LEARN LAW. LIVE JUSTICE.
LEARN LAW. LIVE JUSTICE.
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Design Your Career Why C|M|LAW? Academics Center for Cybersecurity and Privacy Protection Center for Health Law and Policy Bigger than Yourself Career Planning Live Justice Dean’s Closing Argument
Allison Taller Reich ’09 Frantz Ward BS, Ohio State University Alexander Reich ’09 Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP BA, Washington University, St. Louis Alumni Allison Taller Reich and Alex Reich work at two of the city’s top law firms. They found their paths at C|M|LAW and now the successful couple (yes, they met in the law library) are passionate about helping current students.
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Alex knew he wanted to be a trial attorney when he came to law school. He became a member of the Moot Court team, where an engaged coach-attorney helped him develop his skills. “Today, when I’m preparing for an appellate argument, I do exactly what I did for Moot Court. The experience translated exactly into what I do on a day-to-day basis.” Alex is now a coach himself. “Coaching was the least I could do to give back to a program that has given me so much.” Allison agrees that Moot Court helped them grow as attorneys, and today she is a construction lawyer whose work entails both litigation and transactional work—drafting and reviewing contracts, negotiating and putting together agreements. She also sometimes gets to visit job sites, a treat for the architecture undergraduate who is thrilled to be able to combine her interests with legal practice. As a student, Allison was mentored through the C|M|LAW Alumni Association Mentoring Program and she appreciated the guidance so much that she wasted no time in becoming a mentor through the same program. “I remember what my mentees are going through. I try to answer any question and be there for them, or, if they don’t need much support, just take them to lunch and offer my perspective.” Both Allison and Alex say that above all, incoming C|M|LAW students can expect a lot of support. “You can find alumni who are practicing in any discipline—private, public, government, judges—in any walk of the legal profession and invariably, they are thrilled to help support and mentor students. When you graduate—no matter where you fall in the class—you have immediate access to that network. It’s impressive.”
DESIGN YOUR CAREER One of the most amazing things about a law degree is its versatility across a realm of jobs in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Your career and day-to-day work can look however you choose.
To help you discover your path, you’ll find a multi-faceted support system at C|M|LAW. We guarantee each student multiple opportunities to learn practical lawyering skills and work hands-on in the field. We will also immediately connect you with our vital network of mentors and practitioners who are eager to offer guidance and encouragement. Our Office of Career Planning will work with you throughout your studies to create a map of academics, opportunities, networks and professional skills development to guide you to success. To start to envision ways you want to use your law degree, we suggest breaking down legal practice into three broad categories or buckets—transactional, litigation and advocacy— into which many specializations can fit—and see what appeals to you.
LITIGATION • You are competitive • You have a high tolerance for risk • You are deadline driven • You can answer questions quickly and make quick decisions • You don’t mind unpredictability • You are a creative thinker • You can see both sides of an argument • You are entrepreneurial • You like being in the spotlight • You love a lot of face-toface contact
ADVOCACY • You never stop questioning what is right • You believe justice can change the world • You are relationship oriented • You are supportive by nature • You enjoy hands-on dealings with the public and meeting people • You love to be of service • You are involved with your community and do volunteer work
TRANSACTIONAL LAW • You are shrewd in business • You like routines and knowing the work in front of you each day • You prefer to work in an office environment • You enjoy negotiating and bringing people together • You prefer interacting through devices rather than face-to-face • You love individualized projects
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WHY C|M|LAW WHO WE ARE Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University is a 120-yearold student-centered law school with an iconic history of justice and inclusion. We are respected for graduating generations of outstanding attorneys, judges, and business and nonprofit leaders. C|M|LAW graduates have a reputation for being professional, practice-ready, civic-minded and genuine; they are well educated in rigorous legal theory and well qualified from extensive practical training. C|M|LAW is connected to the current legal market and employers, with a curriculum that responds to evolving needs.
