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Isiah DiPina L’27: From Personal Experience to Policy Change

Jane Govednik

“Remarkable job.” That’s how a Rhode Island Superior Court judge described Isiah DiPina L’27’s testimony before state lawmakers, where he shared his family’s experience to advocate for protecting inherited homes from forced sales. It is a powerful example of how personal story, when paired with legal training, can shape policy and create more just outcomes for others.

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Students participating in the Civil Rights trip seated for a photo with The Legacy Museum on the background.

From Textbooks to Truth: A Civil Rights Journey

Naomi Zhang L'27

At the start of 2026, the Massachusetts and Rhode Island judiciary organized a trip to Alabama and Georgia for law students to participate in. Roger Williams University School of Law was invited to send delegates under the Justice Riders banner, led by Associate Dean Lorraine Lalli, made possible with the support of Mandell Boisclair Mandell, Ltd. This trip aimed to provide future lawyers with an opportunity to learn about the realities of social justice and to connect those realities to their future legal careers.

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A small group of people standing up, gathered around in discussion, at a beach.

RWU Law Opens Coastal Resilience Clinic to Visiting Students for Summer 2026

Helga Melgar

This summer marks a significant step forward for RWU Law's Coastal Resilience Law and Policy Clinic. Now entering its fourth year, the clinic is expanding access beyond RWU Law’s student body. For the first time, visiting students from ABA-accredited law schools will be able to join RWU Law students in this immersive, four-credit experience.

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Group of students with guest speaker K. Jospeh Shekarchi pictured in the Hon. Bruce Selya Appellate Courtroom with the RWU Law school seal in the background.

Protecting LGBTQ+ Rights in Rhode Island: Insights from the Stonewall Lecture

Alli-Michelle Conti

The ninth annual Stonewall Lecture at Roger Williams University School of Law was held on Thursday, November 13, 2025, honoring the LGBTQ+ community and the legacy of the 1969 Stonewall uprising. This year’s guest speaker was Representative K. Joseph Shekarchi, Speaker of the RI House of Representatives.

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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.