WMU-Cooley Law School Benchmark Magazine 50th Anniversary Edition II

A RETROSPECTIVE INTO THE FUTURE

50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION II

Benchmark

ADVANCEMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Terry Carella, Sharon Matchette

Bill Arnold, Joseph Kimble, Duane Strojny

DESIGN

Image Creative Group

PHOTOGRAPHY

Terry Carella, Tom Gennara Photography

SUBMISSIONS

Benchmark seeks story ideas from graduates on a variety of subjects such as graduate achievements, international experiences, cultural diversity, legal information helpful to practitioners, unique law practices, advice to prospective law students, and special events. If you would like to share a story idea, please write, call, or e-mail: Communications Office

WMU-Cooley Law School 300 S. Capitol Ave. Lansing, MI 48933 (517) 371-5140 ext. 2916 communications@cooley.edu

Benchmark is published twice a year by the Communications Office of Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School.

ALUMNI DIRECTORY

The alumni directory is located in the WMU-Cooley portal. You will need an individual user name and password to access the database.

https://portal.cooley.edu/ Please call the Alumni Office at (800) 243-2586, or e-mail alumni@ cooley.edu with questions.

Letter from the

President and Dean

Fifty years. Half a century. More than just a theme for this issue, it is a celebration of the incredible contributions this school and our graduates have made to the legal community. This second special anniversary edition of the Benchmark continues our efforts to chronicle our first 50 years, including examples of our commitment to producing leaders, service to the community, and diversifying the profession.

Along with these specially themed articles, you will read about your faculty’s work, interesting stories about our current class, and the work of your alumni association. Because I think you need to be aware of the important work your faculty and staff are doing to ensure Cooley’s place as a leader in modern legal education, you will also find a short article from me highlighting aspects of that work.

It is not lost on me that our collective reemergence from the pandemic-induced isolation, distanced interactions, and video-mitigated communication coincides with this signature moment in our school’s history. We find ourselves at an important crossroads. As our communities continue to return to gathering together, we are able to appropriately join in celebrating and reflecting upon all that has been achieved during our first 50 years. At the same time, we emerge with a new strategic plan, a revitalized mission, and an inspiring vision eager to leap into the next chapter in our school’s legacy.

As you continue your transition from a pandemic-limited existence, I invite you to please consider paying a visit to your alma mater. Our students, faculty, and staff are once again spending more time physically at each of our campuses bringing with them the energy, vitality, and passion for legal education. We welcome you to join us in rekindling the spirit that fuels our commitment to advance justice and equity by providing broad access to a legal education.

Proud leader of our great school,

McGrath Professor,

President and Dean

HON. LOUISE ALDERSON

Chair, Board of Directors

Ret. Judge, 54-A District Court Lansing, Michigan

MUSTAFA AMEEN

Law Office of Ameen & Shafii Tampa, Florida

AARON V. BURRELL

Dickinson Wright PLLC Detroit, Michigan

CHRISTINA L. CORL

Plunkett Cooney Columbus, Ohio

THOMAS W. CRANMER

Miller Canfield Troy, Michigan

JOHN M. DUNN

President Emeritus of Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, Michigan

HON. MICHAEL P. HATTY

Chief Judge, 44th Circuit Court, 53rd District Court Livingston County

HON. JANE E.

MARKEY

Michigan Court of Appeals Grand Rapids, Michigan

KENNETH V. MILLER

Millennium Restaurant Group, LLC Kalamazoo, Michigan

LAWRENCE P. NOLAN

Nolan, Thomsen & Villas P.C. Eaton Rapids, Michigan

HON. BART STUPAK

Venable, LLP Washington, D.C.

JORDAN V. SUTTON

Sutton Advisors PLC Lansing, Michigan

MITCHELL S. ZAJAC

Vice Chairman, Board of Directors

Butzel Long Detroit, Michigan

WMU-COOLEY BOARD OF DIRECTORS

WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY THOMAS M. COOLEY LAW SCHOOL ALUMNI MAGAZINE |

James

EDITOR

Terry Carella

CO-EDITOR

Sharon Matchette

Bill Arnold

4. JIGISA PATEL-DOOKHOO is breaking new ground and fulfilling a lifelong goal as a new judge in the 18th Circuit Court serving Brevard and Seminole counties in east central Florida.

14. SIXTY PLUS, INC., ELDERLAW CLINIC has a vibrant history and a continuing mission to both educate law students and provide needed services to residents over age 65.

8. KARA HOPE continues the tradition of Cooley graduates in leadership roles, having just been re-elected to her post as a state representative in the Michigan legislature.

10.

DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR

EMERITUS JOSEPH KIMBLE highlights the glory years of the faculty-student basketball games.

22.PRESIDENT AND DEAN JAMES MCGRATH shares his hopes and dreams for Cooley’s next 50 years.

50-YEARS OF JUDICIAL SERVICE

Jigisa 50Patel-Dookhoo

To describe the most recent couple years in Jigisa Patel-Dookhoo’s life as a whirlwind would be an understatement of epic proportions.

Many people in the world went into a sort of hibernation during the pandemic. Not the Hon. Jigisa Patel-Dookhoo (Coleman Class, 2009).

Just since 2020, Patel-Dookhoo prepared for a traditional Indian wedding in the midst of the pandemic, had to pivot and reorganize everything due to the persistent Covid precautions, got married, rearranged honeymoon plans due to more Covid restrictions, embarked on building a home,

continued excelling at her career as a prosecutor with the Florida State Attorney’s Office, prepared for two different intensive judicial nomination processes – and was appointed judge for the 18th Circuit Court serving Brevard and Seminole counties in east central Florida.

And that’s just for starters. In October, Patel-Dookhoo and her husband Raul Dookhoo (Senior Director of Information Systems for EBG), enjoyed a delayed

honeymoon with a thrilling tour of Greece, Italy, France and Barcelona.

Patel-Dookhoo is part of a decades-old tradition at WMU-Cooley, joining hundreds of fellow graduates as a member of the bench. But she also stands out as a leader in another way, as the first female Indian American circuit court judge for the 18th Judicial Circuit for Brevard and Seminole counties.

Patel-Dookhoo, 40, was appointed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to the 18th Circuit Court serving Brevard and Seminole counties. She took office July 5 and her term runs until January 2025.

July was a big month for Patel-Dookhoo. Four days after she took office, she turned 40 and her brother Tejash Patel surprised her by flying down from Maryland where he lives with his wife and three children. Tejash, who is the CEO of his own IT company, joined Jigisa and their parents for the celebration of her milestone birthday as well as her new job.

A LIFELONG DREAM

For Patel-Dookhoo, the judgeship is the realization of a lifetime dream. “I always knew I wanted to be a judge,” she recalled. In fact, she has known since middle school that she wanted a career in the law. It all started with her volunteer participation with the Brevard County Teen Court program through the State Attorney’s Office. In the program, students serve as volunteer prosecutors, public defenders, and jurors hearing cases and rendering decisions for actual juvenile’s opting for alternative sanctions versus a criminal record. After becoming a prosecutor, PatelDookhoo would later go on to become a volunteer judge in the same Teen Court program.

But her interest in the law preceded even that formal introduction. It was while sitting around the family kitchen table when she was 10 or 11, that PatelDookhoo became aware of systemic injustices her family had experienced. Her dad and mom, Bhikhubbhai and Kusumben Patel were discussing how landlords would get away with unfair treatment of immigrants, charging them more for rent among other issues. “What are you talking about? Why didn’t you

report the landlord?” Patel-Dookhoo remembers asking, and her dad responded “Who is going to believe an immigrant?

Patel-Dookhoo said, “That broke my heart. It was a reality check. No one would listen to an immigrant.”

It was a lesson that stayed with her. When Patel-Dookhoo interviewed for her judicial post, she told the panel of attorneys, “I want people to know that they will be heard in my courtroom.”

And she definitely makes certain that everyone in her court is heard, she said. But she also makes sure that everyone knows what the process involves and what is needed. Presiding over Family Court in her first rotation with the circuit court, Patel-Dookhoo sees many people who are representing themselves. “I explain everything. Here are my expectations. Here is what I need.”

Previous to Patel-Dookhoo’s appointment to the bench, she served as an assistant state attorney in the 18th Judicial Circuit for 13 years in both Brevard and Seminole counties. She did her externship with the office and joined the staff fulltime immediately following her graduation from WMU-Cooley.

EXPLORING NEW WORLDS

Patel-Dookhoo was at the peak of her career with the State Attorney’s office in 2014, assigned to prosecuting capital crimes, when a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity arose hundreds of miles away in Virginia.

Blending her love of the law and her facility for technology, Patel-Dookhoo had an opportunity to become General Counsel for IT Concepts, a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business in Arlington, Virginia. During her time there, she managed and negotiated federal contracts up to $100 million.

In a testament to her commitment to transparency and loyalty, Patel-Dookhoo went to her boss who, over the years, had also become a friend, and asked his advice. He was honest and supportive. “He told me that, ‘If this was just a lateral move, I’d have you stay here – you fix every problem I throw at you. But this is huge for your career.’ ”

Her boss encouraged her to do the interview, assuring her that if she wanted to come back, the door would always be open.

Patel-Dookhoo took the job, serving for two years. She did what she set out to do, honing her Federal contracting skills and helping to get a groundbreaking business on the road to success.

“It was a wonderful experience,” she recalled. “I met attorneys from every walk of life. But something was missing – I wasn’t serving my purpose. I missed serving my community.”

BACK TO THE FRONTLINES IN FLORIDA

So she called her old boss at the State Attorney’s Office, and true to his word, he welcomed Patel-Dookhoo back.

“I couldn’t believe it,” she said, laughing. “He took my call and exclaimed ‘You’re coming back!’”

She jumped right back into the fray, earning a guilty verdict co-prosecuting the office’s first-ever human trafficking case in Seminole County, Florida. At the same time, she simultaneously practice civil law (2015-2019) as a legal consultant for TAYS, Inc., where she managed contracts, employees, and subcontractors in the I.T. industry.

With the State Attorney’s Office, she served as the division chief for the Domestic Violence Unit and prior to that position as the intake attorney for both the Sex Crimes

“I want people to know that they will be heard in my courtroom.”

JIGISA PATEL-DOOKHOO

and Child Abuse Unit and the Human Trafficking Unit.

Patel-Dookhoo is passionate about assisting victims of violent crimes, as well as protecting children, and has won awards for her work. She has also spoken frequently to Florida citizens about human trafficking.

Patel-Dookhoo credits her law school training for much of her success with the State Attorney’s Office. “I knew how to research,” she explained. “I could think on my feet and trust myself.”

A lifelong practice of taking notes longhand embeds information in PatelDookhoo’s mind for immediate retrieval during trial or even in conversation.

THE EARLY YEARS

The Patel family came to the United States from India, sponsored by PatelDookhoo’s maternal uncle, and settled in New Jersey where Jigisa was born. They moved from the Garden State to Florida when Jigisa and her brother were very young. Her parents owned and operated a small convenience store and it was there that the sense of community and responsibility for others was embedded. That sense of belonging and involvement continues to this day. Patel-Dookhoo’s professional life includes service as an educator. She’s taught Business Law at Eastern Florida State College, instructed Brevard and Seminole County law enforcement officers in practical aspects of law affecting their jobs, and introduced young students to concepts about justice matters.

GIVING BACK

As a judge she plans to continue being out in the community, speaking as time allows, and presenting to groups –especially children.

It’s important, she explained, for young people to have role models – to see people doing things and having careers that they can aspire to. “I want them to see what they can accomplish. Kids mirror what they see.”

Patel-Dookhoo actually interviewed for two different judgeships. She made the short list for the first judgeship in Seminole County – an honor in itself. The process was valuable. She made many great contacts and left a lasting good impression and even provided some humor. A successful multi-tasker, Patel-Dookhoo was navigating the judicial nominating process simultaneously with her wedding preparations and the moment is memorialized in pictures.

A year later, Patel-Dookhoo found herself immersed in the nomination process for the Brevard County judgeship and once again impressed the interviewers. And once again, it was Patel-Dookhoo’s agile ability to remember facts and cases learned at Cooley in Constitutional Law that helped set her apart from the competition.

Patel-Dookhoo is very education focused. “At a young age, it became clear to me that an education was important to obtain my goals.”

As focused as she is on making sure she gives back to the community and accomplishes good things, Patel-Dookhoo didn’t realize until recently how much her hard work and subsequent success has meant to her community, family, and friends.

“After I became a judge, my parents and I went to a Hindu Temple called Mandir. Everyone was there and I remember telling my mother ‘You did NOT prepare me for this!’ They were all praying for me. They were all in tears and hugging me, since they’ve known me as a child. I didn’t know what I meant to people,” she said, humbled by the outpouring. “This is huge for all of us. I didn’t know I could have that impact on my family, friends and community.”

“My photographer got a photo of me taking notes (for her upcoming Judicial Nominating Committee interview) while I was getting my hair and makeup done on my wedding day!”

JIGISA PATEL-DOOKHOO

Cooley Law School

50-YEAR TRADITION OF INCLUSION

In the beginning, it was enough, and even groundbreaking, for Cooley’s founder, the late Michigan Supreme Court Justice Thomas E. Brennan Sr., to focus on welcoming all applicants without regard to any criteria other than their ability to succeed in the law.

“When Cooley was founded, it was all about access,” explained Jacqueline Freeman, Senior Director and Special Adviser to the President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. It was, she continued, “all about giving people the opportunity to study the law.” Echoing Brennan’s heartfelt axiom, Freeman noted that “the practice of law should not be an elitist profession.”

As a result, Cooley has always had a diverse student population. Freeman noted, “Our mission is to foster an inclusive culture at WMU-Cooley Law School where all forms of diversity are valued. We are committed to inclusion across race, color, ethnicity, national and regional origins, citizenship, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy status, socioeconomic and employment status, age, experience, disability, military status and religious, political, cultural and intellectual ideologies and practices and others. The legal profession must be reflective of our society.”

After some time, however, it became clear that it wasn’t enough to just be diverse and inclusive. Instead, Cooley thought leaders determined, it was time to proactively teach about implicit bias and how the school could mitigate its harmful effects, increase cross-cultural competency, and address systemic inequalities. The directives weren’t just about making the law school setting a better place, but about training future attorneys how to better serve their clients when they got into practice, Freeman explained.

Even with all their work, Freeman (Reid Class, 2006) said that they know they can’t solve all the problems of bias and discrimination. Instead, she explained that they are “equipping students to be agents of change.”

Long before the American Bar Association formulated new rules for law schools regarding diversity education requirements, Cooley was forging ahead with plans and events to incorporate diversity, equity and inclusion (often known as DEI) into the curriculum from students’ first day of class.

