News

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 Innocence Project Hosts Wrongful Conviction Panel Discussion, Featuring Seven Exonerees, Including George and Melvin Dejesus and Dell Crawford

LANSING, MI – Cooley Law School Innocence Project hosted a panel discussion on Sunday, June 14, titled, “Inside the Innocence Movement: A Panel Discussion with the Freed and Exonerated.” A total of seven exonerees participated in the event, including Dell Crawford, George DeJesus, Melvin DeJesus, Kenneth Nixon, Eric Anderson, Roy Blackman, and Ruben Pinuelas. “For the innocent people in prison, keep fighting,” said George DeJesus, who, along with his brother Melvin, was exonerated on March 22, 2022, after serving 25 years in prison. “Keep fighting even if they tell you there’s no hope. If you’re innocent, and you know you’re innocent, keep fighting.” The event provided first-hand accounts of how flaws in Michigan's criminal justice system resulted in them being wrongly convicted and what it took for them to finally be exonerated. Attendees also heard from Cooley Law School Innocence Project staff about their work on behalf of those who have been wrongly convicted and incarcerated. They gave attendees the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about what they can do to recognize and prevent wrongful convictions. “I’m still adapting with the new technology, I can barely use my phone,” said Dell Crawford, who has been free for almost 90 days after serving 17 years in prison. “The way you shop, the way you eat, the way you order… everything is different.” Ann Garant, co-director for the Cooley Law School Innocence Project, facilitated the event. “The number of exonerated participants in the panel just goes to show how many individuals have been wrongfully convicted,” she said. “Fellow exonerees are extremely supportive of their brothers and sisters in this community.” Since its inception, the Cooley Innocence Project has screened over 7,500 cases and is responsible for the exoneration of 10 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), Louis Wright (2023), and Dell Crawford (2026). In addition, the Cooley Innocence Project has helped to exonerate Lacino Hamilton, Ramon Ward, Terance Calhoun, and Crystal Mulherin, Duane Williams, and George Calicut Jr. In honor of its 25th anniversary, the Cooley Innocence Project is hosting a gala on Sept. 19 at Grewal Hall in Lansing. The event, featuring NBC Dateline Producer Dan Slepian, an advocate for the innocence movement, as the keynote speaker, will begin at 6 p.m. More information about purchasing tickets to the gala or supporting the work of the Cooley Innocence project can be found at https://cooley.edu/innocence25. Organizations interested in scheduling the Cooley Innocence Project for speaking engagements can contact Ann Garant at innocence@cooley.edu.

Cooley Law School Innocence Project to Host Wrongful Conviction Panel Discussion Featuring Exonerees George and Melvin DeJesus and Dell Crawford

On Sunday, June 14, Cooley Law School Innocence Project will host a panel discussion, “Inside the Innocence Movement: A Panel Discussion with the Freed and Exonerated,” featuring exonerees Dell Crawford and brothers George and Melvin DeJesus. The event will be held in Cooley’s lobby.

Cooley Law School’s Innocence Project Celebrates 25 Years of Exonerations in Michigan

