Kristina Hultman is from Norwood, MA and a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross.  She knew as a child that she wanted to be an attorney – and the law school experience has cemented that desire.  She hopes to work as a corporate attorney for an international law firm.                   

On what makes RWU different:
Before I visited Roger Williams, I was 100% positive I was going to choose another school, based purely on rankings.  But after I visited several schools, I realized that Roger Williams has something the rest of them didn’t.  No matter where you go to law school, you will leave in three years better and more knowledgeable than you were before.  But Roger Williams was the only school where I felt that when I left in three years, not only would I be better, but the school would be better for my having attended.  Because Roger Williams is such a young and emergent institution, each student really can make their mark, and each student is treated as more than just one of thousands that have come before and will come in the future. 

On Career Services:
The career services office is like my second home.  The office has a great staff that is lead by an assistant dean with decades of experience.  On several occasions, Dean Bastone has called up a potential employer on my behalf in order to give them a personal recommendation.  A personal call from the dean of a law school can open many doors, and represents a level of personal attention that is unique to Roger Williams University School of Law.  Dean Bastone also made another phone call, this one to my mother, just to tell her that I was doing well and that she should be very proud of me.  Once she realized that the dean wasn’t calling because I had gotten into trouble, she was amazed that a senior administrator would go out of his way just to call the parent of one of the students. 

On the RWU community:
At Roger Williams, the faculty, students and administration are all very committed to a shared goal: advancing and improving the law school.  This has created a unique dynamic within the law school.  Because the faculty and administration want the school to advance, they have a vested interest in the success of each student.  Likewise, each student wants the faculty and administration to do well.  This has created a community network of support of cooperation. 

On competition:
Like any law students, those who intend RWU are competitive.  The system of grading and ranking students has an inherently competitive quality.  However, most students compete against themselves more than they do against others.  RWU Law students are competitive in a positive way, each striving to do better, not hoping that others do worse.

On preparing for law school:
My advice is to enjoy the summer before law school.  Take the cross-country road trip you’ve always talked about.  Spend the summer in a resort town.  Get a job as a camp counselor.  Once you’re in law school everything, from your summer jobs to your extra-curricular activities, are centered around the legal field.  I think it’s important to enjoy one last hurrah before entering this important phase of your life. 

Kristina Hultman

Norwood, MA