Sept. 9, 1929 - April 20, 2026 Few individuals have embodied the story and spirit of Cooley Law School more profoundly than Polly Brennan. While generations of graduates have come to know the vision and determination of Cooley’s founder, the late Michigan Supreme Court Justice Thomas E. Brennan Sr., those closest to the law school recognize that behind that vision stood a steadfast partner whose belief, sacrifice, and encouragement helped turn an ambitious dream into a lasting institution. To many in the Cooley community, Polly was far more than the wife of the school’s founder. She was a witness to the law school’s earliest moments, a trusted advisor during its most uncertain days, and a constant source of encouragement for those who supported her husband’s vision. Judge Brennan himself often referred to her lovingly as his “sainted wife, Polly,” a tribute that reflected both his affection and his deep appreciation for her unwavering support. Polly understood better than anyone the motivation behind her husband’s determination to establish a new law school in Michigan during the early 1970s. At a time when law school admissions were extraordinarily competitive and opportunities were limited to only a select few, Judge Brennan believed deeply that legal education should not be reserved exclusively for the privileged or traditional student. He envisioned a law school that would open doors to working adults, first-generation students, and aspiring lawyers who otherwise might never have had the opportunity to pursue the profession. As a family raising six children, the Brennans took a leap of faith and opened Cooley Law School in 1972. From that moment forward, Polly became one of Cooley’s earliest champions.
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My name is Virginia (Susie) Cairns. I graduated from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1982 as a member of the Brooke Class. Some time ago I was reading some offputting remarks about TMC as it relates to a graduate from the law school at that time. I do not recall him from my days at Cooley, but I do know TMC.
New students will quickly learn that first-term courses do not include Vocabulary 101. Rather, students are expected to master the law’s terminology on their own, by looking up every word in their assigned cases that they don’t understand.
First, in the interest of full disclosure, I am an academic paid by way of student tuition dollars. I make a good living doing what I do, but I teach because I love the challenge and the students and faculty I work with. If I wished, I could leave my current position and make more money in private practice if I went that route. It might take me a couple years to get up and running, but I have worked in sales on commission very successfully in the past and I know how to produce income were that my only goal in life.
This blog was originally published on May 17, 2017 Cooley Law School graduate Brandon Moultrie knew he wanted to go to law school, and knew that he wanted to do it Florida. Ever since he did his undergrad in the Sunshine State, he relished the opportunity to come back. It took one campus visit to Cooley's Tampa Bay campus to be convinced. Everybody made him feel like he was already home.
Blog author, Constitutional Law expert and Cooley Professor Brendan Beery explains why he feels Trump’s Revocation of Former CIA Chief’s Security Clearance may raise Constitutional Issues. Professor Beery, a summa cum laude graduate of the law school, teaches Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, and Criminal Procedure at Cooley Law School, and is a frequent legal expert in the media.
The New York Marathon is breathtaking and unforgettable. As you make your way over the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, the first of five bridges in the marathon, you push your way through five boroughs (Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and the Bronx), to the spectacular finish in Central Park. Simply, it's bigger than yourself. And by doing it, you feel you can do anything.
I entered Cooley Law School after an established career as a high school English teacher, one of the few career options for women at that time. I had three young children at home when I started making the drive to Lansing from Grand Rapids, when Lansing was Cooley Law School's only campus option. It was interesting times, and I wanted to do more. I wanted to be an attorney.
Guest Blog writer Kelly L. Morris is a September 1992 graduate of Cooley Law School and is the Chief Deputy Prosecutor Noble County in Rome City, Indiana. She shares her From Where I Stand story from being a law student through her successful career.
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As a founding member of Dearborn, Michigan’s At Law Group, Dewnya Bakri-Bazzi’s (Chipman Class, 2011) journey into law began as a child and included influences from her family and faith.