Freeman credits the leadership of Cooley President and Dean James McGrath for making diversity, equity, and inclusion education a priority; Professor Monica Nuckolls for her leadership of the Faculty DEI Committee; and Associate Dean and Professor Tonya Krause-Phelan for her commitment and guidance in implementing these changes.

On a day-to-day basis, Freeman is at the helm of initiatives to ensure that Cooley maintains a solid and innovative presence in DEI. Her work with DEI is well-respected in the legal community. She serves on the State Bar of Michigan’s Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee, as vice chair of the ABA Commission on Lawyers Assistance Programs DEI Committee, on the Michigan Supreme Court DEI Commission, and on the Ingham County Bar Association DEI Committee, among other related professional groups.

One of the initiatives that Freeman has overseen at Cooley has been trainings on implicit bias for students, staff and

faculty. Even the pandemic couldn’t slow them down. Cooley administrators simply moved their in-person training online and participants were able to easily interact with each other in both large- and smallgroup sessions.

Helping to make the diversity dream continue to grow is a 29-member DEI Committee comprised of a cross section of Cooley faculty and staff. True to its mission, the DEI Committee wants all voices heard. “Diversity is everyone’s job,” Freeman said. “We have to work collaboratively.”

Among the many programs furthering the DEI mission at Cooley are faculty roundtables to discuss ways of infusing DEI concepts into all levels of the curriculum, an elective class on MultiCultural Lawyering led by Cooley

Professor Mable Martin-Scott and retired Professor Kimberly O’Leary, a book titled Multi-Cultural Lawyering by MartinScott and O’Leary, a two-day conference on multicultural lawyering, a faculty roundtable on interrupting bias in the classroom, and more.

Many of the initiatives carry a global message – how can the profession do better in this area overall. But organizers at Cooley have not forgotten the power of one-on-one connections either.

The school created a dedicated email address – diversity@cooley.edu - for those interested in asking questions or voicing concerns about any aspect of diversity, equity and inclusion issues.

50

YEARS OF LEADERS Kara Hope

50

The not-so-secret trick, she explained, is preparation.

Today, Hope (Swainson Class, 2003) has gone from a nervous first-year law student to a confident leader in state government in Michigan. Just under a decade ago, Hope joined a 50-year tradition of WMU-Cooley graduates giving back to their communities through elected office.

In 2013, Hope was first elected to office as a member of the Ingham County Board of Commissioners

in mid-Michigan. She served in that capacity until 2018 when she was elected to the State House of Representatives. Now in her third term, Hope recently completed a successful campaign in a vastly different district, thanks to statewide redistricting.

It was a whole new experience, knocking on doors she hadn’t been to before as she campaigned for the position. Hope is skilled at adapting to new experiences, however.

After graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Michigan State University in 1997, Hope joined the Ionia Sentinel Standard as a newspaper reporter. In that role, she experienced a close-up look at government, local politics and courts and was inspired to get a law degree from WMU-Cooley.

“As a journalist, I reported on the lives of others. As an attorney, I would be able to more directly help improve the lives of others,” she said.

Kara (Henigan) Hope has come a long way since that fateful day when she was called upon to stand and recite in the late Professor Peter Jason’s Contracts I class. An introvert by nature, Kara was beyond nervous as she responded, but she learned something important about herself that day – she could do it.

Hope graduated 10th in her class, then went to work for the Michigan Court of Appeals where she reviewed appeals and prepared reports on pending cases for the court. She also worked for a litigation firm for about a year before life took another turn.

Four months after Kara married her husband Evan Hope in 2006, the young couple took on the full-time care of Kara’s niece and nephew, then 8 and 3. Casting about for a way to combine her fledgling law career with her instantparenting role, Hope talked with her former Advanced Writing instructor at WMUCooley, Distinguished Professor Emeritus Joseph Kimble. She soon found herself serving as an adjunct faculty member at the law school, a role she would continue for six years.

In 2012, Hope was catapaulted into an entirely new experience when a local political issue erupted and she became involved.

“I’ve always been interested in current events and the world around me,” she noted. “There was a ballot issue, a bond proposal that would have paid for the construction of a solarpowered sludge dryer. It was a minor thing that blew up.”

Hope said she found herself out of her comfort zone, showing up on people’s doorsteps to discuss the issue. Not long after, Hope challenged an incumbent who’d been on the other side of the issue, and she won the seat.

Hope said she loved serving on the county commission, but in 2018, the state representative serving her area was termlimited and a strong candidate was needed to fill the seat.

Hope won the election that year, and again in 2020, and now 2022.

Hope serves on the House Judiciary Committee, an assignment she loves due to the variety of legislation they see and the opportunity to make a positive impact.

Hope, along with fellow legislator Sarah Anthony and the Michigan Attorney General’s Office, made a huge

positive impact in 2022 with the first-ever Expungement Fair. In the wake of the new Clean Slate law in Michigan, the opportunities for people to get convictions erased from their record has increased. For many people with minor offenses getting in the way of employment, housing and other areas, the legislation has been a godsend.

“This has been affecting real people in real time,” Hope said. At the expungement fair, volunteer lawyers helped some 85 people get the paperwork started for getting their convictions expunged. The variety of applicants was stunning, Hope recalled. “We saw elderly people, moms with kids in tow – it was eye opening.” The organizers paired with WMU-Cooley, which hosted the fair. “We hope to make this an annual event,” she said.

It’s clear that Hope has grown in confidence since those first days in law school. “I was actually shaking” during that first recitation in class, she recalled. “Now I can speak to the full legislature. If I have a mission, I can talk in front of people,” she said.

Hope is living proof that strong, successful leaders come in a variety of personalities. “A huge asset of being an introvert is that I am a really good listener,” she explained.

As time went on, Hope learned that the more she talked with people, the easier it became.

Hope makes herself available to constituents at public events and at her office. Hope and her staff answer phone queries and letters, responding to a wide variety of concerns – from unemployment claim issues during the pandemic to kids’ concerns about school safety, they hear it all.

Talking – and especially listening – has been the key to success for this leader in state government.

Kara with her nephew, Jared Yenchar, niece, Emma Yenchar, and husband, Evan Hope.

“As a journalist, I reported on the lives of others. As an attorney, I would be able to more directly help improve the lives of others.”

The Semi-Legendary, Borderline Spectacular, Mostly Memorable

Seniors–Faculty Basketball Games (circa 1986–1999)

BY JOE KIMBLE

I readily admit that “faculty” is a misnomer: the “faculty” team also consisted of faculty spouses and Cooley staff members. Otherwise, the games would have been a slaughter.

Sadly, my records are incomplete; I never imagined that I’d be writing an article like this. As best I can tell now, there were about 30 games. (Probably not every graduating class fielded a team during those years.) But I could find only seven write-ups in The Pillar, although I thought I had written more. Apparently, some issues of The Pillar did not make their way to the library and are missing from the library’s bound volumes. And I seem to have done more write-ups in the earlier years than in the later.

I do have 21 group photos, but alas, I did not write the class names on each one, so I had to try to identify faces and then ask the registrar when those people graduated. Even then, I could not identify more than

For a little more than a decade beginning in the late 1980s, on the morning of graduation, the graduating seniors and the faculty engaged in a game of basketball.

May 1987, Alan Morse Class

September 1987, Claudius Grant Class

January 1988, Sanford Green Class

half the classes. I’m hoping that some of you will help me with a follow-up article.

The professors who played at least once: Nussbaumer (just about every game), Prygoski (likewise, and RIP, Phil), LeDuc, Phillips, Brooks, McDonald, McNeal, Scott, Morgan, Kende, Derezinski, and one dud whose name you can guess. Two current professors played while they were still Cooley students: Professors Dotson and Asher. Spouses and staff spouses included the mates of Professor Branham, Professor Russell, and staffer Lisa Davis. Among the staffers: Fred Puffenberger, Duane Fedewa, David Milner, Eric Kennedy, Bill Olsen, and Jerome Thomas.

Of course, I can’t begin to list all the seniors who played. Some (not a lot) were women, including Melissa Leckie, Angela Sorrells, and Helen Campbell. (I know there were others; perhaps you will let me know if you played.) From time to time, I “inducted” players into

the Thomas Cooley Basketball Hall of Fame: Mike Dietz, (Prof.) Mark Dotson, Marc Feeney, Brad Johnson, Dave Keller, Dave Kiel, Todd Tarter, Tom Trautner, Jim Troester. Those are just the ones I could find in the write-ups. I can think of others who belong, like Darrell Banks and Joe Johnson, but once I start naming names (as I just did), I’ll miss many others. And remember that this is only during a roughly 10-year period.

The games were held at several locations: the Mormon Church in East Lansing, St. Gerard’s Church in Lansing, an elementary school in Grand Ledge, a junior-high school in Haslett, and the United Methodist Church in downtown Lansing. I was never able to deliver on repeated promises to play the next game at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Below are some snippets from the seven write-ups I found in The Pillar:

“Unfortunately, the game was marred by dirty tricks and cheap theatrics on both sides. During the game, Ed Waters tried to head the ball, soccer style, into the basket on a fast break. The faculty retaliated by insisting that they provide the scorekeeper. She was last seen counting money.” (Grant class, Nov. 1987.)

“Pat Collison threw in four straight rainbow 3-point shots from the corners. Melissa Leckie made one of the game’s decisive plays when she posted up on Nussbaumer and threw in a dazzling hook shot.” (Green class, Feb. 1988.)

“The MVP was Jeff Donahue, with 22 points. Kel Scott strategically talked the faculty into a third period of play, during which they nearly collapsed.” (Pratt class, May 1988.)

“The Copeland class was probably done in by its overconfidence, as reflected in much good-natured woofing before the game. … David Cross directed the offense and tried to direct the referees. But the game belonged to Prygoski, who dazzled everyone with

May 1988, Abner Pratt Class

January 1989, Joseph Copeland Class

May 1989, Samuel Douglass Class

inside moves and outside shooting— not to mention one thunderous dunk. Unbelievable.” (Jan. 1989.)

[A pregame announcement for the game with the Douglass class.] “Professors Scott and Morgan have announced plans to play in the game for the first time. With Morgan to round out the starting five, Nussbaumer will have to play center.”

“It was the third win in a row for the faculty. Can anyone stop this scoring machine? … The MVP [for the seniors] was Dave Kiel, with 28 points and 19 rebounds, an awesome performance.” (Douglass class, May 1989.)

“For the Johnson class, coach Mark Collins put together a formidable team. The MVP was Chris Amato, with 26 points and 10 rebounds. … For the faculty, nothing went right. Its ringers failed to show. Phillips did show. LeDuc was out with a jammed finger from the previous game.” (Sept. 1989.)

“For the Wilson class, director of personnel Leni Staley put together an outstanding team. … Phillips was the hero before overtime. With five seconds to go and

the faculty behind by one point, he went up for the shot, missed, but got fouled. Two shots. He missed the first one, and the seniors called time. Back to the line with two seconds to go. Swish. In overtime, though, Mark Dotson and Karl Berg took control.” (May 1990.)

“Kimble, of course, played like a skunk. The poor man belongs in a rest home.” “Kimble played like a bloated goat. He should be put out of his misery.” “Kimble played with all the grace of a yak. This guy is one sad case.” (Various.)

In a couple of the write-ups, I quoted from newspaper and magazine articles on basketball:

“The only time basketball works as a metaphor is when you think of life as a game when you’re

September 1989, David Johnson Class

Unidentified #4

January 1990, Nathaniel Bacon Class

Unidentified #5

May 1990, Edward Wilson Class

Unidentified #6

already down 15 points at the half: you know you can’t win, but you can at least keep the score respectable.”

“To the emotionally staid, we must look pretty foolish laboring up and down a long wood floor as the accelerated heartbeats tick by. But all lovers are fools if they’re doing it right.”

Just as a side note, although the seniors–faculty games eventually ended, for quite a few years into the 2000s we continued to play a Friday-afternoon pickup game at the Central United Methodist Church. Students from all classes participated.

In a faculty profile about me in the late ’90s, I mentioned that “out of about 30 games, the seniors have only a slight lead.” But the games were always friendly and never about who won and lost. Or not so much, anyway. They were intended to help celebrate, in some small way, the best day in the life of the school — graduation day, the end of one short era and the start of another, much longer one. They were a way to say goodbye and thank you and good luck. I hope that those of you who played and watched will remember them with a smile.

Sixty50 Plus, Inc., Elderlaw Clinic A 50-YEAR TRADITION OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY

With question marks clanging in his head over that statement, Baker sat down to listen as the woman shared a horrifying story that made it crystal clear just how much legal services for older adults were needed in the area –and soon.

It was 1979, and Baker had just launched what would become the Sixty Plus, Inc., Elderlaw Clinic with the assistance of a small grant from the State Bar’s Young Lawyers Section to cover the cost of malpractice insurance. Because Baker was on the faculty at Cooley, he was able to enlist law students to volunteer, and Chief Justice Mary Coleman provided a letter to instruct any court personnel that they were eligible to practice law under the court rule governing student practice, even though the clinic was not

then part of the law school’s curriculum. Eventually, after the ABA Young Lawyers Division conferred its Single Project Award on the clinic, it was selected to become the flagship of the many clinical programs Cooley Law School has established as part of its 50-year tradition of service to the community.

But back to 1979, Baker needed to determine what his new clients meant when they said they wanted their clothes. The story started with three women. The elderly woman who came to the clinic with her 6-year-old granddaughter explained that, while her late daughter was terminally ill with cancer she had fallen in with a man who promised he would provide a home for life for her mother and daughter if she would just sign over her house to him. He claimed that because she’d been on

“We just want our clothes back,” the woman said sadly as she and her granddaughter entered Fred Baker’s Sixty Plus, Inc., Elderlaw Clinic office and sat down.

food stamps, the government would take her house when she died. Her daughter believed that her friend would take care of things after she was gone until her daughter was grown.

He took care of things alright –for himself. Immediately upon the daughter’s death, the man kicked the grandmother and the granddaughter out of “his” house, refusing to even let them take their clothes.

Baker had been a lawyer since 1975, but having spent the first few years of his career teaching at Wayne Law School and clerking for the late Court of Appeals Chief Judge Robert J. Danhof, he was a stranger to the courtroom. “I had never tried a case,” he recalled. “My first jury trial was with Sixty Plus.”

Baker scrambled to make deadlines and get an estate open. In the pre-internet era, he obtained critical documentation by telegram. Once he had everything he needed to persuade the court to enjoin the sale of the house, it still took two years to get the case to trial, which took a week. Victory, he recalled was sweet –at one point, he chuckled, the jury asked, “Can we award more than the plaintiffs asked for?”

Baker wasn’t flying solo fighting for the women’s house, however. He had the able assistance of lawyers-intraining, students from Cooley, including Roger Lane, a former AP reporter who, at the age of 67, became Cooley’s oldest graduate at the time, and

Dennis Mikko, the last student intern to work on the case.

