Collin Geiselman is the Public Defender for the Rhode Island Office of the Public Defender (OPD). Prior to being appointed Public Defender, Mr. Geiselman served as a trial attorney in the trial division from 2003-2018, as Trial Division Trainer from 2015-2018, and as Chief of the Trial Division from 2018-2023. He is also a former two-term President of the Rhode Island Association of Criminal…
Type: Faculty & Staff Profile
The librarians have created a variety of tools to aid researchers in efforts to locate materials in the collection and via the web. This page features select RWU LawGuides prepared by the librarians to assist researchers both within the library and outside its physical walls.
Type: L1 & Institute
Deborah Gonzalez L’07 began her legal career on the cleaning staff. Long before she stepped into Roger Williams University School of Law as a first-year evening student, Gonzalez was cleaning a law office at night to earn extra money. “I would go to the office, and I always found the work seemed like it was super interesting, and I knew I wanted to be a part of that,” recalls Gonzalez. “And I…, “A normal fit”, From her initial curiosity about the law office, Gonzalez began to slowly move up the ranks. She completed secretarial school and community college before earning an undergraduate degree in justice studies from Roger Williams University in 2003. “Going to law school wasn’t far-fetched from what I had been studying all along,” Gonzalez remarks. “It was a normal fit, and plus, I hadn’t done…, New opportunities, When she originally took over the clinic mid-semester to cover for Holper, Gonzalez was working with students who already were in the middle of their clinical work. She says, “Taking a clinic is about learning how to be a lawyer, right? That’s basically what you’re learning and I knew how to be a lawyer. I had been a lawyer already five years by the time I got the position and I had worked in law…, “You gotta want it.”, In the municipal judge position, which is part time, Gonzalez presides over hearings on issues like traffic violations. In addition to embracing a new challenge, Gonzalez wants to show people who appear before her to know they’re being treated fairly. Gonzalez says, “I remember my first time going to traffic court, I had gotten a ticket – you know, I’m heavy on the pedal – and my whole body was…
Type: Article
Type: L1 & Institute
Welcome to the Roger Williams University Law Library. Our collections and services are primarily designed to meet the specific needs of the faculty and students of the School of Law but also serve the broader academic and legal community. The comprehensive collection supports the curriculum as well as in-depth scholarly legal research. Access to the Library’s digital resources is available on or…, Ask a Librarian, , the Library’s chat/e-mail reference service. The staff, including law-trained librarians, look forward to assisting you in pursuing your legal research through the use of the collection and the wide array of resources available through the Library. The Library is conveniently located near the main entrance to the law school building. Its open design and academy-style furnishings provide an…
Type: L1 & Institute
Two faculty members from Roger Williams University School of Law have earned national recognition for their leadership in integrating equity and inclusion into legal education. Nicole P. Dyszlewski, professor and assistant dean for curricular innovation, and Suzanne Harrington-Steppen, clinical professor and associate director of pro bono programs, were recently named recipients of the 2025…, Integrating Doctrine & Diversity: Beyond the First Year, . Dyszlewski Steppen Dyszlewski and Harrington-Steppen share the award with fellow co-editors Raquel J. Gabriel of CUNY School of Law and Genevieve B. Tung of the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School's Biddle Law Library. Together with contributions from more than 40 legal scholars and practitioners, the team produced a powerful collection of essays, case studies, and teaching tools…, Integrating Doctrine & Diversity, gives law faculty meaningful tools to bring inclusion and equity into the classroom. It’s a thoughtful, practical, and lasting contribution to the profession.” Designed to go beyond first-year legal training, the book explores how topics of race, identity, power, and justice intersect with core subjects such as criminal law, constitutional law, property, and civil procedure. It also includes…
Type: Article
Curriculum, Are you ready to make a difference? Do you want to change the world for the better? The Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree is a powerful key that opens the door to myriad career options. Private law practice is the traditional route – whether as a sole practitioner, member of a boutique specialty practice, or part of a large regional, national or international firm. Opportunities for government lawyers…
Type: Program
Type: Course
BRISTOL, R.I. –, Before, Cole Brauer, became the first American woman to sail solo nonstop around the world, she was a struggling high school student searching for direction. She found it, unexpectedly and powerfully, in college. “I became empowered in learning for the first time in my entire life,” Brauer told the Roger Williams University Class of 2025 during Friday’s Commencement keynote address. “Yet the problem with empowering a…, Ioannis N. Miaoulis, urged graduates to chart a path fueled by conviction and to let their college experience inspire bold, forward-looking action. “In a world that is constantly changing, a Roger Williams University education has prepared you with a real-world education,” Miaoulis said. “Find a life passion and stick with it – one that will continuously define your purpose, fuel you with endless energy, and make a…
Type: Article
Type: Faculty & Staff Profile
