Cooley Law School Records Nearly 40% Enrollment Increase with Incoming 2026 Class
Cooley welcomed 271 students for the fall 2026 semester at its Florida and Michigan campuses LANSING, MI and TAMPA, FL. — Cooley Law School welcomed students back to school at its Tampa, Fla., and Lansing, Mich., campuses, marking a 38% increase from its largest class in seven years. In August, Cooley held orientation for 271 new students – 151 Lansing and 120 Tampa – ahead of the start of classes on Sept. 8. In addition to Michigan and Florida, students are coming from 24 U.S. states, two U.S. territories, and eight foreign countries. “The growth we’ve seen throughout the past couple of years is a significant achievement and reflects the continued confidence students have in getting their legal education at Cooley,” said Cooley Law School President and Dean James McGrath. “We’re excited to welcome this new student class to our Florida and Michigan campuses and empower them, challenge them, and give them the tools they need to become future-ready lawyers.” As Cooley students marked the official start of their law school career during a campus orientation convocation, a sitting judge administered the professionalism oath and students committed to follow the Honor Code, the official guide to student conduct and behavior while in law school. Ingham County Probate Judge Richard Garcia administered the oath for Cooley students in Lansing, while 13th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Nick Nazaretian administered the oath for students in Tampa. First-year law students at Cooley are assigned to Contracts, Torts, Research & Writing I, and Introduction to Legislation, Regulation & Statutory Interpretation courses.
Cooley Law School Student Earns Prestigious WLAM Margaret “Peggy” Lynch Professionalism Scholarship
LANSING, Mich. – Cooley Law School student Anna Buckingham has been named the 2025 Margaret “Peggy” Lynch Professionalism Scholar by the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan. Sponsored by Masco Corporation, the $3,500 scholarship is awarded annually to a law student who demonstrates leadership in advancing the position of women in society, particularly through service in social justice, family law, child advocacy, or work supporting underserved populations.
Cooley Law School Student Receives Scholarship by City, County and Local Government Law Section in Florida
Hollywood, FLA. – Cooley Law School student Tory Sanders Jr. has been recognized as an “outstanding law student” by the City, County and Local Government Law Section of the Florida Bar. Sanders received a $500 scholarship during CCLGL Section’s 48th annual conference at the Diplomat Hotel in Hollywood in April.
Cooley Law School Associate Dean Recognized as a 'Champion of Justice' by the Grand Rapids Bar Association
Lansing, Mich. – On May 8, Cooley Law School Associate Dean and Professor Tracey Brame was awarded the Grand Rapids Bar Association’s Champion of Justice Award during the organization’s 2025 Law Day event at the Grand Rapids Art Museum.
Cooley Law School Chaldean American Law Student Association Hosts Chief Judge Hala Jarbou
LANSING, MI — On April 3, Cooley Law School’s Chaldean American Law Student Association (CALSA) hosted Chief Judge Hala Y. Jarbou of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan at the law school’s Lansing campus.
Cooley Law School Holds Spring Commencement For Lansing Campus
LANSING, MI — Graduates of Cooley Law School’s Lansing campus were honored during a commencement ceremony at the MSU Wharton Center Pasant Theatre on April 21. Thirty-six juris doctor degrees were presented to members of Cooley Law School’s Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. Class in Lansing.
Cooley Law School President and Dean James McGrath Accepts Governor’s Appointment
LANSING, MI — Cooley Law School President and Dean James McGrath has accepted an appointment to Michigan’s Public Health Advisory Council (PHAC). Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer appointed McGrath to the council effective April 10. His term will expire on Nov. 1, 2028.
Cooley Law School Associate Dean, Graduates Named to Michigan Lawyer’s Weekly Hall of Fame 2025 Class
Tonya Krause-Phelan, Cooley Law School associate dean of academics and professor, has been named to the Michigan Lawyers Weekly Hall of Fame Class of 2025. In addition to Krause-Phelan, Cooley Law School graduates Karl Numinen (1992) and Rebecca Walsh (1991) were also named to this year’s Hall of Fame class.
Cooley Law School Faculty Co-Author Book ‘Wills, Estates, and Trusts: Statutes, Cases, And Problems’
Cooley Law School faculty Michael Molitor, Dustin Foster, and Emily Horvath have co-authored the textbook, “Wills, Estates, and Trusts: Statutes, Cases, and Problems.”
