Finding the Balance

Xaykham (Xay) Khamsyvoravong decided to pursue his J.D. at RWU Law because, along with a quality legal education, it enables him to maintain a dual commitment to his career and his community, sacrificing neither.

“RWU Law offers the perfect balance between the rigors of a doctrinal legal program, and a high level of commitment to community,” says Xay, a Brown University graduate. “I believe that balance between improving oneself while serving our community is an important part of being a member of the bar.” 

RWU Law’s commitment to public service and engaging its students with meaningful opportunities to better their communities plays out through its Feinstein Center for Pro Bono & Experiential Education, nationally recognized for its Public Interest Law programs.

For Xay, the balance between professional success and public service is clear from a glance at his resume: he served as the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Rhode Island State Treasurer through the ’08 financial crisis, after which he worked at Morgan Stanley’s Public Finance Group in Manhattan. Currently, he is the Head of Government Lending at Webster Bank and Chairman of the Providence Water Supply Board – Rhode Island’s largest water utility.

“Pursuing a legal education allows me to expand my skill set while advancing my professional career. Being able to think like a lawyer improves how I’m able to approach challenges, both at my day job at the bank and in my civic role at Providence Water.”

To what greater heights his time at RWU Law will take him remains to be seen, but Xay is confident that he has found the right law school to match the values that have shaped his career in public service and in the private sector.

“RWU Law’s practical approach to teaching legal fundamentals is rooted in its dedication to having an impact in the community,” he says. “I believe that is the school’s formula for success.”