CLE Program - Social Equity & Cannabis Explained: History, Regulatory Implementation, and the Drug War Reform Efforts
This one-hour program introduces attorneys to the legalization of adult-use cannabis in Rhode Island with a focus on the Social Equity Program. Through a blend of legal analysis, policy history, and insights into the existing regulatory framework, this session will help practitioners build a foundational understanding of cannabis equity policy in our state. The panel of speakers will offer a clear map of how the Social Equity Program was developed, equity-based retail license eligibility, what litigation has emerged nationwide, and how zoning interacts with program implementation. This content will be sited within the larger context of the history of the War on Drugs and its harmful and disparate impact on communities.
5:00 - 6:00 PM EST
Register for the January 13, 2026 CLE Program Here
Meet the Speakers
Carla Aveledo, Esq.
Chief of Policy, Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission
Carla Aveledo is an attorney currently serving as Chief of Policy for Rhode Island’s Cannabis Control Commission. In this role, Carla supports in policy-making decisions for the State’s adult-use cannabis regulatory framework, specifically the Social Equity Program, and helps facilitate public meetings for the Cannabis Advisory Board. Carla graduated from Roger Williams University School of Law in 2022 where she served on the editorial staff of the Roger Williams University Law Review. She also holds an undergraduate degree in Journalism from the University of Rhode Island. Prior to her current position, Carla worked as a law clerk to the Rhode Island Supreme Court Trial Court and worked in immigration legal services at Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island. Carla is from Caracas, Venezuela.
Michelle Reddish
Administrator, Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission
Shannon Heery
Associate Professor of Law, Roger William University School of Law
Shannon Heery joined the Roger Williams University School of Law faculty in July 2025. Prior to joining RWU Law, Professor Heery taught Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, and Evidence at Vermont Law and Graduate School. She currently serves as the Reporter for the Advisory Committee to the Vermont Supreme Court on the Rules of Criminal Procedure.
She was previously a felony trial attorney with the Baltimore City Maryland Office of the Public Defender and a senior trial attorney with Brooklyn Defender Services in Brooklyn, New York. While at Brooklyn Defender Services, she co-founded the DNA and Forensics Division that is now a leader in challenging the admissibility of forensic evidence in criminal trials.
Professor Heery received her J.D., cum laude, from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law and her B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Meet the Moderator
Nicole P. Dyszlewski
Assistant Dean of Academic Innovation, Roger Williams University School of Law
Nicole’s work centers on building a more inclusive and equitable legal system. Her areas of focus include DEIB pedagogy in law schools, mass incarceration, and access to information— topics where she brings both a lawyer’s insightful analysis and a librarian’s relentless curiosity. Nicole is the co-editor of the Integrating Doctrine & Diversity book series, the host of the Integrating Doctrine and Diversity webinar series, and a co-author of the recently published casebook, Race and the Foundations of American Law.
Rhode Island MCLE Credit
This program is approved for one DEI Rhode Island MCLE Credit.
Registration
$40 Registration/One RI MCLE DEI Credit
$25 RWU Law Alumni
$25 Non-profit/Government
Complimentary RWU Law Students
Complimentary RWU Law Faculty & Administration
Register for the January 13, 2026 CLE Program Here
Cancellation & Refund Policy
RWU Law CLE cancellations received by Thursday, January 8, 2026 are eligible to receive a full refund less a $5 administrative fee. Cancellations received after the stated deadline will not be eligible for a refund. Cancellations are accepted via email at lawevents@rwu.edu