Sixty Plus was established to serve a dual mission, which continues to this day: (1) Provide much-needed legal assistance to an under-served population and (2) Provide hands-on, live-client education to qualified law students. When fellow faculty member Bill Weiner came to Baker with the idea of resurrecting the idea of a legal clinic for older residents, Baker was already teaching a heavy class load year-around, but he was intrigued and willingly took on the task.

The first mission was to recruit law students for the clinic. “I put up a notice for volunteers in the cafeteria,” Baker recalled, “and 89 people signed up!” Baker waded through all the applicants and chose 12 to comprise the first class of Sixty Plus interns. He was all set.

Or so he thought. That’s when Tom Wimsatt (Bushnell Class, 1980) showed up on his doorstep. “He was a biologist who went to law school,” Baker said. “He was whip smart and told me, ‘I am going to be in this clinic!’” Wimsatt made his case and Baker brought him on, earning that first class the enduring nickname, “Baker’s Dozen.”

When Sixty Plus first started, they operated out of what had been a janitor’s closet at the former St. Lawrence Hospital. They eventually got bigger quarters, but the real breakthroughs came when Sixty Plus was incorporated in May 1981 and recognized by the American Bar Association with the Young Lawyers Division’s Single Project Award in 1982. The award made a big splash, Baker recalled, and soon after that Sixty Plus found itself officially folded into the Cooley family.

Early volunteers with Sixty Plus labored on their own time for the experience. As the value of clinical education became clear, however, students were soon able to earn credit for the experience as well.

Because the clinic received Title III funding and had to report its caseload annually, Baker recalled that by several years ago over 50,000 “unduplicated clients” (counting the services performed rather than just the individual clients) “have been served over the years – several of them more than once. In addition, hundreds of students have gone through the program – many going on to specialize in elder law.”

Dustin Foster, the current executive director of Sixty Plus, was one of those students who found their calling through Sixty Plus.

“For me, this is where I found my legal identity,” Foster said. “I like helping people who may not otherwise receive that service. I also like the aspect of working with students. It’s nice to have a part in their development from student to attorney.”

Baker had high praise for Foster. “Dustin is doing a great job,” Baker said. “He’s very focused.”

Sixty Plus, over time, has honed that focus on the much-needed service of wills and estate planning. In the past, it has also offered such services as divorce, landlord/ tenant issues, public benefits issues, protective proceedings, and more, for people age 60 and older in Ingham, Eaton and Clinton counties in mid-Michigan. These days, the legal specialty is more focused, but the population served is much wider and Foster said they can take on clients throughout the state. “As long as they can get to campus,” he said, the clinic can serve them.

Baker was the original executive director of Sixty Plus, and Foster is the 13th, forming their own “Baker’s Dozen” of sorts. In between, Cooley faculty serving as executive directors were Frank Brussow (acting); the late Dorean Koenig; Kent Hull, the clinic’s first full-time paid director; Nora Pasman Green, credited with propelling the fledgling clinic into a robust, professional organization; Ann Miller Wood; James Peden; Marjorie Russell; Norman Fell; Lawrence Morgan (acting); Kimberly O’Leary; and Gary Bauer.

Sixty Plus and its Estate Planning Clinic are the most enduring programs, but several other clinics have carried out WMU-Cooley’s 50-year tradition of providing service to the community. Other continuing clinics at the law school include the Cooley Innocence Project, the Tampa Debt Relief Clinic, and the Washtenaw County Defender Clinic, a blended clinic.

Clinics in history have included the Access to Justice Clinic, Family Law Assistance Project, the Kent County Public Defender Clinic (a blended clinic), and the Immigrant Rights and Civil Advocacy Clinic.

Distinguished Professor Emeritus Terry Cavanaugh recalled that many faculty members worked to continue the Sixty Plus tradition. In addition to those already mentioned, other professors taught in the clinic, including Cavanaugh himself, Marla Mitchell-Cichon, Patricia Mock, Cindy Faulkner, and the late Judy Frank. Josh Ard, whose knowledge of the Sixty Plus Clinic was encyclopedic, was a notable staff attorney in the clinic, becoming known for his mentoring style that taught students to think on their feet and come up with the answers to important questions on their own. Others have served on the board. Baker, with his lifelong commitment to service, serves as secretary of the Sixty Plus board to this day.

At the time of the trial, the granddaughter was eight. Fast forward about 15 years and I am shopping at a Kroger store. A young woman with a baby keeps looking at me by the dairy and then comes up to me and says, “Excuse me, are you, Mr. Baker?” “Yes,” I replied, unsure who she might be. She said, “I am Jessie Smith’s granddaughter, and my mother was Betty Haynes. You got our house back for us and I grew up there. Jessie died, and I got married and had this baby. My husband left me and I don’t know where he is. That house is all I have in the world. Thank you.”

Cooley Innocence Project Tampa Debt Relief Clinic Washtenaw County Defender Clinic

50 My Vision for Cooley Law School

One constant in legal education is change. The last several years have shown this axiom to be more formidable than ever. However, never one to sit back and roll with changes or hide from challenge, Cooley continues to innovate and be at the forefront of defining what a modern legal education should look like in the law and in society.

THE NEXT 50 YEARS

As we enter the school’s next 50 years, we are seizing the opportunity to create a better legal environment for all, not just a select few.

In our first 50 years we demonstrated incredible resilience as we successfully navigated many incredible changes. Putting our students first, we remained at the forefront of providing access to the legal profession and made sure a Cooley lawyer graduated prepared to practice.

When I arrived as president and dean in 2019, the Board of Directors and I agreed on a vision to make Cooley a leader in providing a modern legal education. From day one, in partnership with our faculty and staff, we set to work to make that happen. Despite the challenges of the last three years, we remain committed to that vision and are implementing strategies to achieve it.

Our new Strategic Plan doubles down on our access mission, memorializing our pledge to using empirically proven teaching and learning techniques and deepening our commitment to promote social justice.

Our mission and values statements flesh out our plans to ensure Cooley will be a leader in preparing lawyers for our everchanging profession, country, and world.

Our faculty is currently completing a full curriculum review. Striving for continuous improvement, we will examine every detail of our current curriculum, keeping what is working well and creating new courses and offerings that will best ensure our students build the skills and knowledge they need to be successful in school, on the bar exam, and in practice. As we engage in this important work, we will consider the best practices in legal education – but we will also consider our unique student population to situate our curriculum to best serve them. We will continue to innovate. We will build a curriculum that recognizes where our students are and gets them to where they need to be to be successful lawyers and leaders.

The end result of this effort will be a curriculum designed to fulfill the aspirations of our Strategic Plan. The process will be thorough and may likely include surveys of our graduates, many of whom are employers.

Based in part on my many conversations with alumni, we intend to ensure legal writing is taught in the first semester, and that more writing is infused throughout the program.

Practice ready means being able to write well, so this will be a priority moving forward. Lawyers write.

I also anticipate permitting students to exercise more autonomy in selecting elective courses. This is important to keeping students motivated in their studies as they approach graduation.

Of course, preparing students for the bar is also a central tenet in our curricular

review. I am encouraging our faculty to consider a stratified menu of bar review courses for our students’ final semesters. Depending on their knowledge base and demonstrated capacity, students may be required to take one or more bar review courses. Complimenting this, is our new collaboration agreement with BARBRI – a preeminent commercial bar review company. This collaboration will provide valuable data analytics that will help us assess a student’s readiness to sit for the bar exam. We will use this and other data to identify students who need extra help to prepare for the ultimate final exam. The agreement also provides all students entering since fall of 2022 with a full post-graduation BARBRI bar review course included in their tuition, and all previous graduates have access to a deeply discounted course.

Beyond these elements, I have asked the faculty to think expansively on what our new curriculum should look like.

Everything is on the table as we reimagine our new curriculum and prepare for the school’s next 50 years.

As we celebrate the school’s 50th anniversary and all that has led us to this moment, I am thankful every day for the leadership of our amazing 21,000+ graduates from across the nation and around the world. They are the foundation of our success and have demonstrated through their diligent work and leadership in every area of the law that Cooley graduates are prepared to be positive agents for change in our profession and in the communities they serve. You make us proud of our school and invigorate our work.

Like you, I am very proud of our first 50 years as Cooley Law School, but thrilled as we continue to transform Cooley Law School for its next 50 years.

50-Years. One Mission. PREPARING

LAWYERS & LEADERS.

For 50 years, Cooley Law School has been committed to a singular mission – preparing the very best lawyers and leaders Our 21,000-plus alumni includes a governor, senators, representatives, justices, judges, attorneys general, district attorneys, prosecutors, public defenders, and partners in leading law firms around the country.

In addition, our graduates transcend the legal community to apply their knowledge and expertise in leading businesses, corporations, communities, and non-profit agencies around the world.

Our alumni and friends help make all this possible. Your gifts support increased scholarships, expanded skills training and practice readiness experiences, enhanced academic support programs, and much more.

To commemorate the law school’s 50th anniversary, we’ve set an ambitious goal of raising $500,000 in support of student scholarships, student bar preparation, and curriculum and instruction enhancements.

We invite you to help us achieve that goal and join in affirming our continued commitment to producing the very best lawyers and leaders by making a gift to the 50th anniversary annual fund campaign.

Make your gift by visiting cooley.edu/giving, scanning the QR code below, or by returning the enclosed reply envelope.

Those who make a gift of $50 or more will receive a commemorative WMUCooley 50th anniversary coffee mug.

Reaching 50

BILL ARNOLD, DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS

For individuals, turning 50 can be an occasion filled with mixed emotions. There is the happiness associated with many fond memories, the joy of celebrating with friends old and new, as well as the contemplation of knowing one is now most definitely middle-aged. For an organization, like WMUCooley Law School, reaching 50 years is a rare occasion and something worth celebrating!

Consider this, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only about 36 percent of all businesses make it to their 10th birthday, just over one-third. Only 21 percent make it to their 20th anniversary.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that only about 12 percent – just 12 percent – of companies are more than 26 years old.

So, you see, this year is a very special moment in the life of WMU-Cooley Law School.

One of the keys to longevity among businesses that make it beyond their 20th anniversary is a clear understanding of their mission and vision and an unwavering commitment of those who believe in that mission. For Cooley Law School, that started with just two people, former Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas E. Brennan and his wife Pauline (Polly) Brennan.

Our law school began in June 1972 inside a rented space on the second floor of a building in downtown Lansing, Michigan. It was outfitted with a table, a few chairs, and a telephone. Fueled by a belief that access to a legal education should not be limited to just those from privileged backgrounds or for those who had the means and ability to put their lives on hold in order to attend, they set to work.

They believed that any individual who had the desire, the commitment, and the fortitude to earn the degree and met the standards of the profession, deserved the opportunity to pursue their dreams.

Of course Judge Brennan and Polly didn’t do it alone. Among their friends and peers, they found a dedicated group of individuals, some who were attorneys and some who were not, that shared their vision. Together they turned the improbable into a reality.

Through their shared commitment, in just a matter of a few months, they enrolled the first class of 76 students on January 12, 1973.

Fifty years later, we celebrate their vision and their determination. We all share the belief in the importance of broad access to a legal education. As we carry that torch forward, we must light the way for those who dream of ensuring equal justice under the law.

I invite you to join in celebrating the 50th anniversary of WMU-Cooley Law School at one or more of the events occurring this year. In addition, please consider making a gift to the 50th anniversary annual giving campaign. Together, we can ensure that broad access to a legal education continues to be a reality for every generation yet to come.

2022 Distinguished Alumni Service Award

WMU-Cooley Alumni Association

69% BENCHMARK ALUMNI MAGAZINE

The Alumni Association established the Distinguished Alumni Service Award (DSA) in 2000 to recognize graduates who excel in supporting the mission of the law school, have made significant contributions to society, and whose accomplishments, affiliations, and careers have honored the legacy of excellence. A committee of WMU-Cooley Alumni Association past-presidents review nominations to select recipients for the award each year. The committee bases its selection on the nominees’ demonstrated commitment and dedication to WMU-Cooley, career success, service and leadership in the community, and professionalism and ethics. The recipients of the 2022 Distinguished Alumni Service Award are:

HON. TIMOTHY G. HICKS (O’HARA CLASS, 1985)

Judge Hicks was appointed to the 14th Circuit Court of Michigan in 1996 by then Michigan Gov. John Engler and was subsequently reelected to the court in 1998, 2004 and 2010. Judge Hicks retired from the court in 2021. During his 26 years on the bench, including six years as the court’s Chief Judge, he managed several thousand criminal and civil cases and presided over more than 250 jury trials. During his career, Judge Hicks served as the president of Michigan Judges Association, chair of the Michigan Supreme Court Model Criminal Jury Instructions Committee, and as an instructor for the Michigan Judicial Institute. Judge Hicks was one of 12 state court judges who, from 2008 through 2010, piloted innovations in the conduct of jury trials in the state of Michigan.

MICHAEL J. OWEN (WOODWARD CLASS, 2010)

Mr. Owen has been a staunch supporter and advocate of WMU-Cooley Law School, especially the school’s Tampa Bay campus, at the local and state level. Mr. Owen has volunteered his time to mentor and offer guidance to WMU-Cooley students and recent graduates, including hosting several student externs. Mr. Owen has utilized his legal education and understanding of the law to benefit others and his community through volunteer service as a board member for the Brandon Chamber of Commerce, Angel Foundation, My Warriors Place, and Southwest Bank. He currently serves as County Commissioner in Hillsborough County, Florida.

During the WMU-Cooley Alumni Association’s annual meeting held on Nov. 4, the association elected a new slate of officers and selected six new members to serve on the National Alumni Board. Outgoing president Susanne Harris (Carpenter Class, 1993) passed the gavel to newly elected president Bradley Merritt (Kavanagh Class, 2008). Joining Merritt in leading the association for 2022-23 are vice president Robert Johnson (Boyle Class, 2018) and secretary Germese Gee (Todd Class, 2014).

The newest members of the National Alumni Board are Wil Antonides (Field Class, 2020), of Ada, Michigan; Margaret Hassan (Brennan Class, 2022), of Wesley Chapel, Florida; Norrel Hemphill (Matthews Class, 2021), of Detroit, Michigan; Jordan Jackson (Reid Class, 2006), of Woodbridge, Virginia; Matthew Marin (Moore Class, 2013), of Wimauma, Florida; and Katherine Semone (Boyle Class, 2018), of Seminole, Florida.

Alumni interested in joining the alumni association, participating in one of the association’s volunteer committees, or serving on the National Alumni Board should email alumni@cooley.edu or call the Advancement and Alumni Relations Office at (517) 371-2844.

