All Blog Posts

Posted by David Logan
09/25/2012 at 04:10 PM
In recent years the Roger Williams Law community has had a remarkable four members of the Supreme Court of the United States visit Rhode Island [links to Breyer, Scalia and Roberts blogs], most recently Associate Justice Samuel Alito.  The visit was organized by Ron Cass, Dean Emeritus of BU Law School, and a close friend of the Justice, and Justice Alito and his wonderful wife Martha-Ann were good sports, participating in a long list of events that enabled students, faculty, alums, and leaders of the bench and bar, to have multiple opportunities to interact with a leading jurist. ...
Posted by Elizabeth Blank
09/25/2012 at 01:23 PM
Forecasting ahead on my first day as a 1L, the whole law school marathon felt like it was going to be a long and arduous gauntlet. However, the first year of law school quickly rolled into summer classes, and for those of us that took the summer Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination, left us with only a few days before 2L classes started. On my first day back as an official 2L, I could not help reflecting on all I had accomplished and a nagging pang of regret about pushed aside opportunities. The feeling was fleeting. With all the announcements of new boards sent out during the...
Posted by Michael Rekola
09/25/2012 at 12:23 PM
So the first few weeks of my 3L year are in the books and, boy, does it seem like this semester is going to be a busy one. The motto for this semester can best be explained from the old Navy SEAL adage, "the only easy day was yesterday." Besides my commitments to my class schedule, the internship with RIDOT (which was just extended until I graduate!), and my regular responsibilities, I added a whole new set of obligations. Last semester, I had the opportunity to apply for and was granted a position at RWU’s Immigration Clinic.  This prestigious opportunity will afford me the chance to...
Posted by Library Blog
09/20/2012 at 10:16 AM
  Ever noticed among the numerous law school emails that you get is a weekly one from Lucinda Harrison-Cox, Associate Law Librarian?  This weekly email contains the highlights of newly-added content to the Bloomberg BNA U.S. Law Week.  U.S. Law Week is the premier digital resource offering up-to-date coverage of recently decided state and federal appellate cases, the latest federal agency administrative decisions and regulations, and legal news about the President and the U.S. Congress. One key feature of U.S. Law Week includes actions by the U.S. Supreme Court during their...
Posted by David Logan
09/17/2012 at 12:25 PM
You would think starting law school would be enough for any 1L, but newbie Peter Costa not only is tackling that challenge, but also running for state office this fall from District 67 (Barrington-Warren); he also attended the Republican National Convention in Tampa as an Alternate Delegate.  Below are Peter’s observations, as posted on his blog.                                       Peter at Tampa Bay Times...
Posted by William Wray
09/17/2012 at 10:18 AM
I was doing some “work” on the internet the other day – reading an author's answers to readers' questions about the background of a book he wrote – and he said this: “Sure I could explain [this technical question that you asked about] . . . . But without a narrative, our ability to care about such things is dramatically impaired. That’s why we need stories.” Not long after that I was out to lunch with a skilled trial lawyer who was touching on the difference between trial and appellate level advocacy. Some things don’t change, he said. Preparation. Demeanor. Utmost respect for the tribunal....
Posted by Peter Eraca
09/15/2012 at 03:11 PM
Outside of required classes, there is one commonality that binds all law schools and law students together: the bar exam. It is the final rite of passage for attorneys, and the most dreaded portion of legal education. Although I have not posted in some time, I feel as though this portion of the law school experience deserves some exposition, and I will do so by giving a few (probably too many) pieces of advice.  First, you generally do not need to pick which bar exam you sit for until you are a 3L. Its alright to keep your options open. Second, you can take two bars at once so long as...
Posted by Library Blog
09/14/2012 at 02:17 PM
The following rules for creating strong passwords are abridged from the April 2012 YourABA e-news article Security Fundamentals: Passwords --  Use a minimum of eight characters Use a variety of characters Do not use a single dictionary word or common phrase Use phrases that combine multiple common but unrelated words Use different passwords for different services/devices Choose security questions that are less ordinary or answer the security question with false but memorable information Be sure that the URL for the website you are logging into looks legitimate and that the browser...
Posted by David Logan
09/12/2012 at 11:54 AM
RWU Law Prof. Carl Bogus gained national acclaim for his recent biography of conservative icon William F. Buckley, Jr.  http://law.rwu.edu/blog/buckley-bio-reviewed-and-admired-widely and now he is participating in a major program at the University of Texas School of Law on the topic of the future of the American conservative movement.  Organized by Sandy Levinson, the Garwood Centennial Chair in Law at UT, leading scholars from across the country will gather in Austin to debate “Wither Conservatism,” a topic made all the more interesting by the prospect of Paul Ryan being elected...
Posted by David Logan
09/07/2012 at 12:02 PM
Among the crazes of the last decade is poker, fueled by the ease (and promise of riches) from online playing and fan interest form TV coverage taking advantage of “pocket cams” that allowed observers to see players’ “hole cards.”  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poker As it turns out, Roger Williams University has a number of interesting connections to gaming. First, RWU undergrad alum Susan Bedusa produced a well-regarded documentary “All In: The Poker Movie,” which traces the meteoric rise of poker’s popularity, with the 6 entrants in the first “Main Event” of the World Series...