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CLEVELAND: COSMOPOLITAN AMENITIES AND SMALL TOWN FRIENDLINESS Cleveland-Marshall is a located in the heart of downtown Cleveland—a city that is attracting positive national attention and rising in popularity among young professionals for its exciting entertainment, lifestyle, cultural and business opportunities. The city also boasts one of the largest legal markets in the country and is home to leading health care organizations with international prominence. All of this adds up to make Cleveland a great place to live, work and study. MAKING THE CASE • Exciting downtown location, just steps from courts and law firms, gives C|M|LAW students an edge in obtaining real-world legal practice • Expanded opportunities for experiential learning, including externships, internships, clinics and “Pop-Up Practicums” • Guaranteed Scholarships throughout law school and affordable tuition. Named a Top Affordable Law School by Student Loan Hero, as featured in USA Today • One of the strongest and most engaged alumni networks of any law school provides ongoing mentoring and support from your first year of studies
• Engaged faculty, academic success programs and a partnership with BARBRI bar exam preparation offer long term support • The most technologically advanced Trial Courtroom in Ohio, and a state-of-theart Rawson Learning Commons • Flexible full-time, part-time day and parttime evening study options • Nationally recognized Center for Cybersecurity and Privacy Protection offers a multidisciplinary curriculum that integrates law, business and technology • Center for Health Law and Policy offers multiple specializations developed to meet the needs of today’s employers and address increasingly complex health care issues • Global Space Law Center is the first research center in a U.S. law school dedicated exclusively to the law of outer space • Solo Practice Incubator offers modern office space and support to help graduates launch solo firms • Nationally award-winning Moot Court Team • The convertible JD option converts your first year of study to a full Master of Legal Studies Degree, generally with only one additional class, if after the first year you decide law school isn’t for you
Timsi Pathak ’09 Attorney, U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights BA, University of California at Irvine Los Angeles native Timsi Pathak had never stepped foot in Cleveland before arriving for law school, and never expected to find the place she’d call home. “Blown away” by the friendliness of Cleveland residents and the fact that at C|M|LAW—from the dean, to faculty, to other students’ parents (who gave the unprepared Californian a box of cold weather gear for her first Ohio winter)— everyone cared how she was doing both personally and academically. The close-knit legal community offered the same support. “I remember people helping me for no reason. If you meet at networking events, the willingness of other attorneys to say ‘I want to see you succeed, what can I do?’ is amazing.” When her summer internships led to full-time work, Timsi decided to stay in the city that had welcomed her. “They’ve done a great job revitalizing the downtown area. It’s a fun place for young professionals and the cost of living in Cleveland is so affordable.”
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Delanté Spencer Thomas ’16 Deputy Inspector General Cuyahoga County BS, MS, Syracuse University Delanté Spencer Thomas is as enthusiastic about his custom-made career as he is about his C|M|LAW education. As a law student, he worked as a summer associate at the law firm Littler Mendelson where he became fascinated by employment law and realized he wanted to learn more—much more. At the end of the summer he decided to pursue a dual degree along with his JD and enrolled in the Master of Human Resources and Labor Relations (MHRLR) offered through Cleveland State University’s College of Business. Today, he uses skills from both degrees as a deputy inspector general.
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Delanté was active in student organizations and had many opportunities to meet peers from other law schools at national conferences. Through those interactions he became aware that a C|M|LAW legal education not only measures up, it surpasses many others. “I’ve had so many experiences that most students from across the country—from all the top schools—did not have. They were absolutely awed by the practical experiences I gained at C|M|LAW. I’ve had the opportunity to intern in the public sector, the private sector, and work in clinics. I’ve had the opportunity to take coursework that was practical. In all of my internships, and in all the roles I’ve had after law school, I have never been in a situation where I felt unprepared. For that, I credit my Cleveland-Marshall education.”
ACADEMICS RIGOROUS AND GROUNDED IN TRADITIONAL LEGAL THEORY…WITH DISRUPTION
Criminal
Environmental Business
Tax
International and Comparative
Intellectual Property Estate Planning
Cybersecurity and Privacy Protection
Education Immigration Health Public Interest
Sports and Entertainment
We advocate that you develop your own path that fits your needs and the demands of the current legal market. To help you, academic advising is available through the Office of Career Planning, where we continually identify hiring trends and guide you to the knowledge and experience to be qualified.
Employment and Labor
Compliance
CUSTOM-MADE CONCENTRATIONS Like most law schools, students engage with professors through the Socratic method, which uses thoughtful questioning from scholar to student to facilitate learning. Unlike most law schools, C|M|LAW encourages you to engage in that same dialogue with your environment—through coursework, experiential learning, extracurricular activities, visits from international thought leaders, and unlimited interaction with practitioners.
To facilitate the collaborative learning and dialogue inherent in our multidisciplinary approach to education and teamwork, we designed the Rawson Learning Commons, one of only a few such law school centers in the country. The Commons features technologically advanced file sharing abilities, study rooms, “pods” for discussions and a common area used for innovative programming.
Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution
WHY C|M|LAW STANDS OUT A C|M|LAW education is grounded in critical knowledge, and that foundation is immediately strengthened by lessons in professionalism and exposure to legal practice and hands-on experiences. Our Faculty—nationally and internationally recognized scholars and experts in their fields—demonstrate exceptional dedication to teaching and an eagerness to work with each student, championing your success. Our Adjunct Faculty are at the top of their fields and bring real-world experience to the classroom. C|M|LAW grads are known for their outstanding writing skills thanks to the strength of our Legal Writing Program, and for their practice-ready professionalism gained through early and consistent engagement inside and outside of the traditional curriculum.
DUAL DEGREES JD/MBA (Master of Business Administration) with the Monte Ahuja College of Business JD/MPA (Master of Public Administration) with the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs CONCENTRATIONS: • General Public Management • Nonprofit Management • Public Safety Management • Economic Development • Public Financial Management JD/MUPDD (Master of Urban Planning, Design and Development) with the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs CONCENTRATIONS: • Housing and Neighborhood Development • Economic Development • Real Estate Development and Finance • Geographic Information Systems (GIS) • Environmental Sustainability JD/MAES (Master of Arts in Environmental Studies) with the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs CONCENTRATIONS: • Policy and Administration • Environmental Planning • Geographic Information Systems (GIS) • Environmental Nonprofit Management JD/MSES (Master of Science in Environmental Science) is a joint project of the College of Law and the Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences, in the College of Science designed for students with a background in science who are interested in careers in environmental law.
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THE CENTER FOR CYBERSECURITY AND PRIVACY PROTECTION A national leader in cyber education 8
Technology-related practice areas are among the fastest-growing legal markets. These include not only technology-specific practices like cybersecurity and data privacy but also the work within existing practice areas like health care where inhouse and outside counsel are responsible for advising on issues ranging from data privacy and security to remote health care and the internet-of-things. The Center for Cybersecurity and Privacy Protection, launched in 2016, has quickly established itself as a national leader in cybersecurity. The Center takes an approach that integrates law, business and technology to identify and address cyber risk and cyber management issues through education, training and applied research. The Center’s annual national conference and public event series brings prominent leaders across these diverse fields to law school events, exposing C|M|LAW students to cutting-edge issues in this field and helping them build their powerful professional network. Our innovative Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Concentration takes that same integrative approach. We prepare students to understand the technical and business dimensions of cybersecurity and privacy as well as the legal and regulatory frameworks.
Courses are taught by Center co-founding Professors Candice Hoke and Brian Ray, who have outstanding credentials in the field as well as Center faculty from CSU’s Business and Engineering Colleges. Those faculty are joined by industry professionals from law, business and technology who bring deep practical knowledge to the classroom. The cybersecurity externship program offers students real-life experience in settings ranging from key regulators including the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), in-house counsel offices at large corporations and technology companies providing cybersecurity services. Our innovative Cybersecurity Practicum immerses students in a virtual cyber threat-hunting team working together in real time to track and prevent cyber attacks during prominent national and international sporting events, including the World Track and Field Championships and the Olympic Games.
Melissa Bilancini BS, Bowling Green State University MS, Case Western Reserve University Brendan Whitted BA, Ohio State University Listening to Melissa describe how to create a cyber defense-in-depth network, or Brendan talk about his recent practicum in cyber threat intelligence sharing, you would never guess neither had a computer science background (Melissa was a social worker and Brendan a sociology and criminology major). But since enrolling in the Center’s courses, both have learned a base of technological understanding that will help them as lawyers tackle cyber issues from a broader perspective—and that’s valuable for employers. According to Brendan, “a lot of lawyers who practice cybersecurity don’t necessarily understand all of the technical aspects of the cyber network, leading to problems in communication between the lawyer and the technologists. When they have to spend time figuring out what each other is talking about that is inherently problematic—it costs more time and more money. If the lawyer understands the cyber part, it leads to less overhead.” Melissa agrees. “If we do litigation work in the future, it’s important to understand how a network should be built correctly so you can limit liability or identify where regulations were not adhered to.” Both students feel well prepared to enter the cyber field, and appreciate practitioner instructors who made the technical aspects easy to understand. They also encourage students to take advantage of the innovative Center’s introductory course, even if not pursuing a career as a cyber attorney. “Cybersecurity is about keeping assets and information safe, and that’s good knowledge to have.”
