BRISTOL – For Roger Williams University Law School, 2009 was a banner year.

During the last 12 months, the 16-year-old school opened an immigration clinic, was the recipient of some major donations and saw its dean honored by Rhode Island Legal Services, the American Association of Law Schools and the NAACP.

The school announced in April that it would launch an immigration clinic in Providence to provide students hands-on experience while offering pro bono services to immigrants while also conducting community outreach.

In October, Providence lawyer Mark Mandell was honored for a $250,000 challenge gift supporting the law school’s Pro Bono Collaborative (PBC) in its mission to increase free services for the state’s needy communities. The PBC connects Rhode Island law firms and RWU law students with community-based organizations to provide project-based pro bono legal assistance to vulnerable populations.

The law school also raised its community service requirement to at least 50 hours. And the school’s dean, David Logan, was honored by Rhode Island Legal Services (RILS) for his “dedication and commitment to equal justice in the law.”

RILS said that the school, under Logan’s leadership, increased the amount of money available for students who work in public service jobs each summer, helped enable scholarships targeted at applicants who have a public-interest focus, and established a Public Interest Loan Repayment Assistance Program.

In November, Logan was honored by the NAACP for his efforts toward achieving diversity and inclusiveness in legal education. The Providence Branch of the NAACP presented Logan with a Community Service Award at its 96th Annual Freedom Forum Dinner, at which Logan also served as the keynote speaker.

Separately, the National Jurist magazine rated the law school alongside Northeastern as one of New England’s top two public-interest law schools.