Coastal Resilience Law and Policy Clinic

Students enrolled in the Coastal Resilience Law and Policy Clinic assist local and state governments with law, policy, and regulatory research related to creating more resilient communities.

The Coastal Resilience Law and Policy Clinic provides students with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience working with local and state government agencies on proactively addressing coastal resilience. Students are exposed to local land use law and planning, municipal, state, and federal laws, environmental law and policy, research techniques, and writing. Students have the opportunity to work with stakeholders on important issues, to gain in-depth substantive knowledge on the applicable law and its real-world application, and to draft a high-quality written product, and may have the opportunity to present their work in a professional setting.

The Marine Affairs Institute at Roger Williams University School of Law, in partnership with Rhode Island Sea Grant, created the Coastal Resilience Law and Policy Clinic as an effort to assist communities that are facing the effects of changing environmental conditions. In the United States, environmental change has significantly affected homes, public infrastructure, and other developments, which has led to some state and local governments having the desire to implement novel policies and regulations to address the increasing environmental pressures. 

In recent years, students in the clinic have worked with the town of Barrington, the town of New Shoreham, and Rhode Island’s Coastal Resource Management Council to research opportunities for the local and state government agencies to proactively plan for sea level rise and flooding. 

The Coastal Resilience Law and Policy Clinic is offered each summer and is four credits. Rising 2L and 3L students at RWU Law are eligible to participate in the clinic and should apply during the RWU Law Clinics and Externships open application period in February/March.

In 2026, law students from other ABA accredited law schools are eligible to participate in the Coastal Resilience Law and Policy Clinic. Rising 2L and 3L students attending a different ABA accredited law school that are interested in applying should contact the Marine Affairs Institute (marineaffairs@rwu.edu) to express interest and learn more about the application process. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis and students are highly encouraged to apply before April 3.

Close Course Type Descriptions

Course Types

We have classified RWU Law classes under the following headers. One of the following course types will be attached to each course which will allow students to narrow down their search while looking for classes.

Core Course

Students in the first and second year are required to take classes covering the following aspects of the law—contracts, torts, property, criminal law, civil procedure, and constitutional law, evidence, and professional responsibility.  Along with these aspects, the core curriculum will develop legal reasoning skills.

Elective

After finishing the core curriculum the remaining coursework toward the degree is completed through upper level elective courses.  Students can choose courses that peak their interests or courses that go along with the track they are following.

Seminar

Seminars are classes where teachers and small groups of students focus on a specific topic and the students complete a substantial research paper.

Clinics/Externships

Inhouse Clinics and Clinical Externships legal education is law school training in which students participate in client representation under the supervision of a practicing attorney or law professor.  RWU Law's Clinical Programs offer unique and effective learning opportunities and the opportunity for practical experience while still in law school.