JD #Changemaker Stories

Steck cares deeply about his hometown of Torrington, Connecticut but never pictured himself running for office. "I'm not a political person," he said. Yet, when his county's longtime probate judge retired, Steck suddenly found himself campaigning for the seat–and was shocked to find he actually enjoyed the process.

Awareness of voting and election laws has increased with the rise of election-related litigation over the last few years, but RWU Law alum Maureen Wagner Vinson L'10, has been directly involved with these issues since much earlier in her career. She credits the school with upholding its commitment to diversity of opinion and civil discourse, stating that many faculty members “were always happy to debate or serve on a panel with Federalist Society speakers.”

For Kevin Olasanoye L‘12, the belief in the government’s ability to fundamentally create positive change for the people it serves is one of his core tenets. In fact, it’s a belief that has shaped his career and led him to pursue a career in politics.

Nelson-Davies was ten years old when the civil war began in her native Liberia. Before the war, she lived a comfortable life as a middle-class school child. The war changed everything.

Terrence Haas L‘07 is an adventurer. In his twenties, he lived off the grid in rural northern Michigan in a shelter with no electricity or water. After law school, he moved to Alaska to become a public defender in a town outside of the state’s road system. In September 2023, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy appointed Haas as the Alaska Public Defender.

Immigration attorney Saad Ahmad is the rare attorney with extensive experience on both trial and appeal. On January 8, 2024, Ahmad reached a milestone, as the Supreme Court heard a case on appeal from a matter he had successfully argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

When they couldn’t find anyone with the right legal knowledge to help them and the local Indigenous tribes, Palermo (left) and Watson (right) decided they’d just go to law school themselves.

Growing up, Collin Bailey knew he wanted to do good in the world, to be a changemaker and address the issues of poverty and inequality he saw all around him. But he also knew he wanted to create financial stability, for himself and for his family. As a first-generation lawyer, Bailey never lost his sense of purpose and a desire to make things better for others.

Nick Battista is quick to connect the success he’s having now with all he learned at Roger Williams University School of Law—success that has helped him to have a significant impact on the vulnerable communities of Maine.

Kiron Ireland always knew he wanted to be a lawyer. But as a child growing up in the developing nation of Antigua, he knew that the country’s educational system could not help him achieve his future goals.