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Derek Matthews gives next generation of Cooley Law School students a start in legal profession in Tampa

Derek Matthews gives next generation of Cooley Law School students a start in legal profession in Tampa

Derek Matthews (Vinson Class, 2017) is no stranger to giving back to Cooley Law School in the Tampa Bay region. Outside of legal practice, Matthews sponsors the annual Cooley Alumni Golf Outing in Tampa and participates in alumni events and mentoring programs to build relationships with faculty and fellow graduates.

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  • Cooley Grad Kate Barnaby: Everything You Do has a Ripple Effect
    Cooley Grad Kate Barnaby: Everything You Do has a Ripple Effect

    Cooley Grad Kate Barnaby: Everything You Do has a Ripple Effect

    Growing up, Cooley graduate Kate Barnaby remembers how much she loved learning about our legal justice system. It wasn't just that her dad was part of the Navy and Honor Guard, it was more than that. She recalls many visits to Washington, D.C., and how her dad made a point of taking the family everywhere, including the White House, Capitol Hill and all the impressive monuments.

  • Note to legal writers: You CAN start sentences with But.
    Note to legal writers: You CAN start sentences with But.

    Note to legal writers: You CAN start sentences with But.

    My colleague Joe Kimble has attempted to refute the common superstition against beginning a sentence with the word "but."

  • Ret. Brig. Gen. Michael C.H. McDaniel Offers Expertise on Mass Shootings
    Ret. Brig. Gen. Michael C.H. McDaniel Offers Expertise on Mass Shootings

    Ret. Brig. Gen. Michael C.H. McDaniel Offers Expertise on Mass Shootings

    As investigators continue to uncover evidence surrounding the two mass shootings this past weekend, WMU-Cooley Law School Associate Dean Michael C.H. McDaniel and former Deputy Assistant for Homeland Defense Strategy answers questions from law students and to members of the media regarding the investigation, current laws, and steps the government can take to protect citizens from domestic terrorism.

  • Legal Writing Experts Explain the Evolving "They"
    Legal Writing Experts Explain the Evolving

    Legal Writing Experts Explain the Evolving "They"

    One thing is for sure. Only writing professionals and the grammar elite have the passion to wrap their heads around a single word and articulate, with authority, how that one word has evolved. Writing experts Cooley Professor Brad Charles and Thomas Myers, editor-in-chief of The Clarity Journal explore the genesis of the word they in the June 2019 issue of Michigan Bar Journal. Below are excerpts. Click here for the full article with citations. Posted with permission from the June 2019 issue of the Michigan Bar Journal.

  • The Liberty Bell Award Has Michigan Roots
    The Liberty Bell Award Has Michigan Roots

    The Liberty Bell Award Has Michigan Roots

    On May 1 each year, thousands of people and organizations across the nation participate in Law Day, celebrating the role of law in American society. Of the many events that make up Law Day, few capture its spirit as well as a program first developed in our own state, the Liberty Bell Award. The award honors persons or entities outside of the legal profession that have contributed to a greater understanding of our legal system, participated in it to the betterment of their communities, or helped to strengthen and improve the American system of justice.

  • Work Ethic a Key Characteristic of Successful Solos
    Work Ethic a Key Characteristic of Successful Solos

    Work Ethic a Key Characteristic of Successful Solos

    Cooley Professor Gary Bauer has decades of business and marketing experience, alongside nearly 20 years of teaching experience. Bauer explores six characteristics he finds in successful solos, which are Fearlessness, Work Ethic, Interpersonal Skills (Carnegie Skills), Imagination/Creativity, Ability to Get Work Done on Time, and Natural Enthusiasm. Read Professor Bauer's blog on Work Ethic, which originally posted on SoloLawyerByDesign.

  • Shequel Ross: Designing Legal Education Movement to Teach Legal Rights
    Shequel Ross: Designing Legal Education Movement to Teach Legal Rights

    Shequel Ross: Designing Legal Education Movement to Teach Legal Rights

    Using social media to promote businesses and products has become the norm in recent years, but attorneys and law firms often struggle to figure out how social media could benefit their specific practice areas. As a young attorney, Shequel Ross (William Johnson Class, 2013) decided to use social media to get legal information in front of a large audience and teach individuals about their rights.

  • David Malson Proud of Top 100 Firm's Diversity and Inclusiveness Efforts, and Work-Life Balance Programs
    David Malson Proud of Top 100 Firm's Diversity and Inclusiveness Efforts, and Work-Life Balance Programs

    David Malson Proud of Top 100 Firm's Diversity and Inclusiveness Efforts, and Work-Life Balance Programs

    David Malson, by anyone's standards, personifies career success and a meaningful life. But Malson would say it has been his dedication and commitment to building balance in his life and forging strong relationships that has guided him, both personally and professionally. Those friendships span 10-30 years, or more. All have been meaningful, from his loving relationship with his wife, Lynn, and their five daughters, to the countless friendships he has made over the decades, including trusting relationships with his work partners, co-workers and clients.

  • Cooley Law School graduate Christina Corl: High Demand and High Honors
    Cooley Law School graduate Christina Corl: High Demand and High Honors

    Cooley Law School graduate Christina Corl: High Demand and High Honors

    “If you stick around long enough, you’ll see everything,” noted Christina Corl, partner at Plunkett Cooney and one of a trio of new Cooley Law School Board of Directors members. Twenty five years into her legal career, Corl (Bird Class, 1995) is rarely surprised anymore. Most likely, she indicated “I’ve seen it before.”