Professor Sarah McConnell teaches Legal Practice I, II, and III; Civil Procedure; Professional Responsibility; and a seminar on Judicial Clerkships. Professor McConnell joined Roger Williams University School of Law bringing extensive experience in legal research and writing. She has served as both an attorney and a law clerk in the Rhode Island state and federal courts, at the trial and…, Articles, "The Enduring Legacy of Legal Writing's Skills Revolution,", AALS Section on Legal Writing, Reasoning, and Research Newsletter, 24 (Spring/Summer 2025) " Paradoxical Pedagogy: Teaching Trauma-Informed Principles Within a System Built on Emotional Detachment ," 30, Roger Williams U.L. Rev., 311, (Spring 2025) " Educating Judges & Advancing Inclusion: The Evolution of Gendered Language in the U.S. Courts ," 29, Roger Williams U. L. Rev., 86 (Fall 2023).
Type: Faculty & Staff Profile
While everyone’s life is different—different goals, setbacks, successes, and behaviors—one feeling we can all relate to is the rush we feel in our daily lives to get things done. With the world moving at a faster rate than ever, with constantly changing news and priorities, it’s become increasingly difficult to remind ourselves that moving slow and steady might just be exactly what we all need. …
Type: Article
Documents on this page require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view. , Calendars, 2025-2026 Academic Year 2024-2025 Academic Year
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Molly Perkins is the Program Manager at the Marine Affairs Institute and the Rhode Island Sea Grant Legal Program. Ms. Perkins received her BS from the University of Rhode Island in Environmental and Natural Resource Economics with a minor in Marine Affairs and a certificate in Energy Economics and Policy. She also went on to complete her MS in Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, where…
Type: Faculty & Staff Profile
RWU Law Annual Fund , Gifts to this fund will be combined with other gifts for School of Law advances, such as technological improvements and increasing the pool of funds available for financial aid., Gift Planning, There are many ways that you can build a legacy at RWU Law through planned giving, some of which may also help lower the estate taxes for your beneficiaries or provide you with additional income in your retirement. Alumni, parents and friends who have generously chosen to make a gift to the Law School in their estate plans, or through a deferred gift, are invited to join the Roger Williams…, Dean’s Scholars Program, For every gift of $500 or more to the Law Annual Fund, a law student will be awarded a scholarship in your name., Law Alumni Association Scholarship Fund, Each year two scholarships are awarded by the Law Alumni Association to a rising second year day division student based on academic merit and financial need. Gifts to this Fund will allow continued growth., Mandell-Boisclair Justice Scholarship, The Mandell-Boisclair Justice Scholarship Fund will provide endowed scholarships to RWU Law for diverse law students, and those intending to practice public interest law., Gary Bahr Memorial Scholarship Fund, This scholarship recognizes the first year students receiving the highest combined academic average in contracts and torts for his/her division., Professor Esther Clark Endowed Scholarship, Generously funded through a gift from Esther and John Clark, this scholarship is awarded to a rising second year student on the basis of outstanding academic performance., RIAJ's Justice Joseph R. Weisberger Scholarship Fund, This fund recognizes and encourages a student of high academic achievement who has demonstrated an interest in pursuing a career in client advocacy., Law School Library, All gifts will be restricted to Law Library needs and development., Kathleen Birt Memorial Prize, The annual prize will be awarded to a graduating student who has demonstrated distinguished performance in dispute resolution courses.
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Zaki Farah understands firsthand that for many, the courtroom is not a place of fairness, but a place of fear. His mission is to change that. The son of Syrian immigrants who fled religious and political persecution, Farah grew up in upstate New York watching his family navigate the immigration system with little support. His father built a photography business from the ground up, but the process…, “ You have to stay rooted in your discipline, your passion, and your reason why. Because motivation dies out. But your purpose has to carry you,” he said., Zaki Farah flanked by two other RWU Law studnets with the LA Superior Court of California building behind them., That purpose led him to, Alternative Spring Break during his 2L year, ,, where he was placed with the, Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office, . It was, in his words,, “the most formative experience of my legal education.”, There, he was thrown into active criminal cases, invited into courtroom chambers, and mentored by public defenders and judges who modeled the kind of advocacy he aspires to bring into his own career. Farah returned to the LA County Public Defender’s Office this past summer, and hopes to begin his legal career there after graduation. For him, it’s not just a job. It’s a calling. “There’s one…
Type: Article
As Director of Senate Policy for the State of Rhode Island, there is no typical work week for Kylie Lovett '21. It’s a fluid schedule, varying based on both emerging issues and organizational priorities. Each week, her calendar is a mix of stakeholder engagement, research projects, and managing the team of policy analysts that work under her. It’s a challenging job where she frequently faces a…
Type: Story
No textbook warned Alexis Wozdusiewicz L’27 what it would feel like to walk into lockup for the first time. She had studied criminal law in class. She had read the theories and debated the philosophy behind punishment and justice. But nothing prepared her for the moment she witnessed the criminal legal system at work. “I had never spoken to someone accused of a crime before, or anyone…, Respect, Compassion, and Trust, Later that summer, Alexis returned to the Public Defender’s Office in Waterbury for a full internship, where she had a new mentor team. That’s when she witnessed a case that would forever shift her perspective: the trial of Michael Anderson , a local restaurateur charged with murder in a 2022 fatal shooting. The defense? Self-defense. “I learn a lot in my case books, but they don't teach me…, well, .” As for what comes next? Wozdusiewicz is still figuring it out. “Maybe juvenile criminal defense,” she says, thoughtful. But one thing is certain: she’s not looking at the justice system through a casebook any longer.
Type: Article
The Moot Court Board is a prestigious organization that affords numerous opportunities to its members. Many Board members participate in national external advocacy competitions which require both writing an appellate brief and performing an oral argument. The Board strives to bring the world of appellate advocacy to its fellow law students. In the past, Moot Court has hosted guest speakers,…, 2024-2025 Board Members
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