vote; and, in Rhode Island, also the right to sit for the bar and practice law in Rhode Island. On Sept. 24, 1920, Ada Sawyer—longtime secretary to a male Providence attorney—sat for the Rhode Island bar exam after Supreme Court Associate Justice William H. Sweetland ruled that she qualified as a “person” under the law, and was therefore eligible to be an attorney in spite of her gender. Today, 54% of the current first-year class at Roger Williams University School of Law—Rhode Island’s only law school—identifies as female, as does roughly 36% of the membership of the Rhode Island Bar Association. Those numbers are something to celebrate. As voters and lawyers, women attorneys today stand on the shoulders of those who creatively and bravely fought to secure the rights we enjoy today. And yet, we have not reached the “happy ending” of either story. Voter suppression, unfortunately, remains an issue to this day.

Rhode Island, for example, still has a voter identification law—a type of law that is known to disproportionately impact communities of color. Likewise, gender discrimination in the legal field persists—and again, these issues are further amplified for women of color. As with so many aspects of 2020, this celebration will be overshadowed by the stark reality of just how far we still must go to obtain true equality.

100 Years After the 19th Amendment: Their Legacy, and Our Future A large cross section of the RWU Law community gathered for this online event marking 100 years since the 19th Amendment guaranteed and protected the constitutional right to vote for women. It included a virtual tour of a special traveling ABA exhibit, which in Fall 2020 was on display at RWU Law. An inspiring discussion followed, covering diverse aspects of the Amendment’s critical and complex legacy—and its meaning for our political future. Speakers included Rhode Island Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, Professor Gloria J. Browne-Marshall of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and Sara Guillermo, Executive Director of IGNITE.

100 Years After the 19th Amendment: Their Legacy, and Our Future

Screen captures of the Honorable Netti Vogel and the Honorable Maureen McKenna Goldberg at the 20th Annual “Women in Robes” event.

Women in Robes Turns 20! RWU Law students, faculty, staff, and alumni gathered to virtually celebrate the 20th year of RWU Law’s popular annual Women in Robes event. Women members of the Rhode Island Judiciary shared their experiences and celebrated the evergrowing role of women in the Rhode Island legal community; the attendees then dispersed to several “breakout rooms” for the networking component of the evening. Speakers included the Honorable Maureen McKenna Goldberg, Senior Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court; the Honorable Netti Vogel, Associate Justice of the Rhode Island Superior Court; the Honorable Melissa Long, Associate Justice of the Rhode Island Superior Court; and the Honorable Patricia Sullivan, United States Magistrate Judge for the U.S. District Court, District of Rhode Island. 19

RBG Contest To end the year, RWU Law invited Ocean State students from grades K through 12 to submit essays and artwork describing how they have been inspired by the legacy of the late Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the Supreme Court of the United States, who passed away on Sept. 18, 2020. As part of the prize, Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly agreed to publish the winning entries. Winning students also received cash prizes and books. The response was gratifyingly large and enthusiastic. The winners were “Breaking Glass Ceilings” by Millin Licht, Jewish Community Day School, Providence; “Jackpot and Ruth Bader Ginsburg” by Mairead Lapierre, Lawn School, Jamestown; and “A Seat at the Table” by Jasmine Stevens, St. Mary Academy—Bay View, East Providence.

Gonzales is R.I. ‘Lawyer of the Year’ Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly selected Professor Deborah Gonzalez ’03, L’07 as Rhode Island’s 2020 Lawyer of the Year, citing her outstanding advocacy for the safety of immigrant detainees at Wyatt Detention Center in Central Falls, R.I. A longtime immigrant advocate and an increasingly visible media commentator, Gonzalez has dedicated her life and career to helping some of America’s neediest, most vulnerable communities. In July 2020, she was named as RWU Law’s Bruce I. Kogan Distinguished Service Professor, a two-year appointment that runs through June 30, 2022. “It is impossible for me to describe the many ways in which Debbie has gone above and beyond to make valuable contributions to the community,” said former Dean Michael Yelnosky, in announcing the appointment. Asked about the honor, Gonzalez replied, “I was taken aback. I’m so lucky to be able to do all this work, and I’m looking forward to continuing so long as I can.”

“Breaking Glass Ceilings,” the winning elementary school entry, by Millin Licht, Jewish Community Day School, Providence.

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES LAW RWU Law students Dr. Taino Palermo (left) and Raymond Two Hawks Watson at Providence’s Van Leesten Pedestrian Bridge.

American Indians in the field of law.” According to 2L Orla Powers, current president of AILSA, “Students have really embraced Indigenous studies at the law school. We have a growing membership, a full executive Board with representation from first-, second-, and third-year students.”

LAW 815: FEDERAL INDIAN LAW

The American Indian Law Students Association sponsored a Drum Circle to kick off the school year at RWU Law. The Eastern Medicine Singers performed traditional music from various Algonquin tribes.

