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All graduates of Roger Williams University (RWU) School of Law are encouraged to run for a position on the RWU Law Alumni Association Board of Directors. , *Nominations open on March 4th and close on March 18th, 2024. Alumni will receive a call for elections by email in April with the candidates. Six (6) Director seats are available this election term., The goal of the RWU Law Alumni Association is to organize, connect, and engage alumni in a meaningful relationship with each other and RWU School of Law. The aim of the Association is to develop and maintain programs and activities that both strengthen the Association and support the institution. The RWU Law Alumni Association Board of Directors seek members of talent and accomplishment who have…, *Please submit applications by March 18th, 2024 for consideration to join the RWU Law Alumni Association Board of Directors in the 2024-25 year., Selected Alumni are appointed to a three-year Board of Directors term., , Next term will begin July 1, 2024., , **When submitting your nomination, make sure to include the, LAA BOD Signature Nomination Form, .
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Moving Beyond the Box & Re-considering the Criminal History Question on Law School Admission Applications, Drawing upon the experience of faculty from across the country, , Integrating Doctrine and Diversity, is a collection of essays with practical advice, written by faculty for faculty, on specific ways to integrate diversity, equity and inclusion into the law school curriculum. Chapters will focus on subjects traditionally taught in the first-year curriculum (Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Legal Writing, Legal Research, Property, Torts) and each chapter will also include a short…, Moving Beyond the Box & Re-considering the Criminal History Question on Law School Admission Applications, 3:00 - 4:30 PM EST - Zoom Webinar At least two law schools in the United States no longer ask prospective students about any criminal history or justice involvement in their law school admissions applications. Is this a safety issue? Is this a diversity issue? This 90-minute session will feature speakers from a range of law school administrative offices discussing the utility, wisdom, and…, This event is co-sponsored by Roger Williams University School of Law, City University of New York School of Law, George Washington University Law School, Berkeley Law, and JURIST., Meet the Panelists, Carmia Caesar, Carmia N. Caesar, is the Associate Dean for Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at George Washington University Law School. Carmia Caesar joined GW Law in 2021 as the inaugural Associate Dean for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Associate Dean Caesar brings extensive experience in programming, counseling, and experiential learning having served as the Director of Externships and Experiential…, Gayla Jacobson, is the Executive Director of Admissions at CUNY School of Law. She has been at the law school since 2010 and thinks she has the best job in the world: Connecting change-makers with the tools to reimagine the legal system. Prior to coming to CUNY Law, she worked at both University of California College of Law, San Francisco, and Southwestern Law school in Los Angeles. She earned her Bachelor of…, Lorraine Lalli, is Associate Dean of Student Life and Operations at Roger Williams University School of Law where she works with senior university and law school administration to support law students in their academic, professional and personal goals. She is a member of the School of Law’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan Steering Committee. Lorraine is a, magna cum laude, graduate of Spelman College, and Roger Williams University School of Law. She is admitted to the state bars of Massachusetts and Rhode Island and practiced with Brown Rudnick, LLP in Boston before returning to her alma mater as the inaugural Director of Diversity & Outreach. In this role, Dean Lalli energized existing programs designed to improve the academic experience and success of…, Marc Ramirez, is a public defender in the Bronx. For the last six years he’s represented people accused of all levels of offenses in the Bronx. He advocates for his clients at every level of their criminal case from arraignment through resolution. He earned his J.D. from the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law, with a concentration in Social Justice, Equality & Civil Rights. Graduating…, Kristin Theis-Álvarez, is the dean of admissions and financial aid at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. She graduated with high honors from UC Berkeley, earning her BA in rhetoric and Native American studies. She went on to earn her JD from Stanford University Law School. From 2006 to 2007, Theis-Álvarez worked as coordinator for the Building Young Minds Scholarship Program for Habitat for…, Meet the Moderator, Nicole P. Dyszlewski, Nicole P. Dyszlewski, is one of the editors of , Integrating Doctrine and Diversity: Inclusion and Equity in the Law School Classroom, . She currently serves as the Director of Special Programs, Academic Affairs at RWU Law and as an adjunct professor. She received a B.A. from Hofstra University, a J.D. from Boston University School of Law, and an M.L.I.S. from the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Library and Information Studies. She is a member of the Massachusetts State Bar and the Rhode Island State Bar. Her areas…
