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ADMISSIONS OFFICE | 300 S. CAPITOL AVE. | LANSING, MI 48933 | (517) 371-5140, EXT. 2244 | WMICH.EDU/LAW MICHIGAN FLORIDA|
WMU-Cooley Law School was named for Thomas McIntyre Cooley,one of America’s greatest jurists. He is still cited today for his workin the mid-1800s as a justice of the Michigan Supreme Court and as a legal scholar.
Thomas McIntyre Cooley
THO
MAS
MCI
NTY
RE
COO
LEY
I N N O V A T O R S C H O L A RPIONEER
Western Michigan University Thomas M. CooleyLaw School is an independent, private, non-profiteducational institution affiliated with WesternMichigan University. The Law School, as an independent institution, is solely responsible for itsacademic program. The Law School has campusesacross Michigan in Lansing, Auburn Hills, GrandRapids, and in Tampa Bay, Florida. The Law Schoolpresently operates in Florida under the nameThomas M. Cooley Law School. It has applied to the Florida Commission for Independent Education for permission to use the Western Michigan University name in Florida and hopes forapproval in the fall of 2014.
WMU-Cooley is committed to a fair and objectiveadmissions policy. Subject to space limitations,WMU-Cooley offers the opportunity for legal educa-tion to all qualified applicants. WMU-Cooley abidesby all federal and state laws against discrimination.
In addition, WMU-Cooley abides by American BarAssociation Standard 211(a), which provides that “alaw school shall foster and maintain equality of opportunity in legal education, including employmentof faculty and staff, without discrimination or segre-gation on the basis of race, color, religion, nationalorigin, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability.”
This brochure includes descriptions of some current policies, practices, and schedules at WMU-Cooley. This brochure is not a contract and doesnot, and cannot, create any contractual rights. Allpolicies, practices, and schedules are subject tochange without prior notice.
WMU-Cooley is accredited by the American Bar Association, 321 N. Clark Street, 21st Floor NE,Chicago, IL 60610, (312) 988-6738,www.americanbar.org/legaled; accredited by theHigher Learning Commission, a member of the
North Central Association of Schools and Colleges, 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500,Chicago, Illinois 60604-1413, (800) 621-7440,www.ncahlc.org; and licensed by the Commission forIndependent Education, Florida Department of Education. Additional information regarding thisinstitution may be obtained by contacting the Commission at 325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1414,Tallahassee, FL 323099-0400, toll-free tele-phone number (888) 224-6684.
Students can review copies of the documentsdescribing WMU-Cooley’s accreditation on reserveat the law libraries.
Annual summary financial information is availableto the public by contacting 300 S. Capitol Avenue, P.O. Box 13038, Lansing, MI 48901.
Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School Western Michigan Universityand Cooley Law School affiliated in 2014, combiningthe status of a nationally-ranked, public, comprehensiveresearch university with thecommitment to practical legaleducation of an independent,non-profit, national law school.
Both schools share long traditions of outstanding teaching
and research, emphasis on practical skills as well as classroom knowledge, focus on professionalism and ethics, anddeep commitment to diversityand inclusion.
You will benefit from academicexcellence, great student services, wonderful campus locations, and access to a highlysuccessful alumni body of more
than 250,000 WMU graduatesand nearly 20,000 Law Schoolgraduates located in every statein the nation and around theworld.
Law school is a good careermove, and Western MichiganUniversity Cooley Law School isa great choice for you.
LAW STUDENTS MUST NOT FORGET THAT THEY ARE FITTING THEMSELVES TO BE MINISTERS OF JUSTICE.
FG.INSIDE Covers 9.5.14_Layout 1 9/10/14 11:58 AM Page 1
WMU-Cooley Law School was named for Thomas McIntyre Cooley,one of America’s greatest jurists. He is still cited today for his workin the mid-1800s as a justice of the Michigan Supreme Court and as a legal scholar.
Thomas McIntyre Cooley
THO
MAS
MCI
NTY
RE
COO
LEY
I N N O V A T O R S C H O L A RPIONEER
Western Michigan University Thomas M. CooleyLaw School is an independent, private, non-profiteducational institution affiliated with WesternMichigan University. The Law School, as an independent institution, is solely responsible for itsacademic program. The Law School has campusesacross Michigan in Lansing, Auburn Hills, GrandRapids, and in Tampa Bay, Florida. The Law Schoolpresently operates in Florida under the nameThomas M. Cooley Law School. It has applied to the Florida Commission for Independent Education for permission to use the Western Michigan University name in Florida and hopes forapproval in the fall of 2014.
WMU-Cooley is committed to a fair and objectiveadmissions policy. Subject to space limitations,WMU-Cooley offers the opportunity for legal educa-tion to all qualified applicants. WMU-Cooley abidesby all federal and state laws against discrimination.
In addition, WMU-Cooley abides by American BarAssociation Standard 211(a), which provides that “alaw school shall foster and maintain equality of opportunity in legal education, including employmentof faculty and staff, without discrimination or segre-gation on the basis of race, color, religion, nationalorigin, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability.”
This brochure includes descriptions of some current policies, practices, and schedules at WMU-Cooley. This brochure is not a contract and doesnot, and cannot, create any contractual rights. Allpolicies, practices, and schedules are subject tochange without prior notice.
WMU-Cooley is accredited by the American Bar Association, 321 N. Clark Street, 21st Floor NE,Chicago, IL 60610, (312) 988-6738,www.americanbar.org/legaled; accredited by theHigher Learning Commission, a member of the
North Central Association of Schools and Colleges, 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500,Chicago, Illinois 60604-1413, (800) 621-7440,www.ncahlc.org; and licensed by the Commission forIndependent Education, Florida Department of Education. Additional information regarding thisinstitution may be obtained by contacting the Commission at 325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1414,Tallahassee, FL 323099-0400, toll-free tele-phone number (888) 224-6684.
Students can review copies of the documentsdescribing WMU-Cooley’s accreditation on reserveat the law libraries.
Annual summary financial information is availableto the public by contacting 300 S. Capitol Avenue, P.O. Box 13038, Lansing, MI 48901.
Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School Western Michigan Universityand Cooley Law School affiliated in 2014, combiningthe status of a nationally-ranked, public, comprehensiveresearch university with thecommitment to practical legaleducation of an independent,non-profit, national law school.
Both schools share long traditions of outstanding teaching
and research, emphasis on practical skills as well as classroom knowledge, focus on professionalism and ethics, anddeep commitment to diversityand inclusion.
You will benefit from academicexcellence, great student services, wonderful campus locations, and access to a highlysuccessful alumni body of more
than 250,000 WMU graduatesand nearly 20,000 Law Schoolgraduates located in every statein the nation and around theworld.
Law school is a good careermove, and Western MichiganUniversity Cooley Law School isa great choice for you.
LAW STUDENTS MUST NOT FORGET THAT THEY ARE FITTING THEMSELVES TO BE MINISTERS OF JUSTICE.
FG.INSIDE Covers 9.5.14_Layout 1 9/10/14 11:58 AM Page 1
JOHN MASHNI2012 GRADUATE
Practices corporate law, tax law, intellectual property, and estate planning
You realize the advantages thata legal education can bring. No commitment could be more stimulating, rigorous orchallenging. Law school willopen your mind, unlock your potential, and enable you toachieve in ways that you mayhave never imagined.
At WMU-Cooley, we know allabout potential and achievement.
Since its beginning, the lawschool has identified individualslike you who have proven to themselves and to the world thatthey have what it takes to succeed.Thousands of alumni, located allover the nation and the world,serve their communities in a varietyof capacities – including a governor, members of congress,partners in firms large and small,and as corporate leaders.
WMU-Cooley Law School is anational leader in preparing students to become outstandinglawyers. Founded in 1972 by agroup of lawyers and judges ledby then-Chief Justice of theMichigan Supreme Court,Thomas E. Brennan, WMU-Cooley is a national leader inpractice preparation.
The Advantages of a Legal EducationJust like Thomas McIntyre Cooley in his lifetime, you have the abilityto do great things. You are thinking about law school; you have obviously set high goals for yourself.
Law school is a commitment. It is a challenge. It is the type of education that will bring out yourbest. Come to WMU-Cooley, find your excellence — become the lawyer you aspire to be.
135735_16 PAGE_Layout 1 9/10/14 2:06 PM Page 1
3 WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL
Equipped with a legal education and a passion for the law, an attorney can have a rewarding and fulfilling career in private practice. But a legal education provides opportunities far beyondprivate practice — it is one of the most versatile, most useful academic disciplines available today.
Law School: A Good Career Move
Sharpens your critical-thinking and problem-solving abilities
Enhances your ability to communicate clearlyand persuasively
A LEGAL EDUCATION:
Teaches discipline, leadership, and organization skills
Instills a strongwork ethic, professionalism,and confidence
Law school makes you brighter, bolder, and better — not just ina successful legal career, but in every aspect of your life.
JANENE MCINTYRE2006 GRADUATE
City Attorney
135735_16 PAGE_Layout 1 9/10/14 2:06 PM Page 2
Earning a law degree is a good career move withmany career options.A law degree is so much more than just a return on investment. It is an investment inyou! It is an investment in what you want to give and get out of life. Study after study willtell you that higher education pays, in more ways than one.
You can do a lot with a WMU-Cooley degree:
PRIVATE PRACTICE
52%
BUSINESS/INDUSTRY
26%
GOVERNMENT
11%
CLERKSHIPS
5 %
PUBLIC INTEREST
4%
ACADEMIA
2%
TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT (BASED UPON PAST 3 YEARS)
“The investment a student makes in [business school or law school] degrees today islikely to produce at least a 10x return over his or her career.” SHAWN O’CONNOR, FORBES MAGAZINE
Good Career Move 3
Great Choice 5
Curriculum 7
Faculty Experience 9
Learning Environment 13
Student Life 15
Globally Engaged 17
Ethics and Character 21
Achieve Greatness 23
Many Options 25
Choice of Locations 27
Lifetime of Success 29
135735_16 PAGE_Layout 1 9/10/14 2:06 PM Page 3
WMU-Cooley trains students to be lawyers who know how to getthe job done. With unmatched breadth and depth of learning opportunities, WMU-Cooley lawyers are prepared to hit the ground running from their first day. What will you get from a WMU-CooleyLaw School degree?
EXCEPTIONAL CURRICULUM
WMU-Cooley hasan exceptional curriculum designedto prepare you forlaw practice.
WMU-Cooley Law School: A Great Choice
EXPERIENCED FACULTY
We have one of themost experiencedlaw faculty in the nation.
PRACTICE READY
We have more clinicalopportunities than mostother law schools. Students are required tohave a clinical experi-ence before graduation.
GLOBALLY ENGAGED
You have the chanceto study with, andlearn from, classmates from allover the world.
135735_16 PAGE_Layout 1 9/10/14 2:06 PM Page 4
COMMUNITYINVOLVEMENT
Students have hundreds of ways to get involved bothinside and outsideof the classroom.
ALUMNI MENTORING
You have mentoringopportunities with analumni network ofnearly 20,000 graduates around the world.
MODERN FACILITIES
WMU-Cooley has spacious, modern facilities with everytechnological advantage.
SCHEDULING OPTIONS
The law school hasmore scheduling options than any otherlaw school: year-round, part-time, full-time, days, evenings,two-year program, andweekends.
ROAD MAP TOYOUR FUTURE
Take advantage of aroad map to build a fulfilling, successfullegal career by working with facultyand staff.
WMU-COOLEY COURTROOM
135735_16 PAGE_Layout 1 9/10/14 2:06 PM Page 5
7
The law school’s curriculum includes courses you need to succeedon the bar exam and in practice. Whatever area of law you pursue,WMU-Cooley’s programs will give you the knowledge and practicalskills you will need to succeed.
An Exceptional Curriculum
WMU-COOLEY IS BUILT ON THREE PILLARS: KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ETHICS.
“WMU-COOLEY PROVIDES STUDENTSWITH A RICH CURRICULUM
that is taught by professors with such excellence that it is retained in the mindsof students for years to come. I still applythe skills that I learned in Research and Writing, Pre-Trial Skills, and Civil Procedure I and II in my civil defense insurance litigation practice when draftingpleadings and attending Supreme Courthearings in New York.”
SIOBHÁN BREEN 2011 GRADUATE
D'Amato & Lynch, LLP, New York, NY
“ASIDE FROM PROVIDING AN EXCELLENT LEGAL EDUCATION, WMU-
Thomas M. Cooley Law School, through itsbroad range of clinical courses and pro-grams, gives students an opportunity toperfect necessary intangibles vital to a suc-cessful legal career: creativity, patience,flexibility, and the ability to listen and negotiate. This practicum component distinguishes WMU-Cooley from other lawschools.”
VICTOR FLORES2011 GRADUATE
City Attorney’s Office, McAllen,TX
WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL
The law school's curriculum is designed to help you master theknowledge you’ll need to pass thebar examination and competentlypractice law. With 66 requiredcredits – including Bar ExamSkills – you will have a class in almost every subject tested on thebar examinations in all 50 states.The curriculum also teaches youthe skills you need to be success-ful, even on your first day of practice. Unlike students at most
schools, you will already havereal-world practice. All studentsmust participate in a clinic – essentially, an internal law firm ofstudents who do pro bono workunder an experienced facultymember’s supervision – or an ex-ternship with a practicing attorneyor judge. The law school also of-fers several skills-based classes,like Pretrial Skills, Trial Skills, andAppellate Advocacy. Finally, theschool’s curriculum includes a
strong emphasis on ethics, whichis essential in the practice of law.WMU-Cooley prides itself onteaching students to exceed theethics’ rules’ requirements by volunteering in their communityand always acting above reproach.
WMU-Cooley is known fordeveloping and graduatingwell-rounded, practice-readyattorneys.
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13 9
PROFESSOR DEVIN SCHINDLERPROFESSOR KATHY SWEDLOW
WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL
Imagine learning criminal law from a professor who has 20 years of experience as a prosecutor — or learning about homeland and national security from a professor who served as a Brigadier Generaland U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Homeland Defense Strategy.
