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This fall, RWU Law Dean Gregory W. Bowman held a far-ranging conversation with law school leaders to reflect on this milestone year, the school’s history and commitment to advancing social justice in legal education, and a bright future that includes the launch of the Institute for Race and the Law as the next step in RWU Law’s leadership on racial justice legal education. The following pages…, Gregory Bowman:, As the School of Law celebrates our 30th anniversary, I wanted to get your thoughts about where the law school has been and where we are heading. Both of you lead work that sits at the heart of our mission: experiential education with a focus on social justice and our nationally recognized work on racial justice legal education. These two areas really reflect our law school’s history and our…, Suzy Harrington-Steppen, :, Mr. Feinstein’s generous gift established the law school’s 20-hour pro bono requirement which later expanded to a 50-hour requirement. This, combined with Associate Dean Andrew Horwitz’s leadership in our experiential education programs and Professor Laurie Barron’s leadership in public interest programming, was foundational in creating the RWU Law brand of legal education excellence – one that…, Bowman:, Bernard, you joined us last year to help lead our newest required course, “Race and the Foundations of American Law,” and are helping to guide our expanding leadership in teaching about law and racial justice. You have led a distinguished career teaching at many prestigious law schools. What drew you to Roger Williams University?, Bernard Freamon:, I thought the decision the faculty took in response to the call for curricular change around race was a courageous response and I wanted to be a part of it. Some law schools offer a menu of courses to law students or they'll offer a one-credit course, but very few law schools have taken judgment that there should be a mandatory three-credit course on the relationship between race and the law., Bowman:, It's also striking in the context of our location here in Rhode Island., Freamon, :, It's very important from a historical point of view that the law school is located in Bristol, Rhode Island, a commercial center of the slave trade. And so, for this particular law school in this particular location, it is important that our students understand how this legacy impacts us today. RWU Law 30th anniversary article I_conversation image, Bowman:, I started here in summer 2020, right after the murder of George Floyd, and my very first meeting was with our Black Law Student Association, the student group that advocated for, among other things, establishing a required course on race and law. I know all law schools faced that same moment of national reckoning on matters of race, but RWU’s response went further than most. Suzy, could you…, Harrington-Steppen, :, In the years leading up to the summer of 2020, under then-Dean Michael Yelnosky’s leadership, the law school created a strategic plan for diversity and inclusion and changed its mission statement to make clear that the law school is committed to promoting social justice, to teaching about the relationship between law and social inequality, and to creating an inclusive community that welcomes…, Bowman, :, I was there for that meeting. I hadn’t even started here yet and it was amazing seeing the RWU community step up in such a meaningful way. How do you think our “Race and the Foundations of American Law” course prepares our graduates for their careers in all areas of the law? , Harrington-Steppen:, If we want our profession and our legal systems to be equitable, every lawyer, regardless of practice area, must be prepared to use their influence and power to improve our legal system and dismantle white supremacy. Our graduates are tomorrow’s judges, law firm partners, general counsels, elected officials, school board members, nonprofit board members, zoning board members, etcetera. , Harrington-Steppen:, How we educate our law students matters and the Race and Foundations of American Law course is an important step in the right direction. Prof Harrington-Steppen 2023, F, reamon:, As Suzy noted, our graduates practice law all over the country in all kinds of important positions. And so their understanding of both legal doctrine and how it is impacted by race is very significant. The course also helps them better understand their own professional identity and to see themselves as lawyers in a new light. Hopefully, this will generate different approaches to client and…, Bowman, :, Whenever I attend law school meetings across the country these days, people are asking not only about our course, but also the Race and the Law scholarship being produced here at RWU and the outstanding work being done outside the classroom to support our students. This year, Bloomberg Law recognized our “Race and Foundations of American Law” class as one of the country's most innovative law…, Harrington-Steppen:, Back in 2017 – before the race and law course – Professor Nicole Dyszlewski asked me a question one afternoon: “Why isn’t there a book to help faculty members incorporate critical perspectives on diversity and equity into their teaching?” From there, the “Integrating Doctrine and Diversity” book series was born. I have been fortunate to co-edit the book series with Nicole and three other…, Bowman:, In fact, 90% of US law schools have sent at least one person to Nicole’s “Integrating Doctrine & Diversity” speaker series. As a result of this work, the American Association of Law Schools invited us to present a half-day seminar at their annual meeting in San Diego this year on integrating racial issues into both the classroom and the courtroom. And next spring, RWU will be hosting law…, Harrington-Steppen:, While all of this attention is fantastic, we are still very much a work in progress. This work doesn’t end, nor is there a clear right or wrong way to do the work, but we are doing it., Bowman:, Which leads me to my final topic and the exciting next chapter of our social justice work. Bernard, this year you are leading the launch of our new Institute for Race and the Law and the fundraising to support the Institute and its work. How will it be both a catalyst for change and a place for change?, Freamon:, One of our goals with the Institute is to establish a Teaching Fellowship Program, where lawyers at the beginning of their careers come to Roger Williams and teach in our “Race and the Foundations of American Law” course and help us broaden our curricular offerings. We hope