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The Law Library will be observing National Library Week from April 17 through 21. National Library Week is a “ celebration of libraries and librarians that also promote[s] library use and support ”. Although this week is officially celebrated on April 23-29 this year, we are observing our celebration early due to reading period and finals. Our theme for this year is Choose Your Study Adventure…
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BRISTOL, R.I. – , Roger Williams University is celebrating leaders of the built environment and leaders of racial justice, equity and inclusion in the legal and criminal justice systems at its Commencement ceremony on May 19. Philanthropists and real estate entrepreneurs , Joyce and Bill Cummings, will jointly deliver the keynote address and receive honorary degrees at RWU’s Commencement ceremony. Following the success of Bill’s commercial real estate, property management, and construction firm, Cummings Properties, he and Joyce established , Cummings Foundation, in 1986, to give back to the greater Boston area where the business operated and where its staff and clients lived. The Woburn-based Cummings Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in New England and has awarded more than $450 million in grants to greater Boston nonprofits alone, giving to education, human services, healthcare and social justice. In 2022, Cummings Foundation gave…, University Honorary Degree Recipients, Tom Gilbane, Jr. (left), chief executive officer of Gilbane, Inc. and chairman of Gilbane Company, and Michael A. Cox (right), Boston Police Commissioner, will receive honorary degrees at RWU's Commencement ceremony. As chief executive officer of Gilbane, Inc., and chairman of Gilbane Building Company, , Tom Gilbane, Jr., is the seventh family member to lead his family firm’s commitment to sustainable built environments and to building a culture that ensures the highest standards on safety and ethics. He has also provided mentorship of many future generations through the ACE Mentor Program, inspiring high school students to pursue careers in architecture, construction management and engineering., Michal A. Cox, has led a distinguished career of more than 30 years in law enforcement, rising through the ranks as a Police Officer to his current appointment as Boston Police Commissioner, including his service as the Chief of the Ann Arbor Police Department. Learning from his own experiences while serving in law enforcement, Commissioner Cox has become a leading voice for improving equity and diversity in…, School of Law Honorary Degree Recipients, Fred Gray, Esq., a pioneer of the Civil Rights Movement, and Netti Vogel, retired Associate Justice of the Rhode Island Superior Court, will receive honorary degrees from RWU School of Law. A longtime Civil Rights attorney from Montgomery, Alabama, , Fred D. Gray, Esq., has dedicated his career to advancing justice in the legal system. He is best known for representing Rosa Parks for refusing to give up her seat on a city bus, and he wrote the resolution that launched the Montgomery Bus Boycott. He also served as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s first civil rights attorney. Gray played a role in numerous other pivotal moments in the Civil Rights movement. He…, Netti C. Vogel, has helped break barriers for women in the legal and judicial system during her distinguished career, serving 19 years as a civil litigator and 28 years as Associate Justice of the Rhode Island Superior Court. In the 1970s, she was the first woman handling jury trials in the private sector, and in 1980, she became the first woman to try a case before a jury while visibly pregnant. Later, she…, Commencement Information, On Friday, May 19, Roger Williams University will convene a university-wide Commencement celebration of the undergraduate, graduate and law students graduating in the Class of 2023, followed by individual School ceremonies throughout the morning and afternoon. The university ceremony will take place on the main athletic field. The processional steps off at 8:45 a.m. with the ceremony beginning at…
