RWU Law launches new Master of Studies in Law to offer legal education in a one-year program

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RWU Law Introduces Master’s in Law for Non-Lawyers

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Roger Williams UniversityDOCS@RWUFeatured News Story The Week at Roger9-10-2015RWU Law Introduces Master’s in Law for Non-LawyersPublic Affairs, Roger Williams UniversityFollow this and additional works at: https://docs.rwu.edu/weekatroger_featured_newsPart of the Higher Education CommonsThis News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the The Week at Roger at DOCS@RWU. It has been accepted for inclusion in FeaturedNews Story by an authorized administrator of DOCS@RWU. For more information, please contact mwu@rwu.edu.Recommended CitationPublic Affairs, Roger Williams University, "RWU Law Introduces Master’s in Law for Non-Lawyers" (2015). Featured News Story. 513.https://docs.rwu.edu/weekatroger_featured_news/513 News ArchiveRWU Law Introduces Master’s in Law for Non-LawyersRWU Law launches new Master of Studies in Law to o er legal education in a one-year programSeptember 10, 2015 Public A airs Sta BRISTOL, R.I. – For professionals interested in gaining a legal education without training to become alawyer, Roger Williams University School of Law has launched a new Master’s in Law for non-lawyers.The Master of Studies in Law (M.S.L.) is a one-year program open to learners who seek deep exposureto law and legal methods in order to broaden their professional skill set or add value to their résumé,but who do not want to be practicing attorneys.Part of RWU Law’s M.S.L. program will replicate the experience of a  rst-year juris doctor student.M.S.L. students will study such law school staples as torts, contracts, criminal law and civil procedurealongside J.D. students, writing the same papers and taking the same exams.But M.S.L. candidates will also have access to higher-level elective law courses applicable to theirparticular career  elds. And they will graduate a er accumulating two semesters of credit instead of thesix needed to earn a J.D. The  rst class of M.S.L. candidates will matriculate in Fall 2016.“Law now in uences human activity as never before,” according to RWU Law Dean Michael J. Yelnosky.“One consequence is that a growing number of non-lawyers come into contact with lawyers and thelaw as a regular part of their work. As a result, many people would bene t from some rigorous legaltraining, but don’t need a J.D. Our M.S.L. program is designed to serve people who are seeking thatedge.”The program is a practical and forward-looking response to a fast-changing legal and businesslandscape that touches almost every aspect of life. Over the past few years, a dozen or so law schoolsaround the country have established M.S.L. programs; however, RWU Law and Northeastern Universityare the only law schools in New England with broad M.S.L. programs.The course of study will provide students with a solid legal foundation paired with a  exible andpractical professional slant. Along with gaining a foundational understanding of law, students will beable to design a course of study that focuses on subject areas most important to their career goals.Human resource professionals, for-pro t and non-pro t business managers, journalists, governmentemployees, realtors, accountants, IT professionals, educators, compliance o cers, and those whowork in the criminal justice system and in various positions related to environmental law are examples ofprofessional  elds that might bene t from this course of study.Yelnosky noted that the program is not intended to train lawyers or undermine traditional legal practice,but is simply a practical response to changing realities.“Master’s program graduates will not be lawyers and will not be able to practice law,” he said.“However, they will be better consumers of legal services; better at working with legal materials, suchas statutes and regulations; better at communicating with lawyers, better at determining whether theyneed legal services; and better educated about the legal system, which has an increasing impact on allour lives.  Master’s graduates will be a complement to and not a substitute for lawyers.”  

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RWU Law Introduces Master’s in Law for Non-Lawyers

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