A Faculty that Speaks from Experience
FACULTY STATISTICS
13.22Student/facultyratio
9Out of 10 average faculty rating
11Average years of practice experience
The Write Stuff
LEGAL DRAFTING WMU-Cooley was one ofthe first law schools in thenation to require course-work in legal drafting.
1st
CREDIT HOURSStudents are required totake at least six credithours of research and writing. This results in askill set that gives studentsa distinct advantage.
6
CHOOSE WRITING ELECTIVESStudents can also choosefrom additional electives,such as Scholarly Writing,Pre-Trial Skills, AppellatePractice, and more.
3+
SPECIALIZE YOUR CURRICULUMWhether you are interested in environmental law, sports and entertainment law, or civil rights, you can tailor your curriculum to meet your interests. For a complete list oflaw specialties, go to wmich.edu/law.
DUAL-DEGREE PROGRAMSWMU-Cooley has developed dual-degree programs with several institutions of higher learning, providing you the opportunity to earn a juris doctor degree and a master’s degree in Business Administration, Educational Leadership, Health Administration, HumanResources and Organizational Development, Public Administration, or Social Work.
MASTER OF LAWS (LL.M.) DEGREESWMU-Cooley offers a broad array of graduate legal education programs. Students canearn an LL.M. degree in Tax, Intellectual Property Law, Corporate Law and Finance, Insurance Law, Homeland and National Security Law, Self-Directed Study, and U.S.Legal Studies for Foreign Attorneys.
“THE WMU-COOLEY CURRICULUM EXPANDEDMY KNOWLEDGE OF THE
LAW, and just as importantly, provided methe tools and networking opportunitiesthat I needed to embark on my journeyinto the legal field. I have come to find inmy own professional practice that legalknowledge has no value unless you knowhow to effectively apply it. WMU-Cooleyfaculty taught me how to put theory intopractice so that I can be the best lawyerthat I can be.”
BLAKE LANGE 2012 GRADUATE
Morgan & Morgan, P.A., Naples, FL
Students who attend WMU-Cooley come from across the nation andfrom around the world. The diversity of backgrounds and perspectives creates a dynamic, open, and uniquely stimulating learning environment, enriching the educational experience and, ultimately, thecareer of every WMU-Cooley graduate.
A Learning Environment with Many Perspectives
WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL
PROFESSOR MARLA MITCHELL-CICHON
UnmatchedExcellence
BEST LAW TEACHERSWMU-Cooley Law Schoolhas the distinction ofbeing the only law schoolin the country with twomembers of its faculty,out of only 26 namednationally, featured inWhat the Best Law Teachers Do (Harvard University Press, 2013).
HIGH FACULTY RANKINGSStudents think veryhighly of their professors,consistently ranking thefaculty a nine on a scale of10 in course evaluations.
MORE EXPERIENCEWMU-Cooley professorsteach three semesters ayear, which adds up to afaculty with more teachingexperience than almostany other law faculty inthe country.
WORLD CLASS PROFESSORSWMU-Cooley's world-class professors regularly servethe local, national, and international media as experts on nearly everylegal issue, article, or story.
WMU-Cooley law professors base their teaching on vast experience as practicing attorneys. Our faculty average 11 years of practice experience before entering the class-room. To compare, many law professors around the country have never practiced law.
In addition to teaching a theoretical foundation, the real-world experience of the facultyprovides valuable insights into the practice of law.
The inside pages highlight only a few of WMU-Cooley’s outstanding faculty members. Visit our website to see the entire list of WMU-Cooley’sexceptional full-time faculty and their accomplishments.
135735_GATEFOLDS_Layout 1 9/12/14 10:43 AM Page 1
13 9
PROFESSOR DEVIN SCHINDLERPROFESSOR KATHY SWEDLOW
WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL
Imagine learning criminal law from a professor who has 20 years of experience as a prosecutor — or learning about homeland and national security from a professor who served as a Brigadier Generaland U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Homeland Defense Strategy.
A Faculty that Speaks from Experience
FACULTY STATISTICS
13.22Student/facultyratio
9Out of 10 average faculty rating
11Average years of practice experience
The Write Stuff
LEGAL DRAFTING WMU-Cooley was one ofthe first law schools in thenation to require course-work in legal drafting.
1st
CREDIT HOURSStudents are required totake at least six credithours of research and writing. This results in askill set that gives studentsa distinct advantage.
6
CHOOSE WRITING ELECTIVESStudents can also choosefrom additional electives,such as Scholarly Writing,Pre-Trial Skills, AppellatePractice, and more.
3+
SPECIALIZE YOUR CURRICULUMWhether you are interested in environmental law, sports and entertainment law, or civil rights, you can tailor your curriculum to meet your interests. For a complete list oflaw specialties, go to wmich.edu/law.
DUAL-DEGREE PROGRAMSWMU-Cooley has developed dual-degree programs with several institutions of higher learning, providing you the opportunity to earn a juris doctor degree and a master’s degree in Business Administration, Educational Leadership, Health Administration, HumanResources and Organizational Development, Public Administration, or Social Work.
MASTER OF LAWS (LL.M.) DEGREESWMU-Cooley offers a broad array of graduate legal education programs. Students canearn an LL.M. degree in Tax, Intellectual Property Law, Corporate Law and Finance, Insurance Law, Homeland and National Security Law, Self-Directed Study, and U.S.Legal Studies for Foreign Attorneys.
“THE WMU-COOLEY CURRICULUM EXPANDEDMY KNOWLEDGE OF THE
LAW, and just as importantly, provided methe tools and networking opportunitiesthat I needed to embark on my journeyinto the legal field. I have come to find inmy own professional practice that legalknowledge has no value unless you knowhow to effectively apply it. WMU-Cooleyfaculty taught me how to put theory intopractice so that I can be the best lawyerthat I can be.”
BLAKE LANGE 2012 GRADUATE
Morgan & Morgan, P.A., Naples, FL
Students who attend WMU-Cooley come from across the nation andfrom around the world. The diversity of backgrounds and perspectives creates a dynamic, open, and uniquely stimulating learning environment, enriching the educational experience and, ultimately, thecareer of every WMU-Cooley graduate.
A Learning Environment with Many Perspectives
WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL
PROFESSOR MARLA MITCHELL-CICHON
UnmatchedExcellence
BEST LAW TEACHERSWMU-Cooley Law Schoolhas the distinction ofbeing the only law schoolin the country with twomembers of its faculty,out of only 26 namednationally, featured inWhat the Best Law Teachers Do (Harvard University Press, 2013).
HIGH FACULTY RANKINGSStudents think veryhighly of their professors,consistently ranking thefaculty a nine on a scale of10 in course evaluations.
MORE EXPERIENCEWMU-Cooley professorsteach three semesters ayear, which adds up to afaculty with more teachingexperience than almostany other law faculty inthe country.
WORLD CLASS PROFESSORSWMU-Cooley's world-class professors regularly servethe local, national, and international media as experts on nearly everylegal issue, article, or story.
WMU-Cooley law professors base their teaching on vast experience as practicing attorneys. Our faculty average 11 years of practice experience before entering the class-room. To compare, many law professors around the country have never practiced law.
In addition to teaching a theoretical foundation, the real-world experience of the facultyprovides valuable insights into the practice of law.
The inside pages highlight only a few of WMU-Cooley’s outstanding faculty members. Visit our website to see the entire list of WMU-Cooley’sexceptional full-time faculty and their accomplishments.
135735_GATEFOLDS_Layout 1 9/12/14 10:43 AM Page 1
WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL11 KNOWLEDGE | SKILLS | ETHICS 12
DAVID FINNEGANB.S.F.S. GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, J.D. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOLPH.D. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
“WMU-Cooley’s unwavering commitmentto the field of legal writing has inspiredme to pursue scholarship in that area.” PROFESSOR MARK COONEY
“I love it when students discover thatsomething they thought was too difficultis, in fact, entirely within their abilities.”PROFESSOR JONI LARSON
“I am struck by the collegiality and accessibility of our faculty, who arededicated to helping our studentsdevelop the skills necessary for effectivelegal practice. I very much enjoy work-ing with students to achieve this goal,whether in the classroom, in preparingfor moot court competitions, or as part ofour foreign study programs.” PROFESSOR DAVID FINNEGAN
“I practiced law for nearly 30 years beforejoining the WMU-Cooley faculty, and in thattime I saw hundreds of new lawyers fromdozens of law schools enter the GrandRapids legal community. I could tell then,and understand why now that I am on the inside, that WMU-Cooley graduates are bet-ter prepared than others to undertake imme-diately the kinds of real-life tasks lawyersmust confront. Our faculty doesn't just teachour students substantive law, we train themin practical skills using our own experi-ences so they will be practice-ready fromthe very outset of their careers. I am privileged to be a part of that.”PROFESSOR PAUL SORENSEN
PAUL SORENSEN B.A. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN J.D. DUKE UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL
Before joining the WMU-Cooley faculty,Professor Martin-Scott was Chief Adminis-trative Law Judge for the State of Indiana’s Unemployment Insurance Review Board.She also served as State Purchasing Director and General Counsel for the Indiana Department of Administration.She served as an adjunct Business Law professor for the Indiana Vocational Technical College, an Administrative Appeals Judge, an Assistant City Attorneyfor the city of Evansville, Indiana, and wasin private practice handling criminal andcivil matters. An avid and active member ofnumerous programs in support of childrenand the community, she is a judge in theIngham County Teen Court diversion program. She was awarded a TrailblazerAward in 2012 for her many contributionsto children and the community. ProfessorMartin-Scott Chairs the contracts depart-ment and teaches Contracts I and II, Salesand Commercial Paper.
MONICA NUCKOLLS B.A. MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITYJ.D. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL
RICHARD HENKEB.A. UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAMEJ.D. SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW
JONI LARSONB.A. UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA M.A. MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY J.D. UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA SCHOOL OF LAWLL.M. UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA COLLEGE OF LAW
TRACEY BRAMEB.A. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN J.D. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
STEVIE SWANSONB.A. YALE UNIVERSITYJ.D. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL
“Clinical work is so meaningful becauseit allows students to serve our local community while developing skills thatthey will use to help those in their owncommunities and the world at large.” PROFESSOR TRACEY BRAME
Before joining the WMU-Cooley faculty in2001, Professor Swedlow served as anAssistant Federal Defender in the CapitalHabeas Corpus Unit of the Federal Community Defender Office for the EasternDistrict of Pennsylvania and as a Staff Attorney in both the U.S. Courts of Appealsfor the Second and Third Circuits. Shehas been a contributing editor for theAmerican Bar Association's Preview ofUnited States Supreme Court Decisions,the Vice-Chair of the Death Penalty Committee of the American Bar Associa-tion’s Section on Individual Rights andResponsibility, and a Member of the Selection and Screening Committees forthe American Bar Association’s SilverGavel Awards for Media and the Arts.
From 2001 to 2005, Professor Swedlowwas the co-director of the WMU-ThomasM. Cooley Innocence Project. ProfessorSwedlow teaches Criminal Law, CriminalProcedure, Death Penalty Law, andWrongful Convictions.
I am proud to receive my legal education from lawprofessors who havebeen practicing attorneys and are trulycommitted to WMU-Cooley students. Theyhave been awesomementors for me. NITZA M. GALLARDO, NJ2013 GRADUATE
“Helping those less fortunate is my passion.WMU-Cooley not only allows me to pursue a number of community based initiatives with my students, but fully supports thoseendeavors. Those interested in being ofservice will find WMU-Cooley a very welcoming environment filled with opportunities to effectuate positive changein the world.”PROFESSOR STEVIE SWANSON
MARK COONEY B.A. RUTGERS UNIVERSITYJ.D. WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL
“My scholarship in the field of ProductsLiability allows me to inform students ofthe latest developments in this fastchanging area of Tort law.” PROFESSOR RICHARD HENKE
NELSON MILLERB.A. INDIANA UNIVERSITY J.D. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
“Teaching and learning law is the mostsatisfying of academic pursuits becauseit is the best possible foundation for effective service.”PROFESSOR NELSON MILLER
“Teaching law is more than a professionto me – it's a calling. There is no greaterjoy than to help a student understand, appreciate, and challenge the law, all atthe same time.” PROFESSOR MONICA NUCKOLLS
KATHY SWEDLOWB.S. CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITYJ.D. CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK LAW SCHOOL
MABLE MARTIN-SCOTTB.A. UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOISJ.D. UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
“It's so important for new lawyers to beas practice-ready as they can possiblybe. WMU-Cooley places a strong emphasis on practical skills and training,and our students experience that in almost every class — from the first termright up until graduation.”PROFESSOR KATHY SWEDLOW
“Law Schools are seeking ways to bridgethe gap between law school and practice.That has never been an issue here atWMU-Cooley. My job is to push studentsto understand how legal rules are de-signed to solve social problems. Weteach the law, and our professional back-grounds provide us with infinite examplesof how that law has been applied.”PROFESSOR MABLE MARTIN-SCOTT
Professor Sorensen was a partner withWarner Norcross & Judd LLP before joiningthe full-time faculty at WMU-Cooley. Heled the firm's large team of labor and employment litigators and defended clientsin more than 400 employment lawsuits. In addition to employment litigation, Professor Sorensen handled various othertypes of commercial lawsuits as well, including products liability and insurancecoverage disputes. He teaches Torts I and Torts II, Equity & Remedies, and Negotiations.
Professor Nuckolls teaches Torts I, Torts II,and Equity & Remedies at WMU-Cooley,and serves as the vice-chair of the TortsDepartment. She has co-authored severalbooks that teach young people about thelaw and responsible citizenship. She created an anti-bullying program to teachyoung people and educators about thelegal, social, and psychological effects ofthis type of destructive behavior. ProfessorNuckolls is a past recipient of the StateBar of Michigan’s Champion of JusticeAward and the NAACP (Saginaw Branch)Community Service Award.
Harvard University Press's book What theBest Law Teachers Do recognized AssociateDean Miller as among two dozen of the toplaw professors in the country. Dean Millerhas published 23 books and dozens ofbook chapters and articles on torts, civilprocedure, constitutional law, legal ethics,law practice, and legal education, amongother subjects. Before joining WMU-Cooley,Dean Miller litigated airliner, boat, and vehicle-crash cases, civil rights cases, andother civil cases in the state and federaltrial and appellate courts for 16 years, winning and defending multi-million dollarclaims. Dean Miller has won statewideawards for pro bono service and diversityinitiatives.