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Our last Integrating Doctrine & Diversity Speaker Series program of the 2022-2023 academic year will be a one-on-one discussion with Dean Erwin Chemerinsky. Leaning into social justice topics and teaching diversity skills throughout the law school curriculum can cause disruption, trauma, and discomfort inside and outside the classroom, even when done with care and intention. In this…, Meet the Speaker, Erwin Chemerinksy Erwin Chemerinsky became the 13th Dean of Berkeley Law on July 1, 2017, when he joined the faculty as the Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law. Prior to assuming this position, from 2008-2017, he was the founding Dean and Distinguished Professor of Law, and Raymond Pryke Professor of First Amendment Law, at University of California, Irvine School of Law. Before that…, Worse than Nothing: The Dangerous Fallacy of, , Originalism, (2022) and , Presumed Guilty: How the Supreme Court Empowered the Police and Subverted Civil Rights, (2021). He also is the author of more than 200 law review articles. He is a contributing writer for the Opinion section of the Los Angeles Times, and writes regular columns for the Sacramento Bee, the ABA Journal and the Daily Journal, and frequent op-eds in newspapers across the country. He frequently argues appellate cases, including in the United States Supreme Court. In 2016, he was named…, This event is co-sponsored by Roger Williams University School of Law, City University of New York School of Law, George Washington University Law School, Berkeley Law, and JURIST., Meet the Moderator, Nicole P. Dyszlewski, Nicole P. Dyszlewski, is one of the editors of , Integrating Doctrine and Diversity: Inclusion and Equity in the Law School Classroom, . She currently serves as the Director of Special Programs, Academic Affairs at RWU Law and as an adjunct professor. She received a B.A. from Hofstra University, a J.D. from Boston University School of Law, and an M.L.I.S. from the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Library and Information Studies. She is a member of the Massachusetts State Bar and the Rhode Island State Bar. Her areas…, About the Series, Drawing upon the experience of faculty from across the country, , Integrating Doctrine and Diversity, is a collection of essays with practical advice, written by faculty for faculty, on specific ways to integrate diversity, equity and inclusion into the law school curriculum. Chapters will focus on subjects traditionally taught in the first-year curriculum (Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Legal Writing, Legal Research, Property, Torts) and each chapter will also include a short…, Special Accommodations, Persons who, because of a special need or condition, would like to request an accommodation for an event should contact the Office of the Dean - Programs & Initiatives, as soon as possible, but no later than 72 hours before the event, so that appropriate arrangements can be made. lawevents@rwu.edu
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Summer is almost upon us. While the Legal Beagle would like to focus on sun, sand, and surf; we know there’s still a lot of work to do. For graduating students, you still have access to our databases and study guides as you prepare for the bar. You will be able to use all of the library resources until the last day of July. As a reminder for those hot summer days, the library is air-conditioned…
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In just about one week, the faculty and staff of RWU Law will be celebrating the class of 2023 at Commencement , along with their family and friends. But first, the Legal Beagle wants to acknowledge the resilience and can-do spirit of the class of 2023. By the time you started law school, the pandemic was in full swing. You found your own strength before arriving and decided to take on the…
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Bylaws of the Roger Williams University School of Law Alumni Association, Approved at the Inaugural Annual Meeting, March 20, 1999 Amended May 10, 2011 Amended and Restated on April 10, 2017 Amended and Restated on April 18, 2023, Article I. Goals, The goals of the Roger Williams University School of Law Alumni Association (the “Association” or “LAA”) are to support the purpose of the Association as stated in the Association’s Constitution (the “Constitution”)., Article II. Membership, Section 1, ., A person awarded a Juris Doctor degree or an honorary degree from the School of Law is automatically a regular member of this Association (a “Member”)., Section 2., The Board of Directors of this Association shall have the power to confer honorary membership in the Association upon such persons, organizations, or entities as it shall deem worthy of such honor. The LAA Board of Directors shall confer such membership by a two-thirds vote of those Directors present at a duly constituted