Joseph Kimble, Cooley Law School Professor Emeritus, Receives Prestigious Burton Award for Third Time
WASHINGTON D.C. – Cooley Law School Professor Emeritus Joseph Kimble was honored with the 2026 Burton Award for Book of the Year on Legal Writing for the book, “Essentials for Drafting Clear Legal Rules.” He co-authored the book with Bryan A. Garner, distinguished research professor at SMU Dedman School of Law. The awards ceremony was held at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., on June 1. This marks the third time that Kimble has received the prestigious Burton Award. He previously won Burton Awards for Reform in Law in 2007 and 2011 for his work in helping to completely redraft the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Federal Rules of Evidence. The Burton Award for Book of the Year on Legal Writing recognizes outstanding contributions to the clarity, precision, and effectiveness of legal communication. “Essentials for Drafting Clear Legal Rules,” in the words of the presenter, “exemplifies the highest standards of legal writing and provides invaluable guidance to practitioners, judges, and scholars alike. This book has made a lasting impact on the way legal rules are crafted, promoting clarity, consistency, and accessibility across the profession. The authors’ work has helped shape modern legal drafting.” “In some ways, this book has been 30 years in the making because it reflects the work that Bryan and I have done in helping to restyle all five sets of federal court rules,” said Kimble. “The guidelines and techniques that we applied throughout are captured in this book. It’s all about the ways to achieve clarity — 90 or so guidelines and techniques, and something like 250 before-and-after examples. And we decided to make the book available for free online. We’re trying to change the way that lawyers draft, and the book is already being used in some law schools.” Established in 1999, the Burton Awards is a national, nonprofit program that recognizes the highest standard of excellence in law. Its principal focus is on effective legal writing. The winners range across the legal profession: jurists, practitioners, lawyers in the military and the executive branch, and law-school professors. Judges for the awards include professors, members of law firms, and other outstanding leaders in law. Each year, the guests at the ceremony include federal-court judges, general counsel from the finest corporations, officers in the military, law-school deans and professors, and partners in the largest and most prestigious law firms. Photo: Joseph Kimble, professor emeritus, Cooley Law School, receives the 2026 Burton Award for Book of the Year on Legal Writing for the book, “Essentials for Drafting Clear Legal Rules,” during the Burton Awards ceremony at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., on June 1.
Cooley Law School Wins Florida Moot Court Competition
Cooley Law School’s Moot Court team won first place at the 2026 Robert Orseck Moot Court Competition, held during the Florida Bar Convention. The team consisted of law students from Cooley’s Tampa Bay campus: Isabel Zagazeta, Demitri Samarkos, and Carson Yonker. Additionally, Yonker was named the competition’s Best Oral Advocate. Sponsored by the Young Lawyers Division of The Florida Bar, the Orseck Competition brings together teams from all 12 Florida law schools. Cooley advanced through a highly competitive field, facing teams from the University of Florida, Florida A&M University, and the University of Miami in the preliminary rounds. The team went on to defeat Barry University in the quarterfinals and Ave Maria School of Law in the semifinals. In the final round, Cooley faced St. Thomas University before the full Florida Supreme Court. Oralists Demitri Samarkos and Carson Yonker delivered a strong performance, successfully responding to rigorous questioning from the justices to secure the championship. Chief Justice Carlos Muñiz recognized Cooley Law School as the competition’s winner. Cooley alumnus and Adjunct Professor Daniel Cardwell coached the team. During the competition, Judge Paul Byron of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida noted the team delivered one of the strongest rebuttals he had seen in any moot court competition.
Cooley Law School Distinguished Professor Emeritus Retired Brigadier General Michael McDaniel Honored by Center for Homeland Defense and Security
LANSING, Mich. – Cooley Law School Distinguished Professor Emeritus Retired Brigadier General Michael McDaniel was honored by the Center for Homeland Defense and Security Naval Postgraduate School for his commitment to homeland security education. McDaniel received the Christopher Bellavita Educator Award during the 2026 CHDS Alumni Professional Exchange Continuing Education Workshop in February. Named after Christopher Bellavita, former CHDS director of academic programs who was instrumental in developing the Master's program, the award recognizes individuals for innovation in advancing the homeland defense and security mission and is a distinction within the CHDS at the Naval Postgraduate School. McDaniel, who retired from Cooley in 2025, served the law school as professor, dean and director of Cooley’s Homeland and National Security Law LL.M. Program for 13 years. As a former state Homeland Security Advisor and member of Michigan’s National Guard, he was named co-chair of the state's task force on terrorism by Governor John Engler and Attorney General Jennifer Granholm following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Additionally, McDaniel’s leadership and homeland security knowledge was paramount in the Flint Water Crisis, as well as helping Lansing restore power to 96,000 residents – 40 percent of Lansing’s Board of Water and Light's customers – who had been without power for 11 days following a massive ice storm in 2013.
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.
