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Roger Williams University Roger Williams University DOCS@RWU DOCS@RWU Amicus School of Law Publications Spring 2003 AMICUS (Volume 2, Issue No. 1) (Spring 2003) AMICUS (Volume 2, Issue No. 1) (Spring 2003) Roger Williams University School of Law Follow this and additional works at: https://docs.rwu.edu/law_pubs_amicus Part of the Law Commons Recommended Citation Recommended Citation Roger Williams University School of Law, "AMICUS (Volume 2, Issue No. 1) (Spring 2003)" (2003). Amicus. 2. https://docs.rwu.edu/law_pubs_amicus/2 This Document is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Law Publications at DOCS@RWU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Amicus by an authorized administrator of DOCS@RWU. For more information, please contact [email protected].

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Page 1: AMICUS (Volume 2, Issue No. 1) (Spring 2003)

Roger Williams University Roger Williams University

DOCS@RWU DOCS@RWU

Amicus School of Law Publications

Spring 2003

AMICUS (Volume 2, Issue No. 1) (Spring 2003) AMICUS (Volume 2, Issue No. 1) (Spring 2003)

Roger Williams University School of Law

Follow this and additional works at: https://docs.rwu.edu/law_pubs_amicus

Part of the Law Commons

Recommended Citation Recommended Citation Roger Williams University School of Law, "AMICUS (Volume 2, Issue No. 1) (Spring 2003)" (2003). Amicus. 2. https://docs.rwu.edu/law_pubs_amicus/2

This Document is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Law Publications at DOCS@RWU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Amicus by an authorized administrator of DOCS@RWU. For more information, please contact [email protected].

Page 2: AMICUS (Volume 2, Issue No. 1) (Spring 2003)

AM I C U SAM I C U SROGER WILLIAMS UNIVERSITY RALPH R. PAPITTO SCHOOL OF LAW ALUMNI NEWSROGER WILLIAMS UNIVERSITY RALPH R. PAPITTO SCHOOL OF LAW ALUMNI NEWS SPRING 2003SPRING 2003

Ken McKay, ‘96Chief of Staff to theGovernor of Rhode Island

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AMICUSAMICUS

At Issue…

Events

Class Notes19 Alumni Lives at a Glance

Feature2 Ken McKay, ‘96, Rhode Island

Governor’s Chief of Staff

10 Law School Happenings

Amicus is the alumni magazine ofRoger Williams UniversityRalph R. Papitto School of Law

Published by the Law Alumni Association andthe Office of Alumni, Programs & Events

PresidentRoy J. Nirschel, Ph.D.

Interim DeanBruce I. Kogan

Editorial BoardChristine M. Fraser, ‘99Anthony R. Leone, ‘97Stephen P. Maguire, ‘96Susan Rossi Cook, ‘01Michael A. Voccola, ‘97Eric Miller, ‘01

Contributing PhotographersKim FullerDavid Silverman

Art DirectorPeter Broomhead

Assistant Art DirectorRay Talamo

Law Alumni AssociationExecutive Committee 2002-2003PresidentMichael W. Field, ‘97Vice PresidentAnthony R. Leone, ‘97TreasurerNeal Richard Pandozzi, ‘99SecretaryJennifer L. Brooks, ‘99Immediate Past PresidentMichael A. Voccola, ‘97

Board of DirectorsArmando E. Batastini, III, ‘98Wendy S. Buckler, ‘98Cassie A. Cioci, ‘00David M. D’Agostino, ‘99Christine M. Fraser, ‘99Mark W. Gemma, ‘97Robert B. Jacquard, ‘98Stephen P. Maguire, ‘96Christopher B. Maselli, ‘99Eric Miller, ‘01Susan T. Perkins, ‘97Cheryl L. Robertson, ‘96

Office of Alumni, Programs & EventsDirectorChelsie Horne, CMPCoordinator of Communication & EventsStacy HartAdministrative AssistantIrene Roux

Send all editorial inquiries,letters, and address changes to:Roger Williams UniversityRalph R. Papitto School of LawOffice of Alumni, Programs & EventsTen Metacom AvenueBristol, RI 02809Telephone: (401) 254-4659Fax: (401) 254-4655E-mail: [email protected]://law.rwu.edu

1 A Message from theLaw Alumni President

13 School of Law News

Vol. 2 No. 1 Spring 2003

18 Law Alumni News

7 Loan RepaymentAssistance Programs—National and Local Efforts

Inside Back CoverMessages from the Interim Deanand Dean-Designate

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Dear Alumni:

Recently, I had the opportunity to talk to a 1997 graduate. After discussing some legalmatters and exchanging pleasantries, he asked: how is the law school doing? Let me takethis opportunity to share my response.

The law school is doing great! In February, the School of Law announced that David A.Logan would be our new Dean. Dean Logan comes to Roger Williams after spendingmore than twenty years at Wake Forest University and its top-tiered law school.

The nationwide search for Dean Logan was intensive, spanning well over one year,and included the participation of Chairman Ralph R. Papitto, President Roy J. Nirschel,and retired Rhode Island Supreme Court Chief Justice Joseph R. Weisberger; as well asseveral alumnus. Tremendous credit must also be given to the faculty; and in particular,to Associate Dean Diana Hassel, Professor Robert Kent, and Professor Michael Yelnosky.These faculty members, guided by President Nirschel, steered this search to itssuccessful completion.

You will also be pleased to learn that applications to the School of Law have increasedat a rate far exceeding the national average, and in fact, since 1999, applications haveactually doubled! Last year’s incoming class represented the highest combined medianLSAT and GPA scores in the school’s history and seventy-five percent of last year’s classcame to Roger Williams from out of state. Next year’s incoming class is expected tocontinue these trends.

On the faculty front, we continue to benefit from the expertise of Professors Bernier,Bogus, Eberle, Hassel, Horwitz, Kent, Rice, Ritchie, Santoro, Teitz, Yelnosky, andZlotnick, all of whom have been with the law school since its earliest days. The Schoolof Law also continues to attract new faculty members. Among the faculty joining thelaw school next year will be Associate Professor Nancy L. Cook, who currently is theDirector for the Cornell Law School’s Clinical Program and a national leader in clinicallegal education, as well as Associate Professor Niki Kuckes, a former law clerk toThe Honorable Antonin Scalia.

Alumni are also playing an increasingly important role in the development and successof the law school. As mentioned earlier, several alumnus were integral during the deansearch process. Recently, the Alumni Association also established a bar preparation fundand hosted a silent faculty auction during the annual December holiday party where allproceeds were used to defray the cost of providing a free bar preparation course to allgraduating students and interested alumni. The results of this course were immediate.Seventy-four percent of students graduating in May 2002 who took the bar preparationcourse passed the Rhode Island bar examination.

In September, the School of Law will celebrate its tenth year. With the alumni’sparticipation much has been accomplished, and with our ranks growing to over eighthundred, the Alumni Association has never been in a better position to advance thelaw school’s interests. In the coming months, opportunities to visit the School of Law,contact a prospective student, mentor a current student, or otherwise support the lawschool will present themselves. More events will be planned, including meeting DeanLogan, the Class of 1998 fifth year reunion, and tenth year anniversary celebrations.

Lastly, but not even close to least, I wish to express our gratitude to Interim DeanBruce I. Kogan, who has now twice accepted the deanship when the law school neededhim the most. Beginning June 1, 2003, Dean Kogan will return to the faculty full-time.On behalf of the alumni, we wish him luck and express our deepest gratitude for hisdedication, commitment, and leadership.

Michael W. Field, ’97Law Alumni Association, President

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by Stephen Maguire, ‘96

Friends

‘96 Graduate Ken McKay Leads Rhode IslandGovernor to Victory and Becomes Chief of Staff

Kenneth K. McKay IV ‘96 arrivedto work early and was placingstamps on a stack of envelopes at

8:30 on the morning before inaugurationday for Rhode Island’s Governor DonaldL. Carcieri.

“I haven’t paid my bills in a month anda half,” McKay said on January 6, 2003,reflecting on the whirlwind that was hislife throughout his transition from soleproprietor to campaign manager to theGovernor’s Chief of Staff. “I’ve got toget this done before my wife kills me.”

On that day, he was dealing with the nutsand bolts of closing down the Governor’stransition office that started from scratchand had been operating at full speed fortwo months, and it seemed a bit surreal.

“All I really need is two guys and a truck,”McKay said into the telephone, with thelook of someone who truly had only aminute to spare. “They have to come overhere and help get a couple a pieces offurniture out of my office and over to theState House.”

The transition office was already buzzingthat morning because the boss had calledon his way into the office and told McKaythat he had made changes to the inauguraladdress. The next call was from RobertHiggins, the retired director of FleetBostonFinancial Corporation selected to beDirector of Administration. They spokebriefly about the inauguration and theappointment process while Laurie White,Executive Counselor for Policy andCommunications, waited in the doorway.

When McKay hung up the telephone,he and White speculated on what changeshad been made to the speech, whicheveryone thought was complete when theyhanded it to Carcieri the night before.McKay and White discussed the politicsof a portion of the speech concerningrescuing Hope High School, in Providence.There is a new Mayor in Providence andthe Governor wanted to discuss the proposalwith the new Mayor, David Cicilline, priorto announcing it in the inaugural address.

The telephone rang again, and White leftfor something more pressing as Carcieriarrived accompanied by a State Trooperand took his place in the office next toMcKay’s. Another staffer appeared in thedoorway and waited for him to hang upthe telephone. McKay addressed all of thisactivity with a genuine smile. When thedust settled for a minute, he began to laugh.

“This is it, all day,” he said, still smilingand shaking his head. “I’m on the phoneall day, and everyone wants me to dosomething for them. It’s amazing. You can’tbelieve how excited people are, how highthe expectations are. Everyone wants to help.You should see the résumés we’ve gotten.”

