News (12)

Campuses Unveil New Branding

Cooley Law School unveiled their new branding with a social event at both the law school’s campuses in Tampa Bay, Florida (June 10) and Lansing, Michigan (June 12). The school’s new branding focuses on reintegrating Cooley’s mission and vision, along with the development of three pillars – readiness, preparation, and community – informed by months of research that included surveys, market analysis, focus groups, and workshops. “With this important process, we are reclaiming our past successes as we continue to build our brighter future,” said Cooley Law School President and Dean James McGrath. “We are putting Cooley into perspective for people who don’t really know us. We are telling the world: We know where we have been, we know where we are going, and we know who we are. “We’re proud to be a law school that provides our students with a rigorous academic experience – while integrating real-world practice, all guided by a faculty of accomplished experts and scholars,” McGrath continued. “Our access mission drives our support for our students - and our graduates - to become leaders who will also reflect the communities they will serve.” As part of the readiness pillar, Cooley’s curriculum continues to blend traditional legal principles with leading-edge practices, focusing on real-world application to prepare students to emerge not only practice-ready but future-ready. The preparation pillar intends to facilitate a rigorous and hands-on classroom experience, including legal clinics and externships, taught and mentored by experienced faculty who are experts in their fields. The final pillar, community, draws strength from the diverse backgrounds and experiences of students, faculty, staff, and alumni. The supportive and engaging environment fosters teamwork and will continue to prepare students for real-world legal collaboration. “Ours is a story of transformation,” said Paul Zelenski, senior vice president and associate dean of administration, enrollment, and student services. “What I love about this place is our ability to adapt and move forward. Our emerging brand reflects our values, and our personality as we look to the future, and what kind of law school we want to be and should be as we prepare future ready attorneys.” The rebrand launch party ushered in a new era of Cooley Law School, looking ahead to the future and honored the legacy of the school. During the event, attendees enjoyed a food truck, ice cream, and giveaways. Jun 14 2024

Juneteenth Community Conversation

Cooley Law School hosted a Community Conversation event on June 18 to celebrate Juneteenth, the day which marks the end of slavery and signifying freedom for African Americans in the United States. The event featured Dr. Roger Cleveland, board chair of Black Males Working Academy, as the keynote speaker. “When Juneteenth was recognized as a federal holiday, our country took a step towards healing by acknowledging Black pain and Black trauma,” said Cleveland. “African Americans deserve to have their history remembered. By making a commitment to ensure Juneteenth is a national holiday will lead to a giant leap in our nation’s reckoning and our country’s mission of justice and fairness.” Cleveland, an educator, researcher and leader in the fields of diversity, equity, cultural humility and academic innovation, has spent over 20 years working in K-12 and higher education. He has served as director of Kentucky Department of Education’s division of equity and federal programs, and hosted numerous nationwide equity, leadership, and organizational workshops and lectures. Additionally, Cleveland has published several equity, inclusion, and education-related articles. In his role at Black Males Working Academy, he helps guide male Black youth on college and career readiness through academics, social-emotional learning and leadership. During the event, Cleveland reviewed and examined the current status of African Americans throughout the past 150 years. Additionally, he asked attendees to consider what they or their institutions are doing to promote equity and social justice, and encouraged them to act on those thoughts. “Equity is about access, fairness and justice,” said Cleveland. “Equity is the process – equality is the outcome. The product is only as good as the process.” CLICK HERE to view the full Community Conversation with Dr. Cleveland or visit the Cooley Law School YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/xGOfQEr9Gzk . Jun 20 2024