WMU-Cooley Alumni Association Executive Board

PRESIDENT

Bradley Merritt (Kavanagh Class, 2008)

VICE PRESIDENT

Robert Johnson (Boyle Class, 2018)

SECRETARY

Germese Gee (Todd Class, 2014)

PAST PRESIDENT

Susanne Harris (Carpenter Class, 1993)

WMU-Cooley Alumni Association National Alumni Board

Willem Antonides (Field Class, 2020)

Nina DiPadova (Woodbridge Class, 2010)

FaCheryl Dixon (Moore Class, 2013)

Jason Downs (Curtis Class, 2019)

Sharon Ellis (North Class, 1980)

Matthew Fendon (Adams Class, 2008)

Tiffany Foskey (Smith Class, 2003)

Audra Foster (Fellows Class, 1997)

Jacqueline Freeman (Reid Class, 2006)

Germese Gee (Todd Class, 2014)

Susanne Harris (Carpenter Class, 1993)

Margaret Hassan (Brennan Class, 2022)

Steve Heisler (Iredell Class, 2001)

Norrel Hemphill (Matthews Class, 2021) Ieisha Humphrey (Sibley Class, 2011)

Jordan Jackson (Reid Class, 2006)

Robert Johnson (Boyle Class, 2008)

Melaney LaGrone (Sibley Class, 2011)

Julie Lawler-Hoyle (Warren Class, 2017)

Kathy Martin (Weadock Class, 1999)

Bradley Merritt (Kavanagh Class, 2008)

Joel Montilla (Taft Class, 2016)

Samuel Onyegam (Wilkins Class, 2011)

Joni Orandello (Moore Class, 2013)

Alice Pai (Swift Class, 2004) Karen Poole (Witherell Class, 1990) Tom Rombach (Morse Class, 1987) Daphnee Sainvil (Chipman Class, 2011)

James Samuels (Dethmers Class, 1981)

Katherine Semone (Boyle Class, 2018)

Matthew Marin (Moore Class, 2013)

Trovious Starr (Todd Class, 2014) Kirstyn Wildey (Hughes Class, 2016) Adam Zickerman (Swainson Class, 2003)

Annual Giving 2021-2022

On behalf of the WMU-Cooley Board of Directors and all of our faculty, staff, and students, I share sincere thanks and gratitude to all the individuals listed here who made a gift in support of the law school last year. Thanks to their generosity we are better able to fulfill our mission of providing transformative practical legal education as we prepare students to become leaders in the law and in their communities.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CLUB - $50,000+

Mueller Law Firm

DEAN’S CLUB - $5,000+

Dr. Dan Longo

Don LeDuc

Plunkett Cooney, PC

FOUNDER’S CLUB$2,500+

Eric Breisach, Breisach

Cordell PLLC (1989 Joseph T. Copeland)

Scott Doggett (1990 Nathaniel Bacon)

Hon. Louise Alderson (1986 Thomas R. Sherwood)

TEMPLE CLUB - $1,000+

Frank Aiello

William Arnold

Ross Berlin (1981 Thomas M. Kavanagh)

Tracey Brame

Aaron Burrell (2010 Augustus B. Woodward)

Jeanette Buttrey (1991 Josiah Turner)

Kathleen Conklin

Thomas Cranmer

James Davis

John Dunn

Chad Engelhardt (2005 Thomas F. McAllister)

Audra & Dustin Foster (1997 Grant Fellows)

Marjorie Gell

Robert Hann

Fernando Heria (1979 Howard Wiest)

Paul Hillegonds (1986 George Miles)

Image Creative Group, Inc.

James McGrath

Robert Meeks (1977 Isaac Christiancy)

Kenneth Miller (1977 Benjamin Graves)

Michael Molitor

Thomas Paciorkowski (2008 Edward M. Sharpe)

Gilbert Poole

Richard Smith (2009 Dorothy Comstock Riley)

Sandra Snapp (1993 Frank A. Hooker)

Sandra Soifer

Gary Tucker (1994 G. Mennen Williams)

Varnum LLP

Law Offices of Brian R. Watkins

Clayton Wittman (2013 Alfred Moore)

Mitchell Zajac (2017 Warren Earl Burger)

Paul Zelenski

PILLAR CLUB - $500+

Stuart Altman (1995 Franz C. Kuhn)

The Bennett Law Firm Carey Bernstein (1992 Robert M. Montgomery)

Margaret Brown (1988 Sanford M. Green)

Christina Corl (1995 John E. Bird)

Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler

Amanda DiCicco (2020 David Davis)

Scott & Amy Dienes (1995 John E. Bird)

William Fleener (1994 Russell C. Ostrander)

Hon. William Graham (1989 David Johnson)

Roger & Marilyn Grove

Jason Guari (1995 Joseph H. Steere)

Susanne Harris (1993 William L. Carpenter)

Richard Henke

John Heugel (1980 George E. Bushnell)

Steven Hughey

InVerve Marketing

Lisa Kenney (1990 Nathaniel Bacon)

R. Joseph Kimble

Jonathan Knight (1997 Grant Fellows)

Edward Knight (1984 Aaron V. McAlvay)

Steven Krause (1978 Epaphroditus Ransom)

Stephen Krupp (1995 Joseph H. Steere)

David Leyton (1982 Flavius L. Brooke)

Lincoln Financial Group

Tyler Lindquist

Ricardeau Lucceus (2017 Earl Warren)

Catherine McCollum (2008 Edward M Sharpe)

Martha Moore Network for Good Michael Otis (1976 James V. Campbell)

Robert Pecchio (1984 Aaron V. McAlvay)

Karen Poole (1990 Benjamin F. H. Witherell)

Thomas Rombach (1987 Allen B. Morse)

Randy Rubin (1998 Nelson Sharpe)

Clyde Selig Summit Contractors, Inc. Amy Timmer (1988 Abner Pratt)

Joseph Warren (1980 Walter H. North)

CORNERSTONE CLUB$250+

Auto-Owners Insurance

Marylynn Bain

Hon. Elizabeth Beckley (1992 Robert M. Montgomery)

Jonathan Brignall (2020 David Davis)

Gregory Bringard (1994 G. Mennen Williams) Jason & Alicia Bowers Stacia Buchanan

John D’Alessandro (1985 Charles W. Whipple) Dameka Davis (2011 Ross Wilkins)

Elizabeth Devolder (2016 Charles Evans Hughes) Ruth Drago Renalia DuBose

Robert Ellis (1987 Allen B. Morse)

Gabby Fills

Hon. Michael Flores (1992 John W. McGrath)

Tamara Glenn Golden & Jernigan, P.C. Emily Horvath

Christina Hulstrand Hon. Mark Janer (1982 Flavius L. Brooke)

Mary Pat Jaracz (1982 Daniel Goodwin)

Dermot Kennedy (1982 Warner Wing)

Kathy Martin (1999 Thomas A.E. Weadock)

Corey McCall Hon. Catherine McEwen Lori Montgomery (2017 Fred Moore Vinson)

Marvin Moore

Helen Newman

Lawrence Nolan (1976 Thomas M. Cooley)

Nonprofit Spot

Dr. I. Eric Nordan (2018 Patricia Boyle)

Charles Nugent (1986 George Miles)

Emily Pecic

Judeline Rouzard (2003 Harry S. Toy)

SeyferthPR

Hon. Bart Stupak (1981 John R. Dethmers)

Hon. Richard Suhrheinrich Sutton Advisors, PLC Jordan Sutton (2013 William Johnson)

Gregg Theobald (1999 Richard H. Flannigan) Trane

Kelley Tucker (2004 John E. Cross)

Victor Veschio (1998 Nelson Sharpe)

James Vlasic (1978 Epaphroditus Ransom) Frances Walters L. Graham Ward

Warner Norcross & Judd LLP Michael Wein

CENTURY CLUB - $100+

Robert Alpiner (1986 Edward Mundy) Law Office of Ameen and Shafii

Dr. Elie Banna (2002 Thomas Johnson)

Marietta Barbour (1978 Isaac Marston)

Bridget Beaupre David Beaupre Eric Beaupre

Cherie Beck (1999 Richard H. Flannigan)

Richard Bingler (1991 Edwin Lawrence)

Paul Brandenburg (1983 Charles A. Blair)

Helen Brinkman (1987 John W. Champlin)

Hon. Terrence Bronson (1976 James V. Campbell)

Chad Brown (1999 Richard H. Flannigan)

Shawn Bzdziuch (2010 William D. Woodbridge)

Terry & Michael Carella Russel Church Cintas Corporation

Richard Conklin (2021 Ward Hunt)

Brent Davis (1997 John D. Voelker)

George Dawson (1998 Ernest A. Snow)

Elizabeth DeJesus Lorelie Dillman

Donna Donovan (1996 Blair Moody, Jr.)

Hon. H Drake (1980 George E. Bushnell)

Gerald Eisman (1978 Epaphroditus Ransom)

Sharon Ellis (1980 Walter H. North)

Milton Evans (1999 Louis H. Fead)

Joshua Fahlsing (2009 Mary Stallings Coleman)

Courtney Failer

J. Michael Fedewa

Samuel Finnessey (2000 William Cushing)

Kevin Fitzpatrick

Michael Foreback

Robyn Frankel

Michael Gibson

Dean Goldblatt (1991 Josiah Turner)

Thelma Hadden

Helen Haessly (2000 William Cushing)

Danielle Hall (2001 John Blair, Jr.)

Joseline Hardrick

Timothy Harris (2017 Earl Warren)

Todd Hart

John Haskins

Hon. Michael Hatty (1979 Henry M. Butzel)

Jeanne Heran (1984 Aaron V. McAlvay)

Together, these alumni and friends of WMU-Cooley provided more than $380,000 in support of scholarships, experiential and clinical experiences, academic support, and much more. We appreciate those who demonstrated their continued support by renewing their previous annual giving and are honored by the 114 individuals who made their first gift to the school this past year. Thank you to all for demonstrating your commitment to WMU-Cooley!

- JAMES MCGRATH, PRESIDENT AND DEAN

Eric Hoecker (1987 Allen B. Morse)

Joseph Hogue (2013 John Marshall)

Donald Hood (1991 Robert E. Krinock)

Mecah Hull

Robert Johnson (2018 Patricia Boyle)

Byron Johnson (1977 Alpheus Felch)

Jeffrey Kemm (2010 James Witherell)

Thomas Kendziorski (1982 Flavius L. Brooke)

Craig Kobrin (1992 George H. Durand)

Hon. Carol Koenig (1994 G. Mennen Williams)

Kati Komorosky (2022 Horace Gray)

Zieva Konvisser Liz Kopitke

Andrew Kowalkowski

Elizabeth Krasowski

Andrew Krause (1980 Walter H. North)

Kathryn Kucyk (2021 William Burnham Woods)

Jason Laitner (2002 Samuel Chase)

David Lang (1994 G. Mennen Williams)

Christine Lawrence (1991 Robert E. Krinock)

Joseph Litz (1983 Bert D. Chandler)

Suzanne Lowe (1981 Charles D. Long)

Syeda MacEachern

John Mack (1977 Benjamin Graves)

Dale Malewska (1984 Aaron V. McAlvay)

Mable Martin-Scott

Ricardo Mauro (1993 Joseph B. Moore)

Keeley McDonald-Riddle (1998 Nelson Sharpe)

Brenden McKee (2021 Ward Hunt)

Greg Mick (2004 Roger A. Needham)

Nicola Mitry (2020 David Davis)

Monty Moyer

Hon. Marjorie Nanian (1982 Daniel Goodwin)

Gerlinde Nattler (2010 James Witherell)

Constance Neithercut

Joseph Nelson

John Ogden (1993 Frank A. Hooker)

Kurt Panouses (1985 George Morell)

Carey Parks (1983 Michael D. O’Hara)

Ryan Plecha (2008 Clark J. Adams)

Darin Portnoy (1990 Benjamin F. H. Witherell)

Brian Potestivo (1989 Samuel T. Douglass)

Vincent Rahaman (1994 G. Mennen Williams)

Jeffrey Resnikoff (1985 George Morell)

Margaret Richards (2007 Robert A. Fisher)

Peter Roth

Lauren Rousseau

Maria Santoro (1987 John W. Champlin)

Jodi Silberman

Laura Simoldoni (1993 Joseph B. Moore)

Bonnie Smith (2000 William Cushing)

Lisa Smith

Jonathan Stanbery (2010 William D. Woodbridge)

Trovious Starr (2014 Thomas Todd)

Henry Stoever (1980 George E. Bushnell)

Suzanne Sturdevant

Gerald Tarud (2004 John E. Cross)

Amanda Tringl (2012 Marion M. Hilligan)

Joel VandeBerg

Carlos Vicent (2009 Dorothy Comstock Riley)

Keith Watson (1997 Paul L. Adams)

Kathy Waugh

Harry Weaver III

William Weiner

David Whipple (1979 Henry M. Butzel)

Shonte White-Johnson (2021 Ward Hunt)

Kirstyn Wildey (2016 Charles Evans Hughes)

Matthew Wojda Jessica Wolin

Michael Wolk (1984 Aaron V. McAlvay)

Dr. Michelle Wooddell

Gary Young (1997 Grant Fellows)

Andrew Young (1992 Robert M. Montgomery)

Robert K. Young & Associates

YWCA West Central Michigan

Marinela Zografi (2019 Benjamin Robbins Curtis)

COOLEY CLUB - $99 >

Amy Adams

Anthony Alvarado

Terry Angle (2007 Robert A. Fisher)

Bernetta Baker

Steven Balkema (2019 Noah Haynes Swayne)

David Barry (1992 Robert M. Montgomery)

Michael Behan

Richard Behof (1994 Rollin H. Person)

James Betzold (2009 Mary Stallings Coleman)

Joni Bibler Orandello (2013 Alfred Moore)

Catherine Bostick (1995 John E. Bird)

Carrol Buck

Taryn Burge

Daniel Cardwell

Chelsea Chamberlain

Rachel Cohen-Miler (2010 Augustus B. Woodward)

Mark Cooney (1992 Robert M. Montgomery)

Edward Cooper (1989 Joseph T. Copeland)

Joseph Daly (2016 Charles Evans Hughes)

Erika Damstetter (2017 Earl Warren)

Lisa Davis

George DeJesus Melvin DeJesus

Bret Desermia

Leza Elias (2021 William Burnham Woods)

Jason Ellis

Alisa Evans

Veronica Femminineo (2021 William Burnham Woods) Samuel Filcik

Jacqueline Freeman (2006 Neil E. Reid)

Sergey Germanovich (2021 Ward Hunt)

Nathan Goetting (2007 Robert A. Fisher)

Larry Gooden (2017 Earl Warren)

Stephen Gorczyca (2010 James Witherell)

Josh Gramm

Donald Hammond (1987 John W. Champlin)

Hugo Harmatz (1991 Robert E. Krinock)

Travis Harris

Amanda Heys

McKenzie Higgins (2012 Oliver Ellsworth)

