Roger Williams University School of Law
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article or section is written like an advertisement. Please help rewrite this article from a neutral point of view per Wikipedia policy. Mark blatant advertising for speedy deletion with {{db-spam}}. (help, talk) |
The Roger Williams University Ralph R. Papitto School of Law is the only law school in the state of Rhode Island. It is located forty minutes south of Providence, Rhode Island, in the town of Bristol.
Roger Williams University School of Law is located on a peninsula in the historic seacoast town of Bristol, Rhode Island. Providence, the state’s capital and legal center, is 20 minutes away and offers extensive employment and externship opportunities. The resort town of Newport is located close by and is the hub of significant cultural, sporting, and recreational events. Boston is one hour to the north. The School of Law is the only law school in the state of Rhode Island. As a small school, the faculty is both accessible and approachable. While the academic environment is challenging, a collegial atmosphere exists.
Library and Physical Facilities
The School of Law is self-contained in a multimillion-dollar building designed exclusively for the study of law. The four-level facility contains class and seminar rooms and is equipped with state-of-the-art audiovisual and computer technology. The law library contains more than 280,000 volumes and equivalents, including wireless Internet access. The WebCatalog is available through the Internet, as are many library publications and resources. Access to the LexisNexis and Westlaw/Dialog services, Internet, and CD-ROM publications is provided in three separate computer labs. Word processing and research-related and instructional programs are available to students in the labs.
The curriculum integrates intellectual theory, case analysis, and practical lawyering skills. The fundamental building blocks of effective lawyering constitute the first- and second-year curriculum. Students learn the skills of traditional legal analysis and the ability to elicit and convey information that every lawyer must master. The Legal Methods Program and other required courses prepare students to become problem solvers; to comprehend, analyze, and synthesize complex material; and to communicate their positions effectively. In the latter years of their education, students gain expertise in legal specialties through clustering elective courses in particular fields of interest.
The School of Law no longer enrolls a part-time extended division class.
Roger Williams University offers a JD/Master of Science in Criminal Justice. This program is designed to prepare graduates to formulate system policy and serve effectively as administrators to United States justice system agencies. The School of Law also offers two joint-degree programs in conjunction with the University of Rhode Island. The JD/Master of Marine Affairs program is geared toward students interested in maritime, admiralty, and environmental law. The JD/Master of Science in Labor Relations and Human Resources program is designed for students interested in issues relating to employment and labor relations.
Special Programs
Marine Affairs Institute—The institute is recognized as a distinguished focal point for the exploration of legal, economic, and policy issues raised by the development of the oceans and coastal zone. Students take elective courses in traditional admiralty law and practice, pollution and environmental regulation, coastal zoning, fisheries, and the international law of the sea.
Feinstein Institute— The school believes that lawyers should serve the communities that support them. Introducing students to volunteerism and public service as part of their legal education, therefore, sets the stage for a lifetime of commitment. Thus, students are required to complete 20 hours of community service.
The Honors Program is a three-year program of seminars, clinics, and externships. Scholarships of half to full tuition are awarded to students selected for the Honors Program. The Admissions Committee selects students, evaluating them on their academic records, LSAT scores, and recommendations.
The School of Law operates a Criminal Defense Clinic and a Community Justice and Legal Assistance Clinic in Providence. These clinics provide a service to the community by helping indigent clients and at the same time provide an excellent opportunity for students to represent clients before courts and agencies under the supervision of a faculty member. Students may also engage in a semester-long supervised clerkship in a judge’s chambers or in a public interest or governmental law office for academic credit.
The London Program on Comparative Advocacy provides a unique opportunity to participate in a mini-pupilage with a barrister. The Lisbon Program is the only legal study-abroad program in Lisbon, Portugal. The classes are taught in English by professors from the Catholic University of Portugal and Roger Williams University School of Law.
Admission is competitive and is based on the undergraduate grade-point average (UGPA) and the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score, as well as other indicators of probable success in the study of law, such as graduate degree, work experience, undergraduate extracurricular activities, and community service. Applicants must register with Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS). A personal statement and the $60 fee must accompany all applications. Letters of recommendation will be considered.
Merit-based scholarships of up to full tuition are available; no separate application is required. Federal and state governmental agencies, as well as private lenders, offer students loans at comparative rates and flexible repayment terms. Students must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be considered for federal loans.
Law Review — Membership on The Roger Williams Law Review is considered one of the most valuable and prestigious student activities available. The law review is staffed and primarily administered by students who are selected based upon superior academic achievement and writing ability.
Moot Court Board — The Moot Court Board is composed of students possessing superior appellate advocacy and writing ability. This prestigious organization sponsors speakers and programs on appellate advocacy, organizes an intraschool competition, and sends moot court teams to interschool competitions.
Extracurricular Activities — The multicultural mentor program pairs students of color with members of the bench and bar. Other student organizations include The Docket (student newspaper), Maritime Law Society, Women’s Law Association, the Alliance (LGBT), the Association of Public Interest Law, and the American Trial Lawyers Association.
The Office of Career Services is dedicated to serving the needs of law students, alumni, and the legal community. The office features a welcoming suite for career research, on-campus interviews, and mock interviews.