THE WUTCHE WAME LIVING CULTURE COLLABORATIVE

THE AMERICAN INDIAN LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION (AILSA)

RWU Law 3L Raymond Two Hawks Watson is a member, and current chief, of the Mashapaug Nahaganset Tribe, a federally non-recognized American Indian Tribe in Rhode Island. In 2020, Watson worked with RWU Law 3L Dr. Taino Palermo and RWU Professor Brian Hendrickson to found the Wutche Wame Living Culture Collaborative (from an Eastern Algonquin phrase meaning “for all”) with the goal of building Indigenous studies, programming, and awareness across the Roger Williams University campus.

Also in the past year, Watson founded the law school’s American Indian Law Students Association (AILSA) together with Palermo, who is Kasiké (Chief) of the Baramaya Guaínía Clan, a federally non-recognized American Indian Tribe indigenous to Puerto Rico.

The three-year initiative includes a plan to establish and fund, through RWU Law, the first full-service American Indian legal clinic in the Eastern United States. At RWU’s 2021 commencement celebrations, two local Indigenous leaders— Sagamore William Guy (Po Wauipi Neimpaug), principal chief of the Pokanoket Nation; and Lorén Spears, Executive Director of the Tomaquag Indigenous Museum in Exeter, R.I.—jointly delivered the day’s keynote address.

“Indian law intersects with so many established forms of law, such as family law, criminal law, and environmental law, yet it is often neglected as its own field of law.”

“Indian law intersects with so many established forms of law— such as family law, criminal - 3L Dr. Taino Palermo law, and environmental law—yet it is often neglected as its own field of law,” Palermo explained. “We created AILSA to unify law students, faculty, and the community to come together and address intersectional legal issues facing indigenous people, as well as promote the advancement of

This class, which had been offered in the past, was revamped and redesigned in 2020. The course, according to RWU Law Visiting Professor James Diamond, a nationally known expert on Indian law, explores the foundations and major principles of U.S. law that govern Native nations and their relationship to the United States. Guest speakers from tribal courts and governments participate in the course.

LAW 837: TRIBAL COURTS, TRIBAL LAW, AND TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS This new class was first offered in Spring 2021. Like RWU Law’s Federal Indian Law class, it drew a lot of student interest. “Unlike Federal Indian Law, this course isn’t taught on a regular basis anywhere east of Michigan,” Diamond explained. The course’s focus is tribal law as developed by tribal nations in legislation and tribal court cases. It covers tribal constitutions and governmental structures as well. “One very interesting aspect of the class involves how tribal philosophies and culture are adapted to the common law,” Diamond added. “We also examine Indigenous dispute resolution, including something called peacemaking.” Students participated in a simulated peacemaking session to resolve a family dispute with criminal law components. “I’m very encouraged by the overwhelming student interest in this innovative course,“ Diamond said. 22

‘CULTURAL MISAPPROPRIATION’ PROGRAM What is cultural misappropriation, and why does it matter? A student-led conference at RWU Law—featuring a nationally prominent panel of legal experts and activists—drew more than 500 virtual attendees in March 2021. The conference examined copyright and trademark topics relating to the issue, including professional sports team names and logos (Harjo v. Pro Football and its relationship with Matal v. Tam); fashion (Urban Outfitters v. Navajo); photography and music on reservations; and traditional knowledge labeling. Presented by RWU Law’s Intellectual Property Law Association (IPLA), the event was moderated by then-1L Jeffrey Prystowsky and co-sponsored by the Copyright Society, RWU Law’s American Indian Law Students Association, the Tomaquag Museum, and others.

ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAK During 2021’s Alternative Spring Break, a number of RWU Law students worked in Indian law-related placements. These included work on tribal court ethics with the Tohono O’odham Nation of Sells, Ariz.; addressing repatriation of Native American children’s graves as part of the residential boarding school crisis, with the Association on American Indian Affairs of Rockville, Md.; and assisting with tribal domestic violence cases at the Southwest Center for Law and Policy of Tucson, Ariz. Students’ efforts extended far beyond Alternative Spring Break as well. “Our students did pro bono work for Indian tribes and tribal organizations throughout the year, while others obtained Indian law summer jobs with law firms that practice Indian law,” Diamond noted.

‘AN UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH: INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES AND LAW IN NEW ENGLAND’ The student editors of Roger Williams University Law Review spent the past year collaborating with the school’s American Indian Law Students Association to plan a groundbreaking legal symposium (held in Fall 2021). The Indigenous Peoples of New England were among the first in North America to experience European colonization and conquest, and this online conference discussed how they have been treated by the law and American legal institutions from the earliest days of settlement to today—and what tribes are doing today to exercise their inherent sovereignty and build thriving Native nations. In one conference highlight, Palermo presented his research on developing a legal framework for federally non-recognized Tribal Nations reacquiring ancestral lands. Palermo joined an array of top experts from around the country, including Michigan State University Law School’s Professor Matthew L.M. Fletcher (Little Traverse Bay Band Oddawa) and RWU Law’s own Professor Diamond.