Terry Huhn

Ieisha Humphrey (2011 Solomon Sibley)

Amanda Ingraham (2022 Horace Gray)

Steven Ivy (2012 Marion M. Hilligan)

Vivian Jackson-Boko

Janice Karandjeff Wichrowsk (1983 Michael D. O’Hara)

Eduard Khaitov (2011 Henry C. Chipman)

Tonya Krause-Phelan

Ann Lappan (2014 Henry Brockholst Livingston)

Sean Logsdon (2004 Roger A. Needham)

Brandon Marquez (2021 Ward Hunt)

Adalbert Martinez (2021 William Burnham Woods)

Mandice McAllister

Kellie McGuire (2021 Ward Hunt)

Ann Meilus-Smith (1994 G. Mennen Williams)

Bruce Moss (1985 Talbot Smith)

Nasr Mualla

Florise Neville-Ewell

Julie O’Neill (2002 Thomas Johnson)

Jodi Overman Albaitis

Alexander Papajohn (1997 Paul L. Adams)

William Proctor

Ashley Pyne (2021 William Burnham Woods)

Hector Ramos-Vega (2002 William Paterson)

Glen Ramsey

Donna Reid-Moncrieffe (2019 Noah Haynes Swayne)

Stacey Rock (2022 Samuel Blatchford)

Elizabeth Sailor

Cassandra Sanders

Diane Schmitz

Carol Siemon

Matthew Smith (2020 Stephen Johnson Field) N. Otto Stockmeyer

Demond Tibbs (2003 Otis M. Smith)

Kathleen Vance (1989 Joseph T. Copeland)

Luther Waatti (1989 Joseph T. Copeland)

Andrew Warshaw (2016 William Taft)

Limisha Watkins (2018 Samuel Nelson)

Meredith Whipple

Gary Wichrowski (1983 Michael D. O’Hara)

Jeffrey Wood (1983 Michael D. O’Hara)

Julia Zalewski

Adam Zickerman (2003 John B. Swainson) Terry Ziemba

Thomas M. Cooley Society

WMU-Cooley’s Board of Directors and President James McGrath proudly recognize and thank the members of the Thomas M. Cooley Society for their generosity and support since 1972. Cooley Society members are inducted annually when they reach a minimum of $2,500 cumulative giving. At the annual Cooley Society Gala, new members are welcomed and existing members are acknowledged as they advance in the society.

BOARD OF DIRECTOR SOCIETY - $1,000,000

Gordon C. Boardman

Michael and Jean Stakias

The Charles J. Strosacker Foundation

CHAIRMAN’S SOCIETY

$500,000

Dennis E. Benner

Don LeDuc and Sue Coley

PRESIDENT’S SOCIETY

$250,000

Anonymous

Marion M. Hilligan

Mueller Law Firm – Wolfgang Mueller*

Kimbal R. and L’Mell Smith (carpe diem society)

Jim & Shari Vlasic

DEAN’S SOCIETY

$100,000

Gannett Foundation Hazar-Bestos (HBC) Corporation

Lawrence P. Nolan & Laurel L. Blasi

Rockford Construction Co., Inc.

FOUNDERS’ SOCIETY

$50,000

Ida and Benjamin Alpert Foundation

Hon. Thomas E. & Pauline M. Brennan

Leon & Shelly Corbin - The Howard Soifer Memorial Lecture Series

Anthony H. Gair

Harriet Gair (deceased)

Image Creative Group, Inc.

A.D. Johnson Foundation

Irving U. Knight

Dan & Nancy Longo

Dr. Arnold & Mrs. Lynn Markowitz

Hon. Jeffrey L. and Ginny Martlew

Charles C. and Helen Pratt Mickens

Lucille Hartigan O’Connor (deceased) (Carpe Diem Society)

Edward Overbeck/Great Lakes Companies

PNC Foundation

Ronnie Sampson*+

James Robb & Kim Shierk

Louis A. Smith

Robert W. Stocker, II

Jerry, Linda & Jordan SuttonSutton Advisors PLC

TEMPLE SOCIETY $25,000

AccessLex Institute*

Eric E. & Tobi Breisach

Raymond J. and Loretta M. Brennan

Jeannette Buttrey

Paul Carrier

Clark Hill PLC

Dickinson Wright PLLC+ CleanTeam USA

Audra A. & Dustin S. Foster

Marjorie Gell

Jacqueline P. George

Peter D. (deceased) and Sandy Jason

Peter M. Kempel (deceased)

Adele I. Kessler Foundation

Joseph Kimble

Dorean M. Koenig (deceased)

Steven L. Maas Dale & Carol Wissmuller Malewska

In Memory of Phillip Marco

B.G. (ret.) Michael C.H. and Ann C. McDaniel

Nelson P. Miller

Miller Canfield

Lawrence W. Morgan

Monica Navarro*+

MSU Federal Credit Union

John R. & Sarah H. Nussbaumer

Oakland University Operations Department

Ernie & Denise Phillips

Plante & Moran, LLP

State Bar of Michigan

Norman Otto Stockmeyer

Hon. Richard Suhrheinrich

Louise Cooley Sutherland (deceased)

Amy Timmer and Mark Meservey (deceased) + Charles & Mary Ellen Toy William Weiner and Paula Latovick

F. Georgann Wing

David P. Wood (deceased)

PILLAR SOCIETY $10,000

Frank Aiello

Hon. Louise Alderson & Tom Hoisington Virginia P. Allen

Anonymous

Marylynn Bain

Hon. Richard D. and Diane Ball

Gary P. Bauer

Cherie & Keith Beck

Alvin M. Bentley Foundation

Carey S. Bernstein

David C. Berry (deceased)

Edward O. & Debra M. Blews

In Memory of Gerald Boston

Tracey Brame + David Brandwein

Hon. Thomas E. Brennan, Jr. Hon. Terrence P. & Loretta G. Bronson

Amy Butte *

Evelyn K. Calogero

Capital Area United Way, Inc. Terry and Michael Carella Peter J. Carras Terrence F. Cavanaugh

David G. Chopp

Church Wyble PC

The Cameron Foundation Dennis & Marla MitchellCichon

Rush and Julie Clement Loren and Kathleen Conklin

Continental Canteen

Thomas M. Cooley Alumni Association

William D. Cox III

Lisa M. Coyne

Thomas Cranmer Hon. Janice K. Cunningham & Steven Transeth Hon. Brent & Nancy Danielson

DBI Business Interiors

Delta Dental of Michigan Mary Phelan D’Isa & Nicholas D’Isa

Alden and Vada Dow Family Foundations ?

Chad Engelhardt and Stephen Goethel

Hon. Joseph J. Farah Cindy E. Faulkner

Gerald Fisher

William Fleener + Hon. & Mrs. John W. Fitzgerald (deceased)

Anthony & Karen Flores Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith, P.C.

Judith A. & Allen M. Frank (deceased)

Fraser Trebilcock Davis & Dunlap PC Analiese & Neal Fusner

Garan Lucow Miller PC

Tom & Peggy Garikes

Elliot B. (deceased) and Thea G. Glicksman Grand Rapids Building Services Inc.

John & Stephanie Gregg

Catherine Groll

Helen M. & Thomas M. Haessly

Walter E. Hahn

Hamo Law Firm

Sharon Hanlon

Harmon Management LLC

Haussman Construction Co.

Richard C. Henke

Pamela Heos & Jeffery A. Brancheau

James M. Hicks, Jr. Aletha L. Honsowitz

Hubbard Fox Thomas White & Bengston PC

I.COMM

Douglas R. & Ieva A. Inglis Hon. James S. and Elizabeth Jamo Kalsec*

Eileen Kavanagh

Bernard T. Kennedy

Lawrence J. Kish

Edward D. Knight, III + William R. Lathers Trust David Lee

Loomis, Ewert, Parsley, Davis & Gotting, PC Hon. Ronald W. Lowe

Susan L. Mallory

Hon. Jane Markey and Hon. Curt Benson Dena and John Marks

Maurice Distinctive Apparel Mayotte Group Architects Hon. Pamela J. McCabe James McGrath+ Dan L. McNeal

Robert T. & Annie S. Meeks

Ken K. Miller

Michael Molitor

Martha D. Moore

New Erie Corporation

In Memory of Phillip Nusholtz

Charles A. Palmer

Nora J. Pasman-Green Physicians Health Plan

Michael L. & Peggy G. Pitt

Plunkett Cooney*

Philip J. Prygoski

In Memory of Willard A. Robinson

Thomas C. Rombach

Hon. Kathryn J. Root

Marjorie P. Russell

Anthony E. Russo

William & Rita Schoettle

John N. Scott

Trudy and Clyde Selig

Stuart Serota SHW Group

The Steve Smith Family In Memory of Howard J. Soifer Duane A. Strojny

Ronald J. Trosty

Gerald Tschura

Joan P. Vestrand

Vlasic Foundation Marie A. Wanamaker

Gregory & Cynthia Ward Warner Norcross & Judd M. Ann Wood

Sherida Wysocki Paul & Lynne Zelenski

CORNERSTONE SOCIETY $5,000

Alliance Defense Fund Anonymous

Tammy Asher

Felix Ashu

Aspen Publishers, Inc. / Wolters Kluwer Law & Business

Association of Independent Colleges & Universities of Michigan (AICUM)

Dawn C. Beachnau (deceased)

Brett J. Bean

Ross A. Berlin

Black Law Students Association

Tom and Colleen Boland

Michael J. Boyle

Robert J. Branch

Lynn S. Branham

William J. Brennan Ron & Leslie Bretz

Brian’s Books, Inc.

Jose’ T. Brown Margaret L. Brown+ Aaron Burrell

Cheryl Bywater

Peter and Mary Terpstra Cagle Charles P. Cercone

Chalgian & Tripp Law Offices PLLC

Elaine H. Charney

Kimberly Colgate

Collins, Einhorn, Farell PC

Committee for Constitutional Reform

Consumers Energy Foundation

Cooley Student Bar Association

Christina Corl

David G. Cotter

Country Club of Lansing

Michael P. Cox

William David Cox III John E. Cozean

Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan

Crowne Plaza Lansing Hotel Custer Workplace Interiors Dard Incorporated

In Memory of James Randall Davis, Jr. Jonathan S. & Susan E. Dean

Delta Theta Phi Foundation

In Memory of John R. DesJardins

Scott A. Dienes

Scott T. Doggett+

Charles D. Doolittle

Brian and Margie Doyle

Gerald B. Eisman

Robert C. Ellis

Lisa L. and Gregory J. Fadler

Fajen and Miller, PLLC

Michael Fedewa

Norman Fell

Hon. John N. Fields

Robert A. Fisher

Michael R. Foreback

The Foresight Group

Patrick L. Fuller

Bruce M. Gale

Thomas Gennara Photography

Michael J. Gibson + Paul D. Goldner

Hon.William T. Graham & Strickland Family Foundation

Lou Ann & Thomas J. Hall

Carl Haussman

James T. Heos

John C. Heugel+ Keith J. Hey

Paul and Nancy Hillegonds

Anonymous

Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn, LLP

Emily Horvath

James G. Hurley, Jr

IBM Corporation

Jewell Media Services

Haywood W. Julian (deceased)

Antonios Kalogerakos

Kelly Services

Dermot & Patricia Kennedy

Mara Kent

Kline Family Foundation

Steven M. Krause

Nell Kuhnmuench and Roy C. Saper

Laura LeDuc

Henry J. Legere, Jr. & Pamela M. Heemer

LexisNexis

Lincoln Financial Lyman & Sheets

MacDonald Broadcasting

In Memory of Evelyn Machtel

Jane Markey

Mable Martin-Scott

Matrix Consulting

Catherine J. McCollum+ Kevin McQuillan

Michigan Office Solution (MOS)

Albert and Louise Miller Foundation

Robert E. Mitchell

Roger Needham

Florise R. Neville-Ewell

John F. Nocita

Michael J. O’Connor

In Memory of the Hon. Michael O’Hara

Thomas & Maureen Paciorkowski

Edward Pappas

Hon. Donald D. Panarese

Darryl J. Parsell (deceased)

Pepsi-Cola Company

James L. Pfeiffer

Presort Services Inc.

Danny R. Quesenberry

Andrew Quinn

Joseph D. and Jerry Reid Foundation

Hon. Dorothy Comstock Riley & Wallace D. Riley

Michael B. Rizik

John A. Rooney

Lauren A. Rousseau + Eldonna M. Ruddock

Barry Scheck

Charles J. Senger

Seyferth and Associates

Chris A. Shafer

Shear, Inc.

Sandy, Halie & Marci Soifer - The Howard J. Soifer Memorial Lecture Series

William J. & Mary Lou Somerville

Kenneth G. Stevens

Hon. Bart T. & Laurie Stupak

Such Video, Inc.

Dennis A. Swan

In Memory of Theodore W. Swift

John A. Taylor

TIAA

James F. Todd

Gina M. Torielli

Kelley Tucker

United Jewish Foundation of Metropolitan Detroit

James E. Waldo

Eugene G. & Marilyn M. Wanger

William & Marilyn Wagner

Cynthia Ward

Vincent W. Welicka

Joseph R. White

Roy E. Williams, Jr. Willingham & Cote,’ PC

21ST CENTURY SOCIETY $2,500

A & G Electric

Adams Outdoor Advertising

Alane & Chartier PLC

Joseph Allessie

Stuart Altman

Mustafa Ameen

American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers –Michigan Chapter

American Corporate Counsel –Michigan Chapter

The Allstate Foundation

Tony Alvarado

Judith F. Anspach

Auto-Owners Insurance

Sally D. Babbitt

Bain & Bain

Marietta Harte Barbour

Steven Basha

Ronda and David Beck

Hon. Elizabeth S. “Liesl” Beckley

Barry E. Berger

Laurie K. & William Berner

Ann Brennan Bertsch

Ed Blackman (deceased)

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Michigan

James Bonfiglio

Gerald Boston (deceased)

Michelle Teny–Borsellino

BRD Printing

John & Catherine Brennan

William Brennan

Chad A. Brown

Joseph F. Burke

Kathleen C. Butler

Peter Cagle

James & Lori Carey

John A. Carras

Sean F. Carrol

Karen Chadwick

Christine Zellar-Church Cintas Corporation

Classic Business Products Debra A. Clawson

James P. Colbert (deceased) Joseph A. Collins

John C. Colpean

Community Foundation of Central Georgia

Edward F. Cook Mark and Lisa Cooney Christina L. Corl *

Joseph Correnti Nino A. Coviello

D. Augustus Straker Bar Association

John J. D’Alessandro

Michael A. Darby

Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association Foundation

Frank DiGiacomo

Diane M. Dietz

DK Security

Michelle Donovan Dow Chemical Company Legal Library

Hon. H. Kevin Drake Karen Du Brul

Barry H. Dubner

FD Hayes Electric Co. Federal Bar Association of MI James J. Fehrman William L. Ferrigan Karen S. Fields + Douglass K. Fischer Marc A. Fishman

Tiffany Foskey

Marga Franck

Virginia and John Frezell Dr. and Mrs. Robert L. Funaro General Motors Corporation

Holly Glazier-Hicks

Jeremy M. & Melissa M. Goodman

Steven B. Goolnick

Andrew Gozinsky

Richard S. Gravante

Randall S. Gregg Hon. Roman S. Gribbs

Patrick S. Griffin

Grosshans Painting, Inc. Jason J. Guari

John L. Hackman

Danielle Hall

Lisa Halushka

Robert Hann Scott Harrison Hon. William H. Harsha

Christopher Hastings N. Victor Hatami*

Richard G. Hayhoe Healthy & Fit Magazine J. Chris & Louise Holman

Steven Hughey

Ingham County Bar Association

Innovative Communications Vivian Jackson-Boko Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss

Mary Pat Jaracz

W. Anthony Jenkins

E. Christopher Johnson, Jr.

Vincent E. Johnson

Kevin A. Kelley Foundation (KAK)

Khalid Kahloon

John Kane

Kim Kauffman Photography

Lisa Kenney

Kent County Office of the Defender

Jonathan I. Knight

Kositchek’s

Donna Kozik

Andrew Krause

The Kresge Foundation

Robert E. Krinock (deceased)

Stephen P. Krupp

Robert S. LaBrant In Memory of Tom Downs

Lake Trust Credit Union

Lewis Langham

Lansing Symphony Orchestra

Salvatore F. Lanza

Stuart Lazar

Helen N. Levenson

LexisNexis

Liberty Mutual

Logicalis, Inc.

