Molly Perkins is the Administrative Assistant 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. Recently, she went on to complete her MS in Environmental and Natural Resource…
Type: Faculty & Staff Profile
Julia Wyman is the Director of the Marine Affairs Institute and the Director of the Rhode Island Sea Grant Legal Program. Ms. Wyman has extensive state and national ocean and coastal law and policy experience, and most recently served as Ocean and Environmental Counsel for Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). Prior to that, she served as the staff attorney at the Marine Affairs Institute, and the…
Type: Faculty & Staff Profile
Our Staff, Julia Wyman, Director 401-254-4613 jwyman@rwu.edu, Brooke Mercaldi, Staff Attorney 401-254-5352 bmercaldi@rwu.edu, Alexandra Tamburrino, Staff Attorney 401-254-4524 atamburrino@rwu.edu, Molly Perkins, Program Manager 401-254-5392 mperkins@rwu.edu, FAQs, How do I learn more about the Marine Affairs Institute and what it does?, Please schedule a meeting with our Program Manager, Molly Perkins, mperkins@rwu.edu ., I have questions on classes and opportunities at the law school. Who should I reach out to?, Email Prof. Wyman, jwyman@rwu.edu , to set-up an appointment., I have questions about the Law Fellow Program. Who should I reach out to?, Email marineaffairs@rwu.edu to set-up an appointment.
Type: Basic Page
RWU Law students have access to a wealth of legal and non-legal resources. Because RWU is home to the AACSB International-accredited Mario J. Gabelli School of Business, law students have access to a helpful array of business databases through the University Library. A list of these business-related databases can be found on the University Library’s Business research guide. One of the most fun…
Type: Article
Welcome to a US Presidential Election Year! Between now and November 3rd we will hear some words and phrases repeated over and over like “Electoral College” and “grassroots campaign” and “FiveThirtyEight.” Today we are going to take a look at the Electoral College and try to understand what all the talk is about! For starters, “ the Electoral College is a process, not a place. ” It is a process…, Counting Electoral Votes: An Overview of Procedures at the Joint Session, Including Objections by Members of Congress, . C-SPAN even has a recording of the count from 1/6/2017. An example of what the ballot box looks like can be found here . For a fun fictional political thriller about the Electoral College see Roy Neel’s, The Electors, . Now that we have covered the Electoral College, maybe we will discuss “grassroots campaign” and “FiveThirtyEight” in other blog posts!
Type: Article
It’s summer time in Rhode Island and the Legal Beagle is ready to hit the beach with a picnic, iced coffee, and a beach chair! The Beagle may be found in said chair, in a few inches of water with a legal thriller in hand. Rhode Island’s nickname is the Ocean State--there are over 400 miles of coastline on Narragansett Bay. With all that coastline comes a lot of beaches and the “best” beach is a…
Type: Article
Supreme Court Research is incredibly varied, and the sources are plentiful, so the Legal Beagle suggested we introduce you to resources on two specific aspects of the Supreme Court: nominations and data about the Supreme Court and its cases. On February 25, President Biden nominated circuit judge Ketanji Brown Jackson for the United States Supreme Court to fill the seat vacated by Justice Stephen…
Type: Article
Each year, RWU Law honors graduating students for their achievements and important contributions to both the law school and the wider community. Among this year’s honorees are Public Interest Award winner Kaiya Letherer, Pro Bono Collaborative Award winner Sydney Barletta, Clinical Legal Education Association Outstanding Clinic Student Andrew Dunphy, and Clinical Legal Education Association…, Serving the community and promoting justice , Before enrolling at RWU Law, Public Interest Award winner Kaiya Letherer built a meaningful career teaching college courses in prisons and managing educational programs across the East Coast. After transitioning into nonprofit management, she felt a strong pull back to the criminal justice field, leading her to pursue law school. Letherer says that RWU Law “provided me with many opportunities to…, A pro bono champion, The winner of this year’s Pro Bono Collaborative Award, Sydney Barletta began her path toward public interest law during the final year of her undergraduate studies, when she interned at a nonprofit focused on helping human trafficking survivors. While she had been studying hospitality and business, the experience sparked a passion for justice and inspired her to pursue law school. “It was a lot…, A pursuit of justice through grief, After a distinguished career as a U.S. Coast Guard officer and federal criminal investigator, Clinical Legal Education Association Outstanding Clinic Student Andrew Dunphy found new purpose in the aftermath of unimaginable grief. Following the loss of his twenty-one-year-old son in 2021, he retired from federal service and was left searching for direction. His wife reminded him of a long-held…, A path rooted in empathy and purpose, Clinical Legal Education Association Outstanding Externship Student Samantha Lobato came to RWU Law after a career working with children, engaging in leadership development initiatives, and creating documentary films. Her journey to law school was shaped by personal experience: “I grew up navigating poverty and disability, and I witnessed how defense lawyers helped my own family in times of…
Type: Article
As the Research & Instructional Services Librarian at Roger Williams University School of Law, no two weeks ever look quite the same. Balancing student engagement, faculty support, and scholarly work means wearing many hats — often several at once. Here’s a glimpse into a recent week in my professional life., Planning and Promoting Library Programming, - The week kicked off with a burst of creativity as I finalized plans for our ongoing, Lawyer March Madness, event. This fun, competitive program invites students to vote on their favorite legal luminaries, mirroring the excitement of the NCAA tournament to get us through the spring slump. I worked on promotional materials, crafting engaging graphics and drafting announcements to spread the word via our law school’s social media channels, email newsletters, and library website. Fun fact—I use my art and…, Student Outreach and Pro Bono Supervision, - Most weeks focus on building connections with students. I brainstormed ideas for future outreach and engagement — from interactive workshops to informal research Q&A sessions. Additionally, I met with the students working under my supervision to fulfill their Pro Bono requirement, compiling and synthesizing research for a vital advocacy project for Rhode Island public libraries. I also…, Scholarship and Course Development, - Midweek, I carved out time for two major writing projects. I’m currently working on articles examining the digital shift in law school research and testing, and historic research for federal Indian law in colonial New England — both exciting, deeply relevant topics. In parallel, I developed proposals for new seminar courses on specialized legal research, aiming to equip upper-level students…, Reference Desk, Chat, and Research Requests, - A lot of my job revolves around direct support. I staff the Reference Desk three days a week, helping students with externship research and placement-related queries, while simultaneously staffing the Reference Chat feature for virtual assistance. Faculty requests rolled in as well — from researching legislative histories to tracking down hard-to-find case law — and I worked swiftly with my…, Collections Management and a March Book Display, - Wrapping up the week, I focused on collections management. I reviewed Greenslips — a selection tool for recommending new acquisitions — ensuring our resources remain current and practice-focused. I also curated a monthly book display, spotlighting titles that align with upcoming events, legal observances, and student interests., Professional Development, - When I’m not at work, I’m pursuing an LL.M. in Indigenous Peoples Law at The University of Oklahoma. This semester I’ve finished a course on Criminal Jurisdiction in Indian Country, and I start my course on International Indigenous Peoples Law next week. I’m also staying on top of my qualifications for Connecticut, where I’m barred, which means at least one or two CLE programs a month. Finally…
Type: Article
Join us for the Rhode Island Attorney General Annual Open Government Summit, presented virtually and in-person. Presented in partnership with Roger Williams University School of Law Alumni Association, the Summit provides an excellent opportunity to learn about the Access to Public Records Act and the Open Meetings Act. Register - August 1 RI AG Open Government Summit Rhode Island continuing…, 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
Type: Event