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Blair Barnhart-Hinkle ’14 Director, Government Relations Cleveland Clinic BS, Indiana University
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Blair Barnhart-Hinkle had a job she enjoyed as the Director of Government Relations at the Cleveland Clinic, one of the nation’s premier health facilities and the largest employer in the Cleveland area, for 13 years. Encouraged by her attorney boss, she decided to pursue a law degree and a Certificate in Health Care Law to enhance her career. Enrolling in C|M|LAW’s parttime evening program, she met a lifelong network. “I loved Cleveland-Marshall. I had a lot of peers in the evening program, and many are still good friends. I met the most amazing, smart colleagues and professors.” After receiving her law degree, her position has evolved to include working on regulatory issues in the state and federal space and preparing physicians for testimony. “I get to do a lot of interesting things and my law degree has afforded me those opportunities.” Blair encourages prospective students to consider a career in health care law, a field she says will continue to grow, and to take advantage of C|M|LAW’s expanding opportunities in health care law. “Compliance work in particular is becoming ever more important, especially in the hospital world where everything is regulated.”
CENTER FOR HEALTH LAW AND POLICY Industry-aligned, employment-focused
Cleveland-Marshall Health Care Law students are fortunate to study in a city renowned for health care. Cleveland is home to the prestigious Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, MetroHealth System and many other health care organizations, and C|M|LAW offers a direct connection to these employers. The Center for Health Law and Policy stands out because the curriculum has been designed, and continually updated, through ongoing dialogue between Center Director Professor Browne Lewis and health care leaders throughout the region. That means that students are always learning the exact skills that employers need. Graduates from the program are some of the most employable, and ultimately successful, health care attorneys in the country.
Because the offerings of the Center attract a broad range of professionals at different stages in their careers, classes present a diversity of perspectives for JD students, who often find themselves studying legal issues alongside doctors, insurance executives and CEOs. And in the closeknit collaborative culture of C|M|LAW, that means that upon graduation our students have real-world insights and a highpowered professional network in addition to practical experience gained through outstanding externship opportunities in public and private settings. The Center also coordinates its own mentoring program for health care law specialists. JD CERTIFICATES: • Health Care Law Certificate • Health Care Compliance Certificate • Health Law and Privacy (HIPPA) Certificate STUDENT JOURNAL:
The Journal for Law and Health STUDENT ORGANIZATION: Health Law Society ls re te Ca a oo h tific he t ouse b t l ea Cer e t n-h l jo ise s e H nce d m an i iona herwuire h “T lia vide re ess ot req u f an y p m ro ec ro ll Co m p to s ce p ol, in sua ce.” a ry an u r n o li ch at rie e og a pr cess mp w s d th xpe d h lt o l ne al/c of la l fie ob e schu r an ealt e j a H ty h c leg out nic of i ec ffi as t ch ars St e O uit ivers h t e q n c n E rig h t ye n e Tr plia sel, te U hig m un ta o C l Co io S ga Oh Le BA,
“He a one lth law o c atte areas f the f ontin ues ast of l mp e a t t pro s at h w. Th st gro o be win ec vid eal th c ons ea g ta n a for ew po re refo nt Pro law o fes yer l of jo rm wi s ll s” bs Dir or Bro Hea ector wne , C lth Law Cente . Lew and r for is Pol icy
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“I tau g C|M| ht at se LAW vera l som e of and I ca law sch o t n teac hers he most say tha ols befo re co t C|M abou ded in th ic e m | t that studen nation. ated an LAW pr ing to d o ts T s educ tudents and are he profe hardest fessors are learn ation ssor work dee top s notc studen and ma ply com genuin ing ts re mitt ely c h.” P ster e c rofe a t ssor eive at C he law. d to ens re u T R | ring h M e e gina | “I love ld O LAW is legal w abso h the diff orking with lutel st e y Profes rence that w udents on c u sor Jo e t t c in an ma g seph M e d ge issu ke tog ead es and ether for ou r comm seeing unity.”