Ashley Lowe

Suzanne Margules Lowe

Lutz Electric Construction Co., Inc.

Gerald MacDonald

William I. MacDonald

David and Evelyn Machtel

Mahoney & Associates Inc.

Robert & Layne Maloney

Lawrence E. Manning

Salvatore Marabondo

Paul Marineau

Ann M. Marks

Kathy Ann Martin

Daniel Matthews

Keeley A. McDonald-Riddle

Kevin T. McGraw

James C. McLaughlin

Richard D. McLellan

Michigan State University Library

Midstate Security

Hon. James E. Mies (deceased)

Konstantinos I. Mikropoulos

Kenneth V. Miller*

Peggy L. Miller

David Mittleman

Hon. Donna T. Morris (deceased)

Hon. Patricia T. Morris

James Morton

Monty & Kelly Moyer

Maurice and Lisa Munroe

Mark A. Murphy

Brianne Myers

Sharon Nantell

Gerlinde Nattler

Joseph N. Nelson

James & Sally Newton

Lawrence & Dianne Nicolette

I. Eric Nordan

Willette J. Northup (deceased)

Kimberly O’Leary

Anthony O’Neill

Oakland County Bar Foundation

Oppenheimer Matching Gift Program

Otis Elevators

John B. Parks (deceased)

Robert A. Pecchio

Brian L. Petrequin

Stephen Pierpoint

Joseph J. Piperato III

Norman E. Plate

Lawrence Ploucha

Plunkett Cooney

Darin A. Poole

Brenda Popplewell

David L. Porteous

Darin Portnoy

Brian Potestivo, Potestivo & Associates PC

Keith A. & Gretchen Pretty

Hon. Mark D. Raven

Thomas C. Rawson

Kim & Dan Ray

Frank H. Reynolds

Gary A. Rhodes - Rhodes & Associates

Robert A. & Rosemary T. Richason (deceased)

Dale A. Robertson

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Schartow (deceased)

Devin and Sheila Schindler

Kevin B. Scott

Donald G. Self

Stephanie Sewak

Dan and Colleen Sheaffer

Richard H. Shoemaker

Herbert Silver

Laura A. Simoldoni

John J. Smith

William D. Smith (deceased) Allen M. Soifer

Paul and Candace Sorensen Heather Spielmaker

State Employees Credit Union H. William Stertz

Dr. Gerald E. Stopczynski Bobbie Studwell Ronald Sutton

Stevie J. Swanson

Kathy Swedlow and Erik Altmann

Laurie A. & Stephen B. Taylor

James B. Thelen & Kara Zech Thelen

Thrun Law Firm PC

Nancy Totzke (deceased) Christopher R. Trudeau Karen Truszkowski

Reginald M. Turner

Universal Protection Services

James Vitrano

Robert C. von Gruben

Victoria Vuletich in memory of Carol Jean Vuletich & Valerie Vuletich Boyd

L. Graham Ward

Judson Werbelow

David C. & Janice U. Whipple Hon. Helene N. White

James M. Williams

The Winston-Salem Foundation

The Jack Wolfram Foundation Mitchell Zajac* Glen L. Ziegler

COOLEY LAW SCHOOL

Alma Mater

One afternoon then Director of Admissions, Stephanie Gregg came into my office and excitedly announced that a celebrity was applying for admission. The song writer, David Barrett, apparently had decided to augment his musical career with a law degree. I confessed that I didn’t know Barrett; was not familiar with his work. Tolerant of my ignorance, Stephanie informed me that among other works, Barrett had written the composition which was played annually during the NCAA basketball championships.

As a sports fan, I was familiar with the strains of “One Shining Moment” which traditionally caps off the season of March Madness as it accompanies pictures of celebrating college basketball players cutting down the nets after the final game.

So, Barrett was indeed a real song writer. I asked Stephanie to introduce him to me if he should come by the office in person. Sure enough, a few weeks later he was in my office. After the usual pleasantries, I got down to business. Cooley, I told him, did not have an Alma Mater song. Every school should have an Alma Mater song, I said. Would Mr. Barrett be willing, as a fledgling member of the Cooley community, to write the music?

He said he could do that. Well, if he would write the music, I said, I would write some words. It was a good humored exchange, one that both of us probably regarded as somewhat of a spoof. Still, the more I thought about it, the more I thought it was a good idea. So, one day, when I was driving north on highway 127 to some meeting or other, I started thinking about words for a song. By the end of the day, I had them well enough in mind. Two verses, a bridge, then another verse.

Here’s the way it looked:

Thomas Cooley, Alma Mater, Mighty temple of the law; Where first we sought the face of justice, Full of wonder, full of awe.

Thomas Cooley, Alma Mater, Reservoir of truth sublime; Where first we tasted sweetest reason, Learning wisdom grows with time

We came to you in Michaelmas Different as the Autumn trees, And working grew in friendships through Quiet snowbound Hilaries We’ll say goodbye to Trinities Treasuring our memories

Of Thomas Cooley, Alma Mater, As we wear your white and blue, We proudly sing your highest praises Thomas Cooley, Hail to You.

It wasn’t a composition likely to win a Grammy, but I thought it carried a message that emotionally hyped, graduating law school seniors might endorse.

In due course, I received a disc from David Barrett. Eagerly, I plugged it in and played it. What came out was lovely piano music, but I could not distinguish a melody which might be sung by a choral group. I thanked David, who, in the meantime had decided not to pursue a career in law, and I sent him an honorarium for his trouble.

So, there I was with words and no music. Undaunted, though unschooled in such things, I went home and began plunking out melodies on the piano. I didn’t know the names of the keys, so to identify which ones I was plunking and in what order I plunked them, I made a chart and assigned each key a number.

Eventually, Polly helped me make one of those musical fences and we perched notes on and between the lines in a format that would be recognized by the musically literate.

EXCERPT FROM STARTING A LAW SCHOOL BY THE LATE HON. THOMAS E. BRENNAN

The do-ityourself tradition at Thomas M. Cooley Law School survived its growth and success.

I then showed it to the choirmaster at Saint Thomas and he recommended a graduate student at Michigan State University who would be able to soup up my little ditty into a full-blown piece of music.

In a few weeks, I had in my hands the sheet music for the Cooley Alma Mater in four-part harmony. It so happened that about that time a group of Cooley students, augmented by Professor John Rooney’s basso profundo, had organized a chorale. I invited them to sing the Alma Mater. I shall never forget the evening when it was first performed. It gave me shivers. It’s my ‘One Shining Moment.’

Roger and Marilyn Grove

COOLEY ALMA MATER CONNECTION

Roger and Marilyn Grove had been donors and supporters of Cooley Law School. Roger was also a good friend of Judge Brennan’s. Both avid sports fans and athletes, they often met up for a match of tennis or racquetball or pickle ball, or a friendly duel in almost any sport. Roger was also a musician. He was a tenor and first baritone horn for the MSU Concert Band.

During one of their many matches, Judge Brennan shared with Roger his interest and vision in having an alma mater for the newly minted law school. He even pulled out a sheet of paper where he had scratched out what he thought would make a nice tune for the piece.

Roger first remembers how impressed he was that Judge Brennan was able to come up with a complicated piece of music having never had any kind of musical training whatsoever.

“It was incredible that he could do this,” stated Grove. “He literally marked up the keys on his piano and one-fingered out the tune.” He then realized that there was much more that needed to be done to give his tune true life.

With his connections with the MSU Concert Band, Grove shared Judge Brennan’s notes and tune with them and left the magical translation and transformation to the MSU Chorale. What they unraveled from that simple sheet was the most beautiful rendition of the Cooley Alma Mater that the Cooley Law School founder could have envisioned.

Roger remembers calling Judge Brennan when the song was final, and the Chorale was ready to play it for him. It was a surprise. He picked up Judge Brennan and told him “I’m going to take you on a little trip, but I’m not going to tell you where.”

When they arrived, everyone had a seat and there was a moment of silence before the song was sang.

No words could have expressed the joy on Judge Brennan’s face. According to Roger, it was the first time he had ever seen Tom Brennan cry.

Roger and Marilyn Grove, now retired, have enjoyed being a part of the WMU-Cooley family since the law school’s beginnings. Along with being an accomplished musician, Roger owned his own business Roger L. Grove Financial Services for nearly 50 years, while Marilyn worked for the Schultz Snyder & Steele Lumber Company for 25 years. Both have a love and passion for the arts and have surrounded themselves in their home of 50 years in Lansing, Michigan, with beautiful collections from their travels and have meticulously landscaped their yard as a treasure for themselves and others.

Roger and Marilynn have enjoyed over 67 years of marital bliss.

Cooley Faculty Members

Take a road down memory lane with some original faculty members including John Scott, Kimberly Colgate (Miles), Ann (Miller) Wood, and Ernie Phillips. They not only give advice to law students, they share their legal study predictions for the future. Their expertise and wisdom goes beyond the scope of five simple questions, but certainly their responses are interesting, compelling, and sometimes humorous. Enjoy.

PROFESSOR JOHN SCOTT

1. Advice to new students: I hope you’ll be ready, and willing, to work harder than you ever have in any school setting. And when you get started, I hope you won’t follow the lead of those students who think you can do law school on cruise control. (I mean, if you’re frightfully bright you probably ‘can’ wing it, but you won’t get much out of the experience.)

2. Prediction: I’m afraid more and more of law school will be remote now that we’ve survived the necessities of the pandemic and learned that it ‘works.’ It may be more convenient, and cheaper, but remote classes are a terrible way to get a person socialized into the culture of the law.

3. My fondest memory: It’s kind of spread out over 40 years of teaching at every Cooley campus: I smile when I think of wave after wave of bright, interesting law students from all sorts of unlikely backgrounds who (far too quickly from my selfish perspective) left school and became lawyers and community members.

4. Favorite course to teach: That’s easy: I loved teaching Evidence. I had taught Property, and enjoyed it, for nine years when I finally got the chance to teach Evidence. I had been a trial lawyer in practice, so Evidence was a natural fit. I particularly enjoyed the opportunity Evidence provided to integrate black-letter law with strategy and real-life application. I hope I didn’t overdo the war stories to illustrate points of law.

5. Accomplishment along the

way:

Coaching trial competition teams in regional and national competitions was what I did for fun, over and above teaching the regular required classes. Several teams I coached over the years won regional tournaments and a few made national ‘final four’ finishes. Coaching the teams over the years with co-coaches Jeff Patzer and, later Jerry MacDonald, watching Cooley students display the skill and poise of veteran litigators, hearing practicing lawyers who judged their trials praise our students for their skill and their ethics and high character, never failed to warm my heart.

The years that you taught: Jan. 1978 - May 2018

PROFESSOR KIMBERLY COLGATE (MILES)

1. If you could offer advice to current or future law students, what would it be?

The most important thing for law students is to begin preparing for the bar as the student is taking the multistate examination courses. Also, start a data base from day one. It is so important to be able to keep in touch with the contacts made during law school.

School?

There are so many. I loved the students, my colleagues, and the richness they brought to my life. I can honestly say that I enjoyed every minute.

4. What course did you enjoy teaching most and why?

Income tax. Money makes people funny. The Internal Revenue Code is the most convoluted statute, but people use and abuse it to make money!

5. What is one funny or significant accomplishment that happened along the way?

PROFESSOR ANN WOOD (MILLER)

1. If you could offer advice to current or future law students, what would it be?

Be prepared to be flexible. What type of law you practice, how you practice and even whether you practice is likely to change over your career. So prepare now for anything you’ll encounter later.

2. Do you have a prediction for the study of law?

The study of law should prepare the students to open his or her own practice. Even if the student joins a firm, he or she will benefit from skills programs that will teach students to practice law.

3.

One term my students were saying that you can judge a client by his or her appearance. The next class I came dressed in a leather mini-skirt, a leather jacket, boots and I had a whip. The class was stunned. I then shared that if I walked into their office dressed like this, they probably would not give me the time of day. The lesson: Don’t judge a book by its cover!

The years that you taught: Full time from 1983 to 1999.

It’s going to continue to change. The online learning through the pandemic showed one possible path.

3. What is your fondest memory as a professor at Cooley Law School?

Meeting a parent at graduation who thanked me for believing in his son.

2. Do you have a prediction for the study of law?

What is your fondest memory as a professor at Cooley Law

4. What course did you enjoy teaching most and why?

Sixty Plus Clinic, where I watched students become excellent lawyers.

5. What is one funny or significant accomplishment that happened along the way?

Cooley was among the leaders in experiential learning when it adopted a requirement for all its graduates to have practiced in a supervised setting: a clinic, externship, or paid work experience.

The years that you taught: Full time, 1986 - 1988, 19912013.

PROFESSOR ERNIE PHILLIPS

1. If you could offer advice to current or future law students, what would it be?

Keep an open mind, try to understand positions advanced that didn’t prevail as well as perspectives that conflict with those that you’ve always embraced.

Understand the history, context, and relevant circumstances in every legal matter.

Learn how to write clearly, succinctly, and convincingly.

2. Do you have a prediction for the study of law?

The Socratic method will remain an effective teaching style which best prepares students for the practice of law despite criticism to the contrary.

