Law 401

Who has the power to impose tariffs—the President or Congress?
Greg W. Bowman, Dean of Roger Williams University School of Law, former international trade attorney, and resident trade law subject matter expert, breaks down the Supreme Court’s decision in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump—the case that raises the simple question of ownership in imposing tariffs. Hosts MDB and Nicole unpack the Court’s ruling and ask the questions you want to know:
Did the President exceed his authority in imposing certain tariffs? What does the SCOTUS decision mean regarding the limits of presidential emergency powers?   What happens to tariffs already being paid (hint: refunds)?  More importantly, why does the ruling matter for Rhode Island businesses and consumers who rely on global trade.
    
This podcast will keep you informed.Resources
Dean Gregory W. Bowman
https://law.rwu.edu/faculty/gregory-w-bowman
Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump
chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-1287_4gcj.pdf
World Trade Organization
https://www.wto.org/
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The information provided is for general informational purposes only and may not apply to individual situations; listeners are encouraged to consult their own legal counsel before acting on any information discussed.

Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, joins us to discuss her legislation that would allow survivors of childhood abuse to file civil claims for up to 35 years. The measure would hold institutions and individuals accountable for child abuse negligence or cover up. She also shares why it’s deeply personal.
The legislation comes as a recent report by RI Attorney General Peter Neronha identified decades of abuse. The report found that 75 priests were accused of abusing 300 victims in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence. This is a sensitive but important issue that affects communities across Rhode Island.
Resources
Carol Hagan McEntee
https://www.rilegislature.gov/representatives/mcentee/Pages/Biography.aspx
H 7200 Legislation
chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText26/HouseText26/H7200.pdf
Report on Child Abuse
https://riag.ri.gov/diocese-report
 
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Stream bite-size episodes of Law 401 anytime on WPRI 12+  
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The information provided is for general informational purposes only and may not apply to individual situations; listeners are encouraged to consult their own legal counsel before acting on any information discussed. 

Episode 24’s guest, RWU law professor Natalia Friedlander, explores a critical question: Is it possible for Artificial Intelligence to have bias?
AI influences decisions in health care, housing, education, and courts. Exactly how does AI exhibit or apply hidden bias – and how could that legally affect you? We examine who is responsible when AI systems produce biased outcomes. What safeguards are in place for Rhode Islanders? From legal education to public policy, we uncover that AI is not just a tech issue but also a matter of fairness, accountability, and justice.
Resources
Natalia Friedlander
https://law.rwu.edu/faculty/natalia-friedlander
Rhode Island’s AI Task Force Report
https://etss.ri.gov/sites/g/files/xkgbur466/files/2026-01/Final-Rhode-Island-AI-Action-Plan-Report-2026-01-26.pdf
Harvard Law’s Principles for AI Governance
https://harvardlawreview.org/print/vol-138/beyond-section-230-principles-for-ai-governance/
 
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Stream bite-size episodes of Law 401 anytime on WPRI 12+  
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The information provided is for general informational purposes only and may not apply to individual situations; listeners are encouraged to consult their own legal counsel before acting on any information discussed. 

Are talks of the US acquiring Greenland just political theatre? RWU Law professor Gregory Noone joins us to explain the legal realities behind headlines. This topic involves serious issues of sovereignty, mineral rights, national security, and international law.
Learn about Greenland’s status as a sovereign territory within Denmark and the probability of the US legally acquiring it. The conversation also brings international policy closer to home, explaining how national security reasoning abroad can shape decisions here in RI.
Resources
Dr. Gregory P. Noone
https://law.rwu.edu/faculty/gregory-p-noone
https://www.publicinternationallawandpolicygroup.org/dr-gregory-p-noone-bio
Article 5 NATO
https://www.nato.int/en/what-we-do/introduction-to-nato/collective-defence-and-article-5
 
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The information provided is for general informational purposes only and may not apply to individual situations; listeners are encouraged to consult their own legal counsel before acting on any information discussed.

In the Season 2 premiere of Law 401, hosts MDB and Nicole sit down with Representative June Speakman to discuss the state of civic education in Rhode Island. Drawing on her experience as a legislator and professor at Roger Williams University, Rep. Speakman explores how civics should work vs how it really plays out in classrooms and at the State House.
The conversation looks at Rhode Island’s 2021 Civic Literacy Act, which requires proficiency for all public high school grads. It also examines whether K–12 educators have the time and funding to teach meaningful civics. And what protesting and voicing your opinion looks like when done respectfully.
Resources:
Representative June Speakman
https://www.rilegislature.gov/representatives/speakman/Pages/Biography.aspx
https://www.rwu.edu/academics/schools/fssns/faculty/june-s-speakman
Civic Literacy Act
https://governor.ri.gov/press-releases/governor-mckee-signs-legislation-civics-education-schools
Cook v. McKee
https://clearinghouse.net/case/43400/
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Disclaimer
The information provided is for general informational purposes only and may not apply to individual situations; listeners are encouraged to consult their own legal counsel before acting on any information discussed.

