Juris Doctor
Few degrees are more versatile than the Juris Doctor, or J.D. Whatever your professional interest is we'll help you design an academic and experiential pathway that will get you there.
Academics
Educational excellence across a wide variety of program offerings.
Where Do You Want To Go With Your Law Degree?
RWU Law delivers a personalized and marketable legal education, based in Bristol and Providence, R.I.
Master of Studies in Law
Designed for students who want to bring legal knowledge to their current work or strengthen their career outlook.
Institutes and Programs
Feinstein Center for Pro Bono & Experiential Education
This center connects students and faculty with community organizations to provide pro bono legal services to those in need and to help students to gain valuable practical legal experience.
Marine Affairs Institute
The Marine Affairs Institute prepares law students to enter the exciting field of ocean and coastal law and policy by providing them with strong academic credentials and practical experiences that help them be practice-ready upon graduation.
Business Law Program
Our Business Law Program provides students with a sound foundation in the principles and practice of business law through clinics, externships and coursework.
Joint Degree Programs
JD/Master of Marine Affairs
We offer a joint degree program in partnership with the Marine Affairs program at the University of Rhode Island.
JD/Master of Science in Criminal Justice
Drawing on the strengths of the School of Law as well as the Roger Williams University School of Justice Studies, Roger Williams University offers a concentrated joint degree program for students interested in criminal justice.
JD/Master of Science in Cyber Security
Put yourself on the cutting edge of the law and technology with this innovative joint degree program between RWU Law and the Roger Williams University School of Justice Studies.
JD/Master of Science in Preservation Practices
Take advantage of one of the only joint degree programs combining the law with historic preservation in partnership with Roger Williams University's School of Architecture, Art and Historic Preservation.
JD/Master of Science in Labor Relations & Human Resources
In conjunction with the University of Rhode Island Charles T. Schmidt Jr. Labor Research Center, RWU Law offers a concentrated joint degree program for students interested in extensive study of legal issues relating to employment and labor relations.
Business Start-Up Clinic
Providing transactional legal services to non-profit organizations and community-based business in Rhode Island.
Criminal Defense Clinic
Representing real defendants in pending criminal cases under the direct supervision of a full-time member of the RWU Law faculty.
Immigration Clinic
Representing non-citizens in their applications for relief from removal before the Immigration Court.
Veterans Disability Appeals Field Clinic
Representing military veterans pursuing disability benefits in the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.
Clinical Externships
Second and third-year students earn academic credit while working under the supervision of legal services lawyers, public defenders, prosecutors, government attorneys, corporate counsel or judges in the local community.
Semester-in-Practice
Total-immersion experience: students earn a full semester of credit while training in Rhode Island, Boston, New York - anywhere in the U.S. or around the world.
Additional Information
Academic Calendar
Calendars, course information, important exam information and course registration deadlines.
Rhode Island Sea Grant Law Fellow Program
The Rhode Island Sea Grant Program sponsors law students as Sea Grant Law Fellows to research and write on ocean and coastal law issues including the resolution of marine resource management and conservation issues.
Recent News
Remembering Bruce I. Kogan
Roger Williams University School of Law mourns the passing of Professor Bruce I. Kogan, a founding faculty member and one of the school's most influential leaders. From the institution's earliest days, Professor Kogan shaped the programs that continue to distinguish it today. He created the externship program, established the clinical law program, and built pathways for students to gain hands-on experience while serving the community. His work was recognized in 2018 with the creation of the Bruce I. Kogan Distinguished Service Professorship.
Spotlight on Trial Advocacy with Jamie Gau, L’16
What distinguishes RWU Law’s Trial Advocacy Program? According to Professor Gau, the Trial Advocacy Program doesn’t just teach students how to advocate—it immerses them fully in the practice.
Up for a Challenge
Deborah Gonzales L'07 began her legal career on the cleaning staff. “I’ve had every position, from the cleaning person, to the receptionist, to the secretary, to the paralegal, to the lawyer, to the partner, to the law professor, and now the judge,” Gonzalez says.
RWU Law Faculty Honored with National Award for Advancing Diversity in Legal Education
Nicole P. Dyszlewski, professor and assistant dean for curricular innovation, and Suzanne Harrington-Steppen, clinical professor and associate director of pro bono programs, were recently named recipients of the 2025 Joseph L. Andrews Legal Literature Award from the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL). The award honors their co-editorship of the groundbreaking book Integrating Doctrine & Diversity: Beyond the First Year.
Destined for Law: From Legal Dream to Valedictorian
For RWU Law Class of 2025 valedictorian Ashley Kaplan, attending law school always felt like destiny. “Becoming a lawyer was one of my childhood dreams, and as my grandfather always wanted a lawyer in the family – and I am a smidge argumentative – it felt kismet for me to go to law school,” she says.
Upcoming Events
- WedSep17
Race and the Foundations of American Law: A Virtual Coursebook Release Celebration
- Virtual Program (Zoom Webinar)