PROFESSOR JAMES DIAMOND Dr. James Diamond is a Visiting Professor of Law at RWU Law. He teaches Federal Indian Law; Tribal Courts, Tribal Law, and Tribal Governments; and a number of other criminal law courses. Diamond is also the Dean of Academic Affairs at the National Tribal Trial College. He is the former Director of the Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy Program’s Tribal Justice Clinic, and a former law professor at the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law. He has also served as a Special Prosecutor in the Pascua Yaqui Tribal Court in Arizona. Diamond is certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy as a criminal trial specialist. He has extensive criminal trial experience, with more than a thousand criminal cases under his belt. 23

PANDEMIC RESPONSE As Roger Williams University School of Law entered of Health, and we’ve been following CDC guidance. the 2020-21 academic year, the world still need foundsomething Our goals focus ifare keepphoto you safe, to filland thisour space... wetoomit heretoneed to have itself in the depths of the pandemic. In order to support and strengthen our sense of community 48 pages complete all classes before Thanksgiving, the start at the School of Law, and to provide you with the of the semester was moved back a few days and fall quality educational experience that you deserve, holidays were eliminated. Some classes were offered so that you will be fully career-ready in just a few in person with masking and social distancing, some semesters when you graduate. Your education were online, and still others were a hybrid of both. is paramount. Your safety is paramount. We are committed to both. Before classes began, Dean Bowman addressed students “RWU Law’s twin goals for “This coming year is going to be a at an online meeting: 2020-21 are to keep you safe challenging one, perhaps especially for those of you who are in your and to give you the best“One of the many things I second and third years. You’re quality legal education we looking at what was a tough Spring find wonderfully meaningful can possibly deliver.” about teaching law is that 2020 semester continuing into we’re training our future the Fall semester. But you’re also - Dean Gregory W. Bowman learning how to not just survive, but colleagues—getting to know you, supporting you, watching to thrive in these challenging times. you excel and then go out into the world and make a And resilience is an essential skill for a successful difference. Law schools exist for their students. Our lawyer. I don’t mean to sound pie-in-the-sky about purpose is to serve, teach, and train you so that you it, but there really is a lot to learn from adversity. can become the lawyers and leaders of the future. Embrace it as an opportunity and a challenge from This year, as you well know, we have an extra set of which you can learn. challenges. “Frankly, I’ve learned a lot about myself here already “No one back in January or February would have —and I’ve developed a faith in the people that I’ve anticipated a fall semester like this one, but here we joined here at Roger Williams University. Our primary are. And we have been hard at work over the summer focus is on finding ways to innovate and be better. —at the University level and at the School of Law That’s why we’re here. That’s why we do what level—being very proactive and very innovative. We’ve we do.” had conversations with the Rhode Island Department

24 24

A HYBRID COMMENCEMENT Sunny, moderately warm weather prevailed on Friday, May 21, 2021, providing a pleasant backdrop as the 153 graduates of Roger Williams University School of Law’s Class of 2021 received their hard-earned diplomas. In keeping with pandemic-emergence practices across nation, the law school community celebrated with a hybrid ceremony. The day began with an in-person Grad Walk at the Field House, followed by a virtual ceremony in the evening. A number of 2020 graduates—who missed out on their in-person ceremony due to the pandemic—also participated, receiving their diplomas from former Dean Michael J. Yelnosky. Upon emerging from the building, all graduates received applause and warm greetings from faculty and staff.

Professors hold congratulatory signs at a socially distanced in-person portion of the commencement program.

Rhode Island Governor Daniel J. McKee opened the virtual ceremony, noting, “I know this past year hasn’t been an easy one, and learning has been far from conventional, but you’ve all adapted to the challenges and made it to the finish line.” RWU Law Dean Bowman added, “To have gone to law school and completed it during a global pandemic—and to not have just survived but thrived—is nothing short of amazing and extraordinary. We are so very proud of you.” The Honorable Edward C. Clifton, a pioneering jurist who served as an associate justice on the Rhode Island Superior Court for more than 20 years before retiring in 2015, delivered the keynote. “Throughout your education here at Roger Williams, you have been encouraged to become involved in social justice issues,” he said.

Dean Bowman confers a degree at the in-person ceremony.