Cooley Innocence Project Assists with Release of Duane Williams

Cooley Law School’s Innocence Project collaborated with State Appellate Defender Office and the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office Conviction Integrity Unit in the release of Duane Williams, of Detroit, after spending more than 11 years in prison for being wrongful convicted of arson and murder. He is expected to be released from prison within the week. On June 18, Wayne County Circuit Judge Bradley Cobb vacated Williams’ convictions and sentences and granted a personal recognizance bond while the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office continues to review the case during a new pre-trial period. Williams, who was convicted of felony murder, has been serving a life sentence for felony murder for allegedly starting a fire in 2012 that killed two people. “We are pleased that we were able to offer investigative resources and support in drafting motions to the State Appellate Defender Office which helped to play a small role in Mr. Williams’ relief,” said Ann Garant, Cooley Innocence Project managing attorney. The evidence used to convict Mr. Williams featured the all-too-common dynamics of a wrongful conviction: An unreliable jailhouse informant claimed that Mr. Williams confessed to starting the fire. An interview that contradicted the informant’s testimony was not provided to the defense at trial. And new evidence, including a $5,000 reward that the informant received after trial, casts further doubt on that testimony. At trial, the State’s fire investigator testified that there were no smoking materials found near the fire’s area of origin. The defense received neither a report nor photographs showing a Zippo style lighter, a “smoking material” that was found near the fire’s origin. An expert in the cause and origin of fires never examined and rebutted the prosecutor’s theory that the fire was intentionally set. A fire investigator consulted by SADO has stated that an accident cannot be ruled out as the cause of fire. State Appellate Defender Office said additional evidence and consultant investigations showed there was no evidence the fire was set and that “an accident cannot be ruled out as the cause of the fire.” “Duane has been unjustly imprisoned and fighting for his freedom for more than 11 years,” said Maya Menlo, an assistant defender with SADO and Williams’ attorney. “Thanks to his perseverance and intellect, Duane’s unconstitutional convictions came to the attention of SADO, the Cooley Innocence Project, Clemency Investigations, and the Conviction Integrity Unit at the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. After so many years, we are pleased that he won some relief.” The Cooley Innocence Project is part of the Innocence Network which has been credited with the release of over 375 wrongfully convicted prisoners, mainly through the use of DNA testing. It is the only post-conviction DNA innocence organization in Michigan. Since its inception, the office has screened over 6,000 cases and is responsible for the exoneration of nine individuals: Kenneth Wyniemko (2003), Nathaniel Hatchett (2008), Donya Davis (2014), LeDura Watkins (2017), Kenneth Nixon (2021), Gilbert Poole (2021), Corey Quentin McCall (2021), George DeJesus (2022), and most recently, Louis Wright (2023), who spent 35 years being wrongfully imprisoned. Additionally, the Cooley Innocence Project also helped to exonerate Lacino Hamilton, Ramon Ward, Terance Calhoun, and Crystal Mulherin. Jun 20 2024

33rd Annual Cooley Golf Classic

Cooley Law School held its 33rd annual Golf Classic at Eagle Eye Golf Course in East Lansing on Monday, June 17. All proceeds from the outing go to support the school's Student Scholarship Fund. Winning teams include: First Place: Barnes & Thornburg team of Rob LeFevre, Peter Medmea, Scott Dienes, and Brian Bemis. Second Place: DK Security team of DJ Benedict, Johnny Kendall, Zach Simmons, and Jake Wolffis. Third Place: Cooley Law School student team of Chuck Bloomfield, Jamie Linnell, John Carley, and Marc McDonald. Jun 21 2024