LAA Board of Directors meeting. Honorary membership shall be limited to…, Article III. Governance, Section 1. Composition of the Board of Directors., The Association shall be governed by a Board of Directors (the “Board”). The Board shall consist of the following: Thirteen (13) Members elected as provided for in Section 4 of this Article III. The immediate Past President of the Board. The Assistant Vice President for Alumni Relations, or their designee (or the successor to such position in the event of administrative reorganization) (…, Section 2. Eligibility and Terms of Directors., A. A Member of good moral character is eligible to be nominated and to serve as a Director. Directors serve at the pleasure of the School of Law and may be removed for cause by the Dean or by the Board as permitted by these Bylaws. B. The term of office for each Director shall be three Fiscal Years. The term shall begin on July 1 following their election and end on June 30 of the third Fiscal…, Section 3. Solicitation of nominations for Directors., Annually, on the first Monday in March, or within a week thereafter, the Chief Alumni Officer shall email an announcement to the Members, soliciting nominations for membership on the LAA Board to replace the number of Directors whose terms will expire that year. A Member interested in serving as a Director shall be nominated by a petition in a form designed by the Chief Alumni Officer or their…, Section 4. Election of Directors., A. Members satisfying the requirements of Sections 2 and 3,, supra, , shall be Candidates in the Election of Directors, except that the Dean, in their sole discretion, may strike a petition for good cause. The Chief Alumni Officer and their staff shall administer the Election under the supervision of the Dean. The election of the Candidates shall be by electronic (e-mail) ballot announced no later than thirty (30) days after petitions are due. All voting shall be…, Section 5. Election of Officers., A. The Chief Alumni Officer, under the supervision of the Dean, shall administer the Election of Officers within seven (7) days after declaring the official results of the election of Directors by soliciting nominations for open officer seats to the incoming Directors. B. Incoming Directors interested in serving in open officer seats shall then have seven (7) days to submit petitions in a form…, Section 6. Vacancies., A. A vacancy on the LAA Board shall exist in the case of the death or resignation of a Director, a declared vacancy if the authorized number of Directors is increased, or if there are fewer Directors than are authorized by these Bylaws. B. The LAA Board, upon a 2/3 vote, may declare vacant the office of a Director for good cause. C. Vacancies of the LAA Board shall be filled by a special…, Section 7. Resignation., Any Director may resign effective upon giving written notice to the President, the Secretary, or the LAA Board unless a notice specifies a later time for the effectiveness of such resignation. If the resignation is effective at a future time, a successor may be selected to take office when the resignation becomes effective., Article IV. Officers, The Officers of the Board of the Law Alumni Association shall be those established by the Constitution. For a Director to serve as an Officer, the Director must have completed at least one year of their term. , Section 1. Additional Powers & Duties of the President., In addition to the powers the Constitution prescribes, and with the express approval of the Roger Williams University (the “University”), the President shall perform other duties as the LAA Board of Directors may designate and as the LAA Constitution permits. The President, working in collaboration with the Dean and the Chief Alumni Officer, shall be responsible for coordinating the activities of…, Section 2. Additional Powers & Duties of the Vice President., The Vice President shall act and have all the power of the President when the President is absent or unable to act. If the President and Vice President are absent or unable to act, the Secretary shall act., Section 3. Additional Powers & Duties of the Secretary., The Secretary shall take the minutes of the meetings of the Board and Members; see that all notices are given as prescribed by these Bylaws; be the custodian of the Association records, keep records of attendance; and, in general, perform such other duties as may be assigned to them by the President of the Board., Article V. Board of Director Meetings, Section 1. Regular Meetings., Regular meetings shall be held at least three times per year at the time and place the Board may choose. Written notice of these LAA Board of Directors meetings and a proposed agenda shall be mailed or emailed by the Chief Alumni Officer or their designee at least three hours before the meeting., Section 2. Special meetings., The LAA Board may be called to meet at any time