Boston attorney, Antonio Massa Viana ’14, made headlines soon after passing the Massachusetts bar exam, when he became the first known unauthorized immigrant to earn a law license. In 2016, after securing a green card, Viana was admitted to practice in the Ocean State as well (where he’d passed the bar two years earlier). At his swearing-in ceremony in 2016, Chief Justice Paul A. Suttell commented that Viana had taken “a rather…, The Trump Years, Like any new lawyer flying solo, Viana found himself working impossibly long and difficult hours as he honed both his legal chops and his business management skills. “It’s not easy running a law practice,” he said. “It’s not easy practicing law. And it certainly wasn’t easy being an immigration lawyer during four years of Trump. For me to be starting out right before he took office, specifically…, The Pandemic, Then in 2020, COVID-19 pandemic hit and Viana’s practice found itself facing yet another existential challenge that somehow turned out for the best. It began for him as it did for many other businesses – with a sort of confused optimism. “I remember when I closed the office on March 13,” he said. “I told everybody, ‘We’ll be back by April 1. They’ll lock down for two weeks, the virus will pass,…, The Long Road to Residency, Of course, Viana is no stranger to adapting and surviving. Born in Brazil with many U.S. connections, he spent years living and working here: a homeowner, a taxpayer, and the father of three U.S.-born children, Cecilia, Francisco, and Joaquim (now 19, 17, and 13, respectively). Their mother Lelia, who hails from Argentina, became a U.S. citizen in 2015, enabling Viana to obtain a U.S. green card…, Amanda LaRocca ’21, . Last summer,, 2L Victor Vieira, was a summer intern. The firm is moving into a larger space in January. Viana also believes that his long, complicated road to residency helps clients relate to and trust him -- which in turn probably contributes to his success. “I’m not the only one out there with a crazy story; there are thousands of those stories playing out every day in America – especially with the DACA kids right now,” he…
Type: Story
It's the only program of its kind in RI! , This dual degree program allows you to complete the Juris Doctor (JD) and the Master of Business Administration (MBA) with an accelerated period of study within four years, instead of the typical five years. The MBA program combines classes in core business disciplines at our state-of-the-art Metro Campus in Providence with a required internship and international study to give you practical,…, Learn More
Type: Webform
In 2012, the American Bar Association amended comment 8 to Model Rule of Professional Conduct 1.1 by adding technology competence as a requirement of the duty of competence: To maintain the requisite knowledge and skill, a lawyer should keep abreast of changes in the law and its practice,, including the benefits and risks associated with relevant technology, , engage in continuing study and education and comply with all continuing legal education requirements to which the lawyer is subject. (emphasis added) Since then, 39 states have adopted this ethical duty of technology competence through changes to the court rules, court orders, and ethics opinions. How this has shaped up in practice varies greatly across states. Some states, like Florida,…
Type: Article
Due to the growing concerns surrounding COVID-19, the difficult decision was made to postpone Champions for Justice. Please check back for the new date in Spring 2022., {"preview_thumbnail":"/sites/law/files/styles/video_embed_wysiwyg_preview/public/video_thumbnails/Cujv4M3Du_M.jpg?itok=urpy2Mue","video_url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cujv4M3Du_M","settings":{"responsive":1,"width":"854","height":"480","autoplay":0},"settings_summary":["Embedded Video (Responsive)."]} 5:30 PM Registration/Doors Open 6:00 PM Champions for Justice Dinner, Awards &…, Special Accommodations, Persons who, because of a special need or condition, would like to request an accommodation for an event should contact the RWU Law Events, as soon as possible, but no later than 72 hours before the event, so that appropriate arrangements can be made. lawevents@rwu.edu Questions? | RWU Law Events | lawevents@rwu.edu
Type: Event
UMOJA Flyer Kindly Register by November 12 – Registration Link, Masks are required unless you are actively eating or drinking., If you would like to be added to the mailing list for the RWU Office of Diversity & Outreach, please email Director Ralph Tavares .