Being the Chief of Staff for the Governoris miles from where McKay was aimingwhen he arrived at the Roger WilliamsUniversity School of Law ten years agowith thoughts of opening his own smallpractice. He was 26 years old, an Armyveteran with a young wife and a 1-year-oldson, Kenneth K. McKay V.

“I always wanted to own my own business,”McKay said, regarding his decision to leavehis job as a salesman for a North Kingstownpolyurethane manufacturer and join thelaw school’s first class. “When you’reyoung you don’t realize all there is to it,but I wanted to have my own practice.”

As graduation approached in 1996, McKaywas accepted into Georgetown University’sLL.M program for Tax Law and wasweighing his options. In the end, however,he passed on Georgetown because it wastoo much to ask his wife to support theiryoung family alone for another three years.Instead, McKay took the Rhode Island BarExamination and went back to work forthe polyurethane company while awaitingthe results.

“We were so broke,” he said, recalling thejuggling he and his wife, Mary, had doneto keep him in school full-time. She workednights as a nurse in South County Hospitaland brought their son, Kenny, to daycareat about 3 p.m. McKay would then leavethe law library at 5 p.m. to pick up his sonbefore 6 p.m.

“Then we’d go home, and we had ourroutine. I’d feed him and play with himand put him to bed. Looking back[law school] was the best thing that everhappened, if for no other reason thanI got to spend that time with my son.”

Sometimes he brought young Kenny toschool with him when there were eventshe had to attend while Mary worked. Maryrecalls that she also spent a fair amountof time at the law school.

in High Places

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“I love the law school; we both do,”she said recently. “We met so many greatpeople there.”

After McKay passed the bar examination,he left the polyurethane company to findwork at a law firm. He began with Taft &McSally, LLP, a small but well-establishedCranston, Rhode Island law firm. The firmwas not hiring when McKay called JamesL. Taft, Jr., to ask for advice about findinga job. He knew that Taft was an old friendof his grandfather, and a well-connectedRepublican.

McKay made the call to Taft one morningfrom a pay phone outside his Garden Cityoffice, and Taft invited him into the office.After he met with Taft for a while, McKaywas excused so Taft could consult with hispartners. He then offered McKay a job—not a lot of money, but a chance to gainsome experience.

“It’s funny how life works out,” McKaysaid, referring to having passed up George-town. “It just worked out, because I amnot an office lawyer. I like getting out anddoing things—closings, court or whatever.”

By November 2001, McKay left Taft &McSally, LLP, and hung his own shinglein North Kingstown. While building hisown law practice, he occasionally helpedhis former employers who sent real estateclosings and other projects. McKay alsobalanced his family’s financial needs byfilling the gaps with some work for hisfather’s furniture business.

One Saturday morning at 8:30, Taft calledMcKay and told him about Carcieri’s plansto run for Governor and his need for acampaign manager. Taft made no promisesabout the candidate’s prospects for victory,but told McKay that it could be a greatexperience.

Taft said it would be a good way to meet alot of people, which would help him build

his law practice, but told McKay that hewould not give Carcieri his name if he wasnot interested. Faced with the prospect ofputting his own business plans on hold, heconsulted his wife, who was then pregnantwith their second child. He also consultedhis grandfather, Kenneth K. McKay, Jr.

“I’m close to my grandfather and I talk tohim a lot,” he said. “And when I told himwho the candidate was he said, ‘That’s thebest candidate we’ve had in this state sinceI’ve been voting.’”

With his wife’s approval, and his grand-father’s endorsement, McKay had lunchwith Carcieri and disclosed that he hadnever run a campaign before. Carcierihired him anyway, and the race was on.

The campaign began with just Carcieri’sfamily members, a few of his close personalfriends, and a few consultants who wereestablished in the Rhode Island Republican

“We both jumped into this thing not knowing anything about theprocess, and we’re both still learning,” Carcieri said. “He’s smart

and has a lot of enthusiasm, and he learns fast.”

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Party. Carcieri had never run or heldpublic office and described himself as anoutsider who could bring somethingnew to government. But even an outsiderneeds help from people who have seenthe inside.

“There is a process you have to gothrough,” McKay said, explaining howthey lined up supporters and began tospread the word that Carcieri was a seriouscontender. “I give people who run forpublic office credit. There is nothing easyabout it.”

While McKay and his wife have beenthrough many transitions together, thismove to public service has been the mostconsuming. Throughout the campaignthe McKays spent many nights andweekends at fundraisers, debates, and rallies.Even the birth of their second child had tobe factored into the campaign schedule.

“He worked very hard to get this job,”Mary McKay said about her husband’scurrent position at the right hand of theGovernor. “It was not just handed to him.”

With McKay’s help, Carcieri won theRepublican primary by a wide margin.Along the way, he and Mary welcomed

their second son, Robert David McKay,on March 9, 2002.

In the general election Carcieri faced MyrthYork, who had survived a three-wayDemocratic primary. Carcieri won a majorityof the vote in all but three or four cities.

On January 22, two weeks into his tenureas the Governor’s Chief of Staff, McKayattended a Victory Celebration fundraiser.It was almost impossible to have a conver-sation as the Hope High School bandplayed throughout the night. Yet, he greeteddozens of people who wanted to chatbriefly about something important for theState. As one finished, another movedalongside him and waited patiently.

At one point he left to use the restroom and as he went down the hall, theProvidence Journal ’s political columnistM. Charles Bakst gave chase, tape recorderin hand. McKay assured him that he wasnot sneaking off to a secret meeting, andthen rejoined the party while the Governorthanked supporters and spoke of how eagerhe is to face the challenges of his new job.

McKay listened intently, without a hintthat he had heard these same commentsmany times. He is genuinely committedto the Governor, and is receiving a greater

education than Taft had promised whenhe considered joining Carcieri’s campaign.For his part, the Governor seems equallycommitted to McKay.

“We both jumped into this thing notknowing anything about the process, andwe’re both still learning,” Carcieri said.“He’s smart and has a lot of enthusiasm,and he learns fast.”

Carcieri said McKay has an intangiblequality that is at least as important as hisenthusiasm and intelligence.

“Everyone likes him and respects him,which is important because when peoplelike you and respect you then they’re willingto do things to help you,” Carcieri said.

Just after 9 a.m. on Friday, January 24, 2003,McKay arrived in his office in the south-west corner of the second floor of the StateHouse. It was the end of his second fullweek as Chief of Staff and he was runninga little late. He carried a box, whichcontained his laptop computer, severaltape recorders, and a machine used to playback the dictated material he had obtainedfrom a State House supply room.

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“Did you know there was a differencebetween micro-cassettes and mini-cassettes?” he asked, with a look ofamazement and, as always, a smile.

He took a seat at his desk, which wasclear except for a telephone, and severalcolored file folders: yellow folders containdocuments for him to review and greenfolders contain documents to bring tothe Governor for his signature.

His law school diploma and law reviewcertificate hang on one wall. His honorabledischarge hangs next to the door. To theleft of his desk is a framed tomahawk,presented to him by his former colleaguesin the Second Anti Tank Platoon, nick-named the 451 Mutants and stationedwith him on the DMZ in South Korea.

There is a telephone on his desk andanother on the small conference table inthe corner. Compared to the telephonein his transition office earlier in themonth, things are conspicuously quiet.

When these phones were installed for him,he complained that he could not work hisvoicemail. His assistant, Dana Wilson, whohas worked in the Office of the Governorfor seven years, explained that there wouldbe no voicemail for him. All of his callswould be going through her, she told him,and she will be taking all of his messages.

“She is great,” he said. “A couple of timesa day she comes in here and sits overthere with a stack of messages, and wego through them.”

McKay refers most of the messages outto others on the staff, until he is left withthose that he must deal with himself.Dana also controls access to his office.“There are times when she comes in andsays, ‘That’s it, you have to close yourdoor for a little while.’ Then she closesthe door, so I can get some work done.”

One call that always goes through isMary’s. On this day, she and the childrenwere coming in for lunch.

“It’s very exciting for Kenny,” she said.“He loves his father so much. Even thoughhe doesn’t know how important it is, heknows Daddy’s work is now in the StateHouse and it’s exciting to bring him there.”

Prior to the lunch, however, there waswork to do. The Governor was scheduledto meet that morning with the leaders of

the House of Representatives regardingthe renegotiation of the State’s share ofrevenues from video gaming enterprises,and he wants McKay at the meeting. McKayattended a similar meeting with Carcieriand the Senate leaders earlier in the week.

The most exciting issue before the CarcieriAdministration involves the Separation ofPowers initiative, one in which the lawschool has played a great role.

Unlike every other state, Rhode Island’sConstitution vests the General Assemblywith the greatest power. Over the years,the General Assembly has used the powerto encroach on many functions thattraditionally belong within the ExecutiveBranch. Throughout the campaign therewas great public support for change, andCarcieri pledged to make it happen.

McKay said they have already made changeswithin the Executive Branch involvingre-education as to the chain of command.It is a delicate process, but he and Carcierihave come in at the right time. With thecriminal conviction of Providence MayorVincent A. “Buddy” Cianci, and theresignation of House Speaker John B.Harwood, there was a feeling that changewas on the horizon and that Carcieri hasbeen seen as something of a savior.

“You can’t believe how popular he is,”McKay said. “People that have workedaround here going back to the SundlunAdministration say they’ve never seenanything like it.”

McKay worked late on the last night of hisfirst month as a public servant. He joinedthe Governor for his first “Open DoorThursday,” fulfilling a pledge Carcieri hadmade in his inaugural address. The goal isto allow citizens access to their Governoron the last Thursday of each month. Therewere 18 meetings scheduled on this firstinstallment, and McKay did not arrivehome until after 10 p.m.