by its President, Vice President, Secretary, any two Directors of the Board, or the Dean upon 48 hours’ notice by email or telephone or upon four days’ notice by first class mail., Section 3. Quorum., Seven Directors shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Board. A meeting at which a quorum is initially present may continue to transact business, notwithstanding the withdrawal of Directors, if any action taken is approved by at least a majority of the required quorum for that meeting., Section 4. Attendance., Every Director shall endeavor to attend all LAA Board meetings and Association events. Participation by conference call is equivalent to attendance. Failure of a Director to attend two meetings of the LAA Board within one year constitutes good cause for removal or declared vacancy., Article VI. Meeting of Members, Section 1. Annual Meeting., The Annual Meeting of the Members of this Association shall be held concurrently with the Rhode Island Bar Association Annual Meeting unless the Board fixes another date or time and so notifies the Members as provided in Article VI, Section 3., Section 2. Special Meetings., The President, a majority of the LAA Board, or five percent or more of the Members, may call Special meetings of the Members., Section 3. Notice Requirements for Meetings of Members., A. General notice requirements. Whenever Members are required or permitted to take any action at a meeting, written notice shall be given per Section 8 below to each Member entitled to vote. The notice shall specify the place, date, and hour of the meeting and, (i) in the case of a special meeting, the general nature of the business to be transacted, and no other business may be transacted, or (…, Section 4. Quorum., Fifteen regular Members of the Association shall constitute a quorum to conduct business at any meeting of the Members. However, the only matters that may be voted on at any regular or annual meeting attended by less than one-third of the voting power are matters for which notice of the general nature of the matter was given pursuant to Article IV, Section 3. The Members present at a duly…, Section 5. Order of Business., The order of business at regular and annual meetings shall generally be: Roll call Approval of minutes of the preceding meeting Committee updates/reports Unfinished business New Business Announcement of next meeting., Section 6. Voting. , A. Eligibility to vote. Persons entitled to vote at any meeting of Members shall be regular Members. B. Manner of casting votes. Voting may be by voice or ballot; however, any election of Directors or amendment to the constitution or bylaws must be by written ballot., Section 7. Action by written ballot without a meeting., A. General. Any action that may be taken at any meeting of Members may be taken without a meeting upon compliance with the provisions of this section. B. Solicitation of written ballots. Written ballots shall be mailed or delivered in the manner required by Article IV, Section 3(c) to all voting Members. All solicitations of votes and distributions by ballot shall: (i) indicate the number of…, Article VII. Committees, Section 1. Committees., The LAA Board or its President may create standing or ad hoc committees as needed, with each committee consisting of one or more Directors. Members of the Association who are not Directors may also serve on committees subject to the provisions of these Bylaws. Subject to the ultimate authority of the Board, it shall not delegate to such committees any of the authority of the Board regarding: a)…, Section 2. Executive Committee., An Executive Committee shall exist comprised of the Officers established in the Constitution., Article VIII. Amendments, Section 1., In addition to the method of amending Bylaws as prescribed by the laws of Rhode Island, these Bylaws may be amended by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Directors of the LAA Board at any regular meeting thereof or by special meeting thereof called for that purpose. The Board may not adopt, amend, or repeal any provision of these Bylaws fixing or changing the number of Directors., Section 2., These Bylaws may also be amended by a two-thirds vote of the Members of the Association present and voting at any Annual Meeting thereof. Notice of intent to amend the Bylaws must be given pursuant to Article VI, Section 3 before such action may be taken at an Annual Meeting., Article IX. Limitations of Power, Unless expressly authorized by the University or the Dean of the School of Law, the LAA shall not have the authority to pledge the credit of the School of Law or agree to or establish any obligation in the name of the University or the School of Law. The LAA is not authorized or empowered to act as agent for the University or the School of Law for any purpose and shall not on behalf of the…
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