Before joining the faculty at WMU-Cooley,Professor Swanson served as Director ofLegal Services and Policy for CommunityLegal Resources in Detroit supervising theirpro bono program, providing direct legal serv-ices to non-profit corporations, and facilitating the Affordability PreservationProject. She was previously a Visiting ClinicalProfessor at The Legal Assistance for UrbanCommunities Clinic at the University ofMichigan Law School where she co-taught a real estate and corporate transactions sem-inar and represented non-profits with affordable housing matters. She is the author of Human Trafficking and 32 BillionReasons to Fight It; Aiming for Chocolate:Building A Student’s Practice Skills in Property Law, in Teaching Law Practice:Preparing The Next Generation Of Lawyers;and Sitting on Your Rights: Why the Statuteof Limitations for Adverse Possession ShouldNot Protect Couch Potato Future InterestHolders. Professor Swanson teaches PropertyI, Property II, and Secured Transactions.
Before becoming part of the faculty in2006, Professor Brame worked as a staffattorney for Legal Aid of Western Michiganwhere she advised and represented low-in-come clients on family law, housing, andconsumer law issues. She was a researchand writing specialist with the Federal De-fender Office and was an assistant de-fender with the State Appellate DefenderOffice in Detroit. Professor Brame startedand runs the Access to Justice Clinic inGrand Rapids, and also leads the WestMichigan Public Defender Clinic. In 2014,she was chosen as one of MichiganLawyers Weekly's Women in the Law, aswell as Grand Rapid’s LINC Community Revitalization Cornerstone Award recipientfor her work in the Public Defenders Clinic.Professor Brame teaches Family Law, Raceand the Supreme Court, and a DeathPenalty Seminar.
Professor Finnegan’s broad academic background and work experience provoke engaging and diverse classroom conversa-tion, whether in one of his Property or International Law classes, or as a facultyadvisor to WMU-Cooley's Jessup Interna-tional Law Moot Court team. ProfessorFinnegan graduated with honors from theUniversity of Michigan Law School, trainedat the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, studied and did research atthe University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzaniaand the University of Nairobi in Kenya, and practiced law in Washington, D.C.
After graduating first in his law schoolclass, Professor Cooney practiced for adecade, handling civil appeals and chairingthe State Bar of Michigan’s Appellate Practice Section. He has lectured widelyon legal writing and has published a bookand numerous articles on legal style. He also edits the Scribes Journal of Legal Writing and serves as a writing consultant to the Michigan SupremeCourt’s committee on standard criminaljury instructions. He teaches Research & Writing and Advanced Writing.
Professor Henke began his legal career as ajudicial law clerk in the Superior Court ofNew Jersey, then was appointed by theNew Jersey Supreme Court as Special Master for the asbestos litigation in NewJersey. Subsequently, he was appointed asSpecial Master in other mass tort litigation,including major landfill cases and the silicone gel breast implant litigation. Hebegan his teaching career at Seton HallLaw School where he taught Products Liability and Toxic Torts, an elective he developed for upper term students. He alsopublished several articles in the field ofProducts Liability, and co-authored a chapter of a Products Liability casebook.Professor Henke began teaching at WMU-Cooley in 1996 and was elected to theAmerican Law Institute in 2005. His scholarly writing continues to be cited bycourts and other legal commentators foranalysis and insight into complex product liability matters. A multiple-time winner ofthe Stanley E. Beattie Award for excellencein teaching and a member of the WMU-CooleyLegal Author Society, Professor Henketeaches Torts I and II, Environmental Torts,Equities & Remedies, and Products Liability.
Before teaching full time, Professor Larsonpracticed 12 years in a variety of settings.She began her career as a law clerk for theHon. Irene F. Scott of the U.S. Tax Court.For the next three years she was a tax litigator for District Counsel, representingthe IRS in the U.S. Tax Court. She thenspent several years in private practice, specializing in estate and tax planning, probate, and pension and profit sharingplans. She returned to the IRS in the Officeof Chief Counsel, this time at the National Office. Since teaching full time, she hasauthored several books, including A Practitioner’s Guide to Tax Evidence, amust-have handbook for attorneys litigatingin the Tax Court.
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WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL11 KNOWLEDGE | SKILLS | ETHICS 12
DAVID FINNEGANB.S.F.S. GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, J.D. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOLPH.D. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
“WMU-Cooley’s unwavering commitmentto the field of legal writing has inspiredme to pursue scholarship in that area.” PROFESSOR MARK COONEY
“I love it when students discover thatsomething they thought was too difficultis, in fact, entirely within their abilities.”PROFESSOR JONI LARSON
“I am struck by the collegiality and accessibility of our faculty, who arededicated to helping our studentsdevelop the skills necessary for effectivelegal practice. I very much enjoy work-ing with students to achieve this goal,whether in the classroom, in preparingfor moot court competitions, or as part ofour foreign study programs.” PROFESSOR DAVID FINNEGAN
“I practiced law for nearly 30 years beforejoining the WMU-Cooley faculty, and in thattime I saw hundreds of new lawyers fromdozens of law schools enter the GrandRapids legal community. I could tell then,and understand why now that I am on the inside, that WMU-Cooley graduates are bet-ter prepared than others to undertake imme-diately the kinds of real-life tasks lawyersmust confront. Our faculty doesn't just teachour students substantive law, we train themin practical skills using our own experi-ences so they will be practice-ready fromthe very outset of their careers. I am privileged to be a part of that.”PROFESSOR PAUL SORENSEN
PAUL SORENSEN B.A. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN J.D. DUKE UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL
Before joining the WMU-Cooley faculty,Professor Martin-Scott was Chief Adminis-trative Law Judge for the State of Indiana’s Unemployment Insurance Review Board.She also served as State Purchasing Director and General Counsel for the Indiana Department of Administration.She served as an adjunct Business Law professor for the Indiana Vocational Technical College, an Administrative Appeals Judge, an Assistant City Attorneyfor the city of Evansville, Indiana, and wasin private practice handling criminal andcivil matters. An avid and active member ofnumerous programs in support of childrenand the community, she is a judge in theIngham County Teen Court diversion program. She was awarded a TrailblazerAward in 2012 for her many contributionsto children and the community. ProfessorMartin-Scott Chairs the contracts depart-ment and teaches Contracts I and II, Salesand Commercial Paper.
MONICA NUCKOLLS B.A. MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITYJ.D. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL
RICHARD HENKEB.A. UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAMEJ.D. SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW
JONI LARSONB.A. UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA M.A. MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY J.D. UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA SCHOOL OF LAWLL.M. UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA COLLEGE OF LAW
TRACEY BRAMEB.A. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN J.D. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
STEVIE SWANSONB.A. YALE UNIVERSITYJ.D. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL
“Clinical work is so meaningful becauseit allows students to serve our local community while developing skills thatthey will use to help those in their owncommunities and the world at large.” PROFESSOR TRACEY BRAME
Before joining the WMU-Cooley faculty in2001, Professor Swedlow served as anAssistant Federal Defender in the CapitalHabeas Corpus Unit of the Federal Community Defender Office for the EasternDistrict of Pennsylvania and as a Staff Attorney in both the U.S. Courts of Appealsfor the Second and Third Circuits. Shehas been a contributing editor for theAmerican Bar Association's Preview ofUnited States Supreme Court Decisions,the Vice-Chair of the Death Penalty Committee of the American Bar Associa-tion’s Section on Individual Rights andResponsibility, and a Member of the Selection and Screening Committees forthe American Bar Association’s SilverGavel Awards for Media and the Arts.
From 2001 to 2005, Professor Swedlowwas the co-director of the WMU-ThomasM. Cooley Innocence Project. ProfessorSwedlow teaches Criminal Law, CriminalProcedure, Death Penalty Law, andWrongful Convictions.
I am proud to receive my legal education from lawprofessors who havebeen practicing attorneys and are trulycommitted to WMU-Cooley students. Theyhave been awesomementors for me. NITZA M. GALLARDO, NJ2013 GRADUATE
“Helping those less fortunate is my passion.WMU-Cooley not only allows me to pursue a number of community based initiatives with my students, but fully supports thoseendeavors. Those interested in being ofservice will find WMU-Cooley a very welcoming environment filled with opportunities to effectuate positive changein the world.”PROFESSOR STEVIE SWANSON
MARK COONEY B.A. RUTGERS UNIVERSITYJ.D. WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL
“My scholarship in the field of ProductsLiability allows me to inform students ofthe latest developments in this fastchanging area of Tort law.” PROFESSOR RICHARD HENKE
NELSON MILLERB.A. INDIANA UNIVERSITY J.D. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
“Teaching and learning law is the mostsatisfying of academic pursuits becauseit is the best possible foundation for effective service.”PROFESSOR NELSON MILLER
“Teaching law is more than a professionto me – it's a calling. There is no greaterjoy than to help a student understand, appreciate, and challenge the law, all atthe same time.” PROFESSOR MONICA NUCKOLLS
KATHY SWEDLOWB.S. CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITYJ.D. CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK LAW SCHOOL
MABLE MARTIN-SCOTTB.A. UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOISJ.D. UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
“It's so important for new lawyers to beas practice-ready as they can possiblybe. WMU-Cooley places a strong emphasis on practical skills and training,and our students experience that in almost every class — from the first termright up until graduation.”PROFESSOR KATHY SWEDLOW
“Law Schools are seeking ways to bridgethe gap between law school and practice.That has never been an issue here atWMU-Cooley. My job is to push studentsto understand how legal rules are de-signed to solve social problems. Weteach the law, and our professional back-grounds provide us with infinite examplesof how that law has been applied.”PROFESSOR MABLE MARTIN-SCOTT
Professor Sorensen was a partner withWarner Norcross & Judd LLP before joiningthe full-time faculty at WMU-Cooley. Heled the firm's large team of labor and employment litigators and defended clientsin more than 400 employment lawsuits. In addition to employment litigation, Professor Sorensen handled various othertypes of commercial lawsuits as well, including products liability and insurancecoverage disputes. He teaches Torts I and Torts II, Equity & Remedies, and Negotiations.
Professor Nuckolls teaches Torts I, Torts II,and Equity & Remedies at WMU-Cooley,and serves as the vice-chair of the TortsDepartment. She has co-authored severalbooks that teach young people about thelaw and responsible citizenship. She created an anti-bullying program to teachyoung people and educators about thelegal, social, and psychological effects ofthis type of destructive behavior. ProfessorNuckolls is a past recipient of the StateBar of Michigan’s Champion of JusticeAward and the NAACP (Saginaw Branch)Community Service Award.
Harvard University Press's book What theBest Law Teachers Do recognized AssociateDean Miller as among two dozen of the toplaw professors in the country. Dean Millerhas published 23 books and dozens ofbook chapters and articles on torts, civilprocedure, constitutional law, legal ethics,law practice, and legal education, amongother subjects. Before joining WMU-Cooley,Dean Miller litigated airliner, boat, and vehicle-crash cases, civil rights cases, andother civil cases in the state and federaltrial and appellate courts for 16 years, winning and defending multi-million dollarclaims. Dean Miller has won statewideawards for pro bono service and diversityinitiatives.
Before joining the faculty at WMU-Cooley,Professor Swanson served as Director ofLegal Services and Policy for CommunityLegal Resources in Detroit supervising theirpro bono program, providing direct legal serv-ices to non-profit corporations, and facilitating the Affordability PreservationProject. She was previously a Visiting ClinicalProfessor at The Legal Assistance for UrbanCommunities Clinic at the University ofMichigan Law School where she co-taught a real estate and corporate transactions sem-inar and represented non-profits with affordable housing matters. She is the author of Human Trafficking and 32 BillionReasons to Fight It; Aiming for Chocolate:Building A Student’s Practice Skills in Property Law, in Teaching Law Practice:Preparing The Next Generation Of Lawyers;and Sitting on Your Rights: Why the Statuteof Limitations for Adverse Possession ShouldNot Protect Couch Potato Future InterestHolders. Professor Swanson teaches PropertyI, Property II, and Secured Transactions.
Before becoming part of the faculty in2006, Professor Brame worked as a staffattorney for Legal Aid of Western Michiganwhere she advised and represented low-in-come clients on family law, housing, andconsumer law issues. She was a researchand writing specialist with the Federal De-fender Office and was an assistant de-fender with the State Appellate DefenderOffice in Detroit. Professor Brame startedand runs the Access to Justice Clinic inGrand Rapids, and also leads the WestMichigan Public Defender Clinic. In 2014,she was chosen as one of MichiganLawyers Weekly's Women in the Law, aswell as Grand Rapid’s LINC Community Revitalization Cornerstone Award recipientfor her work in the Public Defenders Clinic.Professor Brame teaches Family Law, Raceand the Supreme Court, and a DeathPenalty Seminar.
Professor Finnegan’s broad academic background and work experience provoke engaging and diverse classroom conversa-tion, whether in one of his Property or International Law classes, or as a facultyadvisor to WMU-Cooley's Jessup Interna-tional Law Moot Court team. ProfessorFinnegan graduated with honors from theUniversity of Michigan Law School, trainedat the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, studied and did research atthe University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzaniaand the University of Nairobi in Kenya, and practiced law in Washington, D.C.
After graduating first in his law schoolclass, Professor Cooney practiced for adecade, handling civil appeals and chairingthe State Bar of Michigan’s Appellate Practice Section. He has lectured widelyon legal writing and has published a bookand numerous articles on legal style. He also edits the Scribes Journal of Legal Writing and serves as a writing consultant to the Michigan SupremeCourt’s committee on standard criminaljury instructions. He teaches Research & Writing and Advanced Writing.
