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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From its earliest days, Cooley Law School has employed the services of adjunct (part-time) professors. The faculty members hired to teach the very first entering class in 1973 were all part-timers. They consisted of two lawyers, an appellate judge, and a former prosecuting attorney.
Strunk & White’s classic guide to good writing, The Elements of Style, urges writers to use definite, specific, and concrete language. “Prefer the specific to the general, the definite to the vague, the concrete to the abstract.” The goal is to write “with such accuracy and vigor that the reader, in imagination, can project himself into the scene.”
Despite the apparent confusion and divide on the topic of vaccines, masks, and mandates, Cooley professors are very clear about what the law says, and what is allowed, not allowed, and why.
Cooley Law School Professors Matthew Marin and Amanda Fisher’s article, "Asynchronous Teaching Methodologies: Pandemic Reflections and Best Practices,” published in the Summer/Fall 2021 issue of The Learning Curve, a publication of the AALS Section of Academic Support . It includes well supported advice for the use of asynchronous methods, even after the return to the physical classroom.
Cooley Law School Professor and former administrator from Pasco, Hillsborough and Orange Counties Renalia DuBose is available to speak to the media on the legal parameters surrounding Education Law and Legal Rights and the recent news surrounding the Florida High School Yearbook Distribution Being Paused Due to Black Lives Matter Content.
Let’s talk about stating issues. It’s a really important skill. There’s an old saying that “a question well stated is half answered.” It applies to resolving legal questions; a well-stated issue leads directly to the relevant rule, and off you go. Issue-spotting is crucial to exam success, but issue-stating is important as well.
According to the American Association of Retired Persons, so-called “free lunch” seminars are often used to lure people into investing in unsuitable or even fraudulent products. To help older Americans avoid being scammed, AARP and the North American Securities Administrators Association developed the Free Lunch Monitor Program.
Congratulations! Your article has been researched, written, edited, and—hurray!—published. After all that work, why stop with one article? With some imagination, you may be able to develop one or more spin-off pieces for other publications. Sometimes this may involve a reprinting of your article in full. More often it will take the form of an excerpt or abridgment.
What does the word “scribes” call to mind? For most people, it evokes the image of medieval monks copying manuscripts with quill pens. But modernly it also refers to a society of legal writers.