Referencing the late U.S. Congressman John Lewis (D-Ga.), Judge Clifton encouraged the graduates to “engage in good trouble” as lawyers. An honorary degree was also awarded to Lynette Labinger, a highly regarded constitutional and civil rights attorney in Providence. Valedictorian Tatiana Maria Gomez closed with a thoughtful and heartfelt address, noting, “Law school is notoriously challenging, even in the best of circumstances. But our class persevered through more than the usual level of difficulty.” Prerecorded greetings from faculty and staff followed.

Professor David Logan offered fist bumps to the graduates. 25

DEAN’S DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD:

RALPH TAVARES The Dean’s Distinguished Service Award for 202021 went to Ralph Tavares, Director of Diversity & Outreach.

PROFESSOR OF THE YEAR:

ADJUNCT PROFESSOR OF THE YEAR:

BRITTANY RAPOSA

DAVID COOMBS

Brittany L. Raposa, RWU Law Associate Director & Professor of Bar Support, was chosen by the Class of 2021 as Professor of the Year.

Chosen by the graduating class for the second year in a row, Chief Justice Weisberger Visiting Professor of Law David Coombs was named Adjunct Professor of the Year.

“Professor Raposa has been a transformational force for our law school,” said Dean Bowman. “Her teaching is excellent, and she knows that teaching and learning are not limited to the traditional classroom setting. Her work preparing our students for success in their legal careers has enriched our law school’s curriculum and our students’ learning experiences. Her scholarly research on law school pedagogy is also gaining well-deserved national recognition.”

A seasoned JAG and private defense attorney, 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.

Raposa responded that it is the Class of 2021 that truly deserves special recognition for successfully completing their legal education in such challenging times.

“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.”

“Ralph’s work has been essential to the law school’s success this year,” said Dean Bowman. “I have relied on his insights, his wisdom, his compassion, and his lived commitment to our mission and values. I deeply appreciate his support for our students, and in particular our students of color in this moment of national reckoning about race and racism. Watching him in action over the past year, I know that he views his work as a calling to make the world a better and more inclusive place for all.”

STAFF PERSON OF THE YEAR:

ANN MARIE THOMPSON The Class of 2021 selected Ann Marie Thompson, RWU Law’s Assistant Director of Student Finance & Records, as Staff Person of the Year. “Ann Marie is excellent at what she does, and our law school runs more smoothly because of her,” noted Dean Bowman. Thompson, who was also voted Staff Person of the Year by the Class of 2020, said she was humbled by the recognition. “I am truly honored to have been recognized during a year in which we have all been faced with so many challenges,” she said. 26

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, and Rhode Island Sea Grant.

OUR PRIMARY GOALS • Educating the next generation of marine and coastal law and policy leaders • Serving as a resource for ocean and coastal stakeholders on law and policy research

A RIGOROUS CURRICULUM One of the ways that the MAI educates the next generation of marine and coastal law and policy leaders is through a rigorous academic curriculum. In the Classroom. RWU Law offers a variety of courses in both Environmental/Natural Resources Law and Admiralty/Maritime Law. J uris Doctor/Master of Marine Affairs. Students in this program earn their juris doctor degree at the law school and their master’s degree at URI. Students examine complex marine and environmental issues beyond the legal context, holistically incorporating science, social science, economics, and policy. This 3½-year joint-degree program prepares students for a wide variety of jobs after graduation. In the past three years, seven students have taken advantage of this program.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING Another way that the MAI educates students is through experiential learning. This is primarily done through two programs: 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 • The Conservation Law Foundation The Rhode Island Sea Grant Law Fellow Program. Participating 2Ls and 3Ls research and analyze a full range of ocean, coastal, and maritime topics for outside organizations. In 2020, the MAI worked on 14 Law Fellow projects with 13 Law Fellows. Projects completed over the last three years covered a wide variety of topics, some looking at laws and policies related to coastal resilience in Rhode Island, and others examining regulatory restrictions to siting new aquaculture farms in the state. The projects involved a variety of different organizations, including: • • • • • • •

Save the Bay The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Rhode Island Housing Connecticut Sea Grant Woods Hole Sea Grant The Coastal Resources Management Council Rhode Island Sea Grant (involved in all projects)

RWU LAW ACQUIRES TOP MARINE LAW JOURNAL The biggest news of the year for the MAI was its acquisition of the Journal of Maritime Law and Commerce (JMLC), the premier periodical in the field of maritime law in the United States. Founded in 1969, the JMLC is a scholarly and practice-oriented periodical devoted to all aspects of admiralty and maritime law, including the law of the sea. Since its inception 50 years ago, courts and arbitrators—including the Supreme Court of the United States and foreign courts—have cited the JMLC hundreds of times. “RWU Law is a fitting home for this leading publication,” said Dean Bowman. “We are a nationally known maritime law school that provides strong training in this field to the next generation of lawyers and leaders through our excellent faculty, the Marine Affairs Institute, and our partnerships with the University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island Sea Grant.” RWU Law faculty and students will administer, edit, and publish the JMLC in both online (law.rwu.edu/go/jmlc) and print editions twice a year, coinciding roughly with the Fall and Spring academic semesters. “This is a wonderful opportunity for the law school and the Marine Affairs Institute,” said Julia Wyman, Director of the MAI and the Rhode Island Sea Grant Legal Program at RWU Law. “The JMLC is an internationally respected, professionally published journal that experts in the maritime field rely on for important analysis of current issues.”