Kimble's Latest Children's Book

Joseph Kimble, a distinguished professor emeritus at Cooley Law School, recently published the second of his Mr. Mouthful children’s books: “Mr. Mouthful and the Monkeynappers.” Mr. Mouthful is a fan of big words that kids can’t understand, leading to one misadventure after another. In the new book, his hotshot pet monkey, Dupree, goes on a romp and gets into big trouble – only to have kids come to the rescue, as they did in the first book, “Mr. Mouthful Learns his Lesson.” The second installment of Mr. Mouthful has received stellar reviews: Kirkus: a "comical sequel" and "fun read-aloud." Booklife (Publisher's Weekly): a "frolicking romp of adventure, excitement, and, above all the pleasure of learning unusual words." Forward Clarion: "Bountiful physical comedy and jaunty wordplay results in considerable charm" (four stars). The first Mr. Mouthful book, published in 2017, won several awards and was described by the National Parenting Center as “a book you will fall in love with.” Kimble regularly visits elementary schools with this message: “You’ll never be sorry if you learn to love words.” He would be happy to hear from teachers who would like to schedule a visit this fall. For more about the books, including testimonials from teachers and students, visit www.mrmouthful.com. Kimble taught legal writing at Cooley for 30 years, and many people will be familiar with his advocacy for plain legal language. He has been the editor of the Plain Language column in the Michigan Bar Journal for 36 years; just published the second edition of his book Writing for Dollars, Writing to Please: The Case for Plain Language in Business, Government, and Law; and in 2023 won the State Bar’s Roberts P. Hudson award. He also served as drafting consultant on the projects to rewrite the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Evidence, and Bankruptcy Procedure, as well as the Michigan Rules of Evidence. Jun 25 2024

Cooley Graduate Wins Florida Bar Scholarship

Cooley Law School graduate Sarah Tanner is one of four recipients to receive the Florida Bar Association’s Criminal Law Section Scholarship. She received the $2,500 scholarships during the annual Florida Bar Convention held June 20-21 in Orlando. The annual scholarship is awarded to students or law school graduates who have shown dedication to and interest in the criminal justice system as trial and appellate practitioners. Tanner, who graduated in spring 2024 in the Antonin Scalia Class from Cooley, is planning to serve as an assistant state attorney for the 13th Judicial Circuit, where she worked as a certified legal intern. She is a member of the Hillsborough County Bar Association, the Florida Association for Women Lawyers, and the Federal Bar Association. She is planning to take the bar exam in July. While at Cooley, Tanner was the executive managing editor for the Thomas M. Cooley Law Review and an affiliate student representative for The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division. In addition to the Florida Bar scholarship, she previously received the Thomas M. Cooley Law Review Dawn C. Beachnau Award, the Thomas M. Cooley Alumni Memorial Scholarship, and the Thomas M. Cooley Merit-Based Scholarship. Jul 01 2024

Cooley Law School Professors Part of Access Lex Institute's Initiative to Prepare for Nextgen Bar Exam

LANSING, Mich. and TAMPA, Fla. — Cooley Law School is among seven law schools participating in the research and development of AccessLex Institute’s Building Bar Skills Modules to bridge the gap between standard methods of legal education and future approaches of legal training to prepare law schools for the NextGen bar exam. Cooley Law School Associate Professor and Director of Academic and Student Services Matthew Marin and Cooley Professor Brad Charles are building the institute’s bar skills modules for contracts and sales. AccessLex Institute launched its Building Bar Skills Initiative in May 2023 with the sole purpose of preparing its member law schools for the NextGen bar exam. The initiative, led by the institute’s Center for Legal Education Excellence®, represents a research and development investment into future methods of bar preparation. “We are proud to be part of the AccessLex Module Building Team, which is at the forefront of supporting law school professors in preparing students for the NextGen Bar Exam,” said Charles. “Unlike the traditional bar exam, the NextGen Bar Exam focuses on equipping students with the skills needed for the practice of law.” Aside from Cooley Law School, module building teams for 2024-2025 consist of doctrinal and skills faculty and staff from seven law schools throughout the nation, including Seattle University School of Law, University of Dayton School of Law, University of Denver Sturm College of Law, University of Richmond School of Law, Wake Forest Law, and Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law. These teams are developing and testing innovative curriculum units that expand upon the existing offering of Bar Skills Modules. Complete with student learning outcomes, assessment materials, and professor guides, Bar Skills Modules equip law faculty and instructors with the easily-adopted assignments for use in doctrinal courses that are designed to prepare for the skills tested on the NextGen bar exam. “The learning modules are designed with this purpose in mind, ensuring students are well-prepared for real-world legal practice,” said Marin. “All in all, because this aligns with Cooley's goal to empower Future Ready attorneys, this is an exciting project to be a part of.” Cooley Law School was founded on a mission of equal access to a legal education and offers admission to a diverse group of qualified applicants across the country. Since the law school's founding in 1972, Cooley has provided a modern legal education to more than 21,000 graduates, teaching the practical skills necessary for a seamless transition from academia to the real world. An independent, non-profit law school, accredited by both the American Bar Association and the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Cooley holds classes year-round at its Michigan and Florida campuses. Oct 23 2024

