John Dorsey L'10 Selected for U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Rhode Island

Roger Williams University School of Law alum John A. Dorsey L’10 has been selected to serve as the next judge on the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Rhode Island. The announcement was made on June 5 by Chief Judge David J. Barron of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

Dorsey will fill the vacancy created by the upcoming retirement of Judge Diane Finkle, who will step down from the bench on September 8, 2025. His appointment is contingent on the successful completion of standard background investigations.

A seasoned civil litigator, Dorsey has focused his legal career on state receiverships and court-supervised insolvency and distressed asset proceedings. Since 2010, he has practiced at Ferrucci Russo Dorsey P.C. in West Warwick, Rhode Island, becoming a partner in 2016. He is regularly appointed by Rhode Island’s state and municipal courts as a commissioner, special master, or receiver, and also handles business and civil litigation, real estate development, and environmental and transactional matters.

Beyond his legal practice, Dorsey is an active member of the Rhode Island Bar Association, the Thurgood Marshall Law Society, and the Rhode Island Black Business Association. He previously served on the board of the Quonset Development Corporation (2015–2016) and the Roger Williams University Law School Alumni Association (2018–2024). During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was appointed by the Rhode Island Superior Court to coordinate a team that developed the COVID-19 Business Recovery Program to support business owners navigating economic disruption.

“The First Circuit Court of Appeals is pleased to welcome Attorney Dorsey as the next U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Rhode Island,” said Chief Judge Barron. “The Court is confident that Attorney Dorsey’s experience with receiverships, insolvency, and distressed asset proceedings—and strong ties to the Rhode Island community—will make him a valuable addition.”

Dorsey is the second RWU Law graduate in just over a year to be named to a federal court bench. Melissa DuBose L’04 was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in March 2024 to the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island, officially assuming the role in January 2025.

This news story has been adapted from a press release issued by the Office of the Circuit Executive, United States Courts for the First Circuit.