Isabel Zagazeta is a 3L J.D. candidate and Dean’s Fellow at Cooley Law School in Tampa, Florida. Originally from Canada, she earned her undergraduate degree at Wilfrid Laurier University before moving to Florida to study law at Cooley. She has earned book awards, served on Law Review, mentored incoming students, and was part of Cooley’s Moot Court team that recently won first place at the 2026 Robert Orseck Moot Court Competition. With a passion for legal writing and healthcare compliance, Isabel is building a strong foundation for a future in law at Cooley.
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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.
Naples, Florida is well-known as a great resort destination, with miles of white sandy beaches, calm waters, fishing, high-end shopping, golf courses, and even dolphin-watching. What’s less well-known is that Naples is a premier global research and training destination for orthopedic surgeons. John W. Schmieding (Moore Class, 1993) is the senior vice president and general counsel for Arthrex, Inc., a world leader in orthopedic surgical device design, research, manufacturing and medical education. Its mission is helping surgeons treat their patients better.
Rafael Diaz (Woodbridge Class, 2010), a lieutenant with the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, knew from an early age that he wanted to go to law school. Every decision, from high school through college, was made to position himself for a career in the law.
Trial law is a challenging, stressful and just plain demanding career path that isn’t for everyone. But for Cooley Law School graduate Jason Guari, it’s a passion turned mission to assist others at the worst moments in their lives, and to give them hope for better times.
Shemia Francisco Washington, Esq. is a May 2002 Cooley Law School graduate, and works for the City of Atlanta's Office of City Solicitor. She shares her From Where I Stand story below.
This blog was originally published on Nov 5, 2015 Blog author Professor Tonya Krause-Phelan is WMU-Cooley Law Review’s Legal Consequences of Police Militarization Symposium moderator. Professor Kraus-Phelan teaches Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Defending Battered Women, Criminal Sentencing, and Ethics in Criminal Cases. She assists with the West Michigan Defenders Clinic and coaches national mock trial and moot court teams, and is frequently appears as a commentator on numerous radio, television, print, and internet media sources regarding criminal law and procedure issues.