Professor Henke began his legal career as ajudicial law clerk in the Superior Court ofNew Jersey, then was appointed by theNew Jersey Supreme Court as Special Master for the asbestos litigation in NewJersey. Subsequently, he was appointed asSpecial Master in other mass tort litigation,including major landfill cases and the silicone gel breast implant litigation. Hebegan his teaching career at Seton HallLaw School where he taught Products Liability and Toxic Torts, an elective he developed for upper term students. He alsopublished several articles in the field ofProducts Liability, and co-authored a chapter of a Products Liability casebook.Professor Henke began teaching at WMU-Cooley in 1996 and was elected to theAmerican Law Institute in 2005. His scholarly writing continues to be cited bycourts and other legal commentators foranalysis and insight into complex product liability matters. A multiple-time winner ofthe Stanley E. Beattie Award for excellencein teaching and a member of the WMU-CooleyLegal Author Society, Professor Henketeaches Torts I and II, Environmental Torts,Equities & Remedies, and Products Liability.
Before teaching full time, Professor Larsonpracticed 12 years in a variety of settings.She began her career as a law clerk for theHon. Irene F. Scott of the U.S. Tax Court.For the next three years she was a tax litigator for District Counsel, representingthe IRS in the U.S. Tax Court. She thenspent several years in private practice, specializing in estate and tax planning, probate, and pension and profit sharingplans. She returned to the IRS in the Officeof Chief Counsel, this time at the National Office. Since teaching full time, she hasauthored several books, including A Practitioner’s Guide to Tax Evidence, amust-have handbook for attorneys litigatingin the Tax Court.
135735_GATEFOLDS_Layout 1 9/11/14 8:29 AM Page 2
WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL11 KNOWLEDGE | SKILLS | ETHICS 12
DAVID FINNEGANB.S.F.S. GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, J.D. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOLPH.D. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
“WMU-Cooley’s unwavering commitmentto the field of legal writing has inspiredme to pursue scholarship in that area.” PROFESSOR MARK COONEY
“I love it when students discover thatsomething they thought was too difficultis, in fact, entirely within their abilities.”PROFESSOR JONI LARSON
“I am struck by the collegiality and accessibility of our faculty, who arededicated to helping our studentsdevelop the skills necessary for effectivelegal practice. I very much enjoy work-ing with students to achieve this goal,whether in the classroom, in preparingfor moot court competitions, or as part ofour foreign study programs.” PROFESSOR DAVID FINNEGAN
“I practiced law for nearly 30 years beforejoining the WMU-Cooley faculty, and in thattime I saw hundreds of new lawyers fromdozens of law schools enter the GrandRapids legal community. I could tell then,and understand why now that I am on the inside, that WMU-Cooley graduates are bet-ter prepared than others to undertake imme-diately the kinds of real-life tasks lawyersmust confront. Our faculty doesn't just teachour students substantive law, we train themin practical skills using our own experi-ences so they will be practice-ready fromthe very outset of their careers. I am privileged to be a part of that.”PROFESSOR PAUL SORENSEN
PAUL SORENSEN B.A. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN J.D. DUKE UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL
Before joining the WMU-Cooley faculty,Professor Martin-Scott was Chief Adminis-trative Law Judge for the State of Indiana’s Unemployment Insurance Review Board.She also served as State Purchasing Director and General Counsel for the Indiana Department of Administration.She served as an adjunct Business Law professor for the Indiana Vocational Technical College, an Administrative Appeals Judge, an Assistant City Attorneyfor the city of Evansville, Indiana, and wasin private practice handling criminal andcivil matters. An avid and active member ofnumerous programs in support of childrenand the community, she is a judge in theIngham County Teen Court diversion program. She was awarded a TrailblazerAward in 2012 for her many contributionsto children and the community. ProfessorMartin-Scott Chairs the contracts depart-ment and teaches Contracts I and II, Salesand Commercial Paper.
MONICA NUCKOLLS B.A. MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITYJ.D. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL
RICHARD HENKEB.A. UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAMEJ.D. SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW
JONI LARSONB.A. UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA M.A. MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY J.D. UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA SCHOOL OF LAWLL.M. UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA COLLEGE OF LAW
TRACEY BRAMEB.A. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN J.D. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
STEVIE SWANSONB.A. YALE UNIVERSITYJ.D. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL
“Clinical work is so meaningful becauseit allows students to serve our local community while developing skills thatthey will use to help those in their owncommunities and the world at large.” PROFESSOR TRACEY BRAME
Before joining the WMU-Cooley faculty in2001, Professor Swedlow served as anAssistant Federal Defender in the CapitalHabeas Corpus Unit of the Federal Community Defender Office for the EasternDistrict of Pennsylvania and as a Staff Attorney in both the U.S. Courts of Appealsfor the Second and Third Circuits. Shehas been a contributing editor for theAmerican Bar Association's Preview ofUnited States Supreme Court Decisions,the Vice-Chair of the Death Penalty Committee of the American Bar Associa-tion’s Section on Individual Rights andResponsibility, and a Member of the Selection and Screening Committees forthe American Bar Association’s SilverGavel Awards for Media and the Arts.
From 2001 to 2005, Professor Swedlowwas the co-director of the WMU-ThomasM. Cooley Innocence Project. ProfessorSwedlow teaches Criminal Law, CriminalProcedure, Death Penalty Law, andWrongful Convictions.
I am proud to receive my legal education from lawprofessors who havebeen practicing attorneys and are trulycommitted to WMU-Cooley students. Theyhave been awesomementors for me. NITZA M. GALLARDO, NJ2013 GRADUATE
“Helping those less fortunate is my passion.WMU-Cooley not only allows me to pursue a number of community based initiatives with my students, but fully supports thoseendeavors. Those interested in being ofservice will find WMU-Cooley a very welcoming environment filled with opportunities to effectuate positive changein the world.”PROFESSOR STEVIE SWANSON
MARK COONEY B.A. RUTGERS UNIVERSITYJ.D. WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL
“My scholarship in the field of ProductsLiability allows me to inform students ofthe latest developments in this fastchanging area of Tort law.” PROFESSOR RICHARD HENKE
NELSON MILLERB.A. INDIANA UNIVERSITY J.D. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
“Teaching and learning law is the mostsatisfying of academic pursuits becauseit is the best possible foundation for effective service.”PROFESSOR NELSON MILLER
“Teaching law is more than a professionto me – it's a calling. There is no greaterjoy than to help a student understand, appreciate, and challenge the law, all atthe same time.” PROFESSOR MONICA NUCKOLLS
KATHY SWEDLOWB.S. CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITYJ.D. CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK LAW SCHOOL
MABLE MARTIN-SCOTTB.A. UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOISJ.D. UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
“It's so important for new lawyers to beas practice-ready as they can possiblybe. WMU-Cooley places a strong emphasis on practical skills and training,and our students experience that in almost every class — from the first termright up until graduation.”PROFESSOR KATHY SWEDLOW
“Law Schools are seeking ways to bridgethe gap between law school and practice.That has never been an issue here atWMU-Cooley. My job is to push studentsto understand how legal rules are de-signed to solve social problems. Weteach the law, and our professional back-grounds provide us with infinite examplesof how that law has been applied.”PROFESSOR MABLE MARTIN-SCOTT
Professor Sorensen was a partner withWarner Norcross & Judd LLP before joiningthe full-time faculty at WMU-Cooley. Heled the firm's large team of labor and employment litigators and defended clientsin more than 400 employment lawsuits. In addition to employment litigation, Professor Sorensen handled various othertypes of commercial lawsuits as well, including products liability and insurancecoverage disputes. He teaches Torts I and Torts II, Equity & Remedies, and Negotiations.
Professor Nuckolls teaches Torts I, Torts II,and Equity & Remedies at WMU-Cooley,and serves as the vice-chair of the TortsDepartment. She has co-authored severalbooks that teach young people about thelaw and responsible citizenship. She created an anti-bullying program to teachyoung people and educators about thelegal, social, and psychological effects ofthis type of destructive behavior. ProfessorNuckolls is a past recipient of the StateBar of Michigan’s Champion of JusticeAward and the NAACP (Saginaw Branch)Community Service Award.
Harvard University Press's book What theBest Law Teachers Do recognized AssociateDean Miller as among two dozen of the toplaw professors in the country. Dean Millerhas published 23 books and dozens ofbook chapters and articles on torts, civilprocedure, constitutional law, legal ethics,law practice, and legal education, amongother subjects. Before joining WMU-Cooley,Dean Miller litigated airliner, boat, and vehicle-crash cases, civil rights cases, andother civil cases in the state and federaltrial and appellate courts for 16 years, winning and defending multi-million dollarclaims. Dean Miller has won statewideawards for pro bono service and diversityinitiatives.
Before joining the faculty at WMU-Cooley,Professor Swanson served as Director ofLegal Services and Policy for CommunityLegal Resources in Detroit supervising theirpro bono program, providing direct legal serv-ices to non-profit corporations, and facilitating the Affordability PreservationProject. She was previously a Visiting ClinicalProfessor at The Legal Assistance for UrbanCommunities Clinic at the University ofMichigan Law School where she co-taught a real estate and corporate transactions sem-inar and represented non-profits with affordable housing matters. She is the author of Human Trafficking and 32 BillionReasons to Fight It; Aiming for Chocolate:Building A Student’s Practice Skills in Property Law, in Teaching Law Practice:Preparing The Next Generation Of Lawyers;and Sitting on Your Rights: Why the Statuteof Limitations for Adverse Possession ShouldNot Protect Couch Potato Future InterestHolders. Professor Swanson teaches PropertyI, Property II, and Secured Transactions.
Before becoming part of the faculty in2006, Professor Brame worked as a staffattorney for Legal Aid of Western Michiganwhere she advised and represented low-in-come clients on family law, housing, andconsumer law issues. She was a researchand writing specialist with the Federal De-fender Office and was an assistant de-fender with the State Appellate DefenderOffice in Detroit. Professor Brame startedand runs the Access to Justice Clinic inGrand Rapids, and also leads the WestMichigan Public Defender Clinic. In 2014,she was chosen as one of MichiganLawyers Weekly's Women in the Law, aswell as Grand Rapid’s LINC Community Revitalization Cornerstone Award recipientfor her work in the Public Defenders Clinic.Professor Brame teaches Family Law, Raceand the Supreme Court, and a DeathPenalty Seminar.
Professor Finnegan’s broad academic background and work experience provoke engaging and diverse classroom conversa-tion, whether in one of his Property or International Law classes, or as a facultyadvisor to WMU-Cooley's Jessup Interna-tional Law Moot Court team. ProfessorFinnegan graduated with honors from theUniversity of Michigan Law School, trainedat the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, studied and did research atthe University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzaniaand the University of Nairobi in Kenya, and practiced law in Washington, D.C.
After graduating first in his law schoolclass, Professor Cooney practiced for adecade, handling civil appeals and chairingthe State Bar of Michigan’s Appellate Practice Section. He has lectured widelyon legal writing and has published a bookand numerous articles on legal style. He also edits the Scribes Journal of Legal Writing and serves as a writing consultant to the Michigan SupremeCourt’s committee on standard criminaljury instructions. He teaches Research & Writing and Advanced Writing.
Professor Henke began his legal career as ajudicial law clerk in the Superior Court ofNew Jersey, then was appointed by theNew Jersey Supreme Court as Special Master for the asbestos litigation in NewJersey. Subsequently, he was appointed asSpecial Master in other mass tort litigation,including major landfill cases and the silicone gel breast implant litigation. Hebegan his teaching career at Seton HallLaw School where he taught Products Liability and Toxic Torts, an elective he developed for upper term students. He alsopublished several articles in the field ofProducts Liability, and co-authored a chapter of a Products Liability casebook.Professor Henke began teaching at WMU-Cooley in 1996 and was elected to theAmerican Law Institute in 2005. His scholarly writing continues to be cited bycourts and other legal commentators foranalysis and insight into complex product liability matters. A multiple-time winner ofthe Stanley E. Beattie Award for excellencein teaching and a member of the WMU-CooleyLegal Author Society, Professor Henketeaches Torts I and II, Environmental Torts,Equities & Remedies, and Products Liability.
Before teaching full time, Professor Larsonpracticed 12 years in a variety of settings.She began her career as a law clerk for theHon. Irene F. Scott of the U.S. Tax Court.For the next three years she was a tax litigator for District Counsel, representingthe IRS in the U.S. Tax Court. She thenspent several years in private practice, specializing in estate and tax planning, probate, and pension and profit sharingplans. She returned to the IRS in the Officeof Chief Counsel, this time at the National Office. Since teaching full time, she hasauthored several books, including A Practitioner’s Guide to Tax Evidence, amust-have handbook for attorneys litigatingin the Tax Court.
135735_GATEFOLDS_Layout 1 9/11/14 8:29 AM Page 2
WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL11 KNOWLEDGE | SKILLS | ETHICS 12
DAVID FINNEGANB.S.F.S. GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, J.D. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOLPH.D. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
“WMU-Cooley’s unwavering commitmentto the field of legal writing has inspiredme to pursue scholarship in that area.” PROFESSOR MARK COONEY
“I love it when students discover thatsomething they thought was too difficultis, in fact, entirely within their abilities.”PROFESSOR JONI LARSON
“I am struck by the collegiality and accessibility of our faculty, who arededicated to helping our studentsdevelop the skills necessary for effectivelegal practice. I very much enjoy work-ing with students to achieve this goal,whether in the classroom, in preparingfor moot court competitions, or as part ofour foreign study programs.” PROFESSOR DAVID FINNEGAN
“I practiced law for nearly 30 years beforejoining the WMU-Cooley faculty, and in thattime I saw hundreds of new lawyers fromdozens of law schools enter the GrandRapids legal community. I could tell then,and understand why now that I am on the inside, that WMU-Cooley graduates are bet-ter prepared than others to undertake imme-diately the kinds of real-life tasks lawyersmust confront. Our faculty doesn't just teachour students substantive law, we train themin practical skills using our own experi-ences so they will be practice-ready fromthe very outset of their careers. I am privileged to be a part of that.”PROFESSOR PAUL SORENSEN
PAUL SORENSEN B.A. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN J.D. DUKE UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL
Before joining the WMU-Cooley faculty,Professor Martin-Scott was Chief Adminis-trative Law Judge for the State of Indiana’s Unemployment Insurance Review Board.She also served as State Purchasing Director and General Counsel for the Indiana Department of Administration.She served as an adjunct Business Law professor for the Indiana Vocational Technical College, an Administrative Appeals Judge, an Assistant City Attorneyfor the city of Evansville, Indiana, and wasin private practice handling criminal andcivil matters. An avid and active member ofnumerous programs in support of childrenand the community, she is a judge in theIngham County Teen Court diversion program. She was awarded a TrailblazerAward in 2012 for her many contributionsto children and the community. ProfessorMartin-Scott Chairs the contracts depart-ment and teaches Contracts I and II, Salesand Commercial Paper.
