BRISTOL, R.I., April 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Roger Williams University School of Law (RWU Law) is proud to announce the creation of the Mandell Trial Advocacy Center. The Center will be a permanent and sustained educational pathway whose purpose will be to train trial advocates.
The Center will integrate coursework, controlled simulations, selective competition participation, and practitioner engagement. The Center will train law school students and also practicing attorneys who seek to hone and refine their trial advocacy skills on behalf of their clients.
The Center is being endowed through a transformational $4 million gift from renowned trial attorney and longtime law school supporter, Mark Mandell.
“The Mandell Trial Advocacy Center positions RWU Law at the forefront of legal education by offering a methodology-driven, values-centered program that is unique in the United States. Mark’s renowned ‘Case Framing’ model will serve as the basis for the Center’s programming and ensure that our graduates possess the strategic clarity and ethical judgment required to excel as changemakers in a rapidly evolving legal landscape,” said Gregory Bowman, Dean, RWU Law.
The investment for this Center is fitting for Mandell, given his years of service to RWU Law. He has served as a member and chair of the law school’s Board of Directors; a member of Roger Williams University’s Board of Trustees; an adjunct faculty member; a donor; a founder, leader, and participant in social justice and pro bono programming at the law school; and as an advisor to many RWU Law deans and faculty, robustly demonstrating the impact he has had in shaping the Law School.
Together with his wife Yvette Boisclair and son Zack Mandell—both of whom are his law partners at Mandell, Boisclair, and Mandell, Ltd.—Mark will serve as a founding advisor of the
Center. He will also chair an Oversight Board composed of respected members of the bench and bar selected by existing members of the Oversight Board and the Dean of RWU Law. This board will advise and guide on quality, professional relevance, and strategic direction for the Center, ensuring both continuity of vision and adaptability as the profession evolves.
“RWU Law has been an important part of my professional life for years. I have seen firsthand the incredible potential of its students. This gift is meant to be an investment in them. Through the Mandell Trial Advocacy Center, we are hopefully creating a permanent platform of excellence that will strengthen the civil justice system in Rhode Island and beyond for generations to come,” said Mark Mandell.
To establish and launch the Center, RWU Law will appoint a new Director of Trial Advocacy Programs, establish essential administrative and program infrastructure, build a curriculum and instructional materials, support trial advocacy teams and competitions, support visiting practitioners and national programming engagement, and provide scholarships and other funding to reduce financial barriers and increase student access. Beyond law students, the Center will also offer education for active practitioners and CLE programming aligned with the Mandell Case Framing methodology.
About RWU Law: Roger Williams University School of Law (RWU Law), located in Bristol, Rhode Island, is the state’s only law school and a national leader in experiential legal education and public service. Through clinics, externships, and extensive pro bono opportunities, RWU Law equips students with the practical skills, professional judgment, and ethical foundation needed to succeed in today’s legal profession. RWU Law is nationally recognized for its impact and innovation, ranked #6 in the nation for Best Law Schools for Public Interest by preLaw Magazine, named a Bloomberg Law Innovation Leader, and ranked #13 nationally for Faculty Teaching and Accessibility by The Princeton Review. With a close-knit academic community, accomplished faculty, and strong partnerships with courts, law firms, government agencies, and nonprofits, RWU Law prepares graduates to lead, serve, and advance justice in Rhode Island and beyond.
About RWU: Roger Williams University is a comprehensive university with a liberal arts core and professional programs, focused on marine science, law and society, and the designed and built environments, paired with a breadth of humanities and business programs. With campuses on the coast of Bristol and in the state capital of Providence, Rhode Island, our eight schools of study provide real-world learning experiences dedicated to social and environmental justice, small class sizes, and direct access to faculty and staff. Our students create powerful combinations of degrees, credentials, research and internship opportunities. Roger Williams University is ranked No. 35 Best Regional University in the North by U.S. News & World Report, among the 2025 Best Law Schools by The Princeton Review, and No. 48 in Academic Experience and No. 55 in Career Outcomes in the 2026 Poets & Quants Best Undergraduate Business School rankings; the RWU Extension School was also named No. 1 for Best Online Colleges in Rhode Island by Forbes. Our students graduate with a unique skill set and the passion to make an impact, becoming the changemakers and leaders our world needs.
Media Contact:
Kelly Brinza
Roger Williams University
[email protected]
###