In this festive two-part season finale of Law 401: Legal Issues Decoded, hosts MDB and Nicole welcome lawyer and improv performer James Bagley L’12, for a fun dive into the quirks of holiday law—from Santa’s chimney “break-ins,” elf labor laws to glowing yard displays—legal angles you’ve probably never considered! Capping this episode is a special year-one best-moments review, with the hosts looking back on their favorite conversations, wildest legal hypotheticals, and a forward look as they gear up for an even more relevant season two.
 
Resources
James Bagley
James J. Bagley, (he/they), is Defense Counsel for the Mental Health Treatment Court and a Staff Attorney with the Office of the Mental Health Advocate’s Office.  James studied theatre at the University of Rhode Island, comedy at the Magnet Theatre (NYC) and later the Providence Improv Guild, where he was a house team performer for eight years.
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https://linktr.ee/rwulaw
 
The information provided is for general informational purposes only and may not apply to individual situations; listeners are encouraged to consult their own legal counsel before acting on any information discussed.
 

Intimate partner violence affects thousands of Rhode Islanders, and the systems meant to protect survivors can be overwhelming to navigate. In this episode, Sojourner House Staff Attorney Yulyana Torres L’23, breaks down the data, the terminology, and the lived experiences behind Sojourner’s launch of legal services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.  
We explore respectful language, client-led advocacy, trauma-informed representation, disparities in access to representation, and the systemic barriers survivors face in Rhode Island. A powerful listen for both lawyers and community members, offering a sharper view of how we can better support survivors. 
Resources 
Yulyana Torres 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yulyana-torres-381381156/ 
Sojourner House
https://sojournerri.org/press-release-sojourner-house-to-launch-legal-services-program-for-victims-of-abuse/ 

This Law 401 episode examines the difference between expectations of body-worn cameras and their real outcomes.  Rhode Island Public Defender and RWU Law Adjunct Professor Collin Geiselman joins hosts Nicole and Michael to break down how Rhode Island’s camera program works in real life, including what gets recorded, what doesn’t, who can access footage, and why the “truth” on video is often more complicated than it looks. We explore policy limits, privacy concerns, courtroom use, transparency, and what reforms Rhode Island still needs as body cameras become central to modern policing.
Resources
Collin Mathew Geiselman, Rhode Island Office of Public Defender
http://www.ripd.org/officedivisions.html
https://law.rwu.edu/faculty/collin-mathew-geiselman
Body-Worn Cameras
https://rhodeislandcurrent.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/110-RICR-10-00-2_Clean_Proposed-1.pdf
APRA
https://dhs.ri.gov/public-records

AI tools are quickly entering Rhode Island classrooms, from monitoring software to learning platforms, but the laws protecting students haven’t kept up. Attorney and RWU Law adjunct professor Linn Foster Freedman breaks down what FERPA, COPPA, and state-level policies cover. And what Rhode Island can learn from states like Texas and California as they roll out their own AI governance rules.
We explore:
How schools can balance safety with privacy
Why parents need to guide students in ethical tech
What questions families and districts should ask before adopting new systems
Resources
Linn Foster Freedman
https://law.rwu.edu/faculty/linn-foster-freedman
FERPA
https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/ferpa
COPPA
https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/rules/childrens-online-privacy-protection-rule-coppa
CA’s AI Policy
https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/09/29/governor-newsom-signs-sb-53-advancing-californias-world-leading-artificial-intelligence-industry/
TX’s AI Policy
https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/HB00149I.pdf
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In this episode of Law 401, we welcome immigration attorney Zachary Lyons L’17 to explain Noem v. Vasquez Perdomo, a recent California Supreme Court case that reopened the door to immigration stops based on “reasonable suspicion.”  We discussed how perceived ethnicity or speaking a foreign language can factor into an immigration stop and what the decision means for Fourth Amendment rights for all Rhode Islanders.
Resources
Zachary Lyons
https://law.rwu.edu/alumni/alumni-association/law-alumni-association-board-directors
Noem v. Vasquez Perdomo
https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/25a169_5h25.pdf
RWU Immigration Clinic
https://law.rwu.edu/academics/juris-doctor/clinics-and-externships/immigration-clinic
Dorcas International Institute of RI
https://www.diiri.org/
Amor
https://amorri.org/
Progresso Latino
https://www.progresolatino.org/