MONICA NUCKOLLS B.A. MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITYJ.D. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL
RICHARD HENKEB.A. UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAMEJ.D. SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW
JONI LARSONB.A. UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA M.A. MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY J.D. UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA SCHOOL OF LAWLL.M. UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA COLLEGE OF LAW
TRACEY BRAMEB.A. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN J.D. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
STEVIE SWANSONB.A. YALE UNIVERSITYJ.D. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL
“Clinical work is so meaningful becauseit allows students to serve our local community while developing skills thatthey will use to help those in their owncommunities and the world at large.” PROFESSOR TRACEY BRAME
Before joining the WMU-Cooley faculty in2001, Professor Swedlow served as anAssistant Federal Defender in the CapitalHabeas Corpus Unit of the Federal Community Defender Office for the EasternDistrict of Pennsylvania and as a Staff Attorney in both the U.S. Courts of Appealsfor the Second and Third Circuits. Shehas been a contributing editor for theAmerican Bar Association's Preview ofUnited States Supreme Court Decisions,the Vice-Chair of the Death Penalty Committee of the American Bar Associa-tion’s Section on Individual Rights andResponsibility, and a Member of the Selection and Screening Committees forthe American Bar Association’s SilverGavel Awards for Media and the Arts.
From 2001 to 2005, Professor Swedlowwas the co-director of the WMU-ThomasM. Cooley Innocence Project. ProfessorSwedlow teaches Criminal Law, CriminalProcedure, Death Penalty Law, andWrongful Convictions.
I am proud to receive my legal education from lawprofessors who havebeen practicing attorneys and are trulycommitted to WMU-Cooley students. Theyhave been awesomementors for me. NITZA M. GALLARDO, NJ2013 GRADUATE
“Helping those less fortunate is my passion.WMU-Cooley not only allows me to pursue a number of community based initiatives with my students, but fully supports thoseendeavors. Those interested in being ofservice will find WMU-Cooley a very welcoming environment filled with opportunities to effectuate positive changein the world.”PROFESSOR STEVIE SWANSON
MARK COONEY B.A. RUTGERS UNIVERSITYJ.D. WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL
“My scholarship in the field of ProductsLiability allows me to inform students ofthe latest developments in this fastchanging area of Tort law.” PROFESSOR RICHARD HENKE
NELSON MILLERB.A. INDIANA UNIVERSITY J.D. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
“Teaching and learning law is the mostsatisfying of academic pursuits becauseit is the best possible foundation for effective service.”PROFESSOR NELSON MILLER
“Teaching law is more than a professionto me – it's a calling. There is no greaterjoy than to help a student understand, appreciate, and challenge the law, all atthe same time.” PROFESSOR MONICA NUCKOLLS
KATHY SWEDLOWB.S. CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITYJ.D. CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK LAW SCHOOL
MABLE MARTIN-SCOTTB.A. UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOISJ.D. UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
“It's so important for new lawyers to beas practice-ready as they can possiblybe. WMU-Cooley places a strong emphasis on practical skills and training,and our students experience that in almost every class — from the first termright up until graduation.”PROFESSOR KATHY SWEDLOW
“Law Schools are seeking ways to bridgethe gap between law school and practice.That has never been an issue here atWMU-Cooley. My job is to push studentsto understand how legal rules are de-signed to solve social problems. Weteach the law, and our professional back-grounds provide us with infinite examplesof how that law has been applied.”PROFESSOR MABLE MARTIN-SCOTT
Professor Sorensen was a partner withWarner Norcross & Judd LLP before joiningthe full-time faculty at WMU-Cooley. Heled the firm's large team of labor and employment litigators and defended clientsin more than 400 employment lawsuits. In addition to employment litigation, Professor Sorensen handled various othertypes of commercial lawsuits as well, including products liability and insurancecoverage disputes. He teaches Torts I and Torts II, Equity & Remedies, and Negotiations.
Professor Nuckolls teaches Torts I, Torts II,and Equity & Remedies at WMU-Cooley,and serves as the vice-chair of the TortsDepartment. She has co-authored severalbooks that teach young people about thelaw and responsible citizenship. She created an anti-bullying program to teachyoung people and educators about thelegal, social, and psychological effects ofthis type of destructive behavior. ProfessorNuckolls is a past recipient of the StateBar of Michigan’s Champion of JusticeAward and the NAACP (Saginaw Branch)Community Service Award.
Harvard University Press's book What theBest Law Teachers Do recognized AssociateDean Miller as among two dozen of the toplaw professors in the country. Dean Millerhas published 23 books and dozens ofbook chapters and articles on torts, civilprocedure, constitutional law, legal ethics,law practice, and legal education, amongother subjects. Before joining WMU-Cooley,Dean Miller litigated airliner, boat, and vehicle-crash cases, civil rights cases, andother civil cases in the state and federaltrial and appellate courts for 16 years, winning and defending multi-million dollarclaims. Dean Miller has won statewideawards for pro bono service and diversityinitiatives.
Before joining the faculty at WMU-Cooley,Professor Swanson served as Director ofLegal Services and Policy for CommunityLegal Resources in Detroit supervising theirpro bono program, providing direct legal serv-ices to non-profit corporations, and facilitating the Affordability PreservationProject. She was previously a Visiting ClinicalProfessor at The Legal Assistance for UrbanCommunities Clinic at the University ofMichigan Law School where she co-taught a real estate and corporate transactions sem-inar and represented non-profits with affordable housing matters. She is the author of Human Trafficking and 32 BillionReasons to Fight It; Aiming for Chocolate:Building A Student’s Practice Skills in Property Law, in Teaching Law Practice:Preparing The Next Generation Of Lawyers;and Sitting on Your Rights: Why the Statuteof Limitations for Adverse Possession ShouldNot Protect Couch Potato Future InterestHolders. Professor Swanson teaches PropertyI, Property II, and Secured Transactions.
Before becoming part of the faculty in2006, Professor Brame worked as a staffattorney for Legal Aid of Western Michiganwhere she advised and represented low-in-come clients on family law, housing, andconsumer law issues. She was a researchand writing specialist with the Federal De-fender Office and was an assistant de-fender with the State Appellate DefenderOffice in Detroit. Professor Brame startedand runs the Access to Justice Clinic inGrand Rapids, and also leads the WestMichigan Public Defender Clinic. In 2014,she was chosen as one of MichiganLawyers Weekly's Women in the Law, aswell as Grand Rapid’s LINC Community Revitalization Cornerstone Award recipientfor her work in the Public Defenders Clinic.Professor Brame teaches Family Law, Raceand the Supreme Court, and a DeathPenalty Seminar.
Professor Finnegan’s broad academic background and work experience provoke engaging and diverse classroom conversa-tion, whether in one of his Property or International Law classes, or as a facultyadvisor to WMU-Cooley's Jessup Interna-tional Law Moot Court team. ProfessorFinnegan graduated with honors from theUniversity of Michigan Law School, trainedat the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, studied and did research atthe University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzaniaand the University of Nairobi in Kenya, and practiced law in Washington, D.C.
After graduating first in his law schoolclass, Professor Cooney practiced for adecade, handling civil appeals and chairingthe State Bar of Michigan’s Appellate Practice Section. He has lectured widelyon legal writing and has published a bookand numerous articles on legal style. He also edits the Scribes Journal of Legal Writing and serves as a writing consultant to the Michigan SupremeCourt’s committee on standard criminaljury instructions. He teaches Research & Writing and Advanced Writing.
Professor Henke began his legal career as ajudicial law clerk in the Superior Court ofNew Jersey, then was appointed by theNew Jersey Supreme Court as Special Master for the asbestos litigation in NewJersey. Subsequently, he was appointed asSpecial Master in other mass tort litigation,including major landfill cases and the silicone gel breast implant litigation. Hebegan his teaching career at Seton HallLaw School where he taught Products Liability and Toxic Torts, an elective he developed for upper term students. He alsopublished several articles in the field ofProducts Liability, and co-authored a chapter of a Products Liability casebook.Professor Henke began teaching at WMU-Cooley in 1996 and was elected to theAmerican Law Institute in 2005. His scholarly writing continues to be cited bycourts and other legal commentators foranalysis and insight into complex product liability matters. A multiple-time winner ofthe Stanley E. Beattie Award for excellencein teaching and a member of the WMU-CooleyLegal Author Society, Professor Henketeaches Torts I and II, Environmental Torts,Equities & Remedies, and Products Liability.
Before teaching full time, Professor Larsonpracticed 12 years in a variety of settings.She began her career as a law clerk for theHon. Irene F. Scott of the U.S. Tax Court.For the next three years she was a tax litigator for District Counsel, representingthe IRS in the U.S. Tax Court. She thenspent several years in private practice, specializing in estate and tax planning, probate, and pension and profit sharingplans. She returned to the IRS in the Officeof Chief Counsel, this time at the National Office. Since teaching full time, she hasauthored several books, including A Practitioner’s Guide to Tax Evidence, amust-have handbook for attorneys litigatingin the Tax Court.
135735_GATEFOLDS_Layout 1 9/11/14 8:29 AM Page 2
13 9
PROFESSOR DEVIN SCHINDLERPROFESSOR KATHY SWEDLOW
WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL
Imagine learning criminal law from a professor who has 20 years of experience as a prosecutor — or learning about homeland and national security from a professor who served as a Brigadier Generaland U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Homeland Defense Strategy.
A Faculty that Speaks from Experience
FACULTY STATISTICS
13.22Student/facultyratio
9Out of 10 average faculty rating
11Average years of practice experience
The Write Stuff
LEGAL DRAFTING WMU-Cooley was one ofthe first law schools in thenation to require course-work in legal drafting.
1st
CREDIT HOURSStudents are required totake at least six credithours of research and writing. This results in askill set that gives studentsa distinct advantage.
6
CHOOSE WRITING ELECTIVESStudents can also choosefrom additional electives,such as Scholarly Writing,Pre-Trial Skills, AppellatePractice, and more.
3+
SPECIALIZE YOUR CURRICULUMWhether you are interested in environmental law, sports and entertainment law, or civil rights, you can tailor your curriculum to meet your interests. For a complete list oflaw specialties, go to wmich.edu/law.
DUAL-DEGREE PROGRAMSWMU-Cooley has developed dual-degree programs with several institutions of higher learning, providing you the opportunity to earn a juris doctor degree and a master’s degree in Business Administration, Educational Leadership, Health Administration, HumanResources and Organizational Development, Public Administration, or Social Work.
MASTER OF LAWS (LL.M.) DEGREESWMU-Cooley offers a broad array of graduate legal education programs. Students canearn an LL.M. degree in Tax, Intellectual Property Law, Corporate Law and Finance, Insurance Law, Homeland and National Security Law, Self-Directed Study, and U.S.Legal Studies for Foreign Attorneys.
“THE WMU-COOLEY CURRICULUM EXPANDEDMY KNOWLEDGE OF THE
LAW, and just as importantly, provided methe tools and networking opportunitiesthat I needed to embark on my journeyinto the legal field. I have come to find inmy own professional practice that legalknowledge has no value unless you knowhow to effectively apply it. WMU-Cooleyfaculty taught me how to put theory intopractice so that I can be the best lawyerthat I can be.”
BLAKE LANGE 2012 GRADUATE
Morgan & Morgan, P.A., Naples, FL
Students who attend WMU-Cooley come from across the nation andfrom around the world. The diversity of backgrounds and perspectives creates a dynamic, open, and uniquely stimulating learning environment, enriching the educational experience and, ultimately, thecareer of every WMU-Cooley graduate.
A Learning Environment with Many Perspectives
WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL
PROFESSOR MARLA MITCHELL-CICHON
UnmatchedExcellence
BEST LAW TEACHERSWMU-Cooley Law Schoolhas the distinction ofbeing the only law schoolin the country with twomembers of its faculty,out of only 26 namednationally, featured inWhat the Best Law Teachers Do (Harvard University Press, 2013).
HIGH FACULTY RANKINGSStudents think veryhighly of their professors,consistently ranking thefaculty a nine on a scale of10 in course evaluations.
MORE EXPERIENCEWMU-Cooley professorsteach three semesters ayear, which adds up to afaculty with more teachingexperience than almostany other law faculty inthe country.
WORLD CLASS PROFESSORSWMU-Cooley's world-class professors regularly servethe local, national, and international media as experts on nearly everylegal issue, article, or story.
WMU-Cooley law professors base their teaching on vast experience as practicing attorneys. Our faculty average 11 years of practice experience before entering the class-room. To compare, many law professors around the country have never practiced law.
In addition to teaching a theoretical foundation, the real-world experience of the facultyprovides valuable insights into the practice of law.
The inside pages highlight only a few of WMU-Cooley’s outstanding faculty members. Visit our website to see the entire list of WMU-Cooley’sexceptional full-time faculty and their accomplishments.
135735_GATEFOLDS_Layout 1 9/12/14 10:43 AM Page 1
13 9
PROFESSOR DEVIN SCHINDLERPROFESSOR KATHY SWEDLOW
WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL
Imagine learning criminal law from a professor who has 20 years of experience as a prosecutor — or learning about homeland and national security from a professor who served as a Brigadier Generaland U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Homeland Defense Strategy.
A Faculty that Speaks from Experience
FACULTY STATISTICS
13.22Student/facultyratio
9Out of 10 average faculty rating
11Average years of practice experience
The Write Stuff
LEGAL DRAFTING WMU-Cooley was one ofthe first law schools in thenation to require course-work in legal drafting.
1st
CREDIT HOURSStudents are required totake at least six credithours of research and writing. This results in askill set that gives studentsa distinct advantage.
6
CHOOSE WRITING ELECTIVESStudents can also choosefrom additional electives,such as Scholarly Writing,Pre-Trial Skills, AppellatePractice, and more.