that after their fellowships they join faculties elsewhere and focus their academic research, teaching, and practical work…, Freamon:, A university is really not worth its salt if it doesn't do things that help to bring about change in society. RWU Law Prof. Bernard Freamon 2023, Bowman:, Let’s look forward to the next 30 years. How do you think we will evolve?, Freamon:, This is the only law school in Rhode Island and 30 years from now, I would still like that to be the case. I hope we will play a central role in how Rhode Island makes its legal policy judgments, because there is a lot of work to do in terms of social justice, and I hope that Roger Williams University would be at the center of that work., Harrington-Steppen:, I hope when we look back, we see that the “Foundations of Race and American Law” class was a catalyst. RWU Law is a place where we should be experimenting and making law school actually look and feel different. I want the law school to take this momentum and run., Bowman:, That's a great place to close and to thank you both. We all really appreciate what you do and the fact that you're helping us lead the way.
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Beyond the First Year: Integrating Doctrine & Diversity, Volume 2 Release Celebration, Join us for an enriching webinar as we celebrate the release of "Beyond the First Year," the latest volume in the Integrating Doctrine & Diversity series. Engage in a dynamic discussion with the series editors and gain valuable insights into weaving diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging into a variety of upper level courses. Listen to a selection of authors discuss their essays 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. 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM EST REGISTER HERE In 2021, RWU Law began sponsoring an ongoing Integrating Doctrine & Diversity Speaker Series in collaboration with CUNY School of Law and JURIST. Each previous installment has…, Meet the Speakers, Raquel Gabriel, Raquel Gabriel, is Professor of Law and Director of the Law Library who primarily teaches Legal Research at CUNY School of Law. An active member of the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL), from 2010 – 2013 she penned a series of columns in AALL’s LAW LIBRARY JOURNAL, geared towards exploring diversity issues in the law library profession. Professor Gabriel was included in CELEBRATING DIVERSITY: A LEGACY…, Suzanne Harrington-Steppen, is the Associate Director of Pro Bono Programs and the Director of Summer Public Interest Externship Program at Roger Williams University School of Law. Suzanne received a B.A. in Political Science from Boston College and a J.D. from City University of New York School of Law. Prior to joining the Law School as the Project Coordinator for the Pro Bono Collaborative, Suzanne completed a two-year…, Nazune Menka, is the inaugural Executive Director for the Center for Indigenous Law & Justice at Berkeley Law. Professor Menka joined Berkeley Law in September 2020 as the Tribal Cultural Resources Project Policy Fellow and then served in the Environmental Law Clinic as a Supervising Attorney for the 2022-2023 academic year. Professor Menka teaches “Indigenous Peoples, Law, and the United States” and…, Anna Russell, is a US Court Librarian, managing the Alaska library branch. She provides legal research support for Circuit, District and Bankruptcy court staff. Staying current with information technology tools and trends, she was thrilled to have the opportunity to edit the 2021 and 2024 Integrating Doctrine and Diversity titles in the Carolina Academic Press teaching book series. She is currently serving on…, Brandon Stump, joined the Cleveland State University College of Law in fall 2020, and has taught Legal Writing, Advanced Brief Writing, Scholarly Writing, and Labor Law. Before joining CSU, after three years as an adjunct professor of Legal Writing at Duquesne University, Prof. Stump taught at his alma mater, the West Virginia University College of Law, as a Visiting Teaching Associate Professor of Legal…, Stare Decisis, ,” 72 Clev. St. L. Rev. 203 (2023). One of Stump's primary goals is to change the understanding of diversity in higher education to include disability and to add intersectional disabled perspectives to the canon. In his classroom he incorporates literature, theater, and critical theory. Carol Suzuki, Carol Suzuki, serves as the Keleher & McLeod Professor at the University of New Mexico School of Law. She was also a contributor to the first volume of Integrating Doctrine & Diversity. She teaches Torts and is a co-author of Tort Law and Practice (6th ed.), the required case book for all UNM first-year Torts sections. She also serves as Faculty Advisor for the New Mexico Law Review and is a…, Genevieve Tung, is the Associate Director for Educational Programs at the Biddle Law Library at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. In this role, she teaches and coordinates Biddle’s legal research instruction for 1L, upper-level JD, LLM, and ML students. She received a JD from Fordham School of Law and a MLIS from the Drexel University College of Computing & Informatics. Before becoming a law…, 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 a Professor and the Director of Special Programs, Academic Affairs at Roger Williams University School of Law. 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…
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We hope you enjoyed your break and ready for a fresh start with the spring semester. There are many ways in which the RWU School of Law Library can help you have a successful semester. Our staff are available and ready to assist you with our various services and resources that include: Research assistance - by appointment , by email , in person , or by calling 401-254-4546; RWU LawGuides covering…
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RWU Law Class of 2023 We invite law school graduates and their guests to visit the Roger Williams University Commencement 2024 webpage for the most up to date information on the 2024 Commencement Ceremony and related events. The website was built to be a one-stop information center for all graduates and their families. This website should be your go-to source for all Commencement related…, Please be sure to share the website with your loved ones!, As detailed on the Commencement Website, the School of Law ceremony will be in Wave II and will be held outside in the Global Heritage Tent. Tickets will not be required. Congratulations, RWU Law Class of 2024!