LANSING, Mich. – Cooley Law School’s Innocence Project is celebrating a milestone anniversary in 2026: 25 years of exonerations – which includes over 6,000 screenings and 10 exonerations. Established in 2001, the Cooley Innocence Project is the only post-conviction DNA innocence organization in Michigan. It is part of the Innocence Network, a national organization which has been credited with the release of over 375 wrongfully convicted prisoners, mainly through the use of DNA testing and false forensics. “For 25 years, the Cooley Innocence Project has helped prove the innocence of Michigan residents who have been wrongly convicted by our justice system,” said Ann Garant, co-director of the Cooley Innocence Project. “Our staff and student interns strongly believe in the Cooley Innocence Project’s mission of restoring freedom to the wrongfully incarcerated and raising public awareness through advocacy and education.” In Michigan, the Cooley Innocence Project office has screened over 6,000 cases and is responsible for the exoneration of ten individuals to date: Kenneth Wyniemko (2003), Nathaniel Hatchett (2008), Donya Davis (2014), LeDura Watkins (2017), Corey McCall (2021), Kenneth Nixon (2021), Gilbert Poole (2021), George DeJesus (2022), Louis Wright (2023), and Dell Crawford (2026). It also helped to exonerate Lacino Hamilton (2020), Ramon Ward (2020), Terance Calhoun in 2022, Crystal Mulherin (2024), Duane Williams (2024), and George Calicut Jr. (2026). “The Cooley Innocence Project has been pivotal for restoring hope to Michigan citizens who may be innocent of a convicted crime and their families throughout the past 25 years,” said Marla Mitchell-Cichon, Cooley Law School distinguished professor emeritus and of counsel to the Cooley Innocence Project. She has worked alongside the Project since 2002, and served as its director from 2012-2021. “As I’ve had the privilege to be part of six exonerations at the Cooley Innocence Project, there is still important work to be done and more exonerations to come in the next 25 years.” The Cooley Innocence Project was founded in May 2001, by the late Norm Fell, shortly after Michigan’s post-conviction DNA testing law went into effect. Today, the Cooley Innocence Project consists of five staff attorneys, two support staff and select second- and third- year law students who practice law under Michigan's student practice rule. Under the supervision of experienced lawyers, qualified students receive hands-on training while they screen applications, investigate facts, conduct interviews, analyze cases, prepare court pleadings and represent clients in court. Attorneys from various law firms volunteer alongside students to support the work of Cooley’s Innocence Project. “Our firm has been working with the Cooley Innocence Project for years, and we’ve seen firsthand the amazing work that they do,” said Mary Chartier, partner, Chartier & Nyamfukudza, P.L.C. “To work side-by-side with a team of committed legal professionals whose sole goal is to exonerate the innocent is inspiring. They literally change the course of people’s lives. They work tirelessly to gain freedom for people who have no other options by stepping in and giving them hope for freedom. The Cooley Innocence Project embodies the Constitution and the best of the legal profession every day, and I’m so proud to have worked with them on numerous cases.”

Cooley Law School Holds Spring Commencement for Lansing Campus

LANSING, Mich. – Cooley Law School’s spring commencement ceremony on April 25 not only honored the 46 graduates who earned their juris doctor degree, but also celebrated 50 years since the law school’s first class earned their degrees. The ceremony, held at the MSU Wharton Center Pasant Theatre in East Lansing, featured remarks from Cooley graduates who celebrated their achievements 50 years apart. Chosen by his peers, 2026 graduate Nicholas Prowse gave the class farewell remarks, while Distinguished Professor Emeritus Jeff Swartz, a former Miami-Dade County, Fla., judge who graduated from Cooley in 1976, delivered the keynote speech. “The easy path has always been to quit or to cut corners or to do the bare minimum to avoid scrutiny. But that is not what we came to law school for, and that is not who any of us who are about to receive our degrees are. Not anymore,” Prowse told his fellow graduates. “If there are two things I’d like to leave everyone with, it’s 1: We have all already proven that we can do incredibly difficult things. Let’s not forget that. It matters most, and it becomes tempting to take the easier path. And 2: let us not forget who was with us along the way.” Prowse thanked his fellow students, friends and family of the graduates, and Cooley professors and faculty. He added, “Remember the professors who invested in us when we inevitably have the opportunity to invest in somebody else. We have all seen first-hand the impact that can have. Let us pay it forward.” During the ceremony, Cooley Law School President and Dean James McGrath presented five members of the 1976 graduating class with commemorative medallions, dubbing them “Golden Graduates.” Those Golden Graduates included: Swartz, Larry Nolan, Jared Silberman, William Ferrigan, and James Bonfiglio. Swartz spoke about Cooley’s impact on his extensive and successful career in law, while connecting his experience back to this year’s graduating class, finding one’s calling, and modern legal integrity. “To be a lawyer right now is to constantly ask yourself, how do I make sure I’m doing the right thing? Am I standing on the right side of history? There is a simple answer: The wrong side of history will always tell you to be afraid. The right side of history will always expect you to be brave,” said Swartz. “I implore you to be brave – as lawyers and as defenders of the constitution. I urge you to go out into this world with courage. The people of this country expect you to be true to the legacy of the very mission, duty, and calling you accept today.” Since opening its doors in 1972 under the leadership of then Michigan Supreme Court Justice Thomas J. Brennan, Cooley Law School has remained committed to providing a rigorous and hands-on legal education that is inclusive and collaborative, preparing students who are confident and future-ready for a career in law. President and Dean McGrath thanked staff and students, as well as those who supported them throughout the school year. He noted that April 25 was also World Healing Day, which was established by the Global Consciousness Project to shed light on the possible effects of global consciousness during watershed moments worldwide. In his remarks, McGrath explained how this connection relates to law students and the legal profession. “People don’t come to lawyers when things are going well, generally,” said McGrath. “They come when something is broken, whether it’s a contract, or a family, a business, a trust, sometimes a life. They come frightened, sometimes angry, and sometimes already having lost something they cannot get back. And they sit across from you and they trust you with some broken thing, and they ask you to help. The law gives you tools for that. You have procedures, arguments, negotiations, drafting, and advocacy. These can be instruments of repair, of healing. But the tools only work if the person holding them understands that the goal is not always just to win, it’s to resolve. To heal.” The ceremony also honored the late Polly Brennan, who was instrumental in Cooley Law School’s founding with her husband, Michigan Supreme Court Justice Thomas E. Brennan. In Cooley’s early years, Polly registered students herself, and would set up tables and chairs for class before the school had a permanent home. She was presented with an honorary degree in 2022. A tribute and moment of silence was presented by Lawrence Nolan, a 1976 Cooley “Golden Graduate” and personal friend to the Brennans. The full Cooley Law School Lansing campus graduation is available to watch here.

