Amid praise for its “culture of scholarship” and “commitment to excellence in teaching,” the School of Law recently won membership in the prestigious Association of American Law Schools (AALS), the learned society of American legal education. With admission into this selective organization, Roger Williams became the 168th law school to receive coveted AALS recognition – an honor that Roger Williams University President Roy J. Nirschel, Ph.D., called “the good housekeeping seal of approval for law” – and significantly reinforced the strong foundation that was laid when the School of Law earned full ABA accreditation in 1997.

“We are very pleased with the AALS vote for our law school, which – though less than 15 years old – has in recent years received recognition both regionally and now nationally for the quality of its faculty and programs,” said School of Law Dean David A. Logan.

“AALS membership is both an end and a beginning,” added Michael J. Yelnosky, associate dean for academic affairs. “I think of it as our launching pad. For our first decade, various external bodies set the agenda for what we needed to do to get into ‘the club.’ Now that we’re in, we can begin making strategic decisions from the inside out.”

Long, Intensive Process
AALS membership comes as the culmination of a rigorous 2 ½-year application process that provided a valuable mirror on just how far the law school has come, and what challenges and successes may lie ahead.

“The AALS application process looks at every aspect of a law school’s operation – from the quality of its faculty, scholarship and students to the diversity of those students and faculty members, to the depth of support the school enjoys both from the larger University community and within the region’s bench and bar,” Logan explained.

That process began in 2004 with a thorough, comprehensive self-study, which is required by the AALS as a prelude to formal application. This self study was reviewed by an AALS consultant, Judith Wegner, Dean Emeritus of the University of North Carolina School of Law, who gave the thumbs up for application.

“I served on the [AALS] membership review committee for six years, and also reviewed requirements for member schools during my tenure on the executive committee and as president of the association in 1995,” Wegner noted in her letter of recommendation. “I rarely had the opportunity to review a school which seemed as clearly ready for membership as I believe Roger Williams now to be.”

The application procedure began in earnest last April with an intensive review by an AALS team of five legal professionals who spent four days in Rhode Island studying the School of Law in detail, “leaving no stone unturned,” Yelnosky said. They were decidedly impressed. The team’s report noted:

“The students at the School are improving and becoming more diverse with each class. Much attention is given to admissions, and tireless efforts and procedures are in place to insure the faculty’s goals and the law school mission is met.

Students are pleased with course offerings, student organizations, publications, and opportunities in clinics and externships. Faculty and staff are committed to being a student-centered place and many examples were evidenced of this during the visit. The team was very pleased with the quality of the School’s faculty and the faculty seemed very satisfied with the administration of the School by the Dean and his staff.”