“I chose C|M|LAW for the same reason tha t makes it so distincti ve—the community. I have lived in three oth er states before Ohio, and never have I see n a more integrated and connected comm unity of people. The networking opportu nities are invaluable.” Rachelle Courtney, Student
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“I have the pleasure of conducting the on-ca mpus interviews at C|M|LAW as a member of my firm’s hiring committee. In our experience, the students at C|M|LAW stand -out among their peers as pragmatic, hard-working and ready to hit the ground running as new attorneys.” Patrick Burke, ’03
ses ulum of cour hool’s curric Sc ith w w d La le he up “T co ll-time faculty handsd an taught by fu al ic in e array of cl the extensiv nct faculty ught by adju ta s se on cour provides ) s and judges (practitioner udents to st r fo portunity e and the a unique op dg ic knowle em ad ac e th to launch gain rience needed e Honorable practical expe Th attorneys.” as s ict er re ca their States Distr lster, United o hi O of t ic Judge Dan Po istr e Northern D Court for th
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BIGGER THAN
ll n us we utio vio s t a ti who ob e, ins he mni l us u l c a t tel he en d s by t ck and I felt so ell ecte wa y a c e ba ision. this ex sp . It n aw blow to com od dec start of ll re lent t s a e g e r a n “I w willin e a go ired to nt p ltu a w at t ude e d e u wer we ma and ins , Stud c is re St h g a s y d l , h e a r r s W w g e W e e ow ry at |LA irin at emp ey.” Ma tu |M sp . Sl n e r n C jou rp t. ri aY pe piri n fo ess s n |LAW AW do atio An t I chose C|M |L rtunities, bu po M can put e.” of op | y ity an rs m “I had rs, the dive “C a re r m ing professo n to our as ith a e fo for the amaz ing connectio nd ta ts ou e th is is my d c Th an , e. i w o students I feel at hom . ity h un all m m co c gree and in current law d graduate de d or 2n te d or an pp ee 4th degr felt more su I have never n io at t uc en ed my as, Stud eather Thom cared for.” H
“Cleveland is kn own for its grit and grandeur, hi and iconic world storical legacy -class institutio ns. If you want degree and lifes an affordable law tyle in a place w here camarader relationships an ie, connections d experiences m , atter, then com Gina Huffman, e to C|M|LAW.” Assistant Direct or, Law Admiss ion
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“C|M|L AW ha s really wonde been a rful su family pport the pro system to me. fession It has a that pre and als comm pares y unity— o conn ou for from N ects yo two dis orthea tinct th st Ohio u with the le in Delant gal to abro é Spen gs that not e ad. cer Th v omas ’1 ery law scho Those are ol doe 6 s well.”
YOURSELF
When you first come to C|M|LAW you will feel welcomed by a community of students, faculty, staff and alumni who all want you to succeed. You’ll find more than 25 student organizations, three outstanding student journals and championship winning moot court teams that will help you become a better attorney while building your peer network. You’ll have immediate access to a network of elite professionals eager to coach and mentor you. At C|M|LAW, you’ll become part of something bigger than yourself. You’ll discover that you are a vital part of the community that has been creating a more just society for over 120 years and is only getting stronger.
Lon‘Cherie’ Billingsley ’12 Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office BA, Ohio State University
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Assistant Prosecutor Lon‘Cherie’ Billingsley is the quintessential successful young professional, an achiever by anyone’s standards. While she did very well in her studies at C|M|LAW, she is upfront that she was not in the top 10 percent of her class—and quickly acknowledges that it never limited her job opportunities or exposure to employers as it would at other law schools. Through the Office of Career Planning networking opportunities and her involvement in student organizations, she created a constellation of mentors in the legal community and developed professionalism and leadership skills. Additionally, she built an impressive resume through C|M|LAW’s engaged learning experiences. While completing her JD, she was a clerk in the Cleveland Municipal Court, a Public Interest Fellow for a nonprofit employment organization, and a clerk for a nonprofit serving the Spanish-language community. Today she is a proud alumna who relishes mentoring law students. “My professors and C|M|LAW didn’t give up on me, and I never gave up on myself. Because I didn’t give up on myself I was able to continue to make the connections I needed to build a network to take me to the place that I wanted to be.”
CAREER PLANNING
From your first week of law school you will: • Begin to build your knowledge of legal market and hiring trends, practice areas and salary and employment data. • Build your professionalism through personal branding, leadership and professional communication. • Learn to execute a successful job search through a polished resume, cover letters, and LinkedIn profile, and practice your interview skills with our alumni volunteers. • Immediately begin building your professional network—one of the most important tools in your career toolbox, and one of the greatest assets of C|M|LAW. The law school offers numerous opportunities to engage with the community, and the Office of Career Planning will give you practical techniques to take any fear out of networking.