McKay was back in the office earlythe following morning, joining Carcierifor interviews of the finalists for theappointment to the vacant position onthe Workers Compensation Court.

“It’s amazing how much goes on in here,and it just keeps coming,” he said. “A lotof times it’s kind of like what happensbefore a real estate closing. There’s somuch that has to get done and as the timegets close things start coming together,and at some point it just gets done.”

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Many law school graduates must pay a significant student loan debt.The American Bar Association Commission on Loan Repaymentand Forgiveness has found that excessive law school student loandebt prohibits many attorneys from considering public sectoremployment because of the traditionally lower salaries associatedwith these positions. To address the problem, there is currently anational movement toward establishing Loan Repayment AssistancePrograms (LRAPs). Generally, LRAP applicants may be entitledto have a portion of their student loan debt forgiven in exchangefor public service. Although LRAPs directly benefit only those whoqualify, all attorneys should be interested in promoting LRAPsto raise awareness of the problem. Eventually, we might establishpreventative rather than remedial measures to address the highcost of law school.

The draft legislation entitles all full-timestate employees licensed to practice law inRhode Island to apply. Under the statute,the Rhode Island Student Loan Authorityis vested with the power to promulgatespecific regulations to implement theLRAP, including additional eligibilitycriteria. The statute itself makes clear thata state attorney is only eligible if he orshe signs a contract agreeing to remain inpublic service for one year for each yearthat he or she receives financial assistancefrom the LRAP. If the attorney does notsatisfy his or her service requirement thenthe assistance becomes a loan and mustbe repaid. The assistance can be appliedto any educational debt, and therefore, isnot limited to law school loans. The mostcritical factor to determining the amountof assistance is the applicant’s income-to-debt ratio. The maximum amount ofassistance per year is $10,000.

NationwideCurrently, seven statewide LRAPs are inexistence. The following is a brief descrip-tion of each program.

ArizonaCreated in 1990, the Arizona LRAP isdesigned to assist attorneys working full-time for non-profit legal organizations.To be eligible, the applicant can make nomore than $45,000 per year, with someexceptions, and must be a member of thestate bar. If eligible, the foundation will“loan” the applicant up to $6,000 per year(however, in 2002 the total amount tobe allocated was only $28,000). For morespecific information, contact the ArizonaFoundation for Legal Services andEducation, 111 W. Monroe, 18th Floor,Phoenix, AZ 85003, (603) 340-7356,http://www.azbf.org/AZFLSE/legalservices/loanrepayment.cfm.

FloridaFlorida created a LRAP in 1991, whichwas terminated in 1995, but has beenrecently reestablished. Its program is forattorneys working full-time for civil legalaid only. The income cap is $40,000 peryear, with an additional $3,000 per yearincrement. The LRAP applies only to lawschool loans and a participant may onlyreceive aid for five consecutive years. Theprogram is administered by the FloridaBar Foundation, 109 East Church Street,Orlando, FL 32801, (407) 843-0045,www.flabarfndn.org.

MarylandMaryland has the oldest LRAP, created in1988. The Maryland LRAP is funded bythe state, and is open to a broad range ofpublic servants, including state and local

by Carly Beauvais Iafrate, ‘00

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Rhode IslandThe local effort toward creating a LRAPwas initiated by Chief Justice Frank J.Williams in 2001. The Chief Justice’sproposal was to create a state-fundedprogram for attorneys in any public service,similar to loan forgiveness programsavailable to other professions. Severalsurveys were conducted to confirm thatsuch a program was needed. The initialsurvey revealed that 66% of those full-timestate attorneys making between $30,000and $50,000 per year had student loandebt between $50,000 and $100,000+.Of those who responded to the secondsurvey, the average student loan debtwas $65,000. Many department headsresponded that they would have enteredstate service earlier if such a programwas available, or that they had lost well-qualified attorneys to private sectoremployment because of the difficultyof paying their student loan debt on apublic sector salary.

Loan RepaymentAssistance ProgramsNational and Local Efforts

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Carly Beauvais Iafrate, ’00 is an assistantto Rhode Island Supreme Court Chief JusticeFrank J. Williams. Her responsibilitiesinclude preparing and drafting the RhodeIsland LRAP legislation.

government employees. Once eligible, anapplicant remains eligible for fifteen years—however, applicants must hold their degreefrom a Maryland educational institution.The annual award may be as much as$7,500. For more information contact theMaryland Higher Education CommissionOffice of Student Financial Assistance,839 Bestgate Road, Suite 400,Annapolis, MD 21401-3013,http://www.mhec.state.md.us/SSA/LARP.htm.

New HampshireNew Hampshire’s LRAP is more conserva-tive. It is open only to attorneys workingfor civil legal aid. Furthermore, the awardsare only applicable to law school loans.The LRAP is administered by the NewHampshire Bar Foundation, 112 PleasantStreet, Concord, NH 03301-2931,(603) 224-6942, www.nhbar.org.

…creation of these programs will encourage and attractqualified attorneys to public service…awareness may lead toan overall reduction in the cost of a law school education…

$70,000. All educational loans are eligiblefor forgiveness. The program is administeredby the Texas Access to Justice Commission,1414 Colorado, Suite 604, Austin, TX78701, (800) 204-2222, ext. 2158,http://www.texasbar.com/members/getinvolved/accessjustice.asp.

In addition, Kentucky and Nebraska areplanning on creating LRAPs. Furthermore,LRAPs have been proposed in Connecticut,New York, and Illinois, although legislativeapproval has yet to be achieved.

Many of these programs are strugglingto remain funded in order to fulfill theirimportant purpose. The creation of theseprograms will encourage and attractqualified attorneys to public service andwill assist attorneys already in publicservice. Moreover, awareness may leadto an overall reduction in the cost of alaw school education, a result that wouldbe attractive to all attorneys, regardlessof their choice of employment.

For a copy of the Rhode Island draftlegislation introduced in January 2003,please contact me at (401) 222-7690, orby e-mail at [email protected].

LRAP Proposal at School of Law

The Association for Public Interest Law (APIL) has been working closely with theFeinstein Institute for Legal Service to develop a proposal for a Loan Repayment AssistanceProgram for graduates committed to a career in public interest law. APIL students fromthe class of 2000 drafted the first proposal. Current APIL students have continued toresearch the issue, revise the proposal, and advocate for a program. Last year, the facultyunanimously endorsed the idea of a LRAP program. The Feinstein Institute is nowworking closely with the Development Office and APIL to create a fundraising strategy.Nationwide, there are currently about 50 programs in law schools, 7 state-wide programsfor attorneys in government service, and several employer-created programs. RhodeIsland Legal Services has such a program. For comprehensive information about LRAPprograms, see www.equaljusticeworks.org. If any alumni are interested in working on thiseffort, or in drafting letters of support, please contact Laurie Barron, Director of theFeinstein Institute, at (401) 254-4653 or [email protected].

MinnesotaCreated in 1991, the Minnesota LRAPis funded mostly by private donors.Applicants who graduate from Minnesotainstitutions may be employed outsideof Minnesota and retain their eligibility.The income cap is $37,500 and applicantsare required to contribute toward loanrepayment. In October 2001, the MinnesotaLRAP awarded $89,000 in loan repaymentassistance to 27 public interest attorneyswith awards averaging $3,300. For moreinformation contact LRAP-MN,600 Nicollet Mall, Suite 380,Minneapolis, MN 55402, (612) 278-6315,www.lrapmn.org.

North CarolinaCreated in 1989, the North Carolina LRAPis open to attorneys employed in non-profitorganizations and the government. Since1991, the North Carolina LRAP hasprovided over one million dollars of loanrepayment assistance to over 150 attorneys.The program is administered by the NorthCarolina Legal Education Assistance Fund,6070-J Six Forks Road, Raleigh, NC27615, (919) 845-6089, www.ncleaf.org.

TexasIn Texas, the LRAP is currently privatelyfunded, but is awaiting availability of statefunding. Beginning in 2002, the program’sadministrator began making monthlygrants of up to $100. Applicants musthave graduated from law school withinthe last five years and the income cap is

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I am from South Dakota and despiteattending law school on the east coast,it was always my plan to return toSouth Dakota upon graduation to practiceIndian Law. Since I chose to practiceIndian Law, instead of a more traditionalpractice area, I always knew my job searchwould be challenging; both financiallyand geographically. I just never realizedhow much debt I would incur during lawschool and how that debt would continueto impact my quality of life.

During my three years at Roger WilliamsUniversity School of Law, I exhaustedfederal loan options and had to obtainsecondary loans at a significantly higherinterest rate in order to meet my livingand academic expenses. Aside from tuitionand books, I also had to pay rent, buygroceries, and pay for incidentals, likedoctor visits and mechanics.

Union, a not-for-profit organizationrepresenting federal government employees.My entry pay was set at the federal servicepay for a GS-11 in Washington, D.C. Buteven with this excellent entry wage, I findover 40 percent of my take home salarygoing toward my student loans. Mystudent loan repayment schedules currentlyextend well into the next 10 to 15 years.All of my current and future employmentchoices will be driven, and in fact limited,by my student loan obligations. Many ofmy friends and colleagues, like me, wantedto take public service positions, but couldnot do so because the salaries in public

service positions would not allow them tosupport themselves and families in additionto meeting their student loan obligations.The introduction and passage of a studentloan forgiveness program for those attorneyswho enter into public service would freeour best and brightest attorneys to fulfilltheir avocations and allow them theopportunity to support themselves andtheir families.

Wendy Lucas-Pisman, ‘01

I am now working for Dakota PlainsLegal Services in Rapid City, South Dakota.I am paid through their Public AdvocacyProject, which in reality is a conflictscontract from Pennington County forpublic defender’s appointments (werepresent the co-defendants or conflictsfrom the public defender’s office). Mypresent salary is $34,156. and there is noloan repayment assistance option. I havea fairly good benefit package, but I donot have access to a retirement plan. Weare an Indian program so we receive somefunding from Congress, but our budgetwill be cut by quite a bit over the nexttwo years.

