As he enters his eighth and final year as Rhode Island’s attorney general, Peter F. Kilmartin ’98, B.A. ’88, can claim by several measures to be the school’s most prominent alumnus. But he claims there was never any master plan. Still, having served 24 years as a Pawtucket police officer, with an extended stint as officer in charge of prosecutions ... 20 years in the state legislature,…
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Read Porter is senior staff attorney with the Marine Affairs Institute at Roger Williams University School of Law and the Rhode Island Sea Grant Legal Program. Read directs the Sea Grant Law Fellow Program, an experiential education program in which RWU law students conduct legal research on behalf of outside organizations. Mr. Porter has worked in and published widely on topics in environmental…, Harvard Environmental Law Review, , and a B.A. in Geology,, summa cum laude, , from Amherst College.
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Born to a drug-addicted mother, abandoned at birth and passed through multiple foster homes before being adopted by a Newport, R.I., family, Noah Kilroy ’13 was selling crack cocaine by age 16. Jailed twice in Rhode Island, he was arrested in Florida for trafficking at age 20 and faced a 15-year sentence. When he called his adoptive mother for help, she hung up. He was all alone – and that was a…, Alone Time:, He spent 18 months in a Florida prison, which “did what it was supposed to do. I was forced to think about my actions and take a moral inventory of myself.” He read books on black history, psychology, and sociology; after his release, he achieved a 3.7 GPA at the Community College of Rhode Island and transferred to Salve Regina University., Right to Vote:, Working on a state initiative to give former felons the right to vote, Kilroy met Andres Idarraga, a former drug dealer headed to Yale Law School, who became a role model. The only law school that gave Kilroy a chance was the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. After placing in the top 20 percent his 1L year, he transferred to RWU Law., Wall of support:, Through Idarraga, Kilroy met A.T. Wall, Director of the Rhode Island Department of Corrections, who is now his mentor. Skeptical at first – “due to living that street life and knowing you can’t trust everyone” – Kilroy is deeply grateful for Wall’s support, which included asking Providence solicitor Jeffrey Padwa to hire Kilroy as an intern. Kilroy joined Padwa’s office full-time in 2013 and now…, Giving Back:, In 2012, Kilroy, Idarraga, and a third drug dealer-turned-law-school-graduate, Bruce Reilly, launched TTEF, which gives scholarships to former offenders. “You have to be willing to make sacrifices,” Kilroy says. While working at a Taco Bell during college, he served guys he knew from the street. “It was humiliating. But some of those same guys are now clients of mine. If you put in blood,sweat,…
Type: Story
For Philadelphia native Kirby Gordon, law school offered a perk she didn’t quite expected: a pass to the Bill Cosby rape and sexual assault trials. “It was exciting and overwhelming; there were so many people!” she recalls. “But it was great to watch real, practicing attorneys at work in such a high-profile trial – seeing it all in real time; law the way it’s supposed to be practiced. We would…
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What is the New York Pro Bono Scholars Program (NYPBSP)?, RWU Law is proud to participate in the , New York Pro Bono Scholars Program (NYPBSP), , a program in New York State for qualifying third year law students. Third year law students can spend 12 weeks of their final spring semester in law school providing full-time pro bono legal assistance to low-income people while participating in a required 2-credit weekly seminar. In exchange, these students will be permitted to take the New York Bar Exam in February of their third year of…, New York, , Pro Bono Scholars Program, and all graduation requirements, be admitted to practice as a member of the New York Bar as soon as possible after completion of the program. Participation, Pro Bono placements and supervising attorneys must be approved by RWU Law. New York Pro Bono Scholars will be able to participate in graduation ceremonies in May but will receive their diplomas in June upon completion of the program., How many credits will I receive if I participate?, 10 field credits and 2 seminar credits. To be eligible for the NYPBSP, an applicant must have at least 10 non-classroom credits remaining at the end of the fall 3L semester., Note: Students planning to participate in the NYPBSP may not enroll in a clinical externship because there is a limit of 10 fieldwork credits that students may take., What kinds of pro bono work qualify for the NYPBSP?, Qualifying pro bono service for NYPBSP must be law-related, full-time, supervised by a licensed attorney, and assist in the provision of legal services for: persons who are financially unable to pay for legal representation; not-for-profit legal service providers that predominantly address the legal needs of indigent clients where the work performed is for such clients; or a governmental entity,…, What are the NYPBSP Requirements?, Please refer to the, New York Pro Bono Scholars Guide, for a complete description of the requirements of the program and the kinds of pro bono work that are eligible. Please note, however, that not all pro bono work that is eligible under the program will also comply with RWU Law’s program requirements. Because the RWU Law program requires enrollment in a special section of the Public Interest Clinical Externship, placements in private law firms…, New York State Unified Court System’s Pro Bono Scholars Program website, . RWU Law must