Accreditation and Licensure
Founded in 1972 in Lansing, Michigan, Thomas M. Cooley Law School exists and operates as a single legal and accredited entity with campuses located in Lansing, Michigan, and Tampa, Florida. It is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). It is also licensed by the Florida Commission for Independent Education (FCIE).
American Bar Association Approval
Cooley Law School is on probation by the Council of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association, effective September 19, 2025, because the Council finds that the law school does not currently meet Standard 316 on bar passage. Students at the law school remain eligible for federal student financial aid and graduates are eligible to sit for the bar exam. The Council will next review the law school’s accreditation status in February 2026. The law school remains an accredited law school.
All students matriculate at, attend, and graduate from Cooley, not from an individual campus. Regardless of which campus they attend, all students have equal status; are free to take any class offered at any campus; are deemed by the ABA to be enrolled at, and are recognized as graduates of, an ABA-approved law school; and possess the same status of bar admission eligibility. This enrollment status applies at all times beginning with matriculation.
Direct any inquiries or complaints to:
American Bar Association
Council on Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar
321 Clark Street
21st Floor NE
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 988-6738
Any complaints related to the school's compliance with the ABA Standards should be directed to the school's Legal Counsel at deansoffice@cooley.edu.
Higher Learning Commission Accreditation
The Higher Learning Commission has accredited Thomas M. Cooley Law School since 2001. The HLC is part of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Founded in 1895, the NCA is one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States. Through its commissions it accredits, and thereby grants membership to, educational institutions in the North Central region: Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, New Mexico, South Dakota, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming. The HLC is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation.
Direct any inquiries or complaints to:
Higher Learning Commission
A member of the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges
230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500
Chicago, Illinois 60604-1413
(800) 621-7440
State of Michigan Approval
Thomas M. Cooley Law School is approved by the Michigan Department of Education to offer law degrees.
Students should direct complaints to:
State of Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau
Administrative Services Section-Complaint Intake
P.O. Box 30018
Lansing, MI 48909
Click here for more information about the procedures.
Members of the public should direct complaints to:
State of Michigan Consumer Protection Division
P.O. Box 30213
Lansing, MI 48909-7713
Phone: (517) 373-1140
Toll-free phone: (877) 765-8388
Click here for more information about the procedures.
Florida Licensure
Thomas M. Cooley Law School is licensed in Florida by the Commission for Independent Education, Florida Department of Education. Additional information regarding this institution may be obtained by contacting the Commission.
Direct any inquiries or complaints to:
Florida Commission for Independent Education
325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1414, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
Toll-free telephone number: (888) 224-6684.
Florida Sexual Predator/Offender Registry Website - Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)
Toll-free: 1-888-357-7332
TTY Accessibility: 1-877-414-7234
National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements
Thomas M. Cooley Law School has been approved by Michigan to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. NC-SARA is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of post-secondary distance education. Approved institutions can be found by clicking here.
Documentation of Accreditation
Copies of our accreditation and state authorization documents can be obtained from:
Thomas M. Cooley Law School
Office of Planning, Assessment, & Accreditation
300 S. Capitol Ave
Lansing MI 48933
Email: planning@cooley.edu