Even in South Dakota, a salary of $34,156.spreads pretty thin. I still pay rent, and dayto day living expenses. Notably, one entirepaycheck goes towards my gas bill and my

student loans. There is no availablehousing in Pine Ridge so I am commuting64 miles to and from work, five days aweek. Despite spreading my loan repaymentover as many years as possible, I still amliving paycheck to paycheck.

I chose to practice Indian Law and I woulddo it again. When I graduated law schoolin 2001, however, the pickings were slimeverywhere and especially here in SouthDakota. I am lucky to have the job that Ido. A loan repayment assistance programwould allow me to pay down my studentdebt more rapidly; it would allow me tobuy groceries, buy work clothes, and maybeto have a bit left over to enjoy some ofthe things life has to offer.

Jenn Coleman, ‘01

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For many law school graduates, the question is not what type oflaw do you want to practice, but rather what type of law do youwant to practice that will enable you to re-pay student loans.

Debt can be prohibitive. Consequently, law school debt candeter some attorneys from choosing a less profitable public lawcareer. Amicus reached out to two graduates and asked them:

“What impact would a loan forgiveness programhave on your career choice, or on your presentcircumstances/lifestyle?”

As I began my job search, I was drawn tomany public service positions, as helpingpeople in need within society has alwaysbeen my avocation. I considered work withwomen and children, advocacy positions,and continuing the work I began with thelaw school’s Disability Law Clinic. However,because of my very considerable studentloan debt it became readily apparent thatif I took any of these positions I would notbe able to meet my student loan payments.

I did take a quasi-public service positionas a national field representative assistantcounsel for National Treasury Employee’s

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by Anthony R. Leone, ‘97Tournament Chairperson

Over 124 law alumni and friends gatheredon Sunday, September 22, 2002, for the3rd Annual Law Alumni Golf Tournament.Alumni came from as far away as La Grange,Ill., and Phoenix, Ariz. to play. This yearmarked our most successful event,raising over $7,000 for the Law AlumniScholarship Fund.

The tournament host was Cranston CountryClub. All players received outstanding giftbags, which included bag tags, golf balls,golf tees, and golf towels. The golf ballswere donated by Joe Simon, ‘97, ofSimon Chevrolet Buick and the E. TurgeonConstruction Corporation. CherylRobertson,‘96, and her husband Andy,donated the golf tee packets. John A.Pagliarini, ‘98, of Property Assessors, LLC,donated golf towels for each player.

Prior to play, everyone enjoyed the buffetlunch. Many players loosened up on thedriving range while others participatedin our putting contest sponsored by

All Occasion Limousine. The puttingcontest winner received two tickets anda limousine ride to a musical at theProvidence Performing Arts Center.As players practiced their putting, theyhelped themselves to a refreshing Del’sLemonade, courtesy of Matthew Slepkow,‘97, and Slepkow, Slepkow & Bettencourt.

When play began, players enjoyed thescramble format. Fun continued through-out the day with our many on-courseactivities, including the Student BarAssociation’s longest drive contest, GemmaLaw Associates’ closest to the pin contest,and the hole-in-one contest sponsored byJoe Simon,‘97, and Simon Chevrolet Buick.

There were plenty of refreshments on thecourse. Players enjoyed hamburgers, hotdogs, and veggie burgers when they reachedthe 5th hole grill, sponsored by ImmediatePast President Michael Voccola, ‘97.Law Alumni Association President, MichaelField, ’97, flipped the burgers and dogswith assistance from Stephen Maguire, ‘96,and Cheryl Robertson, ‘96. Dave & Buster’ssupplied the fajitas and root beer for the15th hole grill.

The 3rd AnnualLaw Alumni Golf Tournament…over $7,000 raised for the Law Alumni Scholarship Fund!

After the round, everyone headed forthe dining room for dinner and the raffle.Raffle prizes included Rhode IslandPhilharmonic tickets for its Spring concertwith Burt Bacharach, gift baskets,and gift certificates from some of RhodeIsland’s finest restaurants, includingCafé Itri, Roberto’s, and Redlefsen’s.

This year also featured a silent auction.Two generous prizes donned the auctiontable. Fleet Bank donated tickets to aBoston Celtics v. Washington Wizardsbasketball game. Also, Dori Faxon, ‘01and her husband, PGA ProfessionalBrad Faxon, donated a foursome to theexclusive Newport National CountryClub in Middletown, R.I.

The 3rd Annual Law Alumni GolfTournament was a rousing success thanksto the tremendous participation ofour volunteers, alumni, and friends.

Plans are already underway for the 4thAnnual Law Alumni Golf Tournament,scheduled for Sunday, September 21, 2003,at the Cranston Country Club.

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Chris Ducharme, Val Colasanto, Anthony Leone, ‘97,and Mark Gemma, ‘97.

Professor Andrew Horwitz, Professor LarryRitchie, Matthew Kogan, and Interim DeanBruce Kogan.

Michael Field, ‘97, and Stacy Hart.

Seth Hargraves, ‘98, Meredith Rainey, ‘01,and Stephen Bernardo, ‘98.

Brian Stern, John Pagliarini, Jr., ‘99,Bill Miller, and Richard Swanson Christine Fraser, ‘99

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by Michael A. Voccola, ‘97

The Law Alumni Association Holiday Partywas held on Monday, December 9, 2002,at Olive’s Martini Bar in Providence, R.I.The successful event welcomed over120 guests, including 96 alumni and 28administration, faculty, and staff members.

This was the inaugural year for the LawAlumni Association’s silent auction. Six itemswere generously donated by law schoolfaculty, administration, and a long-standingalumni board member for bidding. Anevening for eight bowling with Dean andMrs. Kogan, including pizza and beer,piqued the interest of some bidders, whiledinner for two with Professor John Kunichat the Outback Steakhouse gained otheroffers. Professor and Mrs. Anthony Santorooffered an evening of lobster for six at their

home, while Professor Tony Simpsoncontributed drinks for four at Aidan’s Pub.Catering to different interests, ProfessorRobert Kent, let the “successful bidder”choose a play or classical concert inProvidence, or a Pawtucket Red Sox gamefor four, while Immediate Past PresidentMichael Voccola, ‘97, offered a similaroption for the choice of dinner for twoat the Capital Grille, Mills Tavern, orHemenways. The auction raised $585,all of which was donated to help defraythe cost of the February 2003 BarPreparation Course.

Clothing and food items were also donatedat the door. Alumna Susan Perkins, ‘97,delivered the contributions to the ElmwoodCommunity Center.

Annual LawAlumni Holiday Party5th

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President Roy J. Nirschel andInterim Dean Bruce Kogan.

Anthony Leone, ‘97, Heather Spellman, ‘01, Jessica DaCosta,and Matt Durfee,‘02.

Peter D’Angelo, Rebecca Schwartz, ‘02,and Lucy Holmes Plovnick, ‘02.

Ann Corriveau, ‘01, KatherineJames-Bowers, ‘01, and Eric Miller, ‘01.

Stephen Maguire, ‘96, RobertPellegrini, Jr., ‘97, and Robert Kando, ‘96.

Christine Fraser, ‘99, and Ginger Chapman, ‘02.Jennifer Brooks, ‘99, Michael Field, ‘97,and Neal Richard Pandozzi, ‘99.

Brenda Panaggio, ‘02, Cristina Azzinaro, ‘02,Meredith Rainey, ‘01, and Karen Lyons, ‘02.

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On Saturday, September 21, 2002, members of the Class of 1997 gathered at theBiltmore Hotel in Providence, R.I. to celebrate the five-year reunion since graduatingfrom Roger Williams University School of Law. All in attendance enjoyed the dinner,the jazz band, and the room decorated with photographs from our law school days.However, most of all, everyone was just glad to reunite and rekindle friendships. Amongthe faculty in attendance were Deans Bruce Kogan, Diana Hassel, and Dennis Tonsing,as well as Professors Anthony Santoro and Tony Simpson.

Alumni traveled from as far away as Florida, New York, and Pennsylvania to reconnectwith friends, faculty, and staff from the School of Law. The evening seemed to fly byas over forty members and guests from the Class of 1997 spent the evening with oneanother, once again.

After the reunion at the Biltmore came to a close, a large group from the Class of 1997,who did not want the evening to end, enjoyed a night out on the town in Providence,which included Waterfire.

I am pleased to report that the Class of 1997 is doing very well; all who attended arehealthy, gainfully employed, and making the School of Law proud. After such a wonderfulevening, I am already looking forward to seeing everyone again at the next alumni event.

by M

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5th Year Reunionfor the Class of 1997

Reunion Co-Chairs John Leidecker, ‘97,and Mark Gemma, ‘97.

Jeremy Lewis, ‘97, and Alcina Lewis. Michael Robinson, ‘97, Eugene Gallant, Jr., ‘97,and Christine Keating.

Anthony Leone, ‘97, Mark Gemma, ‘97,and Gina Webb Stillman, ‘97.

Brandon Bell, ‘97, Robert Pellegrini, Jr., ‘97,Anthony Leone, ‘97, Tracy Lyons, ‘97,Janine Edwards, ‘97, and Michael Field, ‘97.

Donald Brown, ‘97, Robert Pellegrini, Jr., ‘97, Amy Parker, ‘97,Mark Gemma, ‘97, and David Slepkow, ‘97.