Cooley Law School Expungement Fair Helps 67 Individuals

LANSING, Mich. – On Oct. 18, Cooley Law School held an expungement fair to aid in the removal of certain arrests and convictions from qualifying individuals’ public criminal records. ❮ ❯ During the fair, volunteer attorneys and law students under the supervision of licensed attorneys assisted guests with their expungement paperwork. During the event, 67 individuals were qualified to receive assistance. Through the pre-registration process nearly 140 individuals were screened to see if they qualified before the date of the expungement fair. Michigan law has always allowed for expungements, but the “Clean Slate” legislation enacted in 2020 made more individuals and offenses eligible for expungement. Under the law, individuals with up to three expungement-eligible felonies and any number of misdemeanors can have their records expunged. Certain traffic violations and first-time operating while intoxicated offenses can be expunged. Additionally, misdemeanor marijuana convictions that would not have been considered crimes after recreational marijuana was legalized in Michigan can be expunged. Expungement removes arrests and convictions from a person’s public criminal record, which makes prior convictions inaccessible to employers or landlords. Cooley Law School was founded on a mission of equal access to a legal education and offers admission to a diverse group of qualified applicants across the country. Since the law school's founding in 1972, Cooley has provided a modern legal education to more than 21,000 graduates, teaching the practical skills necessary for a seamless transition from academia to the real world. An independent, non-profit law school, accredited by both the American Bar Association and the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Cooley holds classes year-round at its Michigan and Florida campuses. Oct 31 2024

Cooley Law School's Innocence Project to Host Viewing of "Wronged"

On Wednesday, November 13, at 5:15 p.m., the Cooley Law School Innocence Project will host a viewing of the film “Wronged The Maurice Carter Story.” The event is free and open to the public. Carter was wrongfully convicted in 1976 for a non-fatal shooting in Benton Harbor. He was sentenced to life without parole. In 2004, his sentence was commuted due to his health, but his name was never cleared. Maurice died within three months of his release from prison. This year, the Sentence Commutation Project has filed a posthumous pardon application on his behalf. This documentary not only highlights the injustices faced by Mr. Carter but also traces the inspiring journey that led to the founding of Humanity for Prisoners, an organization dedicated to supporting incarcerated individuals in Michigan. The film features commentary and interviews from the founder of the non-profit Humanity for Prisoners, and Cooley Law School’s Professor Emeritus Marl Mitchell-Cichon, former director of the Cooley Innocence Project. The film also features Michigan exonerees Duane Williams and Kenneth Nixon. Established in 2001, the Cooley Law School Innocence Project is the only post-conviction DNA innocence organization in the state. Since its inception, the office has screened over 6,000 cases and is responsible for the exoneration of nine individuals: Kenneth Wyniemko (2003), Nathaniel Hatchett (2008), Donya Davis (2014), LeDura Watkins (2017), Corey McCall (2021), Nixon, Gilbert Poole (2021), George DeJesus (2022), and Louis Wright (2023). It also helped to exonerate Lacino Hamilton and Ramon Ward, both in 2020, Terance Calhoun in 2022, and Crystal Mulherin in 2024. The project is staffed by Cooley Law School students, who work under the supervision of Cooley Innocence Project attorneys. Those interested in donating and supporting the work of the Cooley Innocence Project can do so at cooley.edu/academics/experiential-learning/innocence-project. WHEN: Nov. 13, 2024, 5:15 p.m. (free and open to the public) WHERE: Cooley Law School, Room 911, 300 S. Capitol Ave., Lansing, MI 48933 Nov 12 2024

Cooley Law School Holds Fall Honors Convocation in Tampa Bay