Tariffs: Why Should You Care?

What’s a tariff — and why do they have the power to shake the global economy, trigger political showdowns, and hit your wallet at the grocery store?

In this episode of Law 401: Legal Issues Decoded, co-hosts Nicole P. Dyszlewski and Michael Donnelly-Boylen explore how tariffs impact everything from international trade to Rhode Island’s local businesses. They’re joined by Gregory W. Bowman, Dean of Roger Williams University School of Law and former international trade attorney, for a deep dive into how this complex economic tool works — and why we should all be paying attention.

In this episode, we cover:

• What tariffs are and how they influence global trade relationships
• The legal and political process behind implementing tariffs
• Why tariffs don’t just affect big corporations, but everyday consumers
• Historical and current U.S. tariff policies — and the debates surrounding them
• The tension between protecting national industries and global market access
• How future lawyers can prepare to work in this evolving legal landscape

Whether you’re a student of law, a small business owner, or someone trying to make sense of trade wars in the news, this episode unpacks the legal and practical sides of tariffs in an accessible way.

Listen now and subscribe to Law 401: Legal Issues Decoded — legal conversations made accessible.

Rhode Island Impacts:

• Polaris MEP "Tariff Impact Report" (June 2025) https://polarismep.org/news/tariff-impact-report/
• University of Rhode Island report: “Tariff‑induced uncertainties cloud R.I. economy’s recession status”
  https://www.uri.edu/news/2025/08/tariff-induced-uncertainties-cloud-r-i-economys-recession-status-says-uri-economist/
• General:Tariffs—Everything you need to know but were afraid to ask https://www.epi.org/publication/tariffs-everything-you-need-to-know-but-were-afraid-to-ask/
• Carlo Institute's 'Separating Tariff Facts from Tariff Fictions' https://www.cato.org/publications/separating-tariff-facts-tariff-fictions
• Boston Globe article: "Appeals court finds Trump’s sweeping tariffs unconstitutional but leaves them in place for now" https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/08/29/business/trump-tariffs-unconstitutional-appeals-court/