3+
SPECIALIZE YOUR CURRICULUMWhether you are interested in environmental law, sports and entertainment law, or civil rights, you can tailor your curriculum to meet your interests. For a complete list oflaw specialties, go to wmich.edu/law.
DUAL-DEGREE PROGRAMSWMU-Cooley has developed dual-degree programs with several institutions of higher learning, providing you the opportunity to earn a juris doctor degree and a master’s degree in Business Administration, Educational Leadership, Health Administration, HumanResources and Organizational Development, Public Administration, or Social Work.
MASTER OF LAWS (LL.M.) DEGREESWMU-Cooley offers a broad array of graduate legal education programs. Students canearn an LL.M. degree in Tax, Intellectual Property Law, Corporate Law and Finance, Insurance Law, Homeland and National Security Law, Self-Directed Study, and U.S.Legal Studies for Foreign Attorneys.
“THE WMU-COOLEY CURRICULUM EXPANDEDMY KNOWLEDGE OF THE
LAW, and just as importantly, provided methe tools and networking opportunitiesthat I needed to embark on my journeyinto the legal field. I have come to find inmy own professional practice that legalknowledge has no value unless you knowhow to effectively apply it. WMU-Cooleyfaculty taught me how to put theory intopractice so that I can be the best lawyerthat I can be.”
BLAKE LANGE 2012 GRADUATE
Morgan & Morgan, P.A., Naples, FL
Students who attend WMU-Cooley come from across the nation andfrom around the world. The diversity of backgrounds and perspectives creates a dynamic, open, and uniquely stimulating learning environment, enriching the educational experience and, ultimately, thecareer of every WMU-Cooley graduate.
A Learning Environment with Many Perspectives
WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL
PROFESSOR MARLA MITCHELL-CICHON
UnmatchedExcellence
BEST LAW TEACHERSWMU-Cooley Law Schoolhas the distinction ofbeing the only law schoolin the country with twomembers of its faculty,out of only 26 namednationally, featured inWhat the Best Law Teachers Do (Harvard University Press, 2013).
HIGH FACULTY RANKINGSStudents think veryhighly of their professors,consistently ranking thefaculty a nine on a scale of10 in course evaluations.
MORE EXPERIENCEWMU-Cooley professorsteach three semesters ayear, which adds up to afaculty with more teachingexperience than almostany other law faculty inthe country.
WORLD CLASS PROFESSORSWMU-Cooley's world-class professors regularly servethe local, national, and international media as experts on nearly everylegal issue, article, or story.
WMU-Cooley law professors base their teaching on vast experience as practicing attorneys. Our faculty average 11 years of practice experience before entering the class-room. To compare, many law professors around the country have never practiced law.
In addition to teaching a theoretical foundation, the real-world experience of the facultyprovides valuable insights into the practice of law.
The inside pages highlight only a few of WMU-Cooley’s outstanding faculty members. Visit our website to see the entire list of WMU-Cooley’sexceptional full-time faculty and their accomplishments.
135735_GATEFOLDS_Layout 1 9/12/14 10:43 AM Page 1
KNOWLEDGE | SKILLS | ETHICS 14
The law school believes lawyers and judges should mirror the rich diversity found in the communities they serve. A diverse studentbody contributes to a more vital, well-rounded, and empatheticlegal profession.
31%Studentsof color
STUDENT BODY DEMOGRAPHICS
Top 5International student enrollment
19-67Age range
50/50Male to femaleratio
100+ Veterans currently attending – designated a military friendly institution
135735_16 PAGE_Layout 1 9/10/14 2:07 PM Page 7
WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL15
Students have ample opportunities to pursue their interests and improvetheir skills while serving their communities. Some examples include:
Vibrant Student Life
50+Studentorganizations
Foreign StudyAustralia/New Zealand, England, Canada, Germany and other locations
Law Review, Journals, and Competitions: WMU-Cooley Law Review,Journal of Practical and Clinical Law, Intra-School and National Moot Court Competitions, First Year Competition, Evidence Competition, Intra-School Trial Competition, Invitational Trial Competition, National Mock Trial Teams, National Trial Advocacy, Client Counseling, ABA Negotiation Competition
WMU-COOLEY MOCK TRIAL COMPETITION
135735_16 PAGE_Layout 1 9/10/14 2:08 PM Page 8
IN-HOUSE CLINICSWMU-Cooley has 10 in-house (on campus ornearby) clinics giving students real-world experience that allows themto hit the ground runningthe day they graduate.
• Access to Justice• Debt Relief Clinic• Estate Planning (2 locations)
• Family Law Assistance Project
• Immigrant Rights and Civil Advocacy
• WMU-Cooley InnocenceProject
• Public Defender Clinics (2 locations)
• Sixty Plus Inc., ElderlawClinic
EXTERNSHIPSStudents can explore theirchosen field of work andgain valuable experience byparticipating with an experi-enced lawyer at one of morethan 3,000 externship sitesworldwide. The WMU-Cooley Externship Programis a partnership betweenstudents, practicing attorneys, and faculty. Inour externships, studentsmay earn up to 10
academic credits for workthat they perform under alicensed attorney who hasbeen practicing for at leastthree years. Refer to themap in this viewbook to geta sense of the vast offeringsof externship opportunities.
STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMSStudents can broaden theirlegal education by studyingat various locations aroundthe world.
WMU-COOLEY SPONSORED PROGRAMS: • Australia/New Zealand• Münster, Germany• Oxford, England• Toronto, Canada
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS:• Cape Town, South Africa• Costa Rica• Galway, Ireland• Geneva, Switzerland• Istanbul, Turkey• Madrid, Spain• Munich, Germany• Paris and Montpellier, France
• Shanghai, China• Singapore• Tokyo, Japan
OXFORD, ENGLANDOXFORD, ENGLAND
MÜNSTER, GERMANY TORONTO, CANADA
WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL21
A lawyer’s professional reputation and character mean everything.During law school, students must live and perform as professionals,learning not just a body of knowledge and skills. Students mustalso embrace the ethics, values, conduct, and service required oftheir profession.
Developing Your Ethics and Character
5,000+ Volumes of ethics materials
42,000+ Pro bono hours
420,000Free legal service hours
16
COMPETITIONS Students earned “top oral advocate” honors at national mootcourt competitions in New Yorkand Los Angeles. A team recentlyearned the national title in aclient counseling competition,later representing the UnitedStates in a world competitionheld in Europe.
SCHOLARLY JOURNALS Students can earn the chance toserve on the school’s Law Reviewor its Journal of Practical and Clinical Law. Students earning anLL.M. in Homeland and NationalSecurity Law can earn the chanceto serve on that program’s newonline Homeland and NationalSecurity Law Journal.
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS Students have the ability to expand their leadership skills anddevelop lasting relationships withfellow students through involve-ment in student organizations.You might be interested in representing the voice of studentswithin the Student Bar Association,or participating in organizationssuch as the Black Law Student’sAssociation, or exploring the intersections of faith and the lawin the Muslim, Christian, or Jewish student groups.Studentscan also participate in organizationsrelated to sports law, intellectualproperty law, criminal law, and avariety of other subjects.
PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICESWMU-Cooley offers pro-bono opportunities for students to helpprovide free legal assistance to people who cannot afford represen-tation. Faculty, staff, and students have contributed hundreds of thou-sands of hours of free legal serviceper year through pro bono projects, externships, and clinics.
COMMUNITY SERVICE Students, faculty and staff generously serve communitiesnot only where they live, butaround the country. Recent service to communities include:• Hurricane and disaster relief• Mentoring high school students
• Supporting children’s literacy programs
• Veteran assistance programs• Mental health initiatives
AUBURN HILLS CAMPUSWMU-COOLEY FOR KIDS
One of the greatest advantages of a legal education is that it can take you anywhere in the world. As you come to the conclusion of your studies at WMU-Cooley, you choose a real-life experience to complete your legal education. WMU-Cooley is one of the few schools in the country that require a clinicalexperience, either an externship or an in-house clinic, before graduation. You have many choices.
4+Foreign studylocations
4Campus locations
3,000+ Externship sites
10In-house clinics
LUTHER BUNTING, JR.2014 GRADUATE
What does it really mean to be “practice-ready,” particularly in a globalcommunity? At WMU-Cooley the answer is clear. Since its beginning,more than 40 years ago, the law school has provided opportunities to putstudents into the field of practice. WMU-Cooley’s strong skills curriculum,coupled with thousands of opportunities to apply those skills, will set youapart and give you confidence to be an attorney from day one.
GLOBALLY ENGAGED135735_GATEFOLDS_Layout 1 9/11/14 8:29 AM Page 3
IN-HOUSE CLINICSWMU-Cooley has 10 in-house (on campus ornearby) clinics giving students real-world experience that allows themto hit the ground runningthe day they graduate.
• Access to Justice• Debt Relief Clinic• Estate Planning (2 locations)
• Family Law Assistance Project
• Immigrant Rights and Civil Advocacy
• WMU-Cooley InnocenceProject
• Public Defender Clinics (2 locations)
• Sixty Plus Inc., ElderlawClinic
EXTERNSHIPSStudents can explore theirchosen field of work andgain valuable experience byparticipating with an experi-enced lawyer at one of morethan 3,000 externship sitesworldwide. The WMU-Cooley Externship Programis a partnership betweenstudents, practicing attorneys, and faculty. Inour externships, studentsmay earn up to 10
academic credits for workthat they perform under alicensed attorney who hasbeen practicing for at leastthree years. Refer to themap in this viewbook to geta sense of the vast offeringsof externship opportunities.
STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMSStudents can broaden theirlegal education by studyingat various locations aroundthe world.
WMU-COOLEY SPONSORED PROGRAMS: • Australia/New Zealand• Münster, Germany• Oxford, England• Toronto, Canada
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS:• Cape Town, South Africa• Costa Rica• Galway, Ireland• Geneva, Switzerland• Istanbul, Turkey• Madrid, Spain• Munich, Germany• Paris and Montpellier, France
• Shanghai, China• Singapore• Tokyo, Japan
OXFORD, ENGLANDOXFORD, ENGLAND
MÜNSTER, GERMANY TORONTO, CANADA
WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL21
A lawyer’s professional reputation and character mean everything.During law school, students must live and perform as professionals,learning not just a body of knowledge and skills. Students mustalso embrace the ethics, values, conduct, and service required oftheir profession.
Developing Your Ethics and Character
5,000+ Volumes of ethics materials
42,000+ Pro bono hours
420,000Free legal service hours
16
COMPETITIONS Students earned “top oral advocate” honors at national mootcourt competitions in New Yorkand Los Angeles. A team recentlyearned the national title in aclient counseling competition,later representing the UnitedStates in a world competitionheld in Europe.
SCHOLARLY JOURNALS Students can earn the chance toserve on the school’s Law Reviewor its Journal of Practical and Clinical Law. Students earning anLL.M. in Homeland and NationalSecurity Law can earn the chanceto serve on that program’s newonline Homeland and NationalSecurity Law Journal.
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS Students have the ability to expand their leadership skills anddevelop lasting relationships withfellow students through involve-ment in student organizations.You might be interested in representing the voice of studentswithin the Student Bar Association,or participating in organizationssuch as the Black Law Student’sAssociation, or exploring the intersections of faith and the lawin the Muslim, Christian, or Jewish student groups.Studentscan also participate in organizationsrelated to sports law, intellectualproperty law, criminal law, and avariety of other subjects.
PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICESWMU-Cooley offers pro-bono opportunities for students to helpprovide free legal assistance to people who cannot afford represen-tation. Faculty, staff, and students have contributed hundreds of thou-sands of hours of free legal serviceper year through pro bono projects, externships, and clinics.
COMMUNITY SERVICE Students, faculty and staff generously serve communitiesnot only where they live, butaround the country. Recent service to communities include:• Hurricane and disaster relief• Mentoring high school students
• Supporting children’s literacy programs
• Veteran assistance programs• Mental health initiatives
AUBURN HILLS CAMPUSWMU-COOLEY FOR KIDS
One of the greatest advantages of a legal education is that it can take you anywhere in the world. As you come to the conclusion of your studies at WMU-Cooley, you choose a real-life experience to complete your legal education. WMU-Cooley is one of the few schools in the country that require a clinicalexperience, either an externship or an in-house clinic, before graduation. You have many choices.
4+Foreign studylocations
4Campus locations
3,000+ Externship sites
10In-house clinics
LUTHER BUNTING, JR.2014 GRADUATE
What does it really mean to be “practice-ready,” particularly in a globalcommunity? At WMU-Cooley the answer is clear. Since its beginning,more than 40 years ago, the law school has provided opportunities to putstudents into the field of practice. WMU-Cooley’s strong skills curriculum,coupled with thousands of opportunities to apply those skills, will set youapart and give you confidence to be an attorney from day one.
GLOBALLY ENGAGED135735_GATEFOLDS_Layout 1 9/11/14 8:29 AM Page 3
IN-HOUSE CLINICSWMU-Cooley has 10 in-house (on campus ornearby) clinics giving students real-world experience that allows themto hit the ground runningthe day they graduate.
• Access to Justice• Debt Relief Clinic• Estate Planning (2 locations)
• Family Law Assistance Project
• Immigrant Rights and Civil Advocacy
• WMU-Cooley InnocenceProject
• Public Defender Clinics (2 locations)
• Sixty Plus Inc., ElderlawClinic
EXTERNSHIPSStudents can explore theirchosen field of work andgain valuable experience byparticipating with an experi-enced lawyer at one of morethan 3,000 externship sitesworldwide. The WMU-Cooley Externship Programis a partnership betweenstudents, practicing attorneys, and faculty. Inour externships, studentsmay earn up to 10
academic credits for workthat they perform under alicensed attorney who hasbeen practicing for at leastthree years. Refer to themap in this viewbook to geta sense of the vast offeringsof externship opportunities.
STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMSStudents can broaden theirlegal education by studyingat various locations aroundthe world.