RWU Law’s JMLC editorial team at the Port of Providence: Julia Wyman, Director of RWU Law’s Marine Affairs Institute and the Rhode Island Sea Grant Legal Program; Professor Justin Kishbaugh; and Professor Jonathan Gutoff.

During 2020-21, the MAI hosted its second postgraduate, grant-funded position: a Research Attorney, Catherine Schluter. Her work focused on aquaculture issues in New England. Schluter also examined law and policy issues related to coastal resilience in New England.

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, 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.

Sen. Whitehouse, Rep. David Cicilline, Professor Michael Gerhardt, and Professor David Logan during the “Second Trump Impeachment Trial” presentation.

In Spring 2021, the Second Annual RWU Law Women in Law Leadership Lecture featured Debra Katz, Esq. in a “fireside chat” with RWU Law Professor Emily J. Sack. Katz is a noted civil rights and employment lawyer in Washington, D.C. She made headlines representing Dr. Christine Blasey Ford at the Brett Kavanaugh Senate hearings in 2018. This event was sponsored by Cervenka Green & Ducharme LLC, and by First Women honoree Louise Durfee (1966).

Connecticut Chief Justice Richard A. Robinson and Dean Bowman at the MLK keynote lecture.

In a virtual “fireside chat” with his longtime friend Dean Bowman, the Honorable Richard A. Robinson, Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court, delivered the 16th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Keynote Address. “I recognize that as a country, we are facing significant challenges to the rule of law,” he said. “Too many people have lost trust and competence in the government, and hateful and violent words are more readily digested and acted upon. [But] just as Dr. King called upon us to do, we must be inspired. Be persistent. Keep the faith. The task is mighty, but so is our commitment.” The event was sponsored by Nixon Peabody LLP.

RWU Law’s Fourth Annual Stonewall Lecture was delivered by Bendita Cynthia Malakia, Esq., Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion for Hogan Lovells in Washington, D.C., in a virtual “fireside chat” with Ralph Tavares, RWU Law’s Director of Diversity & Outreach. “2020 was a mind-blowing year from the perspective of equity,” she said. “As LGBT+ people, we’ve experienced glorious wins and gutwrenching setbacks. Contemporaneously, there was a racial reckoning, which followed on racially fraught policies hanging in the balance, such as immigration.” In such troubled times, Malakia encouraged her RWU Law audience to ask, “How can we leverage our privilege and extend our hands to other communities?”

JANA (LEMANSKI) SIMMONS L’98 Jana (Lemanski) Simmons L’98—an expert on Indian and Tribal Law and Senior Counsel at Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani LLP in Detroit —returned (virtually) to her alma mater to speak about “Civil Litigation in Indian Country” and careers in Indian law. With nearly 20 years of experience representing tribal and local governments, companies, and individuals— and a deep familiarity with tribal constitutions and laws, tribal-state compacts, federal Indian law, jurisdiction, and sovereignty—Simmons is a knowledgeable guide indeed. “I help tribal governments and businesses navigate complex governmental and commercial dealings,” she explained. Her goal? “To reduce potential liability, limit risk, and bolster successful, longterm intertribal and off-reservation business relationships that empower tribes and their members.”

INCITEMENT, INSURRECTION, AND IMPEACHMENT: INSIDE THE SECOND TRUMP IMPEACHMENT TRIAL Held early in the Spring 2021 semester, just days after the end of President Donald J. Trump’s second impeachment trial, this compelling discussion featured expert commentary on the trial itself, as well as a discussion of its ramifications for the future of the Senate, impeachment, the presidency, the Constitution, and the rule of law in the United States. The discussion featured Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Representative David Cicilline (D-R.I.), and Professor Michael Gerhardt, special counsel to Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), presiding officer of the impeachment trial. RWU Law’s own Professor David Logan moderated. The event was co-sponsored by RWU Law, Emory University School of Law, and Wake Forest University School of Law. More than 500 registrants attended the online event. 30

OUR EXCEPTIONAL 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.

