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

February 25, 2026 Helga Melgar

A small group of people standing up, gathered around in discussion, at a beach. — The Coastal Resilience Law & Policy Summer Clinic brings students and faculty to the shoreline to engage directly with the issues shaping coastal communities. Image Credit: Marine Affairs Institute

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.

The clinic is a joint initiative of the Marine Affairs Institute and Rhode Island Sea Grant, and it has quickly become one of RWU Law’s most distinctive offerings. As coastal communities navigate the pressures of a changing climate, the need for lawyers who understand resilience, adaptation, and local decision-making continues to grow. This clinic gives students a direct window into that work.

A Hands-On, Four-Credit Summer Experience

Over ten weeks, students work closely with state and local government partners on projects that support community-level planning and response. The work is substantive and practical: researching legal frameworks, drafting written products for non-lawyer audiences, and engaging with stakeholders who rely on clear, actionable guidance.

Students can expect to build experience in:

Local land‑use and planning processes
Municipal, state, and federal regulatory structures
Climate adaptation and resilience strategies
Research and writing tailored to public-facing audiences
Public engagement and the policymaking process

RWU Law and visiting students also have the option to pair the clinic with one or two additional summer courses, creating a whole, immersive summer on campus.

Learning on the Coast

The clinic is based on RWU Law's Bristol, Rhode Island campus, where the coastline is part of daily life. Students study resilience while surrounded by the very communities, shorelines, and infrastructure that shape the region's legal and policy questions. The setting deepens learning in a way hard to replicate elsewhere.

Why This Expansion Matters

Opening the clinic to visiting students reflects both demand and mission. Many law schools do not offer an immersive program focused on coastal resilience, and students across the country are seeking meaningful, applied experience in this area.

"Communities are facing increased needs related to planning for coastal resilience. Students want to work on real issues that matter,” said Julia B. Wyman, Director of the Marine Affairs Institute & Rhode Island Sea Grant Legal Program. "By opening the clinic to visiting students, we're expanding access to hands-on training to more students, at a moment when coastal communities need informed, practical legal support."