WMU-COOLEY SPONSORED PROGRAMS: • Australia/New Zealand• Münster, Germany• Oxford, England• Toronto, Canada
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS:• Cape Town, South Africa• Costa Rica• Galway, Ireland• Geneva, Switzerland• Istanbul, Turkey• Madrid, Spain• Munich, Germany• Paris and Montpellier, France
• Shanghai, China• Singapore• Tokyo, Japan
OXFORD, ENGLANDOXFORD, ENGLAND
MÜNSTER, GERMANY TORONTO, CANADA
WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL21
A lawyer’s professional reputation and character mean everything.During law school, students must live and perform as professionals,learning not just a body of knowledge and skills. Students mustalso embrace the ethics, values, conduct, and service required oftheir profession.
Developing Your Ethics and Character
5,000+ Volumes of ethics materials
42,000+ Pro bono hours
420,000Free legal service hours
16
COMPETITIONS Students earned “top oral advocate” honors at national mootcourt competitions in New Yorkand Los Angeles. A team recentlyearned the national title in aclient counseling competition,later representing the UnitedStates in a world competitionheld in Europe.
SCHOLARLY JOURNALS Students can earn the chance toserve on the school’s Law Reviewor its Journal of Practical and Clinical Law. Students earning anLL.M. in Homeland and NationalSecurity Law can earn the chanceto serve on that program’s newonline Homeland and NationalSecurity Law Journal.
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS Students have the ability to expand their leadership skills anddevelop lasting relationships withfellow students through involve-ment in student organizations.You might be interested in representing the voice of studentswithin the Student Bar Association,or participating in organizationssuch as the Black Law Student’sAssociation, or exploring the intersections of faith and the lawin the Muslim, Christian, or Jewish student groups.Studentscan also participate in organizationsrelated to sports law, intellectualproperty law, criminal law, and avariety of other subjects.
PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICESWMU-Cooley offers pro-bono opportunities for students to helpprovide free legal assistance to people who cannot afford represen-tation. Faculty, staff, and students have contributed hundreds of thou-sands of hours of free legal serviceper year through pro bono projects, externships, and clinics.
COMMUNITY SERVICE Students, faculty and staff generously serve communitiesnot only where they live, butaround the country. Recent service to communities include:• Hurricane and disaster relief• Mentoring high school students
• Supporting children’s literacy programs
• Veteran assistance programs• Mental health initiatives
AUBURN HILLS CAMPUSWMU-COOLEY FOR KIDS
One of the greatest advantages of a legal education is that it can take you anywhere in the world. As you come to the conclusion of your studies at WMU-Cooley, you choose a real-life experience to complete your legal education. WMU-Cooley is one of the few schools in the country that require a clinicalexperience, either an externship or an in-house clinic, before graduation. You have many choices.
4+Foreign studylocations
4Campus locations
3,000+ Externship sites
10In-house clinics
LUTHER BUNTING, JR.2014 GRADUATE
What does it really mean to be “practice-ready,” particularly in a globalcommunity? At WMU-Cooley the answer is clear. Since its beginning,more than 40 years ago, the law school has provided opportunities to putstudents into the field of practice. WMU-Cooley’s strong skills curriculum,coupled with thousands of opportunities to apply those skills, will set youapart and give you confidence to be an attorney from day one.
GLOBALLY ENGAGED135735_GATEFOLDS_Layout 1 9/11/14 8:29 AM Page 3
6 2
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1
1
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1
1
1
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2
34
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1 21
25
5
214
4
1
2
3
1
1
2
1
1
3
1
13
1
4
2
11
1
1 1
20
WEST10,007ALUMNI
1,475EXTERNSHIP SITES
WEST2,363ALUMNI
483EXTERNSHIP SITES
WEST3,262ALUMNI
796EXTERNSHIP SITES
7616 883
20 7
592 134
80 67
291 57
106 32
242 59
146 44
997 155
268 70
38 13
43 18
19 821 4
44 9201 47
405 113
34 8
33 2
135 34
57 17
134 34
31 11
17 6
5
76 34
181 33
451 120
131 37
33 12
20 5
974 222
509 79
104 14
33 8
101 13
16 4
449 115
212 43
166 57
842 187
478 128
155 53
94 20
61 20
18 4
27 8
35 7
9 3
14 2
221 42
WEST
WEST1,353ALUMNI
348EXTERNSHIP SITES
MIDWEST
SOUTH
NORTHEAST
WMU-COOLEY ALUMNI POPULATION BY REGION
3,000+ Externship sites worldwide
50States
27Foreign countries/U.S. territories
19
WMU-Cooley Sponsored Study Abroad Locations
Partnership Study Abroad Locations
INTERNATIONALWEST284ALUMNI
87EXTERNSHIP SITES
ALUMNI
WORLDWIDE OPPORTUNITIES
135735_GATEFOLDS_Layout 1 9/11/14 8:29 AM Page 4
6 2
9 21
2
1
1
1
1
6
10
189
1
1
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1
2
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1
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1
4
2
11
1
1 1
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WEST10,007ALUMNI
1,475EXTERNSHIP SITES
WEST2,363ALUMNI
483EXTERNSHIP SITES
WEST3,262ALUMNI
796EXTERNSHIP SITES
7616 883
20 7
592 134
80 67
291 57
106 32
242 59
146 44
997 155
268 70
38 13
43 18
19 821 4
44 9201 47
405 113
34 8
33 2
135 34
57 17
134 34
31 11
17 6
5
76 34
181 33
451 120
131 37
33 12
20 5
974 222
509 79
104 14
33 8
101 13
16 4
449 115
212 43
166 57
842 187
478 128
155 53
94 20
61 20
18 4
27 8
35 7
9 3
14 2
221 42
WEST
WEST1,353ALUMNI
348EXTERNSHIP SITES
MIDWEST
SOUTH
NORTHEAST
WMU-COOLEY ALUMNI POPULATION BY REGION
3,000+ Externship sites worldwide
50States
27Foreign countries/U.S. territories
19
WMU-Cooley Sponsored Study Abroad Locations
Partnership Study Abroad Locations
INTERNATIONALWEST284ALUMNI
87EXTERNSHIP SITES
ALUMNI
WORLDWIDE OPPORTUNITIES
135735_GATEFOLDS_Layout 1 9/11/14 8:29 AM Page 4
IN-HOUSE CLINICSWMU-Cooley has 10 in-house (on campus ornearby) clinics giving students real-world experience that allows themto hit the ground runningthe day they graduate.
• Access to Justice• Debt Relief Clinic• Estate Planning (2 locations)
• Family Law Assistance Project
• Immigrant Rights and Civil Advocacy
• WMU-Cooley InnocenceProject
• Public Defender Clinics (2 locations)
• Sixty Plus Inc., ElderlawClinic
EXTERNSHIPSStudents can explore theirchosen field of work andgain valuable experience byparticipating with an experi-enced lawyer at one of morethan 3,000 externship sitesworldwide. The WMU-Cooley Externship Programis a partnership betweenstudents, practicing attorneys, and faculty. Inour externships, studentsmay earn up to 10
academic credits for workthat they perform under alicensed attorney who hasbeen practicing for at leastthree years. Refer to themap in this viewbook to geta sense of the vast offeringsof externship opportunities.
STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMSStudents can broaden theirlegal education by studyingat various locations aroundthe world.
WMU-COOLEY SPONSORED PROGRAMS: • Australia/New Zealand• Münster, Germany• Oxford, England• Toronto, Canada
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS:• Cape Town, South Africa• Costa Rica• Galway, Ireland• Geneva, Switzerland• Istanbul, Turkey• Madrid, Spain• Munich, Germany• Paris and Montpellier, France
• Shanghai, China• Singapore• Tokyo, Japan
OXFORD, ENGLANDOXFORD, ENGLAND
MÜNSTER, GERMANY TORONTO, CANADA
WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL21
A lawyer’s professional reputation and character mean everything.During law school, students must live and perform as professionals,learning not just a body of knowledge and skills. Students mustalso embrace the ethics, values, conduct, and service required oftheir profession.
Developing Your Ethics and Character
5,000+ Volumes of ethics materials
42,000+ Pro bono hours
420,000Free legal service hours
16
COMPETITIONS Students earned “top oral advocate” honors at national mootcourt competitions in New Yorkand Los Angeles. A team recentlyearned the national title in aclient counseling competition,later representing the UnitedStates in a world competitionheld in Europe.
SCHOLARLY JOURNALS Students can earn the chance toserve on the school’s Law Reviewor its Journal of Practical and Clinical Law. Students earning anLL.M. in Homeland and NationalSecurity Law can earn the chanceto serve on that program’s newonline Homeland and NationalSecurity Law Journal.
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS Students have the ability to expand their leadership skills anddevelop lasting relationships withfellow students through involve-ment in student organizations.You might be interested in representing the voice of studentswithin the Student Bar Association,or participating in organizationssuch as the Black Law Student’sAssociation, or exploring the intersections of faith and the lawin the Muslim, Christian, or Jewish student groups.Studentscan also participate in organizationsrelated to sports law, intellectualproperty law, criminal law, and avariety of other subjects.
PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICESWMU-Cooley offers pro-bono opportunities for students to helpprovide free legal assistance to people who cannot afford represen-tation. Faculty, staff, and students have contributed hundreds of thou-sands of hours of free legal serviceper year through pro bono projects, externships, and clinics.
COMMUNITY SERVICE Students, faculty and staff generously serve communitiesnot only where they live, butaround the country. Recent service to communities include:• Hurricane and disaster relief• Mentoring high school students
• Supporting children’s literacy programs
• Veteran assistance programs• Mental health initiatives
AUBURN HILLS CAMPUSWMU-COOLEY FOR KIDS
One of the greatest advantages of a legal education is that it can take you anywhere in the world. As you come to the conclusion of your studies at WMU-Cooley, you choose a real-life experience to complete your legal education. WMU-Cooley is one of the few schools in the country that require a clinicalexperience, either an externship or an in-house clinic, before graduation. You have many choices.
4+Foreign studylocations
4Campus locations
3,000+ Externship sites
10In-house clinics
LUTHER BUNTING, JR.2014 GRADUATE
What does it really mean to be “practice-ready,” particularly in a globalcommunity? At WMU-Cooley the answer is clear. Since its beginning,more than 40 years ago, the law school has provided opportunities to putstudents into the field of practice. WMU-Cooley’s strong skills curriculum,coupled with thousands of opportunities to apply those skills, will set youapart and give you confidence to be an attorney from day one.
GLOBALLY ENGAGED135735_GATEFOLDS_Layout 1 9/11/14 8:29 AM Page 3
KNOWLEDGE | SKILLS | ETHICS 22
The path to professionalism begins with the applicationprocess, builds throughout lawschool, and continues into yourcareer. Everyone at WMU-Cooleyis encouraged to adopt profes-sionalism as a way of life.
The law school’s innovativeAmerican Bar Associationaward-winning ProfessionalismPlan features professional devel-opment opportunities, mentoring relationships, a speaker series,
workshops, the creation of a professionalism portfolio, andmore. With this plan and otherinitiatives, we have created aculture of professionalism thatpermeates our school andtouches every WMU-Cooley student.
WMU-Cooley Law School is a national leader among lawschools in helping its studentslearn their professional obliga-tions while internalizing a
personal commitment to ethicsand service. In one year alone,working through clinics, externships and service, WMU-Cooley logged almost 420,000hours of free legal assistance tothe community.
WMU-Cooley shares a commitment to service thatstudents can carry into theircommunities and into theircareers.
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WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL23
A WMU-Cooley degree will put you in good company. Besides working in law firms of every size, graduates holdor have held these positions (and more):
Achieve Greatness with a Degree from WMU-Cooley
• Governor• Congressman• Appellate Judge• International Judge (presiding over war crimes and genocide cases)• University President• Fulbright New Century Scholar• State Senator (including New York and New Jersey) • State Representative
• Visiting Scholar at Harvard, Yale, and Oxford• Corporate CEO• Corporate President• Elected Member, House of Councillors, National Diet of Japan (equivalent to U.S. Senator)• Forbes Magazine “Midas List” Technology Investor• Law Professor
• FBI Agent• Health System CEO• Special Counsel to Donald Trump• U.S. Army JAG Senior Legal Advisor• Lobbyist• American Embassy Assistant Legal Attaché, London• Chief Cyber Security Advisor
17Judges in at least 17 states
100+Judges in Michigan
19,000+ Total Alumni
50States,27Countries Alumni in 50 states and 27 countries and U.S. territories
8Career advisors on staff (7 J.D.’s, 3 Master’s,and one with 2 LL.M. degrees)
COL. RODNEY WILLIAMS (RET.)Class of 1991, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
CATHERINE REYNOLDSClass of 1983, Senior VP and General Counsel
Fortune 500 Company
HON. HIROE MAKIYAMAClass of 1991, Japanese Legislature
JOHN HEUGELClass of 1980, Wisconsin Super Lawyer
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WMU-Cooley graduates have been namedSuper Lawyers and State Bar presidents inmultiple states. Some have even appliedtheir leadership skills in the world ofsports, serving, for example, as a Profes-sional Golfers’ Association Tour Senior Vice President, a Big Ten Conference ChiefCommunications Officer — even as a National Hockey League head coach.
In short, there is nothing you cannot do orbe with a WMU-Cooley education. You willbe in good company. The school’s alumniwill be part of your network — your profes-sional family — from your first day of lawschool.
THE CRADLE OF JUDGESIt is fitting that WMU-Cooley was foundedby a judge and named after a judge. Sinceits founding in 1972, the law school hasproduced judges in at least 17 states, including California, Florida, Pennsylvania,and New York. The school has producedmore than 100 judges in Michigan alone.
Why are WMU-Cooley graduates so well-suited for the bench? The answer is easy.Given the law school's longstanding emphasis on teaching students the skillsthey will need to excel in practice, nobodyis more at home in the courtroom than aWMU-Cooley graduate. Combine this withthe law school's ABA award-winning emphasis on ethics and professionalism,and WMU-Cooley graduates have the perfect recipe for great leadership in thecourtroom and in the community.
CAREER AND NETWORKING ADVANTAGEAs a student, you can team up with stafffrom the law school’s Career & Profes-sional Development Office to build your résumé and portfolio. During law schooland after graduation, you can always access WMU-Cooley’s extensive and dynamic alumni network.
A MENTORING ALUMNI NETWORKWith more than 19,000 alumni across thecountry and around the world, you willhave access to a vast network of success-ful practicing lawyers who are available asadvisors and mentors as you begin yourlegal career.