GOLDSTEIN EXPLORES NATIONALIST ‘CONSTITUTIONAL DEVOTION’ This year, Professor Jared Goldstein completed a book, Real Americans: National Identity, Violence, and the Constitution, published in December 2021 by the University Press of Kansas. In the book, Goldstein lays out “the well-established pattern of movements devoted to defending the power of dominant racial, ethnic, and religious groups that deploy the rhetoric of constitutional devotion to express their national visions and justify their violence.” “My book is about the role of the Constitution in American nationalism,” Goldstein explained. “That is, the way that devotion to the Constitution is often seen as the embodiment of what it means to be American.” One review noted, “Goldstein’s seminal study is essential reading for anyone hoping to understand some of the most disturbing currents of contemporary American politics.” Goldstein also made headlines in 2020 representing ICE detainees at the Wyatt Detention Center in Central Falls R.I., together with RWU Law’s Professor Deborah Gonzalez and the Rhode Island ACLU. On campus, he was deeply involved in the law school’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ABA reaccreditation site visit, and helping RWU Law carry out its Strategic Planning for Diversity & Inclusion.

MONESTIER TAKES ON AMAZON “Did you know that if the goods you purchase on Amazon turn out to be defective and cause serious personal injury, Amazon is probably not liable for them?” Professor Tanya Monestier asks in one of her latest articles, forthcoming in Cornell Law Review. Amazon, she explains in the article, seeks to avoid liability for dangerous and defective third-party goods sold on its platform, claiming that it does not hold title to the goods in question. Pushing back, Monestier argues that “Amazon looks like a seller, acts like a seller, and convinces buyers it is a seller. Amazon probably is a seller and should be estopped from arguing otherwise.” Monestier is a productive scholar and popular faculty member—she has been Professor of the Year (2018), Distinguished Teaching Professor of Law (2018-2019), and Distinguished Research Professor of Law (2018-2020). Monestier also has a book in the works: Sh*t No One Tells You About Law School is scheduled to be published by Carolina Academic Press in 2022. Geared in large part to first-generation students, it takes a direct, no-nonsense approach to doing well in law school. 31

GUTOFF ON THE HIGH SEAS Professor Jonathan Gutoff is RWU Law’s nationally recognized go-to expert on all things Admiralty and Marine Law related. “Lately,” he said, “I’ve been devoting a substantial amount of time to a grant from the National Science Foundation through the University of Washington.” Gutoff provides risk-management advice to the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS), a consortium of institutions that run research vessels, and other institutions that do oceanographic research but do not own research vessels.

“My advice covers a range of subjects, including regulation of shipping, international law, personal injury, and labor issues,” Gutoff said. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gutoff often found himself “writing memos and discussing issues around mandating testing and vaccines on research vessels” and related concerns. In addition to his teaching duties, Gutoff—along with Adjunct Professor Robert Falvey—spends “a good bit of time coaching our Admiralty Moot Court teams, which have been very successful.” In 2019, a team of RWU Law 3Ls swept the premier admiralty law tournament in the United States.

HEYMAN AT THE INTERSECTION OF CON LAW AND CORPORATE LAW Upon joining RWU Law, Professor Susan Schwab Heyman brought her extensive experience as a transactional lawyer with Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, where she focused on mergers and acquisitions and securities offerings. “My scholarship focuses on the intersectionality of constitutional law and corporate law,” Heyman explained. She recently published articles considering how several securities regulations—including Regulation Fair Disclosure and the Quiet Period Rules—hinder corporate free speech. “I demonstrated that, since

these regulations restrict the transmission of truthful information by corporations, they are problematic from a First Amendment perspective,” Heyman said. Currently she is working on a piece that raises normative and policy considerations for extending the right against self-incrimination to corporations. Heyman was recently named RWU Law’s Director of Business Law Programs, in which capacity she advises students interested in pursuing careers in business law and organizes speakers to present on transactional lawyering.

LOGAN CHALLENGES NEW YORK TIMES V. SULLIVAN Professor and former RWU Law Dean David A. Logan enjoyed a rock-star moment last summer, on the final day of the U.S. Supreme Court’s term. In an 11-page dissent to the Court’s denial of certiorari in Berisha v. Lawson, Justice Neil Gorsuch argued that the court should have heard a challenge to its landmark 1964 holding in New York Times v. Sullivan. His argument relied on a recent law review article by Logan, citing it no fewer than 16 times. “I was personally thrilled and professionally honored,” Logan said. “I don’t recollect ever reading a SCOTUS

opinion that so closely tracks a law review article.” The story spread nationally and internationally, picked up by The Economist, the Boston Globe, NPR’s On Point and Morning Edition, and many others. Logan also played a central role in organizing RWU Law’s extraordinary online presentation, “Incitement, Insurrection, and Impeachment: Inside the Second Trump Impeachment Trial,” featuring Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Representative David Cicilline, and Professor Michael Gerhardt, which drew more than 500 attendees. 32

LAW LIBRARY The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continued to set the course for library activities in the past year, but fortunately our library’s staff had the experience and expertise to tackle new challenges. Given the uncertainties of COVID-19, the law school faculty used a variety of instructional formats, necessitating more technological support than in previous years. Library staff served as technology assistants for hybrid courses to ensure that the program of instruction was not adversely affected by the use of technology. This included support for courses that were fully online, hybrid, or fully in person—all with mandatory class recordings. All instruction modalities required training or re-training on classroom technology, and close collaboration with colleagues in the Instructional Design and IT departments. While most of the law school staff beyond the library worked remotely, the library staff took on new roles within and outside the building. Within the building, the library served as the primary reception area and mailroom, while staff provided ongoing technology support for classes, law school meetings, and events. Outside the building, library staff volunteered to assist with COVID testing, some year-round, in support of the University’s COVID-19 testing and surveillance programs.