Type: Event
Boston attorney, Antonio Massa Viana ’14, made headlines soon after passing the Massachusetts bar exam, when he became the first known unauthorized immigrant to earn a law license. In 2016, after securing a green card, Viana was admitted to practice in the Ocean State as well (where he’d passed the bar two years earlier). At his swearing-in ceremony in 2016, Chief Justice Paul A. Suttell commented that Viana had taken “a rather…, The Trump Years, Like any new lawyer flying solo, Viana found himself working impossibly long and difficult hours as he honed both his legal chops and his business management skills. “It’s not easy running a law practice,” he said. “It’s not easy practicing law. And it certainly wasn’t easy being an immigration lawyer during four years of Trump. For me to be starting out right before he took office, specifically…, The Pandemic, Then in 2020, COVID-19 pandemic hit and Viana’s practice found itself facing yet another existential challenge that somehow turned out for the best. It began for him as it did for many other businesses – with a sort of confused optimism. “I remember when I closed the office on March 13,” he said. “I told everybody, ‘We’ll be back by April 1. They’ll lock down for two weeks, the virus will pass,…, The Long Road to Residency, Of course, Viana is no stranger to adapting and surviving. Born in Brazil with many U.S. connections, he spent years living and working here: a homeowner, a taxpayer, and the father of three U.S.-born children, Cecilia, Francisco, and Joaquim (now 19, 17, and 13, respectively). Their mother Lelia, who hails from Argentina, became a U.S. citizen in 2015, enabling Viana to obtain a U.S. green card…, Amanda LaRocca ’21, . Last summer,, 2L Victor Vieira, was a summer intern. The firm is moving into a larger space in January. Viana also believes that his long, complicated road to residency helps clients relate to and trust him -- which in turn probably contributes to his success. “I’m not the only one out there with a crazy story; there are thousands of those stories playing out every day in America – especially with the DACA kids right now,” he…
Type: Article
Need a little perspective on a complex issue in torts or contracts or evidence? Hit a thorny topic while working on your outlines and need some help fleshing it out? Need a little help practicing for exams? The library provides a variety of study resources that can help. The library’s collection provides RWU law students 24/7/365 access to the eBook collections of three major providers of study…, Perspective & Explanation, As you review your class materials and what has been covered in class, the resources listed below are excellent sources for those extra bits a guidance and information that can make the difference in placing the content in context and filling any gaps in your notes. There are different series from each publisher. Each has a different style. By using the collection from the library, you can find…, Exam Practice, As exams approach, you may also be looking for resources which have aspects that provide assistance with preparing for exams. These are some of the series that you may find useful: RWU Digital Library : Questions & Answers series West Academic Study Aids : Acing series, Exam Pro series Wolters Kluwer Online Study Aids : Examples & Explanations, Friedman’s Practice Series Of course, don’…, Study Aids Guides, To find out which titles are available for specific law school classes, visit the Library’s Study Aids page. If you need more help figuring out which study aid might best fit your needs, reach out to your law librarians at Ask a Librarian !
Type: Article
With the Thanksgiving Holiday just around the corner, we want to highlight an event many of us enjoy, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. While the Macy’s Parade isn’t the oldest Thanksgiving parade , it is the world’s largest parade . The Macy’s Parade dates back to 1924 when a group of Macy’s department store workers marched down 34th street in Manhattan to the Macy’s flagship store at Herald…
Type: Article
Soon it will be finals time again. The end of the semester can be extremely stressful. You often hear the terms “self-care” and “student wellness” during this time. It is important to take care of yourself, especially during times of high stress. Below you will find various tips and resources to help you stay well during times like this., Create a plan, . Once you have an idea of what your finals schedule will look like create a study plan. Time management and planner suggestions can be found on the RWU Law Academic Success Resources page ., Schedule in breaks, . Taking breaks help relieve stress and help us retain information. One study shows that breaks can help increase productivity. These breaks can include exercise, self-reflection, spending time with or video chatting with family or a friend, or just watching an episode of your favorite show. Check out the Campus Recreation Center page to find out about exercise classes, fitness center and…, Listen to your body, . Being focused on your studies may lead to not fulfilling your basic needs. Use the HALT method to address your needs., HALT, stands for, Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired, . These four states can affect your mood and behavior, ultimately damaging you work. Are you, Hungry, - Make sure to eat while you are studying hard. Try to choose healthy foods that will improve your mood and give you energy., Food for Thought: 10 Tips for Better Nutrition in Law School, offers 10 suggestions to help you maintain a healthy diet during law school. Stay hydrated. Symptoms of dehydration include headache, muscle cramps, sleepiness, lack of energy, and irritability. To help you stay focused make sure to drink enough fluids and try to minimize caffeine intake. You can read more dehydration and concentration from the NPR article, Off Your Mental Game? You Could Be Mildly Dehydrated, . Are you, Angry, or, Lonely, ? Try to identify why you are feeling this emotion so you can address it. Asking for help is difficult, but remember your family, friends, and the RWU Law community all want you to succeed. You may need to take a break or you may need to talk things through with a friend, family member, or someone else. The Counseling Center on campus is available on week days from 8:30am to 5:00pm and has…, Tired, ? You may be physically, mentally, and/or emotionally tired. Take a break; close your eyes and take a deep breath; go for a quick walk; grab a bite to eat; head to bed early and wake up ready to go. “’Cramming’ information and sleep deprivation reduce your academic performance.” This article in Vital Record from Texas A&M Health explains why an all-nighter will not help your academic…, YOU, to manage stress and maintain your wellness especially when you may feel overwhelmed. Remember the Law Librarians are here to answer your questions or to help point you in the right direction just Ask a Librarian . Good luck on your finals!
Type: Article
Have you seen that meme/graphic widely shared on the internet which depicts what other people think of your profession as opposed to what you actually do all day long? This year we will be featuring content on our blog which uses that format to describe what your law librarians here at RWU Law Library do all day long. Today we are talking about instructional services. A lot of what librarians do…
Type: Article