C|M|LAW’s Office of Career Planning (OCP) also serves as academic advisors, ensuring that you are always on the right path for you—even if that path changes. OCP will introduce you to a vast and varied legal network of mentors and employers, and guide you through career-building opportunities, including externships, clinics, internships, fellowships, extra-curricular activities and other practical experiences that set C|M|LAW apart from other law schools. C|M|LAW is one of the first law schools in the nation to house a Solo Practice Incubator, providing modern office space and support for entrepreneurial new graduates who are starting their own businesses. For current employment statistics, visit csulaw.org/employmentdata.
C|M|LAW grads have an impressive career toolkit:
Qualified
Networked
Professional
PracticeReady
Innovative
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LIVE JUSTICE. Learn law while making a difference
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CLINICS C|M|LAW’s clinic programs engage students in actual legal practice, putting what they learn in the classroom to work in the service of real clients with real legal problems. Students have made countless lives better while learning practical lawyering skills and tactics, professionalism and ethics. Whether or not you intend to practice public interest law, the clinics allow you to participate in a case from intake to resolution, with full mentoring by clinic professors. C|M|LAW clinic students engage in multiple subject areas under three broad practice categories: • Civil Litigation Clinic • Transactional Clinic • Community Advocacy Clinic
POP-UP PRACTICUMS In addition to the clinics, C|M|LAW gives students the opportunity to propose and complete short-term practical legal work in an area important to them. Practicums offer course credit and the work is done under the guidance of a faculty expert. Past and present practicums include work on the federal and state permitting process for the Icebreaker Wind Project— North America’s first freshwater offshore wind project, and working with Dean Fisher in his capacity as a member of the Cleveland Police Commission, authorized under the Federal Consent Decree between the City of Cleveland and the U.S. Department of Justice. EXTERNSHIPS Externships place students in the field working for lawyers or judges as active participants in the legal process. Externs also receive broad exposure to the legal system through observation of legal proceedings including depositions, settlements, conferences and trials. Externships include: • U.S. Attorney’s Office • U.S. Federal Trade Commission • U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration & Customs Enforcement • Internal Revenue Service • American Civil Liberties Union • Office of the Federal Public Defender • Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office • University Hospitals, Office of General Counsel • MIM Software
PRO BONO PROGRAM C|M|LAW students as a collective typically clock 11,000 volunteer hours throughout the city each year in a variety of community service projects, some of which include assisting with drivers license reinstatement, child support issues, Legal Aid Free Advice Clinics, the IRS-Certified Volunteer Tax Preparer Project, working with homeless shelters, and more. PUBLIC INTEREST LAW FELLOWSHIPS We not only encourage students to engage in public interest work, we provide funding for summer experiences as diverse as: • Legal Aid Society of Cleveland • Cuyahoga County Public Defender’s Juvenile Division • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington D.C. • Harvard Immigration & Refugee Clinic • Kilimanjaro Women Information Exchange, Tanzania • Seychelles Supreme Court and Court of Appeals
Ciara Miller BA, Tuskegee University Joseph Nelson BA, University of Mount Union Patrick Sennish BA, Ohio State University Professor Jonathan Witmer-Rich Professor Jonathan Witmer-Rich, an expert in criminal law, was named to the Bail Task Force for Cuyahoga County, which is considering proposals to reform Cuyahoga County’s processes for bail and pretrial release. Sensing an excellent learning experience, Professor Witmer-Rich proposed a pop-up practicum for one to three students to work with him on his subcommittee, charged with comparing courts in Cuyahoga County to other jurisdictions. Students Ciara Miller, Joseph Nelson and Patrick Sennish jumped at the opportunity. The students work as a team alongside their professor, attending meetings of the Task Force, conducting research and drafting memoranda on the issues of bail and pretrial release. They study the ways bail and pretrial release are currently conducted in Cuyahoga County—in common pleas court as well as in the 13 municipal courts throughout the county, and research best practices in bail and pretrial release. They also assist in preparing a report and recommendations for consideration by the Task Force. Students rave about the practicums, appreciating both the opportunity to learn outside the classroom as well as make a real impact on issues they care about. “The Bail Practicum is a gratifying illustration of how law students and lawyers can use their skill sets to work toward effectuating social change,” says Patrick.