approve participation and specific placements in the NYPBSP program., What are RWU Law’s specific requirements for NYPBSP participation?, For RWU Law specific information, guidelines and deadlines for the NYPBSP, please review this document and NY Pro Bono Scholars Curricular Track . To be considered for the NYPBSP, interested students must submit a NY Pro Bono Scholars application during the Clinic and Clinical Externship application period held during the spring semester of his or her second year. Requirements and Limitations…, will not, count toward the RWU Law Pro Bono Experiential Learning Requirement. A NYPBSP is strongly advised to take the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE) before beginning the NYPBSP so that they can be admitted to the New York State Bar promptly upon passage of the Bar Exam and law school graduation. New York uses the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) and New York law is not tested on the UBE. …, Further information about these requirements, . , How do I apply to the NYPBSP?, To be considered for the NYPBSP, interested students must submit a Pro Bono Scholars application during the Clinic and Clinical Externship application period held during the spring semester of his or her second year. Students interested in participating in the New York Pro Bono Scholars Program should be aware that participation will , require extensive planning and preparation starting in the spring semester of their first year of law school, . Given that students in the program , must complete all of their academic coursework and their PBELR by the end of the fall semester of their third year, , all interested students should work with their faculty advisors, the Office of Career Development, and the Academic Success Department to carefully plan their schedules to ensure they will be fully prepared to take the bar exam and start their careers. Additionally, beyond the normal hurdles student face when preparing for the bar exam, taking the February bar exam presents additional…, Note: Students planning to participate in the NYPBSP may not enroll in a clinical externship because there is a limit of 10 fieldwork credits students may take., Will I pay tuition while doing the NYPBSP?, Yes, for the 10 credits., Do I have to do the fieldwork in New York?, No., What other resources should I consult in considering NYPBSP?, Please refer to the, New York Pro Bono Scholars Guide, for a complete description of the requirements of the program and the kinds of pro bono work that are eligible. Please note, however, that not all pro bono work that is eligible under NYPBSP will also comply with RWU Law’s program requirements. Because the RWU Law program requires enrollment in a special section of the Public Interest Clinical Externship, placements in private law firms and…, New York State Unified Court System’s Pro Bono Scholars Program website, . If you have any questions about the NYPBSP requirements or need assistance determining if the program is right for you, please contact Andy Horwitz, Assistant Dean for Experiential Education, at ahorwitz@rwu.edu ., Notes on the New York Bar Exam, The state of New York has switched to the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) and NY law is not tested on the UBE. However, applicants to the New York Bar are required to complete the New York Law Course and New York Law Exam as a prerequisite for admission. A NYPBS is strongly encouraged to complete these requirements during their 2L summer. Click here for More Information on the New York Bar Exam, Further information about these requirements, .
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New York Bar Pro Bono Admission Requirement, The state of New York has a pro bono requirement for all New York Bar applicants. All applicants for admission by examination to the New York Bar must perform 50 hours of law-related pro bono service prior to filing their application. Pro bono hours that count toward fulfillment of RWU Law’s graduation requirement , may not necessarily qualify, for compliance with the New York rule. We urge you to carefully review the bar admissions requirements and contact the NY Bar directly with specific questions. RWU Law students are responsible for reviewing and complying with bar admissions requirements, including the New York Pro Bono requirement. RWU Law cannot officially verify or confirm that a particular activity will qualify. Below you…, applicants should contact the NY Bar directly with specific questions., Please review , the Official information for the NY State Unified Court System, Rule Overview, In the excerpts, under Section 520 of the Rules of the Court of Appeals, pro bono is broadly defined, though the work must be law-related in nature and supervised by an attorney or judge. Examples of qualifying activities include: Law-school sponsored clinics that provide legal services to those who cannot afford representation; Externships or internships (even if funded or performed for academic…, Documentation, Applicants will need to file an Affidavit of Compliance for each pro bono activity used to satisfy the 50-hour requirement. The fillable Affidavit of Compliance form can be found on the New York State Unified Court System website , under the Bar Admissions Requirement. Each Affidavit must be certified and signed by the appropriate supervising attorney or faculty member. , Affidavits should be, completed immediately, after the qualifying pro bono work is done, , as tracking down supervisors or required information months or years after the pro bono work has been completed will be very difficult. , Students are solely responsible for retaining their completed affidavit(s) for submission with their application for admission to the New York Bar.