3. What is your fondest memory as a professor at Cooley Law School?

Professor Phillips includes the following as some of his greatest highlights and successes in his time at Cooley:

• Coaching Client Counseling competition with Larry Morgan and the considerable success the students enjoyed.

• Joining Pete Jason in Melbourne, Australia in establishing a Foreign Study Program at Monash University.

• Teaching Torts to Vytautas Magnus University students in Kaunas, Lithuania.

I am most proud of the success enjoyed by many, many former students, including Governor John Engler, Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Ross Berlin, Senior Vice President of the PGA Tour and many, many others who have established successful careers in the law.

I am also proud of the enduring relationships formed with TMC colleagues and staff, all quality people who created a very friendly and positive work environment.

4. What course did you enjoy teaching most and why?

I mostly enjoyed teaching Torts, “The Mother of All Law Courses,” which required students to consider many different and competing interests, real life conflicts which challenged and expanded their perspectives, enhancing their world view.

5. What is one funny or significant accomplishment that happened along the way?

There were so many humorous events, but the one I will always remember is the time we did a pre-arranged skit and the reaction from the class.

I recruited Earl Dayton, who was the Temple building’s Chief Custodian, along with one of his colleagues to, on my signal, enter my class. Earl was wearing an animal skin and he was crawling like a wolf, and his colleague was hunting him down. I had a fake gun hidden in the podium when we both started pretending to shoot Earl. Both the pursuer and I grabbed the skin, fighting for possession. The Property lesson was learned for Pierson v Post. The class not only found it rather funny, they will never forget the lesson in that early Property case.

The years that you taught: January 1977 – December 2014

WMU-Cooley Hosts Virtual Event Series

Since May 2020, WMU-Cooley has been proud to host the WMU-Cooley Community Conversations special virtual event series featuring many top professors and legal experts who speak on important topics impacting society and our legal system. Thank you to the following distinguished panels and experts who have presented June through November 2022. We thank them for being part of the conversations and solutions we face today. If you missed any of the WMU-Cooley Community Conversations virtual events, you can find them under the Playlist for Community Conversations on the law school’s official YouTube page.

Kimble Center for Legal Drafting Holds its Third Annual Seminar

WMU-Cooley Law School’s Kimble Center for Legal Drafting held its third annual public seminar, “More Hot Tips for Better Legal Writing and Drafting.” The June 30 virtual discussion was hosted by WMU-Cooley Professor Mark Cooney. The panelists were University of Sydney Professor Emeritus Peter Butt, Clarity International President, Julie Clement, and WMU-Cooley Distinguished Professor Emeritus Joseph Kimble.

Focuses on Social Media and First Amendment

WMU-Cooley Law School’s Law Review took an in-depth look at social media and the First Amendment during its annual symposium on July 14, moderated by Ret. Brig. Gen. and Professor Michael C.H. McDaniel. During the symposium, panelists discussed how social media has evolved from its infancy and how it plays a role in First Amendment rights and values.

WMU-Cooley Law School Participates in Constitution Day Activities

This year’s Constitution Day discussion on Sept. 22, 2022, featured Chief Judge Elizabeth Gleicher of Michigan’s Second District Court of Appeals and Dr. William Myers, associate professor of political science and international studies at the University of Tampa, discussing Post-Dobbs: The State of the States.

Focusing on mental health and wellness for lawyers, WMU-Cooley Law School held a virtual discussion on Oct. 11, with Mandi Clay, founder of Three Thirteen Law. The event, “Lawyers Interrupted: Getting Better Together.” was part of the law school’s Community Conversations series.

Mission Next: Service Members to Civilians with Dr. John Wojcik and Kimberlie England on November 14, 2022 Dr. John Wojcik and Kimberlie England, authors of Mission Next: Successfully Transitioning From the Military to the Civilian Workforce shared how transitioning service members can rediscover who they are and how to operate when entering into a new civilian work environment after they have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Wellness Expert Urges Lawyers to Take Care of Their Mental Health

WMU-Cooley School News

Lansing and Tampa Bay Celebrate Anniversaries

Lansing Campus Celebrates at 50 Year Gala

On June 21, WMU-Cooley Law School faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community members marked the 50th anniversary of the law school being chartered honoring its more than 21,000 graduates and a proclamation of WMU-Cooley Law School Day.

During the celebration, WMUCooley President and Dean James McGrath recognized Pauline “Polly” Brennan, widow of the law school’s founder, the late Hon. Thomas E. Brennan Sr.

Additionally, McGrath highlighted some of WMU-Cooley’s key moments in history since its founding on June 19, 1972.

• Jan. 12, 1973: WMU-Cooley’s first law class held at 507 S. Grand Ave. in Lansing;

• Feb. 1975: WMU-Cooley receives provisional ABA approval;

• Feb. 1978: WMU-Cooley receives full ABA approval;

• 1978: WMU-Cooley opens the Sixty Plus, Inc, Elderlaw Clinic;

• 2001: WMU-Cooley launches the Cooley Innocence Project;

• 2022: WMU-Cooley celebrates 50 years and its more than 21,000 graduates worldwide.

EXONEREES SPEAK DURING WMU-COOLEY INNOCENCE PROJECT DISCUSSION

WMU-Cooley Law School’s Innocence Project held a panel discussion on Sept. 15 with exonerees who told their stories of wrongful conviction. The event was held to commemorate International Wrongful Conviction Day.

During the discussion, exonerees Ken Nixon, 2021; Gilbert Poole, 2021; Corey McCall, 2021; George DeJesus and his brother Melvin DeJesus, 2022; and Ramon Ward, 2020, shared their stories of wrongful conviction. The exonerees expressed the bond they have created together and their thoughts on causes of, and statistics surrounding wrongful convictions.

Tampa Bay Campus Celebrates 10 and 50 Years

On Sept. 22, WMU-Cooley celebrated the 10th anniversary of the law school’s Tampa Bay campus, as well as the 50th anniversary of the law school being chartered.

Distinguished speakers included WMU-Cooley President and Dean James McGrath, The Hon. Ronald Ficarrotta, chief judge of the State of Florida 13th Judicial Circuit; WMU-Cooley Board Chair the Hon. Louise Alderson, WMU-Cooley Board member Mustafa Ameen, WMU-Cooley Student Bar Association President Alberto Gonzalez, and WMU-Cooley Alumni Association Secretary Robert Johnson. The program culminated with the reading of a proclamation from City of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor followed by a champagne toast.

WAYNE COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE, WMU-COOLEY INNOCENCE PROJECT ANNOUNCE DOJ GRANT

The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office and the WMU-Cooley Law School Innocence Project were awarded a $550,000 grant from the Department of Justice to collaborate on case review and DNA testing in post-conviction cases. The funding supports the

continuing collaboration between the two offices. Current DOJ funding supported the exoneration/ grants of relief of Ramon Ward, Lacino Hamilton, Kenneth Nixon and Terance Calhoun.

Funding from the Justice Department grant defrays the costs associated with case review, evidence location and DNA testing where the results may show innocence of those convicted of felonies.

Artist Gordon Boardman makes donation to WMU-Cooley

On December 12, 2018, an alumni reception and special art exhibition featured the work of Gordon C. Boardman (Marston Class, 1978). Ten large paintings were hung in Lansing’s Cooley Center and alumni and friends attended. Boardman donated a planned estate gift of his vast collection of work (over 400 pieces) several years earlier. His palette is bold, the brushstrokes exciting and vibrant, and the pieces express the many phases in his life.

Pam Heos, retired director of Alumni and Donor Relations at WMU-Cooley, noted “In 2022, at age 92, Mr. Boardman reached out to me, as

WMU-COOLEY PRESENTS MENTORJET EVENT

The WMU-Cooley Career and Professional Development Office presented a MentorJet Event on Oct. 7. Cooley co-sponsored the event with the National Association of Women Judges and The Organization of Women Law Students. The event was moderated by the Hon. Cori Barkman, of the 29th Circuit Court.

Participating in the event were Jordan M. Ahlers, an appellate attorney with the Speaker Law Firm PLLC; Arturo Alfaro, an attorney with Plunkett Cooney in the firm’s Transportation Law Practice

curator of the collection, with interest in releasing another 42 pieces. Senior Director of Communications, Terry Carella and I went to Mr. Boardman’s Kalamazoo studio to help facilitate the transfer of the sizable gift. Cooley’s Operations Department meticulously loaded and transported the giant pieces, some 10 feet by 12 feet, in two moving trucks to Lansing. This is an excellent example of a planned estate gift that the donor chose to donate a portion of now rather than later. Cooley is grateful to Gordon Boardman for his continuous and faithful generosity. It is an honor working with Mr. Boardman on his major and transformative gift.”

Group; Hillary R. Bahri, CEO and Principal Attorney of HB Law, PLLC; Kristina Bilowus, an Assistant Director of Career Development at MSU College of Law; Mary Chartier; a criminal defense litigator and partner at Chartier & Nyamfukudza, P.L.C.; Elisabeth Dery, of Yun, Dery, and Morgan P.C.;

Michelle R.E. Donovan, of Clark Hill; Administrative Law Judge Carmen Fahie; the Hon. Kameshia D. Gant, Sixth Judicial Circuit Court Judge; Jeff G. Haarer, Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development; Susanne Harris-Spicer, a retired administrative law judge; Kay E. Kossen, an attorney

with the law firm of Kreis, Enderle, Hudgins & Borsos, P.C.; Takura Nyamfukudza, a founding partner at Chartier & Nyamfukudza, P.L.C.; Alexis Ringman, law clerk to the Hon. Judge Michelle Rick, Michigan Court of Appeals; the Hon. Kwame L. Rowe, Oakland County Circuit Court; Alexander S. Rusek, founder of Rusek Law PLLC in Lansing, Michigan; Honorable Kristen Simmons, 54A District Court; Brandon Waddell, a litigator with Loomis, Ewerts, Parsley, Davis & Gotting; and Nicole Walter, MIDC Regional Manager – South Central Michigan.

Class Notes

1980

Potter Class

Shoup, Kim, has been the Angola, Indiana city attorney since 2000.

Bushnell Class

Otis, David K., Of Counsel with Plunkett Cooney in Lansing, Michigan, was selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2023 edition of Best Lawyers in America in Municipal Law and Litigation.

1983

O’Hara Class

Wood, Hon. Jeffrey John, was sworn in July 27, 2022, as judge in Newport, Pennsylvania Magisterial District Court 51-3-04 .

1986 Mundy Class

Wellman, Sherri, a principal with Miller Canfield Paddock and Stone in Lansing, Michigan, was named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s Influential Women of Law Class of 2022. She is the deputy group leader of the firm’s Energy and Environmental Group and has worked on every energy company merger in the state in the last decade.

Sherwood Class Caffarini, The Hon. Geno J., was appointed as a Resident Circuit Court Judge in the 13th Judicial Circuit in Illinois. He previously served as Bureau County State’s Attorney since 2015. Before that he served as an Assistant State’s Attorney and in private practice.

1988 Green Class

Brown, Margaret L., published a book, “Essays of a Moonshiner’s Daughter: Overcoming Adversity Through Faith and Perseverance,” in August 2022.

Pratt Class

Forbush, Audrey, a partner with Plunkett Cooney in the firm’s Flint, Michigan office, was named to the 2022 list of Super Lawyers by Michigan Super Lawyers magazine in the area of State/Local/Municipal law. She was named by the magazine as one of the state’s Top 50 women lawyers.

1989

Copeland Class

Goodenough, Brian G., an attorney with Foster Swift Collins & Smith, P.C. was selected by his peers for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2023 in the areas of Insurance Law, Litigation-Municipal, Litigation-Real Estate, and Worker’s Compensation LawEmployers.

Douglass Class Millenbach, Paul J., co-leader of the Litigation Practice Group at Foster Swift Collins & Smith, P.C., in Southfield, Michigan, was appointed president of the Detroit Bar Association. He was also selected by his peers for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2023 in the area of Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions-Defendants. He was also named the Best Lawyers 2023 Mass Tort Litigation/ Class Actions-Defendants Lawyer of the Year.

Nichols, The Hon. William Paul, was named judge for the 38th Circuit Court in Monroe County, Michigan.

Previously, he was a district court judge in Monroe County, where he presided over the Mental Health Recovery Court. Before he was first elected to the bench in 2018, he served 25 years with the Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office, 14 as the elected prosecutor.

1991

Lawrence Class

Costigan, The Hon. Casey, a circuit judge with the 11th Judicial Circuit in Illinois, was named Chief Judge of the court. He serves as the presiding judge of the McLean County Criminal Division and has a criminal felony docket. Turetsky, Donna J., a partner with Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP, in the firm’s Trusts and Estates and Elder Law Practice Groups in Long Island, was named to the 2023 Best Lawyers list. She was also named to the list in 2022. In 2021, she was named one of Nassau County’s Women of Distinction by Blank Slate Media.

1993 Moore Class

Chernich, Scott A., an attorney with Foster Swift Collins & Smith, P.C. was selected by his peers for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2023 in the areas of Banking and Finance Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law.

1994

Williams Class Martin, The Hon. Todd L., was appointed as a Circuit Court Judge in the 13th Judicial Circuit in Illinois. He most recently served as the LaSalle County State’s Attorney since 2020.

1995

Bird Class Corl, Christina L., a partner with Plunkett Cooney in the firm’s Columbus, Ohio office, was selected by her peers for inclusion in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of Litigation and Labor and Employment.

Dienes, Scott, was named partner at Barnes & Thornburg. He is based in the firm’s Grand Rapids, Michigan office and focuses his practice on real estate, municipal and public finance law. He represents owners and developers of land concerning zoning and land use, brownfield redevelopment, water and sewer, drainage and related issues. He has served as general counsel to municipal clients his entire career and is regularly engaged as special counsel by local governments.

1996 Stone Class Walsh, Hon. James E. Jr., was elected a New York State Supreme Court Justice for the 7th Judicial District in November 2021. Prior to this election he served as a Monroe County Family Court Judge in New York since 2013.

Black Class Field-Foster, Monique, an executive partner with Warner Norcross + Judd in Lansing, Michigan, was named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s Influential Women of Law Class of 2022. She co-chairs the firm’s Government Advocacy and Affairs Practice Group.

1997

Fellows Class

Young, Gary J., managing attorney of Robert K. Young & Associates, P.C., in Merrick, New York, announced that in June 2022, he settled a construction accident case for $2 million. The settlement included a full tender of all available insurance proceeds. He has been in

practice for 25 years and handles personal injury and negligence cases. E-mail: gy@robertkyounglaw.com.

1998

McDonald Class

McKeown, Mike, was named a Volunteer of the Year for his pro bono work by the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service. He also accepted a position with the Office of the Maryland Attorney General, Department of Transportation.

Snow Class

Bucci, Paul, was named to the 2022 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list. He is a founder of the personal injury and accident firm Laffey Bucci Kent with offices in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Illinois, and California.

