Alison M. Foley '04 has been named a "Lawyer of the Year" by Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly, which cited her involvement "in cases that raise challenging legal issues and otherwise furthering the profession's commitment to the rule of law and to justice in the state."
Foley is legal director of the immigrant victims representation project for Catholic Social Services of Fall River, Mass., having previously run her own private practice.
"This way I have a salary, and I can do the work without being concerned about how the client will come up with the money," Foley told Lawyers Weekly. "This is the work that really appeals to me. The work you can do in immigration that makes a lot of money is not the work that really drives me."
Foley said she's "lost count" of the hours she spends working on pro bono casework for immigrant clients. She volunteers with La Red de Defensa, a Providence group that works to defend the rights of immigrants and the community, and she helped coordinate the legal defense for the 31 janitors working in Rhode Island courthouses who were arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in July 2008.
While earning her J.D. from Roger Williams Law, she was involved in several student groups and activities, including acting as founder and president of the Christian Law Society.
"Alison was a bright and determined student, determined not only to excel but to acquire the knowledge and skills that would enable her to make a positive difference in the world," said RWU Law professor Carl Bogus, for whom she worked as a research assistant. "It's wonderful to see that she's succeeding on both counts."
Roger Williams University School of Law joins the community in honoring Alison for all of her tremendous work and effort.
Roger Williams University School of Law is the only law school in Rhode Island, and offers future attorneys a rigorous, world-class legal education in a supportive, personalized environment. A world-class faculty and strong student culture, plus a commitment to public service, drive the school's rapidly growing reputation for preparing graduates for practice in the 21st century.