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Dean Lee Fisher came to Cleveland-Marshall in 2016 bringing a remarkable past, having served as Ohio’s Attorney General, Lieutenant Governor, State Senator and State Representative, as well as a law firm partner, nonprofit CEO and public company board director. Most importantly, Dean Fisher feels at ease engaging in open dialogue with students at C|M|LAW. The Dean writes a weekly “Monday Morning Message” to keep the law school motivated and inspired and routinely asks students for their thoughts on how we can do better as a law school. He has been known to show up at community volunteer days to work side-by-side with students, and he sponsors informal and formal discussions for students to keep them both civically engaged and actively involved in their education and the C|M|LAW community. “I knew I would like being a Dean, but I didn’t know I would love it,” he says.
THE DEAN’S CLOSING ARGUMENT
WE ARE A LAW SCHOOL FOR LIFE. Since becoming Dean, I’ve found that our C|M|LAW family—including myself— regard our school with a level of pride, connection and gratitude rarely found in other law schools. In the pages of this book, you’ve read just a few of the many stories that illustrate this point.
THREE SPECIAL WOMEN In my welcoming remarks to our first-year class, I asked them to dedicate their first year at C|M|LAW to three special women: Judge Jean Murrell Capers ’45 who died at age 104 and who broke barriers and opened doors. Heather Heyer, the young paralegal who tragically was killed while peacefully protesting against hateful white supremacists in Charlottesville. Emily Pomeranz ’95, who, during her final days of a long bout with cancer, asked for and was sent a mocha milkshake from the iconic restaurant, Tommy’s, in Cleveland Hts., Ohio to her hospital room in Arlington, Virginia. Their inspiring spirits live on. We are a law school where you not only learn law, you learn how to live justice.
WE OPEN DOORS. In our 120-year history of leadership and innovation in legal education, we were the first law school in Ohio to admit women and one of the first to admit AfricanAmericans. Ever since, we have been a “door-opener” for many women and men who have broken gender, race, ethnic, economic and generational barriers to achieve great success. The story of Cleveland-Marshall is an iconic story of justice, equality and opportunity. WE CONNECT YOU TO THE FAST-CHANGING WORLD. Today, we continue to provide life-changing opportunities by making the study of law accessible through affordable tuition, scholarships and flexible full- and parttime study. We offer opportunities to learn law through real-world practice and service. We lead other law schools in preparing our students to meet the needs of a technologically sophisticated and team-oriented workplace. We open doors to a vast and supportive legal network of alumni and friends. WE GRADUATE LEADERS. Our graduates are everywhere. They are practicing lawyers, corporate counsel, business leaders, entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, social justice and civil liberty advocates, Ohio Supreme Court Justices, federal, state, county, and municipal judges, members of Congress, mayors, city council presidents and other elected leaders, government appointees, and public employees. Many law schools can make you a great lawyer, but at C|M|LAW we also strive to make you a great leader. A great lawyer is also a leader who solves people’s problems, changes people’s lives and furthers a cause, whether through advocacy, persuasion, communication, or counseling. Our mission is to graduate students who are not only successful professionals, but also leaders, change-makers and advocates of justice.
Capers
Lee Fisher Dean and Joseph C. Hostetler-BakerHostetler Chair in Law Lee.Fisher@CSUOhio.edu Heyer Pomeranz
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LEARN LAW. LIVE JUSTICE.
YOUR OWN KEEPSAKE SYMBOL OF JUSTICE When you are admitted to CM|LAW, you receive a personalized copy of the iconic novel of social justice, To Kill a Mockingbird.
LEGENDS AND TRAILBLAZERS Our Hall of Fame is full of legends who not only shaped our law school—they shaped our world.
BELIEVELAND MARSHALL Judge Jean Murrell Capers
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS C|M|LAW winning Moot Court Teams
Congressman Louis Stokes and Mayor Carl Stokes
AWARD-WINNING ENTREPRENEURS
ASPIRATION Stokes Scholar Brandon Brown graduates from C|M|LAW, having been part of the Stokes pipeline diversity initiative that introduces undergraduate students to the legal profession.
Tim Russert Host, Meet the Press
SMART CHOICE Named a Top Affordable Law School by Student Loan Hero as featured in USA TODAY
Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor
COLLEGE OF LAW
SOLO PRACTICE INCUBATOR
MOOT COURT ROOM
RAWSON LEARNING COMMONS
21 TRIAL COURT ROOM
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