Roger Williams University School of Law

Introduction

Roger Williams University School of Law offers a world-class faculty, a strong and diverse student body, and an extraordinarily close and symbiotic relationship with the local bench and bar. The faculty hail from the nation's top law schools, boasting an impressive academic productivity, while bringing a wealth of hands-on experience—regional, national, and international—in virtually every area of the law to the student-teacher experience. Students reap the benefits of this dynamic through high bar-pass rates and diverse professional placements. By attending Rhode Island's only law school, they gain unparalleled access to the state's most sought-after judicial internships and the undivided attention of a state bar that functions in many ways as a de facto extension of a fast-growing alumni base. Students are regularly exposed to top legal minds. Leading members of the state and federal bench and bar teach here as adjuncts. Nationally known legal experts lecture at the law school, both as permanent faculty and distinguished guests. Each year, the Rhode Island Supreme Court hears final arguments in our internal moot court competition. RWU Law offers a rigorous and competitive legal education in a warm, open, and supportive environment.

Location

Located in picturesque Bristol, Rhode Island, on the banks of Mount Hope Bay, RWU Law offers idyllic walking trails and easy waterfront access. Bristol is a classic New England village, complete with tree-lined streets, a town green, and waterfront parks—as well as gourmet restaurants that stand alongside lively pubs and whimsical shops. In the summer, local waterways come alive with swimmers and boaters, while thousands throng to the town's famous Independence Day parade, established in 1785. A half hour north is Providence, a city of artistic and intellectual ambiance, bustling with theaters, museums, art galleries, antique shops, bookstores, and a mélange of ethnic neighborhoods, restaurants, and cultural events. Providence is also the seat of Rhode Island's legal culture, with the beautiful Frank Licht Judicial Complex anchoring the divide between the busy downtown and the bohemian atmosphere of College Hill, home to Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design.

Library and Physical Facilities

Our Law Library is dedicated to providing the best possible resources for legal research. With a collection of more than 300,000 volumes and an ever-expanding menu of nearly 4,000 serial subscriptions, the Law Library houses one of the region's finest collections of printed legal materials, while also providing access to numerous online services and free Internet sources. Its 35,000-square-foot facility includes 16 private group-study rooms, several of them A/V equipped, and scores of computer workstations with ample wireless and wired network connections. In addition to its director, the Law Library offers five highly qualified law librarians and six support staff members to assist and advance the pedagogical and research needs of students and faculty. RWU Law offers an attractive learning environment, with plenty of comfortable sofas, chairs, and tables, and many quiet study nooks sprinkled through the law school building. In addition to the Law School Bistro, law students can grab a meal at the RWU Dining Commons, a new facility offering dining options for every taste and appetite, with a focus on organic and locally grown foods. Many law students also enjoy working out in RWU's state-of-the-art Recreation Center, featuring a fully equipped gym, squash courts, yoga and relaxation classes, basketball courts, and an indoor swimming pool.

Curriculum

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.

Joint-Degree Programs

Roger Williams University offers both a JD/Master of Science in Criminal Justice and a JD/Master of Science in Historic Preservation. The Criminal Justice program is designed to prepare graduates to formulate system policy and serve effectively as administrators to United States justice system agencies. The Historic Preservation program prepares graduates to understand the extensive legal and regulatory mechanisms used to protect cultural and historic resources. 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 50 hours of community service.

Honors Program

The Honors Program is a three-year program of seminars, clinics, and externships. Scholarships of $20,000 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.

Practical Experience

The School of Law operates a Criminal Defense Clinic and an Immigration 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. The School of Law also operates a Mediation Clinic in Bristol. As the only law school in Rhode Island, externship opportunities abound. Students may engage in a semester-long supervised clerkship in a judge's chamber or in a public interest or governmental law office for academic credit.

Study Abroad

The London Program on Comparative Advocacy internship combines classroom learning at the Inner Temple (one of the four Inns of Court) with a unique opportunity for students to be trained in English common law trial techniques with a barrister or judge. The School of Law also offers programs in Tianjin, China; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and The Hague, Netherlands through a partnership with Stetson University College of Law.

Admission

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 LSAC's Credential Assembly Service. A personal statement and the $60 fee must accompany all applications. One letter of recommendation is required.

Financial Aid

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.

Student Activities

Law Review—Membership on the Roger Williams University 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, an intraschool competition, and moot court teams.

Extracurricular Activities—Student organizations include, but are not limited to, the Multicultural Law Students Association, Women's Law Association, the Alliance (LGBT), Black Law Students Association, Latino Law Students Association, Asian Pacific American Law Students Association, Older Wiser Law Students, Maritime Law Society, Sports and Entertainment Law Society, International Law Society, Association for Public Interest Law, and Association of Trial Lawyers of America.

Career Services

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. All of these tools help to prepare students to take advantage of the versatility of the Juris Doctor degree.

Applicant Profile

Roger Williams University School of Law

	GPA
LSAT Score	3.75+	3.50–3.74	3.25–3.49	3.00–3.24	2.75–2.99	2.50–2.74	2.25–2.49	2.00–2.24	Below 2.00
LSAT score 175–180	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 170–174	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 165–169	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 160–164	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 155–159	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 150–154	Possible	Possible	Possible	Possible	Possible	Possible	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 145–149	Possible	Possible	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 140–144	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 135–139	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 130–134	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 125–129	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 120–124	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely

Good  = Good Possibility

Possible  = Possible

Unlikely  = Unlikely

This chart is to be used as a general guide only. Nonnumerical factors are strongly considered for all applicants.