Skip to content

Cooley Law School Records Nearly 40% Enrollment Increase with Incoming 2026 Class

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.

Read More
  • Cooley Law School to Host Former Tampa Bay Buccaneer During Sports and Entertainment Law Society Event
    Cooley Law School to Host Former Tampa Bay Buccaneer During Sports and Entertainment Law Society Event

    Cooley Law School to Host Former Tampa Bay Buccaneer During Sports and Entertainment Law Society Event

    TAMPA, Fla. — On March 25, Cooley Law School’s Sports & Entertainment Law Society will host an event, “The Law Behind the Lights: Where Sports, Entertainment and Law Intersect,” at the Cooley Event Center on its Tampa campus. Event will feature Jimmy DuBose, a former NFL running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the late 1970s, and Shawuki Hilton, Esq., Cooley Law School alumnus and founding attorney of The Hilton Law Firm. DuBose, an alumnus of the University of Florida Gators, was the first UF running back to rush for a 1,000 yards in a single season. He was named SEC Player of the Year in 1975, and selected to the Associated Press All-American team, and the Tampa Tribune All-Century Team in 1999. Additionally, DuBose was inducted into UF’s Hall of Fame in 1978 and the Sarasota High School Hall of Fame in 2018. He played four years for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and became the first player in franchise history to rush for a hundred yards before getting injured and retiring from the NFL. Outside of football, DuBose worked in education for 22 years as a teacher, football coach, dean, and assistant principal in Hillsborough, Orange, and Pasco counties. He is currently the treasurer of the local chapter of the NFL Players Association leadership, where he has served in various capacities for over 20 years. Hilton, who practices sports law, represents professional athletes within the Canadian Football League. Before graduating cum laude from Cooley, Hilton served as the justice of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity International, vice president of entertainment of the Sports and Entertainment Law Society, and associate editor of the Cooley Journal of Practical and Clinical Law. He has served a diverse client base on matters related to business law, contract law, consumer protection, estate planning, intellectual property, and real estate. Additionally, Everkesia Taylor of I Am Poetry, will perform at the event. Born and raised in Tampa, Florida, Everkesia is the author of six poetry books and the creative force behind the I Am Poetry apparel line. Through I Am Poetry, she curates immersive experiences – from open mic shows to large-scale festivals. The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided.

  • Cooley Law School Expungement Fair Helps 88 Individuals
    Cooley Law School Expungement Fair Helps 88 Individuals

    Cooley Law School Expungement Fair Helps 88 Individuals

    LANSING, Mich. – On March 6, Cooley Law School held an Expungement Fair to aid in the removal of certain arrests and convictions from qualifying individuals’ public criminal records. The event was held in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Attorney General, Safe & Just Michigan, Ascend Co-Lab for Social Equality, and Legal Services of South Central Michigan. This year’s Expungement Fair screened 185 individuals through the pre-registration and onsite walk-in process, with 88 individuals qualifying for expungement. “Everyone deserves a chance to show that they are more than their mistakes,” said Karen Poole, director of career and professional development, Cooley Law School. “Michigan’s expungement law gives citizens the opportunity to do just that.” Volunteer attorneys and law students under the supervision of licensed attorneys assisted with expungement paperwork. Criminal offenses that have been expunged are no longer accessible to employers or landlords. Michigan law has always allowed for expungements, but the “Clean Slate” legislation enacted in 2020 made more individuals and offenses eligible for expungement. The expungement process became available to the public in 2021. On April 11, 2023, the automatic expungement provisions went into effect, allowing for the automatic expungement of some felonies and misdemeanors. Under the new 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. Cooley Law School has hosted several Expungement Fairs since 2023, which has resulted in hundreds of individuals being able to have their criminal records expunged.

  • Cooley Law School Holds Summer Honors Convocations in Lansing and Tampa
    Cooley Law School Holds Summer Honors Convocations in Lansing and Tampa

    Cooley Law School Holds Summer Honors Convocations in Lansing and Tampa

    LANSING, MI and TAMPA, FL — On July 24, Cooley Law School recognized students in the Trinity Term for their achievements during an honors convocation at its Lansing, Michigan, and Tampa, Florida, campuses.

  • Cooley Law School Holds Spring Commencement For Lansing Campus
    Cooley Law School Holds Spring Commencement For 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.