Adjunct Professor of the Year 2022: Michelle M. Alves, Esq. ’00, L’03

A formidable ‘Double Hawk’ who serves as Chief of the Trial Division with the R.I. Public Defender, Alves has taught trial advocacy to 2Ls and 3Ls for eight years.

Michelle M. Alves, Esq., ‘00 L ’03, Roger Williams University School of Law Adjunct Professor of Law, has been voted by the Class of 2022 as Adjunct Professor of the Year!

Alves, who is a Rhode Island Assistant Public Defender, and Chief of the Trial Division at the Office of the R.I. Public Defender, is a formidable Double Hawk: a two-time graduate of Roger Williams University, she obtained her B.S. in Biology, followed by her Juris Doctorate, graduating magna cum laude and third in her class.

Now an adjunct professor of law at her alma mater, Alves has taught trial advocacy to 2L and 3L students for eight years. She has also served as a volunteer board member for the Rhode Island nonprofit organization OpenDoors, which assists formerly incarcerated individuals with the resouces they need to successfully reintegrate into society. Alves attended the National Criminal Defense College in Macon, Ga., and the National Public Defende r Trial School at the University of Dayton. In her 12-plus years as a Rhode Island Public Defender, she has tried dozens of bench and complex jury trials to verdict.

“It is such an honor to be recognized by my wonderful students – and those students who did not take either of my classes, yet volunteered their limited time to be witnesses and jurors in my classes,” Alves said.

“As any of my students would surely acknowledge, I can be pretty tough – and the constructive criticism stings at times,” she added. “But not one student over my 13 years of teaching ever gave up. Instead, they stayed and worked harder to be better. Their resilience, courage, and work ethic are a true testament to their dedication to be the best they can be. The end of each semester leaves me full of pride about how far they have come, which is all the satisfaction I need to return to teaching year after year. Thank you all!”

While a student at RWU Law, Alves served as a Notes and Comments editor for the Roger Williams University Law Review. She was the 2003 recipient of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers Student Advocacy Award, and the 2002 recipient of the Rhode Island Trial Lawyers Association Scholarship.  A member of the law school’s National Trial Team, Alves was a 2002 regional finalist and a 2003 regional semi-finalist.