The library also played an instrumental role in a variety of other law school activities, such as: • S ecuring and coordinating the ABA Traveling Exhibit “100 Years After the 19th Amendment: Their Legacy, and Our Future” • P lanning many virtual law school events, which included serving in the organizing committees for the Women in Law Leadership Lecture, and the new RBG Essay Contest • W orking with other law school offices to create “Black Lives Matter: A Resource Guide,” consisting of books, articles, podcasts, and other resources on this topic • P roviding a resource guide on “Cultural Misappropriation” for the virtual conference cosponsored by the RWU Law Intellectual Property Law Association Despite these added roles, library staff remained gracious, service- and mission-oriented, and maintained their sense of humor. Although the pandemic is not over, the library staff is delighted that our students, faculty, and staff are back in the building and that our service focus in 2021-22 will be on re-establishing inperson services for our patrons.

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

515 4 20

18,012 137

Research, Reference, and Instruction Research Classes

165

Reference Questions

270

Research Consultations & Major Projects

178

Document Delivery Requests filled

374

New & Updated LawGuides Courses for Credit Taught

45 5

Educational Technology Support Tech Teaching Assistant Supported Courses

Zoom, Meetings, and Bridges training sessions

Instructional Technology Questions answered

Readership distribution for Law Faculty Scholarship

515

Outreach Blog Posts

Book Displays

Student Events

Librarian Professional Development & Service Webinars & Training Sessions

Conferences

Internal Committees

External Committees

External Presentations

Publications

8 34

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, environmental protection, health care, 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: • Identify, 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 • Use legal skills and materials to independently research, analyze, and evaluate law-related matters in their field Since the MSL Program launched in 2016, more than 21 students have entered, with 13 students earning the degree to date.

JORDAN SEABERRY L’20 Master of Studies in Law For noted artist and community organizer Jordan Seaberry L’20—co-director of the nonprofit U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, and a RISD-educated painter—earning a Master of Studies in Law degree from RWU Law was a key that helped him weave together the two seemingly disparate threads of his professional life. “In the trajectory of my own work, this really feels like the first time I have really blended the arts and social justice work together,” the Chicago native said. “Community organizers typically start at the legislative level. Being in the MSL program opened my eyes to other possibilities, like changing the law and pushing for social justice through the judiciary. Not just the legislature, not even just the executive branch—but really diversifying our tactics and building a movement that tugs on all three branches.”

BUDGET RWU Law continued to show improved overall enrollment between 2020 and 2022, with both increased revenue and increased aid per student.

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

Actual

JD Program

483

517

524

MSL Program

(1)

-25%

Dual Degree

100%

2-Year Change

HEADCOUNT

JD Tuition Rate

$37,525 $39,865

$41,060

$3,535

Average aid per 1L student

$15,726 $18,145

$20,377

$4,651

30%

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 2015-2021 $300,000

$200,000

$100,000

$125,429.13 $76,701.48

Corporate Relations

$90,014

$0 2015

2020

$199,882

$111,522

$50,000

Foundation Relations Leadership Giving

$180,856

$170,546

$150,000

Annual Giving

$241,525

$241,522

$250,000

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

$58,356.40

Other Fundraising Gifts in Kind

$4,000 $75,116

ALL FUNDRAISING: FY 2015-2021

$860

$600,000 $584,008

$550,000

$519,922

$500,000 $87,790 $65,220.36

$491,382

$427,982

$450,000 $400,000 $341,049

$350,000 $300,000

2021

$250,000 $34,258 $3,000

$218,030

$229,039

$200,000 $150,000 $100,000 2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

$ 101,232

YELNOSKY PATIO In Fall 2020, RWU Law recognized Professor Michael J. Yelnosky—a founding faculty member of this institution and its dean from 2014 to 2020—by dedicating the popular patio outside the Bistro with a plaque in his honor. “It is a small but much-deserved gesture for a man who has dedicated an extraordinary amount of time, energy, and passion to RWU Law and its continued success,” noted Dean Bowman. “I am grateful to so many for supporting and working with me as dean,” Yelnosky said. “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’s deanship marked an important period of growth for the school. At a time when many law schools were retrenching in the wake of the Great Recession, he focused on positioning RWU Law to remain “aggressively relevant.”

