Faculty

Premier academic credentials. Real-world experience.

Our faculty’s impressive credentials, academic accomplishments and deep connections throughout the legal field are harnessed into a collective force that provides the most cutting-edge legal education available.

At RWU Law, our faculty offer the best of both worlds – our professors are top-rated by The Princeton Review and our adjunct faculty include top-notch practicing justices, judges and attorneys, all ready to provide you with a premier academic foundation and a deep dive into real hands-on, experiential learning opportunities. 

Our professors have practiced in virtually every area of the law and published widely in the nation's most prestigious law reviews. Their highly-sought expert opinions have appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington PostUSA Today, the Chicago Tribune, the Boston Globe, the Providence Journal and virtually every other major news outlet in the United States – from CNN to NPR. They've testified before Congress, argued before the U.S. Supreme Court, practiced with top law firms and respected nonprofit organizations, represented detainees at Guantanamo, served in the United Nations and the Armed Forces, and held leadership positions in such organizations as the American Bar Association and the American Law Institute.

The best part? Because of our small class sizes, our professors know their students' names and their interests. And as Rhode Island's only Law School, we have built a strong network throughout the region to connect students with unparalleled opportunities to secure the best internships and careers.

As an RWU Law student, all of this collective experience is at your fingertips – a vast reservoir of theoretical prowess and real-world know-how.

 

Professor Monica Teixeira de Sousa

A Very Clear Mission

Upon graduating from law school, Professor Monica Teixeira de Sousa—who joins the faculty of Roger Williams University School of Law this fall—was well positioned to slip into a comfortable role at any number of elite law firms. Instead, she returned to her adopted home state of Rhode Island to work as a public interest lawyer. Later, as an academic, Professor Teixeira de Sousa’s focus would expand to encompass the unique challenges and obstacles facing first-generation law students.

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Professor Niki Kuckes

Law Faculty

Our law faculty boast top-notch academic credentials from exceptional universities across the nation and distinguished careers in all areas of the law. At RWU Law, they lead the way in providing a first-rate experiential and pro bono education, combined with unparalleled personal attention beyond the classroom, that prepares our graduates for success.

Learn About Our Law Faculty
Professor Angie Cooper

Adjunct Faculty

Drawing upon our deep connections throughout the legal field, we bring in adjunct faculty who are practitioners at the top of their game. From practicing attorneys at top law firms to justices and judges serving in the state and federal law system, an RWU Law education includes opportunities to learn from experienced practitioners immersed in a variety of legal careers.

Learn About Our Adjunct Faculty

Recent News

  • Professor Natasha Varyani

    No Outsiders in RWU Law Professor’s Classroom

    As a law professor, Varyani realized that a lack of representation in legal textbooks reflects disparities in who has access to the courts, particularly the appellate courts that make the written decisions that appear in law books. With a new book on systemic racism in property law, Varyani tackles the problem and helps other professors do the same.

  • Professor Tara I. Allen

    Professor Tara I. Allen Announced as Federal Public Defender

    Chief Judge David J. Barron of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit announced on June 4th that the Court has selected Attorney and current Professor of Law Tara I. Allen to serve as the next Federal Public Defender for the Districts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.

  • 1L Property Law Experience with Prof. Monica Texeira de Sousa

    First-Year Students Get a Rare Glimpse Inside the Courtroom

    The first year of law school builds important foundations for critical thinking, analysis, writing, and more that students will carry with them for years to come. But with all the stress of briefing cases and getting called on in class, 1Ls can sometimes feel a bit removed from the legal careers they’re pursuing. Together, Professor Monica Teixeira de Sousa and Clinical Professor of Law and Associate Director of Pro Bono Programs Suzanne Harrington-Steppen are working to change that.

  • Image of Lorraine Lalli L'01 accepting NAACP Providence Rosa Parks Award 2023

    From the Community, for the Community

    Long before she was the Associate Dean of Student Life and Operations at Roger Williams University School of Law, Lorraine Lalli was an aspiring law student. On her admissions essay for RWU Law, she wrote about how she planned to use the skills she learned in law school to give back to the community.