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Elizabeth Tobin Tyler, Esq.,New Associate Directorof the Feinstein Institutefor Legal ServiceLiz Tyler directed the Lead Paint LegalProject, a collaboration among Children’sFriend and Service, the HELP Lead SafeCenter, and Roger Williams UniversitySchool of Law. Through that project, sheauthored the report, Safe and Secure:Enforcing the Right of Low-Income Tenantsand Their Children to Lead-Safe Housing,which has been used to support legislativeand policy initiatives. From 1998-2000,Liz was a policy analyst for the non-profitorganization Rhode Island KIDS COUNTin Providence. In addition, she is a visitinglecturer at the A. Alfred Taubman Centerfor Public Policy at Brown University whereshe teaches Family Law & Policy.

Liz has also been involved in numerouscommunity service projects including:The Mayor’s Early Childhood Task Force,Providence; The Starting Right LawImplementation Committee through theRhode Island Department of HumanServices; The Women’s Counseling andResource Center, Austin, Texas; and TheCenter for Battered Women, Austin, Texas.

Marty Kelly,New Development OfficerAs a Roger Williams University develop-ment officer, Marty Kelly specificallyconcentrates on financially strengtheningthe Ralph R. Papitto School of Law,and the Athletics Department.

Marty will establish a working relationshipwith current and prospective donors whohave genuine interest in the present andfuture well-being of the School of Law.His responsibility is to secure major giftsand cultivate lasting relationships withdonors in an effort to continually gaininstitutional support. Through Marty’snetworking efforts, he will soon becomea familiar face in and around the lawschool community.

Marty received his Masters in sportsadministration from Georgia State University,Atlanta, Ga., and his undergraduate degreein Business Administration from NazarethCollege, Rochester, N.Y. He resides inBarrington, R.I. with his wife and threedaughters. Marty can be reached viatelephone at (401) 254-3073 or via e-mailat [email protected].

Renee E. Alten, Esq.,New Assistant Directorof AdmissionsRenee Alten comes to Roger WilliamsUniversity from New England School ofLaw where she served as legal recruitmentcoordinator in the Career Services Office.Her responsibilities included organizingrecruitment schedules, planning anddeveloping workshops and panel discussions,and counseling students with career relatedinquiries. Renee has also clerked forthe Law Office of Edward Greer, Esq.,Brookline, Mass., and has been a legaldepartment intern for Unity MutualLife Insurance Company, Syracuse, N.Y.Renee gained experience as a legislativeintern for the Office of State SenatorArthur Dorman, Annapolis, Md.

Renee was admitted to the MassachusettsBar in 2001 and is a member of theAmerican Bar Association.

The Justinian Law Society of Rhode IslandScholarship was awarded to Eric Nicastro,a second-year day law student. Each year,the Justinian Society awards two scholarshipsfor law related studies.

Nicastro interned for the Office of thePublic Defender, Providence, R.I.He is also a member of the Law Review

and will compete in the Clark MootCourt Competition.

Nicastro earned a Bachelor of Arts degreein history from the University of RhodeIsland, Kingston, R.I.

The Justinian Society seeks to foster a spiritof good fellowship, maintain honor and

dignity of the legal profession, performcivic duties, administer justice, and promotethe study of law. The Society has imple-mented several committees to serveItalian-American jurists, barristers, andthe community at large.

Justinian Scholarship Awarded

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A Message from The Office of Career Servicesby Nancy Waggner, Director

This past Fall was a busy time in Career Services. In addition to meetingwith individual students and alumni, five résumé workshops were held,followed by two workshops on networking. In conjunction with Deanof Student Dennis Tonsing, two workshops were offered for second yearday students and third year evening students on “Life After Law School”in an effort to prepare students for the bar examination and careerplanning. Sessions were also held on opportunities at the R.I. Pre-trial

Services Agency, the R.I. Government Internship Program, becoming a research assistantfor faculty, and for public interest job search strategies. The best-attended session,however, was the session presented by alumnus David Habich, ‘98, special agent withthe FBI, on the agency’s post 9/11 anti-terrorist efforts. Other Career Services activitiesincluded on campus administration of the November MPRE, posting job openings onour web site, and mailing Rhode Island attorneys encouraging them to participate in theResearch Pool (in which students are paid to work on short term projects for attorneys).

As always, I am available to alumni considering a job search. While I prefer to meetface-to-face (either in Bristol or Providence, whichever is more convenient), I can offerassistance via e-mail or over the telephone. Please feel free to contact me.

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This Fall, Roger WilliamsUniversity School of Lawenrolled an extremelyimpressive class. Admissionwas extremely competitiveas we have seen an 80%increase in applications

since 2000. This class of 212 boasts a150 median LSAT and a 3.11 medianGPA. We are always seeking a diversityof backgrounds in the classroom. Thisyear, students of color make up 11% ofthe incoming class. Another interestingdevelopment this year has been thedramatic increase in students attendingRoger Williams from across the United

States. Roughly 80% of our RegularDivision students in the First Year classare from outside of Rhode Island. In all,33 states are represented in this class.

It takes the whole law school communityto enroll such a quality class and our alumniplay a large role in that effort. This Fall,Carrie Abatiello, ’02 joined our staff as afull-time recruiter and traveled to collegesnationwide for the School of Law. GiulioSavo, ’01, Tom Shaffer, ’98, AndrewGiovanini ’98, and Steve Maguire ’96 alltook time out of their busy work schedulesto attend college fairs around the country.Michael Field, ’97 and Rebecca Schwartz,’02 spoke on a panel about career options

at the Law School Admissions Council’sBoston Forum. Many other alumni havecontributed by attending open houses,assisting in on-line forums, and offeringadvice. I cannot thank each of you enough.

As applications continue to pour in fornext Fall, I would like to remind alumniof our fee waiver program. If you knowof a worthy applicant, please complete theform and pass it along. You may accessa copy of this form by going tolaw.rwu.edu/admissions/feewaiver.htm

Thank you again to all who have played arole in making this a successful year.

A Message from Admissionsby Michael Boylen, Director

The Office of Career Services

Office Hours:Monday - Friday8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.or by appointment

Telephone: (401) 254-4650Fax: (401) 254-4540

E-mail: [email protected]

Job Postings at:http://law.rwu.edu/CareerS/CareerS.htm

During the Fall, the Feinstein Institutesponsored several public interest lawspeakers and programs. In September, theInstitute kicked off its Public InterestBrown Bag Series featuring facultyspeakers on various public interest lawtopics. On October 2, 2002, Steve Brown,executive director of the Rhode IslandACLU, spoke at the law school about“Civil Liberties in a New America” as partof First Monday, a national program of theAlliance for Justice. In November, theInstitute co-sponsored with the studentgroup, the Alliance, an event featuring

Mayor-Elect of Providence and AdjunctFaculty Member David Cicilline.

The Institute continues to develop newpublic service opportunities for students.In September, the Institute initiated aStreet Law project at the law school.Street Law is a program offered at manylaw schools across the country in whichlaw students teach high school studentsabout the law. Lee Arbetman, director ofStreet Law, Inc. in Washington, D.C.conducted a four-hour training for aboutforty students on Saturday, September 14,

2002. Students will teach in local highschools during the spring semester.

We are always looking for ideas for publicservice projects, public interest clerkships,and public interest speakers, and foralumni who are interested in helping withexisting projects such as the Street Lawproject. If you have ideas or would liketo help, please contact Laurie Barron at(401) 254-4653 or [email protected],or Liz Tobin Tyler at (401) 254-4634or [email protected]

Feinstein Institute for Legal Serviceby Laurie Barron, Director, and Liz Tobin Tyler, Associate Director

Class of 2002 alumni were asked to completea Post Graduate Employment Survey.All respondents who completed the surveyby the deadline were entered to win a PalmPilot from the Office of Career Services.SBA President Joel Votolato pulled the luckywinner. Congratulations to winnerGinger Chapman, ‘02!

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The Moot Court Board congratulates thewinners of the 2002 Law Alumni HonorsCompetition: Jennifer Gonzalez and SarahSimms and best oralist winner Sheri Rego.Other finalists include: Tenley Beals, AndrewBeerworth, Amanda Bertrand, StuartHawkins, Thomas Mello, and Amy Puccio.

The Moot Court Board established theRoger Williams Law Alumni Moot CourtHonors Competition with the supportof the Law Alumni Association. This is aninvitation only intra-school moot court

2002 Law Alumni Honors Competition winners:Jennifer Gonzalez and Sarah Simms

Law School Part ofInnovative Medical/Legal CollaborativeThe School of Law is part of an innovativecollaboration of academic, legal, medical,and community-based organizations toimprove the overall health of children fromlow-income families. The Rhode IslandFamily Advocacy Program (RIFAP) strivesto improve child health by offering directlegal services in health care settings inorder to strengthen the capacity of familiesto meet their basic needs. The programalso aims to develop doctors and lawyersas interdisciplinary partners by providingsupervised placements for law and medicalstudents to work collaboratively. Medicalstaff are trained by lawyers about laws andprograms that safeguard patients’ healthand welfare.

The collaboration partners are BrownUniversity Medical School, HasbroChildren’s Hospital, the HELP Lead SafeCenter, Rhode Island Kids Count, RhodeIsland Legal Services, and Roger WilliamsUniversity School of Law.

Rhode Island Legal Services employs onefull-time attorney, Tiffinay Antoch, ’02,dedicated to RIFAP. Tiffinay spends twoafternoons per week at Hasbro Children’sHospital and one afternoon at the HELPLead Safe Center in Providence counselingclients about issues such as unsafe housing,public benefits, family law, and specialeducation. Clients are referred for legaladvocacy by physicians, social workers andnurses, as well as self-referrals. Currently,two law students are working with Tiffinaythrough the public interest clerkshipprogram, administered by the FeinsteinInstitute for Legal Service.