WMU-Cooley alumni pride them-selves in knowing that they have received an education that is one ofthe best in the nation. Our alumnihave gone on to become leaders inevery state in the nation and aroundthe world.
HON. JANE MARKEYClass of 1981, Appellate Court Judge
Career Planning
CAREER AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OFFICE• You will be supported bya staff of eight career advisors (seven haveearned a J.D., three havemaster’s degrees, and oneholds two LL.M. degrees) • Year-round, on-campus interview programs• Sample résumés and cover letters• Internet job-search resources• Career-resource library• Mock-interview programs• Job fairs and conferencelistings• Distinguished guestspeaker series• Résumé and cover-letterworkshops
• WMU-Cooley Classifieds – Job listings for studentsand graduates
• Volunteer Opportunties –Matching law-related organizations with law students who seek substantive volunteer experience
• Access to Important Information –Students can researchemployers, apply for jobs,schedule counseling appointments, and RSVPto events by accessingWMU-Cooley’s online system
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YEAR-ROUND EDUCATION TAUGHT BY FULL-TIME FACULTYWMU-Cooley has a 12-month academicyear consisting of three 15-week semesters. Students have the option ofbeginning their enrollment in September,January, or May. No matter when studentsstart, they will be taught by the same full-time faculty and will have to meet thesame graduation requirements.
The WMU-Cooley program is idealfor students who work while attendinglaw school, as well as for the traditional law student. Students mayalso choose to complete their entirelegal education by taking classessolely on the weekend.
WMU-COOLEY OFFERS:• Classes seven days a week• Classes that begin in September, January, or May
• The nation’s first and largest weekendprogram
• Many part-time and full-time scheduleoptions
• The ability to take 2-5 years to complete a J.D. degree
• The chance to attend law school whileworking or taking care of family
Visit wmich.edu/law to review all schedule options.
SCHEDULE OPTIONS
ATTEND SCHEDULE GRADUATE
Traditional Schedule Full-Time Two Terms Per Year Three Years
Year-Round Program Year-Round Four Options Two-Five Years
Evening Program Evenings Year-Round or Full-Time Three-Five Years
Two-Year Program Full-Time Accelerated* Two Years
Weekend Program Weekends Weekend Option Three Years
WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL25
WMU-Cooley provides a world-class legal education with many options. The law school offers more scheduling options than any lawschool in the nation, including weekend and two-year options. Withmultiple campuses, year-round classes, and classes offered sevendays a week, students easily find a schedule to fit their needs.
One Standard of Excellence, Many Options
*This accelerated program has been offered since 1996.
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LANSING CAMPUSAUBURN HILLS CAMPUS
TAMPA BAY CAMPUS GRAND RAPIDS CAMPUS
15Weeks per semester
2-5Years to complete J.D.
1stAnd largest weekend program
7Classes offeredseven days a week
3Semesters per year(September, January, May)
12Month academic year
For more informationabout WMU-Cooley’sgenerous Honors Scholarship program,visit wmich.edu/law orcontact:
Admissions Office (517) 371-5140, ext. 2244 [email protected]
GENEROUS SCHOLARSHIPS THROUGHOUT ENROLLMENT
GenerousScholarships
AFFORDING LAW SCHOOLWMU-Cooley continually tries tofind ways to reduce the cost oflegal education. WMU-Cooley rewards academic achievementwith generous Honors Scholarships.
SCHOLARSHIP GUARANTEEUnlike many law schools thatonly guarantee a scholarship forone year, honors scholars retain their entering scholarshipaward for all 90 credits, so longas they are not subject to sanc-tions under the Honor Code ordisciplinary procedures.
ASSISTANCEAll students have access to anEnrollment and Student Services Coordinator who canhelp explore financial aid options and assist with loanrepayment plans.
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WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL27
AUBURN HILLS CAMPUS GRAND RAPIDS CAMPUS
No matter which campus you choose, you will learn in an outstanding, spacious facility with every technological advantage.The law school provides a comfortable, inviting learning environment. With appellate and trial courtrooms at all campuses, high-techclassrooms throughout, and one of America’s largest law libraries,WMU-Cooley provides facilities and services that are unmatched insize, quality, and beauty.
WMU-Cooley: Great Law School, Great Locations
So ask yourself: Do I want to live and study in the heart of a thriving capital city? Or in the warmth of the Floridasun? Or perhaps in a hip, urban setting? Unlike any other law school in America, WMU-Cooley enables you tochoose the perfect setting for your law school experience and your lifestyle — one that is the perfect fit for you.The best way to be sure which one is right for you is to visit any or all of WMU-Cooley’s outstanding campuses.Visit cooley.edu to arrange an opportunity to experience Cooley.
AMENITIES YOU ENJOY, NO MATTER WHICH CAMPUS YOU ATTEND
AUBURN HILLS GRAND RAPIDS LANSING TAMPA BAY
Spacious and modern facilities � � � �
Appellate and trial courtrooms � � � �
High-tech courtrooms & classrooms � � � �
Expansive and comfortable library � � � �
Wireless access � � � �
Career & Professional Development office � � � �
Academic Resource Center � � � �
Student Bar Association � � � �
Student organizations � � � �
Student services � � � �
In-house clinics � � � �
Access to more than 3,000 externship sites � � � �
Full-time faculty for required courses � � � �
Faculty advisor � � � �
135735_16 PAGE_Layout 1 9/10/14 2:08 PM Page 14
KNOWLEDGE | SKILLS | ETHICS 28
AUBURN HILLS • Facility sits on 67serene woodedacres, yet in theheart of OaklandCounty
• Near major busi-ness operationsand Fortune 500company head-quarters
• LEED® Silver certification(Leadership in Energy and Envi-ronmental Design)from the U.S.Green BuildingCouncil (USGBC)
• Access to Detroitlegal and businesscommunities
GRAND RAPIDS• Located in the dynamic, urban Heartside Districtneighborhood
• Ranked one of the top 10 mostaffordable housingmarkets in theUnited States
• Recently listed #2 on Relocate America’s list oftop places to liveand #3 on Forbes’list of best mid-sized cities for jobs
• Access to GrandRapids legal andbusiness commu-nities
LANSING • Located in theheart of Michigan’scapital city
• Walking distancefrom the State Capitol Building
• Access to the StateSupreme Courtand Court of Appeals, localcourts, and admin-istrative offices
• Designated as oneof the nation’s 10great cities foryoung adults
TAMPA BAY • Known worldwide for its beautiful landscape, myriad attractions, and thriving arts and entertainment offerings
• Minutes fromdowntown Tampa,major law firms,courthouses, andFortune 500 companies
• Highly desirableplace to live andlearn the law
• Vibrant, diverse,and active legalcommunity
LANSING CAMPUS TAMPA BAY CAMPUS
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As you think about law school and set your goals, remember thatWMU-Cooley is a great choice for your legal education. Our goal is tohelp you plan for a fulfilling, successful law career. We work to giveyou the tools that you will need to become the best lawyer you canbe. We are committed to your success — from your first day at WMU-Cooley to long after you graduate.
Take the next step. Come to WMU-Cooley and unlock your potentialto achieve in ways you may never have imagined.
Your Lifetime of Success Starts Here
135735_16 PAGE_Layout 1 9/10/14 2:08 PM Page 16
WMU-Cooley Law School was named for Thomas McIntyre Cooley,one of America’s greatest jurists. He is still cited today for his workin the mid-1800s as a justice of the Michigan Supreme Court and as a legal scholar.
Thomas McIntyre Cooley
THO
MAS
MCI
NTY
RE
COO
LEY
I N N O V A T O R S C H O L A RPIONEER
Western Michigan University Thomas M. CooleyLaw School is an independent, private, non-profiteducational institution affiliated with WesternMichigan University. The Law School, as an independent institution, is solely responsible for itsacademic program. The Law School has campusesacross Michigan in Lansing, Auburn Hills, GrandRapids, and in Tampa Bay, Florida. The Law Schoolpresently operates in Florida under the nameThomas M. Cooley Law School. It has applied to the Florida Commission for Independent Education for permission to use the Western Michigan University name in Florida and hopes forapproval in the fall of 2014.
WMU-Cooley is committed to a fair and objectiveadmissions policy. Subject to space limitations,WMU-Cooley offers the opportunity for legal educa-tion to all qualified applicants. WMU-Cooley abidesby all federal and state laws against discrimination.
In addition, WMU-Cooley abides by American BarAssociation Standard 211(a), which provides that “alaw school shall foster and maintain equality of opportunity in legal education, including employmentof faculty and staff, without discrimination or segre-gation on the basis of race, color, religion, nationalorigin, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability.”
This brochure includes descriptions of some current policies, practices, and schedules at WMU-Cooley. This brochure is not a contract and doesnot, and cannot, create any contractual rights. Allpolicies, practices, and schedules are subject tochange without prior notice.
WMU-Cooley is accredited by the American Bar Association, 321 N. Clark Street, 21st Floor NE,Chicago, IL 60610, (312) 988-6738,www.americanbar.org/legaled; accredited by theHigher Learning Commission, a member of the
North Central Association of Schools and Colleges, 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500,Chicago, Illinois 60604-1413, (800) 621-7440,www.ncahlc.org; and licensed by the Commission forIndependent Education, Florida Department of Education. Additional information regarding thisinstitution may be obtained by contacting the Commission at 325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1414,Tallahassee, FL 323099-0400, toll-free tele-phone number (888) 224-6684.
Students can review copies of the documentsdescribing WMU-Cooley’s accreditation on reserveat the law libraries.
Annual summary financial information is availableto the public by contacting 300 S. Capitol Avenue, P.O. Box 13038, Lansing, MI 48901.
Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School Western Michigan Universityand Cooley Law School affiliated in 2014, combiningthe status of a nationally-ranked, public, comprehensiveresearch university with thecommitment to practical legaleducation of an independent,non-profit, national law school.
Both schools share long traditions of outstanding teaching
and research, emphasis on practical skills as well as classroom knowledge, focus on professionalism and ethics, anddeep commitment to diversityand inclusion.
You will benefit from academicexcellence, great student services, wonderful campus locations, and access to a highlysuccessful alumni body of more
than 250,000 WMU graduatesand nearly 20,000 Law Schoolgraduates located in every statein the nation and around theworld.
Law school is a good careermove, and Western MichiganUniversity Cooley Law School isa great choice for you.
LAW STUDENTS MUST NOT FORGET THAT THEY ARE FITTING THEMSELVES TO BE MINISTERS OF JUSTICE.
FG.INSIDE Covers 9.5.14_Layout 1 9/10/14 11:58 AM Page 1
WMU-Cooley Law School was named for Thomas McIntyre Cooley,one of America’s greatest jurists. He is still cited today for his workin the mid-1800s as a justice of the Michigan Supreme Court and as a legal scholar.
Thomas McIntyre Cooley
THO
MAS
MCI
NTY
RE
COO
LEY
I N N O V A T O R S C H O L A RPIONEER
Western Michigan University Thomas M. CooleyLaw School is an independent, private, non-profiteducational institution affiliated with WesternMichigan University. The Law School, as an independent institution, is solely responsible for itsacademic program. The Law School has campusesacross Michigan in Lansing, Auburn Hills, GrandRapids, and in Tampa Bay, Florida. The Law Schoolpresently operates in Florida under the nameThomas M. Cooley Law School. It has applied to the Florida Commission for Independent Education for permission to use the Western Michigan University name in Florida and hopes forapproval in the fall of 2014.
WMU-Cooley is committed to a fair and objectiveadmissions policy. Subject to space limitations,WMU-Cooley offers the opportunity for legal educa-tion to all qualified applicants. WMU-Cooley abidesby all federal and state laws against discrimination.
In addition, WMU-Cooley abides by American BarAssociation Standard 211(a), which provides that “alaw school shall foster and maintain equality of opportunity in legal education, including employmentof faculty and staff, without discrimination or segre-gation on the basis of race, color, religion, nationalorigin, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability.”
This brochure includes descriptions of some current policies, practices, and schedules at WMU-Cooley. This brochure is not a contract and doesnot, and cannot, create any contractual rights. Allpolicies, practices, and schedules are subject tochange without prior notice.
WMU-Cooley is accredited by the American Bar Association, 321 N. Clark Street, 21st Floor NE,Chicago, IL 60610, (312) 988-6738,www.americanbar.org/legaled; accredited by theHigher Learning Commission, a member of the
North Central Association of Schools and Colleges, 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500,Chicago, Illinois 60604-1413, (800) 621-7440,www.ncahlc.org; and licensed by the Commission forIndependent Education, Florida Department of Education. Additional information regarding thisinstitution may be obtained by contacting the Commission at 325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1414,Tallahassee, FL 323099-0400, toll-free tele-phone number (888) 224-6684.
Students can review copies of the documentsdescribing WMU-Cooley’s accreditation on reserveat the law libraries.
Annual summary financial information is availableto the public by contacting 300 S. Capitol Avenue, P.O. Box 13038, Lansing, MI 48901.
Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School Western Michigan Universityand Cooley Law School affiliated in 2014, combiningthe status of a nationally-ranked, public, comprehensiveresearch university with thecommitment to practical legaleducation of an independent,non-profit, national law school.
Both schools share long traditions of outstanding teaching
and research, emphasis on practical skills as well as classroom knowledge, focus on professionalism and ethics, anddeep commitment to diversityand inclusion.
You will benefit from academicexcellence, great student services, wonderful campus locations, and access to a highlysuccessful alumni body of more
than 250,000 WMU graduatesand nearly 20,000 Law Schoolgraduates located in every statein the nation and around theworld.
Law school is a good careermove, and Western MichiganUniversity Cooley Law School isa great choice for you.
LAW STUDENTS MUST NOT FORGET THAT THEY ARE FITTING THEMSELVES TO BE MINISTERS OF JUSTICE.
FG.INSIDE Covers 9.5.14_Layout 1 9/10/14 11:58 AM Page 1
ADMISSIONS OFFICE | 300 S. CAPITOL AVE. | LANSING, MI 48933 | (517) 371-5140, EXT. 2244 | WMICH.EDU/LAW MICHIGAN FLORIDA|