Cooley Law School Holds Spring Commencement for Tampa Campus

TAMPA, Fla. – Cooley Law School’s spring commencement ceremony on April 21 not only honored the 22 graduates who earned their juris doctor degree, but also celebrated 50 years since the law school’s first class earned their degrees. The ceremony, held at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center in Tampa, featured remarks from Cooley graduates who celebrated their achievements 50 years apart. Chosen by his peers, 2026 graduate Dylan Sanchez gave the class farewell remarks, while Distinguished Professor Emeritus Jeff Swartz, a former Miami-Dade County judge who graduated in 1976, delivered the keynote speech. “As future attorneys, we are stepping into roles where people will come to us during some of the most difficult moments of their lives,” Sanchez told his fellow graduates. “Moments where they feel uncertain, overwhelmed, or unheard. And in those moments, we are called to serve. “Service in this profession is not always easy,” he added. “It requires patience, humility, and sometimes sacrifice. But it is also what gives this work its meaning. If we measure success only by titles, salaries, or victories, we will have missed the point entirely. But if we measure it by the lives we impact, the people we stand up for it, and the integrity we carry into every room, then we will truly understand what it means to be great in this profession.” After receiving a commemorative medallion as a member of the first graduating class, Swartz spoke about Cooley’s impact on his extensive and successful career in law, while connecting his experience back to this year’s graduating class and modern legal integrity. “To be a lawyer right now is to constantly ask yourself, how do I make sure I’m doing the right thing? Sometimes you ask yourself, am I standing on the right side of history? There’s a simple answer: The wrong side of history will always tell you to be afraid. The right side of history will always expect you to be brave,” said Swartz. “Say what you mean and mean what you say. If you lack integrity, honesty, and candor, your future will be fraught with fear and trepidation. I implore you to be brave – as lawyers and as defenders of the truth.” Since opening its doors in 1972 under the leadership of then Michigan Supreme Court Justice Thomas J. Brennan, Cooley Law School has remained committed to providing a rigorous and hands-on legal education that is inclusive and collaborative, preparing students who are confident and future-ready for a career in law. During the ceremony, Cooley Law School President and Dean James McGrath thanked staff and students, as well as those who supported them throughout the school year. He noted that April 21 was also World Creativity and Innovation Day, which was established by the United Nations to recognize that human progress requires knowledge and imagination. In his remarks, McGrath explained how this connection relates to law students and the legal profession. “Some people might think that creativity has no place in a lawyer’s work. But I believe the opposite is true,” said McGrath. “I believe that lawyers who forget it are the ones who stop being useful in creating positive changes in the law. The law is a living system, every landmark decision you all studied began with a lawyer who looked at the existing framework and asked, ‘does this actually serve justice?’ Every statute you parsed was once a draft that someone had the imagination to write. And every deal that didn’t collapse into litigation was shaped by a lawyer creative enough to find language that both sides of the deal could live with. “You have the knowledge, you’ve earned it,” he added. “But I want you to hold onto something that your training may have tried to squeeze out of you. It’s that willingness to ask ‘why,’ to imagine ‘what if?’ and to believe that the law in the right hands can be an instrument of genuine human creativity; not just constraint, but construction.” Additionally, Cooley Professor Florise Neville-Ewell was presented with the Stanley E. Beattie Award for excellence in teaching. She was chosen by members of the graduating class for the honor. Watch the full Cooley Law School Tampa Bay campus graduation here.