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In honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the RWU School of Law, Office of Diversity & Outreach Presents..., Keynote Speaker:, Weayonnoh Nelson-Davies, , Esq. L'07, Weayonnoh Nelson-Davies Learn more about the speaker here: Weayonnoh Nelson-Davies is the Executive Director of the Economic Progress Institute, an organization committed to transformational and equitable budget and policy changes in Rhode Island through research, analysis, education, and advocacy toward the goals of racial and economic justice. She was previously the managing attorney of…, Special Accommodations, Persons who, because of a special need or condition, would like to request an accommodation for an event should contact the School of Law Office of Diversity & Outreach, as soon as possible, but no later than 72 hours before the event, so that appropriate arrangements can be made. soldiversity&outreach@rwu.edu .
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Swansea Country Club 299 Market Street Swansea, Massachusetts 8:00 AM Registration 9:00 AM Shotgun Start 1:00 PM Lunch & Awards Register, All net proceeds benefit the RWU Law Alumni Association Endowed Scholarship Fund., RWU Law Golf Tournament 2023, Tournament Committee Chairs, Brett Beaubien, Esq. L'16, President, RWU LAA Board of Directors Jamie Gau, Esq. L'18, Secretary, RWU LAA Board of Directors Regina Curran, Esq. L'10 Zachary Lyons, Esq.'12, L'17, Tournament Honorary Chair, Anthony R. Leone, Esq. L'97 Sponsorship or registration questions, please connect with Assistant Vice President of Alumni Relations, Kelly Scafariello'99 at lawalumni@rwu.edu
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Rhode Island Convention Center First Floor West Lobby One Sabin Street Providence, Rhode Island 7:45 AM – 9:15 AM Hot Buffet Breakfast RWU Law Alumni Calling all RWU Law Alumni! Please join Dean Gregory W. Bowman and the RWU Law Alumni Association in welcoming the new 2024-2025 Law Alumni Association Board of Directors! The program is complimentary. Registration required. REGISTER HERE, 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
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Long before she was the Associate Dean of Student Life and Operations at Roger Williams University School of Law, Lorraine Lalli was an aspiring law student. On her admissions essay for RWU Law, she wrote about how she grew up in Providence’s Mt. Hope neighborhood and planned to use the skills she learned in law school to give back to the community. “At the time, I thought that maybe I would go…, Tools to succeed, After growing up in Providence, Lalli earned her undergraduate degree from Spelman College, a historically Black women’s college in Atlanta. She cast a wide net for law schools up and down the East Coast. When she visited RWU Law, though, “I really felt like it was going to be a place where I was going to be valued as an individual and really have the tools that I needed to succeed. And I was,…, A catalyst for change, Lalli hit the ground running, starting a networking partnership between the Thurgood Marshall Society of Rhode Island and the MCLSA. She also helped the law school extend its pipeline programs for high school students and begin a pre-orientation for diverse students. In 2007, Lalli was promoted to Dean of Students. When asked about the evolution of the law school during her tenure, she points to…, A legacy of service, Lalli continues to be active in the Providence community, serving on the boards of groups like the community development organization One Neighborhood Builders and Mt. Hope Learning Center. She also appreciates the law school’s partnerships with community-based organizations. For example, the Law School’s Feinstein Center for Pro Bono and Experiential Education provides students with hands-on…
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