The Marine Affairs Institute/Rhode Island
Sea Grant Legal Program at Roger Williams
University School of Law educates and
prepares exceptional marine law professionals
and is the home of North America’s expert
marine law and policy researchers, educators
and conveners. We achieve our goals by:
Offering rigorous and diverse maritime
and marine law courses.
Providing full extracurricular
opportunities to develop excellent
research, writing and advocacy skills.
Convening local, regional, national and
international experts in a neutral forum
to address relevant maritime and marine
law issues.
Leveraging unique institutional
strengths and interdisciplinary
approaches of our partners, Rhode Island
Sea Grant and the University of Rhode
Island.
CURRICULUM
Courses are taught by full professors as
well as by expert practitioners, and
include:
Admiralty Law
Marine Insurance
Administrative Law
Marine Pollution
Climate Change Law
Marine Salvage
Environmental Law
Maritime Security Law
Fisheries Law
Ocean and Coastal Law
Law of the Sea
Ocean Management and Policy
SEA GRANT LAW FELLOWS
In partnership with the Rhode Island Sea
Grant College Program, the Institute hires
law students as Sea Grant Law Fellows to
conduct legal research and analysis for
government agencies, industry and non-profit
organizations. Fellows are supervised and
work on timely legal issues such as
fisheries management and coastal access,
honing their legal research and writing
skills while acquiring hands-on application
of their classroom knowledge. Constituents
benefit from receiving balanced, neutral
research while also providing students with
real world experience.
MARINE AFFAIRS JOINT DEGREE PROGRAM
Students interested in more extensive study
of marine law and policy may simultaneously
earn a JD from RWU and a Master of Marine
Affairs degree from the University of Rhode
Island (URI) in 3 ½ years through sharing of
selected credits. Joint degree students
enhance their legal education with
additional courses at URI on economic,
international and policy considerations,
positioning them well to address today’s
complex maritime, ocean and coastal legal
issues.
EVENTS
The Institute sponsors speakers, symposia,
and inter-disciplinary training programs that
provide law students and practitioners with
opportunities to meet with other marine law
professionals in both formal and informal
settings to learn about recent developments
in ocean and coastal law. Topics include
marine renewable energy, international cargo
liability, ecosystem based management and
fishery law.
Click on the links provided below for more
information as indicated:
