Two Judges Who Teach at RWU Law Play Unique Roles in “The War on Terror”

Rhode Island is a small state, but one that plays an outsized role in some controversial aspects of the United States’ response to the attacks of September 11, 2001.  Judge Bruce M. Selya (Honorary Degree ’02) is a senior federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and since 2007, the Chief Judge of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review.  The court considers the legality of warrant requests for wiretap surveillance of suspected terrorists or spies, and generally operates in secret.  The court recently issued a rare public ruling holding that “telecommunications companies must cooperate with the government to intercept international phone calls and e-mail of American citizens suspected of being spies or terrorists.” The New York Times discussed the work of Judge Selya’s court in a recent story.

Judge Bruce M. Selya

Frank J. Williams (Honorary Degree ’04), recently retired from his position as the Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court.  In 2004, Chief Justice Williams (known affectionately in these parts as “The Chief”) was appointed to the Court of Military Commission Review for Guantanamo Bay detainees by Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, and became Chief Judge in late 2007.  The Court of Review hears appeals from detainees who have been found guilty by a military tribunal, evaluating the fairness of the proceeding and, where appropriate, making recommendations about appropriate sanctions.  Recent activities of the court are summarized online. 

Chief Justice Frank Williams

RWU Law is fortunate to have these distinguished jurists as regular members of our Adjunct Faculty, with “The Chief” teaching “Local Government Law” and Judge Selya his unique seminar, “The Lessons of Litigation.” Add to this the opportunity to learn from the leading plaintiffs’ lawyer for the survivors of the 9/11 attacks and their families, Don Migliori, and from an expert on National Security Law, Professor Peter Margulies, and you have a terrific, and unique, set of academic offerings available to our students.