Editorial Board

Whitney Saunders is from Ellsworth, Maine. She graduated summa cum laude from Norwich University in December of 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice. Prior to attending law school, Whitney worked as a legal assistant for a small criminal defense and family law firm in Bangor, Maine. This past summer Whitney worked at Lang, Xifaras & Bullard in New Bedford, Massachusetts, assisting in various civil matters. This academic year Whitney is externing at the University of Rhode Island’s Office of the General Counsel. After law school, Whitney hopes to pursue a career in civil litigation, specifically in business law. In her free time, Whitney enjoys spending time with her friends & family, trying new restaurants, and watching her dad race!

Morgan Hedly is from Somerset, Massachusetts and graduated from Northeastern University with a BS in Behavioral Neuroscience.  During her 1L summer, Morgan worked as an intern for the Honorable Raffi N. Yessayan in Massachusetts Superior Court.  At RWU, Morgan is a member of the Honors Program, she served as a Civil Procedure Teaching Assistant for Professor Colleen P. Murphy and she is the Vice President of the Intellectual Property Law Association.  The summer going into her 3L year, Morgan worked as a Summer Associate at Chace Ruttenberg and Freedman, LLP.   Following graduation, Morgan hopes to pursue a career in transactional lawyering.

Colten Erickson grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana, and currently resides in Newport, Rhode Island. He graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York, in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Logistics and Intermodal Transportation. Before attending law school, Colten sailed as the navigation officer on commercial tankers in Alaska. At Roger Williams University School of Law, he is the Executive Articles Editor of the Roger Williams University Law Review and is a student editor for the Journal of Maritime Law and Commerce. Colten served as a judicial intern for Magistrate Judge Patricia A. Sullivan in the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island during the summer after his 1L year. Following his 2L year, he worked as a summer associate at Adler Pollock & Sheehan in Providence, RI.

Samantha DaRocha is from Berkley, Massachusetts. She graduated summa cum laude from Roger Williams University with a Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in History. In addition to her position on Law Review, Samantha is also a member of the Roger Williams Moot Court Board and Honors Program. During her 2L year, she served as both a teaching and research assistant for Professor Michael Yelnosky. She also partnered with attorneys at Barton Gilman, LLP to participate in the Pro Bono Collaborative's Guardianship Project, which she will continue into her 3L year. During the summer of her 2L year, Samantha worked as a Law Clerk at Moonan, Stratton, and Waldman, LLP. During her 3L year, Samantha serves as a teaching assistant for Professor Tara Allen. Outside of law school, she enjoys volunteering as an assistant debate and mock trial coach for a local high school. Samantha also serves as the 2022-2023 Moot Court Co-Chair of Competitions.

Arya Omshehe is a first-generation Iranian American from southern California. He earned his BA from California State University, Fullerton, while working with student loan borrowers in distressed situations by educating them on insolvency and Department of Education repayment assistance plans. His experiences connecting to and collaborating with his clients allowed him to assist Judge Diane Finkle’s work in the U. S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Rhode Island and their litigants on sensitive matters. Academically, Arya has strived to excel in all his doctrinal classes. This drive led him to join the Roger Williams University Law Review and his position as the Rhode Island Editor.
Additionally, he worked as a teaching assistant for Professor Andrew C. Spacone's business organizations, securities regulation, and mergers and acquisitions courses. Arya will spend his remaining time in law school part-time at Ursillo, Teitz & Ritch, Ltd., and full-time at Sensata Technologies, Inc. to complete a fall semester in practice. After graduation, Arya wants to help banks and businesses recover money owed to them and represent businesses in financial distress both in and out of court. Arya is interested in securities regulation, mergers & acquisitions, corporate governance, and handling restructuring, insolvency, and bankruptcy matters, especially for Chapter 7 trustees of corporate and consumer debtors in liquidating assets and litigation matters, buyers of assets in bankruptcy, distressed businesses in out-of-court workouts and liquidations, lenders in commercial and consumer matters, and creditors in cases involving preference and fraudulent transfer avoidance claims—to minimize loss and maximize financial recovery.

Matthew Lewicki is from New Britain, CT. He graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. While at UConn, Matthew was an undergraduate research assistant in the Computational Atmospheric Chemistry and Exposure Lab, where he worked on a project modeling air pollution exposure on cyclists in cities across the United States. While in Roger Williams University, he has focused his time on gaining experience in environmental law and patent law. During his first year, Matthew was a Sea Grant Law Fellow, studying coastline access in Rhode Island and interned at the Conservation Law Foundation, contributing to the foundation’s Zero Waste Project. Last summer, he worked at Dority & Manning, where he assisted in prosecuting patents in the chemical arts. Outside of school, Matthew enjoys hiking and photography.