Cooley Law School Graduates Honored in Florida Bar Swearing-In Ceremony

TAMPA BAY, FLA. — Cooley Law School graduates who passed the most recent Florida bar exam had the opportunity to be sworn in by Judge Nick Nazaretian of 13th Judicial Circuit Court.

Cooley Law School Hosts Michigan Attorney General for Career-Focused Student Event

LANSING, MICH. — On April 9, Cooley Law School welcomed Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel to its Lansing campus for an engaging career-focused event, “Insights & Opportunities with Attorney General Dana Nessel,” held at the Cooley Center Lobby. Hosted as part of programming supported by the law school’s Career and Professional Development Office, the event provided students with a valuable look into career paths within public service, including internship and post-graduate opportunities with the Michigan Department of Attorney General. During the event, Nessel shared insights into the important work performed across the department’s various divisions and discussed the wide range of legal careers available within the office. She also took time to answer student questions, offering practical advice and perspective on entering public service. Following her remarks, representatives from several departments within the Attorney General’s Office connected directly with students, discussing their roles and responsibilities and conducting on-the-spot interviews with interested attendees. “It was a great opportunity for our students to engage directly with leaders in public service and gain a deeper understanding of the impactful work being done within the Attorney General’s Office,” said Karen Poole, director of Career and Professional Development at Cooley Law School. “Programs like this are essential in helping our students explore career pathways, build professional connections, and take meaningful steps toward their future careers.” The event drew strong student participation and provided an informative and interactive experience for those interested in pursuing careers in government and public service.

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

TAMPA, Fla. — On March 25, Cooley Law School’s Sports & Entertainment Law Society hosted an event, “The Law Behind the Lights: Where Sports, Entertainment and Law Intersect,” at the Cooley Event Center on its Tampa campus, featuring Jimmy DuBose, a former NFL running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The event also featured, Shawuki Hilton, Esq., Cooley Law School alumnus and founding attorney of The Hilton Law Firm, and a poetry performance from Everkesia Taylor of I Am Poetry. “As a former professional athlete and present treasurer of the local National Football League Players Association, I am aware of amateur and professional athletes’ need for competent legal assistance,” said DuBose. “I was pleased to see the number of Cooley Law School students who have an interest in providing legal assistance to athletes in the future.” 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. “I’d like to say that it was an amazing event and I’m grateful for having been invited to participate,” said Hilton. “I look forward to future opportunities to work with SELS.” 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. “Our goal was to bring together professionals from sports and the arts to give students a real, firsthand look at how law shapes each path — from NFL players to emerging artists building their dreams,” said Kimberly Ayala, SELS president. “It was an incredibly powerful experience, and if you weren’t there, you truly missed something special.” Cooley Law School’s Sports & Entertainment Law Society hosted an event, “The Law Behind the Lights: Where Sports, Entertainment and Law Intersect,” on March 25 at the Cooley Event Center on its Tampa campus. Pictured from left to right: Daniel Podboy- Navarro, Cooley Law School SELS vice president; Jim Hicks, SELS faculty advisor; Kimberly Ayala, SELS president; Shawuki Hilton; Renalia DuBose, Cooley professor; Jimmy DuBose, former NFL player; Everkesia; John Johnson, SELS public relations; and Giani Villalba, SELS secretary.

Cooley Law School Distinguished Professor Emeritus Joseph Kimble Receives Prestigious Burton Award for Third Time