2002 Law Alumni Honors Competition Establishedcompetition extended to twelve secondyear students.

The students have been invited to competein this single issue competition based upontheir first year legal methods performance.The top two participants are invited tojoin the Moot Court Board. The goal ofthis program is to provide an opportunityfor second year students to hone theirappellate advocacy skills. The programcomponents include a written portion,an oral argument, and an interview.

David N. Cicilline, Mayor-Elect of Providence, visited the Schoolof Law on November 20, 2002, on behalf of the Alliance & theFeinstein Institute for Legal Service. The topics he addressedincluded his experiences as a public interest lawyer & policy maker;his work as a criminal defense attorney; and his plans for addressingcriminal justice issues, especially bias crimes against minority groups,including the gay and lesbian community. The presentation waswell attended by faculty, students, and staff.

For biographical information on Mayor Cicilline visithttp://law.rwu.edu/NEWS/Fall2002/Fall2002.htm.

David N. Cicilline, Mayor-Electof Providence, Speaks at School of Law

Roger Williams University PresidentRoy J. Nirschel, Ph.D. has announceda new dual degree program allowingstudents to complete the Juris Doctor(JD) and the Master of Science inCriminal Justice (MSCJ) degrees inan accelerated period of study.

Law Professor Larry Ritchie remarks,“The new joint degree program providesan opportunity for our students to receivea thorough grounding in the area ofcriminal law, procedure, and administra-tion by utilizing the professorial expertiseand course offerings at both the Ralph R.Papitto School of Law and the School ofJustice Studies. The student enrolled inthe program obtains the JD degree andthe MSCJ degree with substantial savingsin time and tuition resulting from thereciprocal acceptance by each school ofcertain credits received at the other. Theenhanced educational value of the joint

degree program should provide an edge tothe student interested in any aspect of thecriminal justice system.”

Interim Dean Bruce I. Kogan comments,“The Ralph R. Papitto School of Lawwas founded with a dual mission to trainhighly qualified lawyers and to serve asan important resource to the regionallegal community and justice system. Theinitiation of our fourth and latest jointdegree program is a major step in achievingmission progress.”

To earn the dual degree students mustcomplete 78 credits at the School of Lawand 24 credits in the School of JusticeStudies. The School of Law and the Schoolof Justice Studies will each accept 12transfer credits from the other. The effectof these credit transfers between the twoschools is to reduce the time needed tocomplete both degrees to three and a halfyears, assuming full-time study.

University President Announces Juris Doctor/Masterof Science in Criminal Justice Dual Degree

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On December 28, 2002, the State of RhodeIsland and the Ralph R. Papitto School ofLaw suffered the great loss of the HonorableVictoria Lederberg, Associate Justice of theRhode Island Supreme Court. Clearly, thegreatest loss belongs to her family, but theeffect of her untimely passing is also deeplyfelt by the Justice’s many friends, colleagues,former law clerks, neighbors, and the lawschool community.

For twenty-five years, Victoria Lederbergwas a well-respected professor at RhodeIsland College, where she held a doctoratein psychology and a masters degree inbiology. From 1974 to 1982, she servedin the House of Representatives, and from1984 to 1990 in the Senate. After a two-yearstint as a Providence Municipal CourtJudge, in 1993, she was appointed to theRhode Island Supreme Court, where shesoon became known for her intellect andwork ethic. In addition to her considerableworkload at the Court, increased by therecent death of her friend and colleagueAssociate Justice John P. Bourcier whopassed away in August 2002, JusticeLederberg took every opportunity to serveher community, and to spend as muchtime as possible with her husband, twochildren, and six grandchildren.

Roger Williams University and the RalphR. Papitto School of Law benefited greatlyfrom Justice Lederberg’s abilities andwillingness to give freely of her time andtalents. For over two decades, the Justiceserved as vice-chair and secretary on theUniversity’s Board of Trustees, and last yearshe joined the Advisory Board of JusticeStudies Department. On the law schoolside, Justice Lederberg was a member of theBoard of Directors, the Dean’s AdvisoryBoard, and the Dean Search Committee.

Throughout her judicial career, JusticeLederberg remained the consummateeducator at heart. She regularly offeredinternship and clerkship opportunitiesto Roger Williams’ law students and alumniin the conviction that they would benefitfrom her rigorous academic thinking,organized writing, and insightful contem-plations, which she freely shared withher law clerks. The relationship establishedduring a clerkship did not end with itsterm, but continued through letters,telephone calls, and annual dinners. TheJustice kept track of any developments inher former law clerks’ professional careers,knew the names of their spouses andpartners, and the ages of their children.Her affection and continuing interestwas reciprocated by her law clerks.

John A. Tarantino, a partner in RhodeIsland’s third largest law firm, Adler, Pollack& Sheehan, and member of the Board ofTrustees at Roger Williams University, hasbeen named one of Lawyers Weekly USA’sten “Lawyers of the Year” for 2002.

Tarantino was acknowledged for his workin Rhode Island's landmark lead-paint

Remembering Associate JusticeVictoria Lederbergby Susanne Payne, ‘00

Justice Lederberg liked to quote OscarWilde: “I was working on the proof of oneof my poems all the morning, and tookout a comma. In the afternoon I put itback again,” she liked to say with a smileand in amused contradiction of the facts,having just spent many hours readingan inches-high stack of briefs, attendingmeetings, and fielding requests forparticipating in yet another conference orserving on yet another board. Althoughshe was no doubt familiar with the “lawof diminishing returns,” Justice Lederbergdid not personally subscribe to the notion“good enough.” The Justice’s approachto everything in life was to demonstrateexcellence and true dedication, and,somehow, she seemed to have discoveredthe secret of actually “making time.”She always made time to listen, advise,and counsel.

Rhode Islanders and the School of Lawwere fortunate to have in Victoria Lederbergsomeone so devoted to education, publicservice, and the pursuit of fairness andjustice. Her untimely passing deprives usall of the dedication and the service withwhich she would have continued to graceus. We continue to be thankful that shemade so much time for us.

Trustee Tarantino NamedOne of Ten “Lawyers of the Year”

suit, which was declared a mistrial onOctober 26, 2002. While the verdict isnot a victory for Tarantino, who representedthe paint companies, “It was neverthelessextremely good news for paint companies,”according to Lawyers Weekly USA publisherPaul J. Martinek, because other states,including “Massachusetts, New Jersey,

New Hampshire, and Ohio were said tobe considering following the Rhode Islandmodel if they prevailed.”

A past president of the Rhode Island BarAssociation, Tarantino became a Boardof Trustees member at Roger WilliamsUniversity in 2001.

Susanne Payne, ‘00, clerked for Justice Lederberg from August 2000 to August 2001.

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Faculty BriefsProfessor Carl Bogusreceived the 2002 PublicService Achievement Awardfrom Common Cause ofRhode Island for his workon separation of powers.Most recently, Professor

Bogus published, What Does the SecondAmendment Restrict? A Collective RightsAnalysis and To Vices, Not to Names:Five Myths About Separation of Powers,(Providence Journal, op-ed).

Professor Bogus spoke at the Conferenceon Separation of Powers in Manchester,N.H., and at the Thomas F. Lambert, Jr.Conference, Suffolk University Law School,Boston, Mass., delivering a presentationentitled, Guns, Tobacco, IndividualResponsibility and the Future of Tort Law.He was a guest on “Radio Times with MartyMoss-Coane,” WHYY (NPR affiliate),Philadelphia, Pa., discussing lawyer billingpractices. Professor Bogus also presentedhis paper, The Hidden History of the SecondAmendment, to the Faculty Colloquium,Washington College of Law of AmericanUniversity, Washington, D.C.

Professor John Kunich’snew book, Entomology andthe Law: Flies as ForensicIndicators, authored byDr. Bernard Greenberg andKunich, has recently beenpublished. This is the only

book to thoroughly cover both the lawand the science of forensicentomology, including adetailed examination of thelaw of scientific evidence,both within the UnitedStates and in severalother nations.

Professor Kunich’s second book, Ark ofthe Broken Covenant: Legal Protection of theWorld’s Biodiversity Hotspots, was publishedin February 2003. The book is part of

Professor Edward Eberle’sseries on Issues in Com-parative Public Law andcontains a foreword writtenby Professor Eberle.Around the same timeProfessor Kunich’s Survival

Kit for Leaders, a book highlighting law forleaders, time management, mentoring,

feedback, heroism, and quality, is alsoscheduled for release. One of the innovationsof Survival Kit for Leaders is the set ofprovocative discussion questions at the endof each chapter, as well as the liberal useof mnemonic devices and interestingexamples to aid in learning.

Professor Kunich’s law review article,The Naked Clone, was the lead article inthe December 2002 Kentucky Law Journal,and his most recent law review article,World Heritage in Danger in the Hotspots,will be published as the lead article in theIndiana Law Journal this Spring.

Associate Professor GeorgeNnona has been appointedto teach in the areas ofbusiness organizations andinternational businesstransactions. Professor Nnonawas an associate of Gibson,

Dunn & Crutcher LL.P., New York, wherehe primarily worked on corporate governanceand private equity issues.

Professor Nnona is currently a researchcandidate for the Doctor of JuridicalScience, (SJD) of Harvard Law School,Cambridge, Mass., where he completeda Master of Laws with an emphasis onCorporate Law Theory and InternationalTransactions, and held a graduate fellow-ship in Comparative Law. He holds aMaster of Laws from the University ofLagos, Lagos, and a Bachelor of Laws,magna cum laude, from ObafemiAwolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.He is admitted to practice in New York.

Professor David Rice’sarticle, Copyright asTalisman: Expanding‘Property’ in Digital Works,was published in theInternational Review ofLaw Computers. While

in Lisbon, Portugal, Professor Riceco-presented, with Dr. Tomas Lipinski,a paper entitled Organizational andInstitutional Responses to Legal ParadigmShifts in the Ownership of Informationin Digital Works at ETHICOMP 2002:The Transformation of Organizationsin the Information Age.

