As of January 1, 2021, the JMLC is under new ownership at the Roger Williams University School of Law.
The JMLC continues to be a professionally published journal with two Co-Editors-in-Chief: Justin Kishbaugh and Julia Wyman. The JMLC has a rotating staff of other editors and peer-reviewers in the field of maritime law.
Additionally, the JMLC has a cohort of student editors at the Roger Williams University School of Law who assist the Editors-in-Chief.
Submit to the JMLC, become an editor or peer-reviewer, or a student editor.
Please check back here for current, past, and upcoming editions of the JMLC.
The Journal of Maritime Law and Commerce was founded in 1969 by George Jay Joseph, a Washington, D.C., lawyer who saw the need for a law review exclusively devoted to maritime law. Through a generous gift by the Joseph family in 2021, the JMLC transferred hands to the Roger Williams University School of Law.
When Ben Peters L'25 first arrived at RWU Law, he didn't know a single person. And that was the point. Having spent his entire life in West Virginia, Peters came to Rhode Island to expand his horizons in a different region and was also drawn to the joint degree program which offered a Masters in Marine Affairs at the University of Rhode Island.
After ten years in sales in the automotive industry, Brandon Potter L‘25 decided it was time for a change. Wanting to make an impact on his local community, the Cranston native decided to run for State Representative for the people of District 16.
Susannah Johnson L'25 followed a non-traditional path to law school, serving as a Surface Warfare Officer for eight years before enrolling at RWU Law. After years of service in the United States Navy, she has found a new mission: using the law to serve her community.
Roger Williams University School of Law has been ranked No. 11 in the nation for the percentage of graduates pursuing careers in public interest law, according to U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate Schools 2025 rankings , part of Best Law Schools.
The ocean holds a special place in the heart of current 3L and avid surfer Julia Meskis ‘25. In fact, her love of the waters has completely shaped her career goals, as she plans to ultimately use her law degree to protect the ocean for future generations.