Matthew Bertelli is a third-year law student from South Kingstown, RI. Matthew earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at the University of Rhode Island in 2015 with a major in Accounting and a minor in Italian. He also received a Master of Science in Accounting from URI in 2016. Before enrolling in law school, Matthew worked in the accounting and finance industry as an auditor at PwC and as a consultant at CFGI in Boston, MA. During the summer of 2021, he was a legal intern at the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office in Fall River, MA. Matthew was a 2022 summer associate at Dechert LLP in Boston, MA, and plans to join the firm’s transactional law practice as a full-time associate after graduating in 2023. Matthew has served the law school community as the former Administrative Vice President of the Student Bar Association and as a teaching assistant for first-year Civil Procedure and Property courses. During his third year, he is participating in the Corporate Counsel Externship program at IGT in Providence and the Judicial Externship program for the fall and spring semesters, respectively. Matthew currently resides in Providence with his girlfriend, dog, and cat. He enjoys travel, food, Boston sports, film/television, and outdoor recreation such as fishing, boating, sporting clays, golfing, rollerblading, and hiking.

Brian Murphy is from Warren, Rhode Island. Brian graduated from Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts in 2019 with a Bachelor's in Finance. At RWU Law, Brian is a member of the Honors program and the Moot Court Board. He is also a Teaching Assistant for Professor Jenna Wims Hashway and Dr. Justin Kishbaugh. During the summer after his 1L year, Brian interned with the Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General where he was assigned to the Medicaid Fraud Unit. Brian then spent the summer after his second year at Gunning & LaFazia in Warwick, RI as a law clerk. He will complete his final semester at RWU Law this fall as a judicial extern to the Honorable Lincoln D. Almond of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island. Outside of law school, Brian enjoys playing golf and cheering on Boston sports.

Dave Tice is from Lincoln, Rhode Island and graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice from Bridgewater State University. Following undergrad Dave worked for Amica Life Insurance for two years. At Roger Williams Law, Dave is an Articles Editor for the Roger Williams University Law Review and will be spending his 3L Fall serving as an extern for Chief Justice Paul Suttell of the Rhode Island Supreme Court. Additionally, during his 3L year Dave is serving as a Teaching Assistant for Professor Tara Allen's Evidence class and Professor Peter Margulies' Constitutional Law I class.  Previously, Dave served as a research assistant for Professor Louise E. Teitz and as a Teaching Assistant for Professor Tanya Monestier's Contracts I and Contracts II classes. Following Law School, Dave will be accepting an offer to work for a civil law and business advisory firm based in Providence.
 

Candace Quinn is from Seattle, WA. She graduated cum laude from Washington State university with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. Go Cougs! Candace served as a student leader for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. Candace interned with the Law Offices of Richard S. Humphrey following her second year of law school. Outside of law school, Candace enjoys cooking and traveling.

Julyssa Tavares is from Cumberland, Rhode Island. She graduated cum laude from Roger Williams University in 2018, and received a Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science with a minor in Psychology. Prior to attending law school, Julyssa worked as a Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault advocate in various police departments and courthouses within Massachusetts.  After her first year of law school, Julyssa served as a judicial intern for the Honorable William E. Smith in the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island. During her second year of law school, Julyssa served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Chief Justice Suttell at the Rhode Island Supreme Court and as a Teaching Assistant for Professor Michael Yelnosky in his Torts I and II courses. During her final year of law school, Julyssa serves as a Teaching Assistant for the newly founded Race and the Foundations of American Law course and works part time at a business litigation law firm in Providence, Rhode Island. Outside of law school, Julyssa enjoys traveling, exploring different restaurants, and spending time with friends and family.

Samuel Weathers is from Manchester, New Hampshire. He graduated cum laude from Gettysburg College in 2018, earning a Bachelor of Arts in History with minors in Public History and Civil War Era Studies. After graduating college, Samuel worked for the United States World War One Centennial Commission as a genealogical researcher. At Roger Williams University School of Law, he is a member of the Honors Program and participated in the Alternative Winter Break Program where he volunteered for the Disability Rights Center of New Hampshire. Samuel also participated as a brief writer for the Judge John R. Brown Admiralty Moot Court Competition. During his 2L summer, Samuel was an intern with general counsel at Falvey Insurance Group based in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. Samuel’s Comment, Stopping the Spin: Reforming The Rhode Island State Ethics Commission and The Revolving Door Statute is published in the Summer 2022 edition of the Roger Williams University Law Review. In his free time, he enjoys music, cinema, and visiting historic sites. After graduation, Samuel hopes to practice admiralty and maritime law.

Katriina Juntunen is from Cumberland, Rhode Island. She graduated magna cum laude from George Mason University in 2018 with a degree in Criminology, Law, and Society, and a minor in Forensic Psychology. Before law school, Katriina worked as an investigator with the Children’s Law Center in Washington D.C., where she helped Guardian ad Litem attorneys with their best interest representation of DC foster youth. In addition to being the Justice for All Editor, Katriina is a member of Moot Court team and part of the schools Honors Program. Katriina was also involved with the RWU Street Law Program as both a student leader and teacher. Katriina interned with the Northern Virginia Public Defenders in Alexandria, VA the summer after her 1L year. During her 2L summer, Katriina worked on a research project as a Rhode Island Sea Grant Fellow and volunteered at the Rhode Island Eviction Help Desk. Katriina is also a research assistant for Professor Harrington-Steppen. After law school, she hopes to work in family / juvenile defense law, or ocean and coastal policy. When not studying, you’ll likely find her in Colt State Park getting some much needed ocean air or playing tennis.