This Spring, Rice is teaching a 5th YearSeminar at Catholic University of Portugalentitled Introduction to American LegalSystem: Through the Lens of Internet Law.As director of the Portuguese-AmericanComparative Law Center, he is organizinga two week Summer Academy on Intro-duction to the American Legal System forlaw students from Catholic Universityof Portugal and several other Europeanlaw faculties.

Associate Professor EmilyJ. Sack recently publishedCreating a Domestic ViolenceCourt: Guidelines and BestPractices (Family ViolencePrevention Fund, 2002),a guidebook for judges,

attorneys, and academics interested indomestic violence issues and court reform.The work examines the theory supportingspecialized domestic violence courts,analyzes different court models, andincludes several field studies of domesticviolence courts in operation throughoutthe country. Creating a Domestic ViolenceCourt is being utilized at the NationalJudicial College and other nationaltraining programs for state court judges.Professor Sack has also been invited topresent her work to judges and practitio-ners in New York, Chicago, and Anchorage.In March 2003, an interview she gaveon court responses to domestic violencewas broadcast over the Internet to judgesthroughout the State of New Mexico aspart of a domestic violence “webcourse.”

Professors David Zlotnickand Colleen Murphypresented a CLE programfor members of the RhodeIsland Bar Associationon the Implications of theApprendi case and its progenyon December 13, 2002.

Professor Murphy’s article,Misclassifying MonetaryRestitution, was publishedin the Fall 2002 issue ofthe Southern MethodistUniversity Law Review.

Professor Murphy is a visiting professorof law at Washington & Lee UniversitySchool of Law during the Spring Semesterof 2003.

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Annual GivingEvery gift to the School of Law AnnualFund, no matter the size, assists theSchool of Law to continue to provideour students with a superior legaleducation. Alumni can designate giftsto support scholarships, fund academicprograms, or assist with the developmentof new projects. If you have not madea gift, please consider the givingopportunities below.

• Bar Preparation Fund

• Gary Bahr MemorialScholarship Fund

• Law Alumni AssociationScholarship Fund

• Law School Library

• Professor Esther ClarkEndowed Scholarship

• Unrestricted Schoolof Law Annual Fund

Log onto http://law.rwu.edu for AnnualFund giving opportunities or call theOffice of Alumni, Programs & Events,(401) 254-4659, to make a gift. Thankyou, in advance, for supporting theSchool of Law.

Upcoming Events

Saturday, May 17, 2003School of Law Commencement Ceremony

3:00 p.m.

Open Seating

School of Law – Bristol Campus

Wednesday, May 21, 2003Continuing Legal Education Program

Ethics 2000 and Proposed Changes in theRhode Island Rules of Professional Conduct:What Practitioners Should Know

Presented byProfessor Peter Margulies

12:00 p.m. Lunch12:30 p.m. Program

1 Hour of CLE Ethics Credit

Roger Williams UniversityMetropolitan Center for Education & Law150 Washington StreetProvidence, Rhode Island

The American Bar Association continuesto consider changes to the Model Rules ofProfessional Conduct proposed through theEthics 2000 project. Changes already approvedor proposed include revisions to rules governingconfidentiality and multijurisdictional practice.The Enron scandal and federal legislative andadministrative action, including the Sarbanes-Oxley bill and related rule-making by theSecurities and Exchange Commission, have alsoaccelerated momentum toward changes in thelaw governing lawyers, particularly in mattersgoverning lawyers’ responses to client fraud.This CLE session will discuss these developments,focusing particularly on changes being consideredby the Rhode Island Supreme Court AdvisoryCommittee on the Rules of ProfessionalConduct, on which Professor Margulies serves.

$35 includes lunch

Thursday, June 12, 2003Annual Law Alumni AssociationBreakfast/Annual Meeting in conjunctionwith the Rhode Island Bar Association’sAnnual Meeting

7:45 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.

The Westin ProvidenceProvidence, Rhode Island

Saturday, September 20, 2003Class of 1998, Fifth-Year ReunionDetails will be announced soon.

Sunday, September 21, 20034th Annual Law Alumni AssociationGolf Tournament

11:30 a.m.

Cranston Country ClubCranston, Rhode Island

$95 per golfer

All proceeds benefit the Law AlumniAssociation Scholarship Fund.

Friday, August 1, 2003Rhode Island AttorneyGeneral 5th Annual OpenGovernment Summit

9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

School of Law

CLE Credits Free

Open Meetings Act and Accessto Public Records Act Overview

Law Review Reception2002/2003 Law Review Editor-in-ChiefSusan Rodriquez and Law AlumniPresident Michael Field, ‘97, invitedalumni back to campus for a Law ReviewAlumni Reception. The reception washeld on Friday, October 25, 2003.

2002/2003 Executive Articles Editor Jill Taft,Law Review Advisor Edward Eberle, andAlumnae Lucy Holmes Plovnick, ‘02

For additional information log onto http://law.rwu.edu/Alumni/Events.htm or to registerfor events, please contact the Office of Alumni, Programs & Events at (401) 254-4659or e-mail [email protected].

Page 22: AMICUS (Volume 2, Issue No. 1) (Spring 2003)

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1996

1999

1998Marybeth D’Albora is a licensed attorney working asa real estate broker in Providence, R.I. She sold over$6 million worth of property last year and specializesin selling houses on the East Side of Providence.

Joseph “Jody” Healey, has been named a partner inthe firm of O’Malley, Harris, Durkin & Perry, P.C.,in Scranton, Penn. He concentrates his practice onthe defense of hospitals and physicians in medicalmalpractice cases.

Stephen P. Maguire and his wife, Laura, welcometheir new son, Patrick Joseph Eamon (6 pounds,15 ounces, 19 inches), born October 17, 2002.

Todd Bromgard married Marion Pepper on June 7,2002. Todd is an associate attorney at Burkhalter,Michaels, Kessler & George in Irvine, Calif., andpractices in the areas of complex business andsecurities litigation. The couple resides in LagunaBeach, Calif.

David Dalton is an attorney with the Department ofDefense in Pennsylvania. He continues to be activelyinvolved with the Army as a judge advocate in thereserves, and was activated during Operation NobleEagle for a special assignment. He served on thePentagon’s Family Action Center Team, OperationNoble Eagle, following the terrorists attack on thePentagon. The team provided victims’ families withlegal advice on a variety of issues, including probate,estate planning, custody, and benefits.

Laura Gottlieb Feldman and her husband bought anapartment in Manhattan (N.Y.) in the theater districtand are expecting their first child in May, 2003.

William Felix and Michelle (Machado) Felix havestarted their own company buying, restoring, andselling real estate. Bill continues to practice corporatelaw in the mergers and acquisitions group at DKWLaw Group in Pittsburgh, Penn. He was recentlypromoted to practice group administrator. Michellecontinues to run a small legal consulting business.The couple has two children—a daughter, Sabrina,and a son, William III.

Eugene Gallant, Jr. is engaged to Christine Keatingfrom Boston, Mass. They are planning a December2003 wedding.

Deborah Kupa is a partner in Kupa Law Associatesin North Kingstown, R.I. The practice includesreal estate conveyances, wills and trusts, domesticrelations, bankruptcy, and personal injury matters.

Gregory Sean Kimmel married Lisa Danielle Tartamellaon December 8, 2001. Gregory is an attorney withKimmel & Kimmel in Norwalk, Conn.

Randall Lewis is a managing attorney with ConcordiaConsulting in Shanghai, China. He is a member ofthe California Bar and has been practicing law inShanghai since 1997.

Christopher Millea is in his fifth year as an assistantpublic defender for the State of Rhode Island, assignedto the Superior Court in Kent County. He and hiswife, Ellen, reside in North Providence, R.I.

Richard Raspallo married Kimberly Northup onOctober 26, 2002. The couple visited New Zealandon their honeymoon and resides in R.I. Richardis employed by a private practice in Cranston, R.I.

Gina M. Stillman announces the birth of her daughter,Samantha Jean Stillman, on April 24, 2002.

Brian Berkowitz resigned as senior district attorneyin the Rockland County District Attorney’s Officeto open his own law practice in New City, N.Y. inOctober of 2002.

Peter T. Clark was one of fifteen members of theAmerican Bar Association Section on Small Firms andSolo Practitioners who was sworn in as a member ofthe United States Supreme Court bar on October 15,2002. Peter has his own law office in Mansfield, Mass.

Stephanie DiSarro-Anderson is pleased to announcethe opening of her general practice law office,DiSarro-Anderson Law Offices, Ltd., located inJohnston, R.I. Stephanie is licensed to practice lawin R.I., Mass., and Conn. She and her husband,Dennis, have a son, Dennis, Jr., who is one year old.

Hollie B. Dufresne has been named vice presidentand counsel for Citizens Services Group. She joinedCitizens in 2002 from Fleet Boston Financial Group,where she was technology counsel.

Kevin Foley and wife, Geri, welcomed their new son,Jack Morgan Foley, on January 26, 2003.

Robert Jacquard, Democratic Representative forCranston, R.I., married Kathleen Murphy on New Year’sEve 2002 and they honeymooned in Quebec City.

Katie O’Connor is assistant corporate counsel inthe New York City Law Department Special FederalLitigation Division.

Michele Vignola married Cory Cinque in the Fallof 2002. The couple resides in Upper Marlboro, Md.

John Caletri married Jennifer Herard on May 26,2002. John is an attorney with Olenn and Penza inWarwick, R.I.

James Del Fiore of Tiverton, R.I., is a litigation associatewith Martinous & Associates in Providence, R.I.

Marie Mercadante married David Angers onSeptember 21, 2002. The couple resides inSpringfield, Mass.