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The new rule, some helpful FAQs, and the Affidavit of Compliance can be found on the New York State Unified Court System Pro Bono Homepage ., RWU Law Specific FAQs:, If you have specific questions about the New York Bar Pro Bono Requirement, we encourage you to contact the personnel at the New York State Unified Court System directly. You can email questions to ProBonoRule@nycourts.gov , or call toll-free 1-855-227-5482. For RWU Law-specific questions, contact Eliza Vorenberg at evorenberg@rwu.edu or (401) 254-4597. Below please find answers to some…, Can I use the hours from the Pro Bono Experiential Learning Requirement to meet the NY requirement? , Yes, with some exceptions. Hours of law-related pro bono work used to complete the RWU pro bono requirement can also be used towards satisfying the New York Pro Bono Requirement, , provided they meet the pro bono definition described above (law-related pro bono under the supervision of an attorney), . Some RWU Law programs that qualify for the RWU pro bono requirement DO NOT qualify under the New York Rule. For example, coaching moot court does not qualify. Participating in VITA may not qualify. Your pro bono must be “law-related” , and, supervised by an attorney or judge. Please contact Eliza Vorenberg if you have any questions about whether a particular pro bono activity will qualify under the New York rules., On the Affidavit of Compliance, does my supervisor's signature need to be notarized? , No. The completed Affidavit of Compliance must be notarized before it is submitted, but your Supervisor's certification does not need to be separately notarized., Do credit-bearing clinic and externship hours count? , Yes, they may, depending on the clinic or externship. In-house counsel externship hours will , not, count., Can I combine multiple placements to reach the 50 hours? , Yes. Each placement will require a separate affidavit., Can an entirely student-run pro bono project count toward the pro bono requirement? , No. The pro bono project must be supervised by an attorney or judge.
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Below is a quick list of ways RWU law students can meet the NY pro bono requirement rule through RWU Law programs. This should be used as an initial guide for identifying ways you may have already met the NY pro bono requirement. Once you have identified a program that may qualify, please make sure you read the NY rule, FAQs, and the Affidavit of Compliance . I have completed one of the following…
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Etreive login screen All pro bono experiential learning must be reported online using Etrieve ., Important:, To log in to Etrieve, you must first click on the small “Or sign in with” icon located at the bottom center of the screen, which will create a prompt for you to sign in using your RWU Law 0365 login credentials. For the New York Pro Bono reporting requirements, please refer to the New York Pro Bono rule section.
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BRISTOL, R.I., – It’s one thing to honor a respected colleague and well-loved professor upon his retirement – but how to pay tribute to a man who is, in many ways, the , sine qua non, of the institution itself; one who is, perhaps more than any other single individual, responsible for the very existence of Roger Williams University School of Law? At the very least, you name a classroom after him. And so last Friday evening, the former Room 262 at RWU Law was dedicated as the Professor Anthony J. Santoro Classroom, with around 100 law faculty, alumni and current…, Roger Williams Law Review, noted in 2014, “His long tenure here suggests that the last law school established by Dean Santoro was arguably his finest, and the state-of-the-art facility he envisioned some twenty years ago stands as a testament to his efforts.” Santoro classroom dedication During his remarks at the dedication, Dean Yelnosky pointed out just how pervasive the law school’s reach has become, with successful…, [With reporting by Edward Fitzpatrick and Alexander Bowden. Photos by Andrea Hansen.], ____________________________________________, SANTORO STORIES, At the dedication ceremony, RWU School of Law Dean Michael J. Yelnosky recalled that the law school opened in 1993 at about the time that a chief judge of Rhode Island Supreme Court was resigning in the face of impeachment proceedings. It marked the second time in seven years that the state’s top judge had resigned amid the possibility of impeachment. Common Cause Rhode Island had asked Yelnosky…, “He listened to me and did not hesitate,” Yelnosky said of Santoro. “He quickly said, ‘That’s one of the reasons the law school is here. By all means – you have my support. Do what you think is best.’ ”, Yelnosky said, “Tony showed me that day what it meant to stand up for academic freedom, which is not an easy thing to do when an institution is in its infancy, when it’s trying to establish roots in unfamiliar terrain and where it’s trying to win over not an unsubstantial number of skeptics.”, ***, Professor Anthony J. Santoro told the story of how former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. took a train from Washington, D.C., one day when he was getting older. As the train pulled from Union Station, a conductor asked the judge for his ticket. Holmes searched his coat pocket, his vest pocket, his brief case, but couldn’t find the ticket. So the conductor told him not to…, Santoro drew laughter when he said he feels the same way now., “In two weeks, I will be 50 years at the bar, 47 years as an academic, 46 years as a husband,” Santoro said. “Now, I don’t know what is going to happen to me in the future. I’m not taking up golf. I’m not taking up photography. But I do have one big fear. Now that the university has honored me by naming the classroom and bestowing upon me the rank, if you will, of president emeritus or professor…, ***, If you are interested in making a gift in honor of Professor Santoro and his signal contributions to the University and the School of Law, your gift will be applied to our Professor Anthony J. Santoro Campaign goal of $100,000., To make a secure gift online: , https://give.evertrue.com/rwu/santoro
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