ANTONIO MASSA VIANA L’14 Boston attorney Antonio Massa Viana ’14 made headlines as the first known unauthorized immigrant to earn a law license. Born in Brazil with many U.S. connections, he spent years living and working here as a homeowner, taxpayer, and father of three U.S.born children. But lawyers advised Viana that there was no avenue for him to apply for a green card. So he enrolled at RWU Law to see for himself. Despite juggling work, family, and a tough daily commute from Boston, Viana soon emerged as a superstar at RWU Law: excelling in his classes; becoming Editor-in-Chief of the law review; winning the Esther Clark Moot Court competition; and earning the high regard of faculty, staff, and fellow students alike. “I’m not the only one out there with a crazy story,” he said. “There are thousands of those stories playing out every day in America.” Today, with a 12-person staff at his Framingham, Mass., law firm, Viana is there to fight for them.

ALISON LABOISSONNIERE BOYD L’06 AND BRADFORD BOYD L’08 Alison and Bradford Boyd met at RWU Law—but their timing wasn’t ideal. She was a 3L and president of the Moot Court Board; he was a 1L, presenting an oral argument before her as a student judge. “I guess we hit it off,” Alison quipped. But they both had plans to pursue. She was heading to London. (Professor Louise Ellen Teitz had gotten her interested in international trade.) Alison pursued an LL.M. after law school at Notre Dame’s London campus, “and I ended up working for a big firm over there, writing debt securities for Lehman Brothers.” After finishing law school, Bradford joined her in the U.K., taking a job in marine insurance. He also earned an M.Sc. in Shipping Finance at the City University of London. (He had experience: Bradford had spent some of his younger years in Argentina, securing a job at 17 “delivering cargo insurance policies to freight forwarders and international trade companies at Buenos Aires.”) Bradford’s goal in attending law school was not to practice law, but rather to gain legal know-how for his professional ambitions. “If you look at my admissions letter to RWU Law, I actually said that I had a goal to revolutionize international marine insurance!” he laughed. And that is exactly what he did in the years that followed, along with Alison. Together they founded and built ANOVA Marine Insurance Services LLC, a major marine insurance firm headquartered in Pembroke Pines, Fla. In 2021, when RWU Law acquired the Journal of Maritime Law and Commerce (JMLC), the premier periodical in the field of maritime law in the United States, the couple generously agreed to underwrite the JMLC’s production for five years. “As a student, I chose Roger Williams because of its maritime law opportunities, and my career has benefited greatly from that decision,” Bradford said. “Alison and I both felt that a journal focusing on the commercial side of maritime law would be a great complement to RWU Law’s already strong ocean and coastal law opportunities.” “Also, the maritime industry offers a lot of really nice career paths for attorneys,” Alison added.“I hope the JMLC inspires more RWU Law students to consider getting into the field.”

“It’s gratifying despite the occasional frustrations because I get to effect change in so many people’s lives every day,” he said. “It’s truly amazing, the difference that you can make in this line of work.”

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE … As the pages of this Annual Report clearly show, we continue to succeed and excel at Roger Williams University School of Law. We are proud to be Rhode Island’s law school, and we are dedicated to training the next generation of lawyers and leaders for the state and the country. At RWU Law, we remain faithful to our original mission—and we also innovate toward the future. Over the coming year, we will continue to provide our students with highly effective and innovative doctrinal and experiential learning opportunities. We will continue to explore important legal issues through our research and scholarship. We will continue to serve the public—especially those in need—and strive to make Rhode Island a better place for all. And in all that we do, we will seek to constantly innovate and improve. To succeed in all of this, and achieve RWU Law’s true potential, we need your continued support of our programs and students. There are many ways to offer support (including hiring our graduates, teaching as adjunct faculty, and offering students employment and externships), but financial support is imperative for greater and ongoing success. Please consider being our partner in success, so that RWU Law can achieve even more and better serve all of our stakeholders—and most importantly, all of our students. As the world settles into a “new normal,” I plan to travel more and attend more events in person. I truly hope that I have the opportunity to meet you in person soon. Until then, best wishes—and thank you for your continued support of RWU Law! All my best,

Gregory W. Bowman Dean Gregory W. Bowman

Ten Metacom Avenue Bristol, Rhode Island 02809-2921 Change Service Requested

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RWU Law Annual Report 2020-2021

Articles inside

Looking to the Future

Master of Studies in Law Program

Faculty

Marine Affairs Institute & Rhode Island Sea Grant Legal Program

Women in the Law

A Hybrid Commencement

Pandemic Response

A Conversation with the Governor

Intersections: The School of Law & the University

Indigenous Peoples Law

Conferences & Lectures