Douglas Moore married Diane Haug of Paramus, N.J.,on May 30, 1999. He is a judge advocate in the U.S.Army, assigned to U.S. Army Aviation & MissileCommand, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. Douglas is currentlythe Chief of Administrative Law and a Special AssistantU.S. Attorney General.

Jeannie Scott recently opened a law firm with partnerAmy Rice. Scott & Rice, LLC is located in Portsmouth,R.I. It is a full-service, general law firm practicing inthe areas of litigation and appeals in all courts;personal injury; real estate; wills and estate planning;divorces; business law; DUI/refusal defense; bankruptcy;intellectual property; and equine law. Jeannie residesin Portsmouth with her sons, Eric and David.

Denise Spaulding married Benjamin Shear inSpringfield, Mass. Denise is an attorney withOstrander Law Office in Northampton, Mass.

Three Alumni Launch Family Tax Solutions Web Site

Family Tax Solutions founders, Cris Mattoon, ’02, Tommy Box, ’02, andPatrick Newman, ‘02, announced that access to high-quality, fair-priced incometax preparation has been improved with the launch of their web site,www.familytaxes.com.

The group has been successful with a word-of-mouth referral program, as wellwith discounts for union members, educators, and veterans; but with more andmore Americans logging onto the Internet daily, they knew they had to bringFamily Tax Solutions on-line in 2003.

The three Class of 2002 graduates realize working families have enough to dobetween jobs, household concerns, and school events for their children withouthaving to stand in line at a storefront tax factory on a cold night. Their FTSclients, especially elderly neighbors, appreciate the at-home service option andthe mail-in option.

Family Tax Solutions provides convenient income tax preparation services andin-house pick-up/delivery is currently available in Rhode Island, SoutheasternMassachusetts, Eastern Connecticut, and the Detroit Metroplex. Mail-in serviceis also available throughout the United States via www.familytaxes.com.

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2001

2002

?NewYou

WithWhat’s

If you would like to submita Class Note regardingpersonal, career, or businesschanges, send yourinformation to:

Roger Williams UniversitySchool of LawATTN: Law AlumniAssociation Class NotesTen Metacom AvenueBristol, Rhode Island 02809

Or e-mail:[email protected]

Photos are welcomedbut cannot be returned.

Cassie Cioci is a lieutenant in the United StatesCoast Guard and an attorney in the EnvironmentalLaw Branch in Alameda, Calif.

Anne Moniz received an LL.M. in Taxation fromBoston University School of Law in May 2002. Shecurrently practices tax litigation at the Rhode IslandTax Clinic in Johnston, R.I.

Gary R. Alger is practicing law with the law firm ofThibodeau, Alger & Baker, with offices in Cumberlandand Providence, R.I. Gary was recently elected vicepresident of the Rhode Island Alliance of Boys andGirls Clubs.

LeeAnn Araskiewicz is employed by the Social SecurityLaw Group in Avon, Mass., and travels around thecountry representing clients in Administrative Lawhearings. She is engaged to be married on May 25,2003, to Joshua Ryder.

Bonnie-Jean Arbogast married Mark J. Nunheimer.Bonnie-Jean is an attorney with the Social SecurityLaw Group of Randolph, Mass.

Susan Rossi Cook is a litigation associate with Dugan& Canna Law Office in Medfield, Mass.

Steven DiLibero is an associate with the law officeof Stephen J. Dennis in Providence, R.I.

Kevin O’Malley Hagan was sworn in as a specialassistant attorney general of the State of Rhode Islandon January 7, 2003. Kevin, a former law clerk in theNewport County Superior Court, is a member ofthe Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Federal Bars.

2000

Law Review Accepts ManuscriptsThe Roger Williams University Law Review cordially invites you to submit manuscriptsfor publication. Publication in the Roger Williams University Law Review can benefityour professional career and contribute to the legal community.

All manuscripts must be typewritten, double-spaced, and on 81/2" by 11" non-bondpaper; footnotes should conform with The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation.The Rhode Island M.C.L.E. Commission can grant up to five M.C.L.E. creditsfor published submissions.

Send all manuscripts to:Roger Williams University School of LawAttn.: Law Review SubmissionsTen Metacom AvenueBristol, Rhode Island 02809

or by e-mail to [email protected]

Sheila Lombardi and her husband, Tobey, arehappy to announce the birth of their son, Jack,on August 29, 2002.

Maurene Souza is an associate in the litigationdepartment at Roberts, Carroll, Feldstein & Peircein Providence, R.I.

Tanya Zorabedian married Gregory Garrian onOctober 13, 2002. Tanya is an attorney in Providence,R.I. The couple took a wedding trip to Aruba andnow resides in Cranston, R.I.

Zachary M. Barth and Melissa L. Delis ‘01 weremarried on September 15, 2002. Zachary is an associatewith Freehill, Hogan and Mahar in New York City.After visiting the Greek Islands on their honeymoon,the couple made their home in Manhattan.

Jacqueline M. Gill is a corporate law associate withRoberts, Carroll, Feldstein & Peirce in Providence, R.I.

Kim Grabarz is an attorney with the firm ofBowerman & Taylor Guertin, P.C. in Providence, R.I.

Christy Hetherington married Bleu Grijalva onDecember 29, 2002. Christy is employed by theSupreme Court of Rhode Island.

AnnMarie Krihwan is the marketing manager forRadio Disney USA (a new division of the Walt DisneyWorld Company). AnnMarie is involved witheverything from cause-related marketing programswith other large corporations to working on mattersthat involve the legal implications of marketingto teenagers.

Cris Mattoon, building upon his decade ofexperience in the tax and accounting profession,has launched a personal tax preparation company,Family Tax Solutions, with two fellow Class of 2002alumni, Patrick Newman, ’02, and Tommy Box, ‘02.Some may remember that Cris had participated inthe IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Programwhile at the School of Law.

Dalton McKeever is with the Hillsborough CountyPublic Defender’s Office in Tampa, Fla. and waspromoted to assistant public defender after passingthe July 2002 Florida Bar Exam.

Kelly Moore is a litigation attorney at a firm inBoston, Mass.

Heather Piccirilli is an associate with Edelman,Combs & Latturner in Chicago, Ill.

Rebecca R. Yeager married Brandon T. Dye onOctober 26, 2002.

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Message from Interim Dean Bruce I. Kogan

As my Interim Deanship closes, I reflect on the honor it has been to serve as a linkbetween the School of Law’s past and its bright and promising future. Twelve shortyears ago this law school was merely the audacious vision of Board Chairman Ralph R.Papitto, that Roger Williams could dare to do something that the likes of Brown,Providence College, and University of Rhode Island could or would not do. Today, theSchool of Law is an active center for the training of future generations of law studentsdrawn from across the country and a respected resource within the Rhode Islandlegal establishment.

The Roger Williams University Ralph R. Papitto School of Law is now a communityof approximately thirty full-time faculty members, over five hundred bright and ambitiousstudents, in excess of eight hundred alumni, and a dedicated staff of administrators,librarians, and other professional support personnel. The law school’s achievementsreflect a maturing institution whose graduates are working in prestigious large, mediumand small law firms, in judicial clerkships, in the JAG Corps, in industry, and ingovernment agencies. Faculty members bring distinction to the school by publishingwell-reviewed books and articles, by presenting papers at academic conferences andprofessional meetings, and by serving on study and reform commissions within theState and across the region.

The students, for their part, accomplish so much more than just learning Torts andProperty. They publish the Roger Williams University Law Review, they administer athriving moot court program, they enter and prevail in national competitions in trialadvocacy and alternative dispute resolution, and they work in service of their communities,whether in one of the law clinics or through the Feinstein Institute for Legal Service.

This is a wonderful moment in the history of the School of Law. We continue to enjoythe loyal support and encouragement of University President Roy J. Nirschel, ChairmanRalph R. Papitto, the rest of the trustees, and our alumni. We have just completed amost successful dean search in which Dean David A. Logan, a nationally known legaleducator from highly regarded Wake Forest Law School, has agreed to lead us into thefuture; a future of unlimited potential for us to achieve our collective aspirations. Afterwhat we have accomplished in the past decade, that does not seem beyond our grasp.

Greetings, Friends of Roger Williams University School of Law

Deciding to leave Wake Forest after 22 great years was not easy, but as I consideredoptions for professional advancement last fall, I was intrigued by RWU because itpresented an opportunity to lead an institution still in its formative stages. My interestwas bolstered during my visits to Bristol, where I met an energetic faculty and staffcommitted to making Roger Williams a force in American legal education. I was alsovery impressed by the new President, Dr. Roy Nirschel, and the Board of Trustees,who understand that no university can achieve greatness without quality graduateand professional schools. Finally, I repeatedly heard accounts of a deeply supportivebench and bar, a key to securing RWU’s future success.

On the personal side, a move after all these years is profoundly disruptive to a family,but my wife Jeanne, and our sons Ben and Daniel, fell in love with Rhode Island.It is our hope that the distance from Winston-Salem will not deter old friends fromcoming to a beautiful corner of the world for visits, while new friendships are madein our new home.

I am excited by the opportunities that face the School of Law as it enters its seconddecade. I pledge that I will do all I can to help its students, faculty, staff, and alumnireach their professional dreams. Institution-building is a team effort, and I hope I cancount on each of you for help in this important endeavor. I look forward to meeting you.

David A. LoganDean-Designate

Currently Professor of LawWake Forest University

Bruce I. KoganInterim Dean andProfessor of Law

Page 25: AMICUS (Volume 2, Issue No. 1) (Spring 2003)

Office of Alumni, Programs and EventsTen Metacom AvenueBristol, Rhode Island 02809

Change Service Requested

Nonprofit Org.U.S. PostagePAIDBristol, R.I.Permit No. 10

1997The

of Class

5th Year Reunion