1999 Fead Class

Cronk, Peter D , a partner with Plunkett Cooney in Lansing, Michigan, was selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2023 edition of Best Lawyers in America in Commercial Litigation.

2001 Wilson Class

France, Jennifer J., of The France Firm P.C. in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, was named a 2022 Elite Lawyer in Criminal Defense.

2002

T. Johnson Class

Chartier, Mary, of Chartier & Nyamfukudza in Okemos, Michigan, announced that their firm won the 2022 Legal Impact Reisman Award. In addition, the firm accepted an international

Class Notes

Clio Award on stage at the Grand Old Opry.

2003 Toy Class

Sabatini, Juliana, a partner with Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, was named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s Influential Women of Law Class of 2022. As the co-managing partner with the firm’s Michigan office, she defends high-exposure cases, focusing her practice on medical, accounting and legal malpractice.

2005 Boyles Class

Knights, Hon. Stephen N. Jr., was appointed judge with the Henry County State Court in Georgia.

Starr Class

Densham, Sandra, a partner with Plunkett Cooney in Grand Rapids, Michigan, was named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s Influential Women of Law Class of 2022. She focuses her practice in the area of general defense litigation, including product, premises and motor vehicle liability, as well as marine and recreational boating law.

2006 Fitzgerald Class Beachum, A.J., was named by the Midwest Real Estate News to its Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame in 2021. He is a broker with Income Property Organization in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

2008 CJ Adams Class

Genovich, Laura J., an attorney with Foster Swift Collins & Smith, P.C. was selected by her peers for inclusion

in the Best Lawyers in America 2023 in the areas of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation-Bankruptcy, and Municipal Law.

2009 Coleman Class

Patel-Dookhoo, The Hon. Jigisa, was appointed as a judge on the 18th Judicial Circuit Court, serving Brevard and Seminole counties in Florida. She previously served as an assistant state attorney in Brevard and was the division chief in the Domestic Violence Unit.

Parks, Ciara, works as the general counsel to the Texas Board of Law Examiners. Before her current post, she served as an Assistant District Attorney for Travis County Texas, and for the Montgomery County Prosecutors Office in Dayton, Ohio. She was awarded the Austin Young Lawyers Association Outstanding Director award for 20212022, and was a 40 Under 40 honoree for the Austin Black Business Journal. In addition, she serves as an area coordinator for Adventist Texas Youth, president of the Austin Black Lawyers Association, trustee for the Austin Black Lawyers Association Foundation, secretary for the Austin Young Lawyers Association, and board member for the Austin Bar Association.

Riley Class

Apelis, Erika, has joined the Cleveland, Ohio office of McDonald Hopkins LLC as counsel in the Business Department, with the Estate Planning and Probate team. She also serves as the Chair of FDCC Ladder Down Cleveland, which is dedicated to empowering women attorneys to serve in leadership positions.

2010 Woodward Class

Burrell, Aaron, an attorney with Dickinson Wright, was presented

with a Freedom Award from the National Action Network Michigan during the organization’s Juneteenth celebration June 18, 2022 at the Detroit Athletic Club. Burrell serves as co-chair of the firm’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee; a commissioner on the ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession; a commissioner on the State Bar of Michigan Board of Commissioners; and as a member of the board of directors at WMU-Cooley Law School.

Witherell Class Brigman, Jessica (Schilling DesNoyers), joined Moss & Barnett, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as an attorney in the firm’s business law and wealth preservation and estate planning teams. She assists entrepreneurs in structuring their business ventures for smart growth and practical risk management. She also practices in the areas of estate and wealth preservation planning. Coyle, Emily M., a partner with Plunkett Cooney in the firm’s Detroit, Michigan office, was selected by her peers for inclusion in the third edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America, in the area of Personal Injury Litigation-Defendants.

Cummings, Patrick J., was elected partner at Weber Gallagher Simpson Stapleton Fires & Newby in the firm’s Philadelphia, Pennsylvania office. He focuses his practice on workers’ compensation matters for insurance carriers, third party administrators and employers.

Zapczynski, Jesse A., an attorney with Plunkett Cooney in the firm’s Bloomfield Hills, Michigan office, was named a Rising Star in Insurance Coverage by Michigan Super Lawyers Magazine.

2011 Sibley Class Wirth, Amanda Van Essen, founder of Van Essen & Associates, in Zeeland, Michigan, was named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s Influential Women of Law Class of 2022. She is an Army JAG lawyer special victims counsel who represents victims of sexual assault across the country.

Chipman Class Barlaskar, Ibrahim (Abe), a partner with Plunkett Cooney in the firm’s Bloomfield Hills, Michigan office was named a 2022 Michigan Super Lawyer in the area of Personal Injury General: Defense.

Ginsberg, Jason, was named a partner with Vaslas Lepowsky & Hauss, LLP, in the firm’s New York office. He focuses his practice on representing physicians and hospitals in medical malpractice matters throughout New York.

2012 Hilligan Class

Moy, Joseph, joined the Illinois Labor Relations Board as an Administrative Law Judge.

Ellsworth Class

Vergara, Claire D., an attorney with Plunkett Cooney in the firm’s Detroit, Michigan, office was named a Rising Star by Michigan Super Lawyers Magazine in the area of Personal Injury General: Defense.

Washington Class

Gardner, Jaebadiah, announced that GardnerGlobal, Inc. received a $4.5 million award from Amazon Housing Equity Fund to support affordable housing in the Seattle, Washington Central District. GardnerGlobal, Inc., is a Seattle-based real estate investment and development firm.

Pepprock, Samantha A., joined ManpowerGroup, as senior corporate counsel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

2013 Moore Class

Marin, Matthew, has been appointed to the ABA Young Lawyers Division’s leadership as a TYL Magazine associate editor for 2022-2023. The magazine is published quarterly to help young lawyers take command of their careers and develop their professional identities.

Nyamfukudza, Takura, of Chartier & Nyamfukudza in Okemos, Michigan, announced that their firm won the 2022 Legal Impact Reisman Award. In addition, the firm accepted an international Clio Award on stage at the Grand Old Opry.

Vanegas, Suzy, a criminal defense attorney with Medlin Law Firm in Fort Worth, Texas, received an AV Preeminent Award by Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating in 2022.

2014

Livingston Class Dickey, Ashley S., an associate with Plunkett Cooney in the firm’s Bloomfield Hills, Michigan office, was selected by her peers for inclusion in the third edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America, in the area of Personal Injury LitigationDefendants. She was also named a Rising Star Personal Injury: Defense by Michigan Super Lawyers Magazine.

Todd Class Bourjaily, Ryan P., an associate with Plunkett Cooney in the firm’s Bloomfield Hills, Michigan office, was selected by his peers for inclusion in the third edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America, in the area of Trusts and Estates. He was also named a Rising Star in Estate and Trust Litigation by Michigan Super Lawyers Magazine.

2015 Story Class Dobesh Kaitlyn D., was elected to serve on the Michigan State Medical Society Board of Directors as the Resident and Fellow representative. Dobesh, a medical doctor and general surgery resident at Henry Ford Hospital, was elected to a one-year term.

2016

Taft Class

Locke, Kaitlin, was named Berrien County Chief Assistant Public Defender.

Hughes Class Thomas, Toi J., joined Foster Swift in the firm’s Southfield, Michigan office. She is a member of the general litigation practice group. She focuses her practice in Family Law, Estate Planning, Criminal Law, and Entertainment Law.

Wildey, Kirstyn M., a senior associate at McDonald Hopkins LLC in Cleveland, Ohio, was selected for the 2023 edition of Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch in the areas of Banking and Finance Law, Public Finance Law, and Real Estate Law.

2017 Vinson Class Stanley, Katherine, was appointed by the Michigan Supreme Court to the Attorney Discipline Board for a term running through Sept. 30, 2025.

2018 Boyle Class Fatmi, Syed Ali, an attorney with Barclay Damon LLP in the firm’s Buffalo, New York, office, was listed in the 2023 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. He focuses his practice in Administrative/Regulatory Law.

2019 Curtis Class Miller, Matt, has taken a position as Senior Vice President with Marsh McLennan in their education and public entity insurance practice.

Moore, Andrew, has joined the litigation practice group of Fraser Trebilcock Law Firm, in Lansing, Michigan.

2020 Davis Class

Alfaro, Arturo, an associate with Plunkett Cooney in the firm’s Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, office, was selected by his peers for inclusion in the third edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America, in the area of Transportation Law.

2021 Woods Class Bouchard, Chelsea, joined the firm of Willingham & Coté as an associate in the firm’s Insurance Law Group.

Matthews Class Hemphill, Norrel, earned an Equal Justice Works Fellowship to serve the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center. She provides direct legal representation and policy advocacy in Detroit and throughout the Great Lakes region to ensure low-income residents have access to safe, clean and affordable drinking water.

In Memoriam

1978

Kelly Class

Struble, Jacqueline “Jackie” Ann Burgoyne, 81, of Battle Creek, Michigan, died Aug. 31, 2022.

1979

Butzel Class

Veltema, Gregory, 70, died June 15, 2022. He practiced law in Lansing, Michigan for 30 years and served as a Delhi Township trustee for 12 years.

1980

Potter Class

Dunbar, Lynn B., 79, of Lansing, Michigan, died Oct. 7, 2022. She taught English before going to law school. She served as a prosecuting attorney in Ogemaw County, Michigan, 1980-1992 and taught critical writing at Saginaw Valley Sate University. More recently, she worked for Elderly Instruments in Lansing, 1997-2015.

1981

Dethmers Class

Heran, Charles W., died Jan. 21, 2022. Services were held in Albany, New York.

Long Class

Guthrie, Kristine Joyce, 75, of Okemos, Michigan, died July 5, 2022, after a long battle with cancer. She began her career with Legal Aid of Michigan, and practiced law for over 30 years, she fought for the rights of low-income individuals, particularly those of women and children. She volunteered at a battered women’s shelter and argued a case that would later impact law intended to improve the identification of abuse earlier on.

1985

T. Smith Class Schramm, James, 80, of Pentwater, Michigan, died May 25, 2022. He served in the U.S. Army for 21 years, including the Vietnam War, and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.

Whipple Class

Thompson, Kenneth B., 81, of Altamonte Springs, Florida, died Nov. 13, 2021. He was a veteran and a business transaction attorney.

1986

Sherwood Class

Garn, Marten, 61, of Charlotte, Michigan, died Nov. 16, 2021. He was an administrative law judge.

1989

Johnson Class

Villas, Gary G., 59, of Albion, Michigan, died Oct. 10, 2022. He was a partner with Nolan Thomsen and Villas, PC., in Eaton Rapids, Michigan.

1993 Moore Class

Katz, Peter, 65, died Aug. 17, 2022, in Stevensville, Michigan. He operated his own law office, focusing on Social Security disability for 20 years.

2000 Jay Class

Nye, Todd H., 60, of Grayling, Michigan, died Oct. 13, 2022. He practiced law for many years, owning his own law practice before moving to northern Michigan.

2003

Swainson Class

Wynn, Christopher L., 45, of Douglasville, Georgia, died Sept. 2, 2022.

2010 Witherell Class

Cadoret, Danielle, 46, of Woodhaven, Michigan, a criminal defense attorney in Detroit, Michigan, died Aug. 12, 2022.

2016

Taft Class Westberry, Lisa A., 38, of Ruskin, Florida, died June 4, 2022.

Faculty Briefs

Tammy Asher, Professor Recipient, of the Stanley E. Beattie Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Blatchford Class, 2022. Invited, by the International Cooperation Department of Odessa State University of Internal Affairs to serve as a Zoom guest lecturer for Odessa State University in Odessa, Ukraine.

Curt Benson, Distinguished Professor Emeritus Assigned, by the Michigan Supreme Court, to serve as a business court judge in the 17th Judicial Circuit.

Erika Breitfeld, Professor and Assistant Dean Named, a Leader in the Law 2022 by Michigan Lawyers Weekly. Appointed, State Bar of Michigan District Character and Fitness Committee.

Coached, National Moot Court team-Chicago Bar Association with Professor Martha Moore.

Mark Cooney, Professor Awarded, the Joseph Kimble DistinguishedService Award, by Scribes—The American Society of Legal Writers. Published, “Author Relations” chapter in The Scribes Manual for Law Review Editors (Carolina Academic Press 2022).

Presented, a Strafford national webinar on “Abrogating Precedent: Challenging Statutory and Constitutional Interpretations that No Longer Seem Valid.”

Moderated, American Inns of Court/Scribes webcast “Write To Be Heard: Effective MotionDrafting in Trial and Appellate Courts.” Panelists included U.S. District Court Judge Alfred Bennett (Texas) and Nevada Supreme Court Justice Abbi Silver.

Moderated, Kimble Center for Legal Drafting Annual Seminar, “More Hot Tips for Better Legal Drafting and Writing.”

Accepted for publication, “In Praise of Counterintuitive Lessons,” for the next volume of Perspectives: Teaching Legal Research and Writing.

Judged, the ClearMark Awards, serving as lead Judge for the Legal Documents category and the Posters/Charts/Fliers category, and serving as a panel judge for the grand winner.

Quoted, in WalletHub’s “Ask the Experts: Liability Car Insurance,” on how plain-language resources can help consumers choose insurance coverage.

Mark Dotson, Professor Submitted, Fall case and practice update for Stein: Personal Injury Damages. West Publications.

Renalia DuBose, Professor

Served, as a panelist, on Nov. 1, 2022, on Kappa Alpha Sorority’s Election Connection chat.

Professor DuBose’s topic was “Merit Selection and Retention of Florida Supreme Court Justices.”

She described the Judicial Nominating Commission as the body to recommend candidates to the Florida governor for appointment to the Florida Supreme Court and the partisan polarizing that has dominated the system of selecting justices.

Dustin Foster, Professor Won, the Beattie Award for Excellence in Teaching, given by the Hunt Class in January 2021.

Joseline Hardrick, Associate Professor

Participated, in a panel discussion on Sept. 23, 2022 for the Virgil Hawkins Florida Chapter of the National Bar Association titled “Legal Implications of Roe v. Wade.” She discussed the history of the Supreme Court cases -  Roe v. Wade (1973), Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992), and now Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.

Spoke, on Nov. 9, 2022, at a panel discussion on “The Role of the JNCs on the Federal and State level” for the Tampa Hispanic Bar Association, the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, and the Asian Pacific American Bar Association regarding the judicial nominating procedures. She spoke specifically about federal district court judgeships.

Authored, an article, titled “Beyond the Business Case –Diversity in the Workplace.”

Joseph Kimble, Distinguished Professor Emeritus

Published, an article called “Dictionary Diving in the Courts: A Shaky Grab for Ordinary Meaning” in the Journal of Appellate Practice and Process. The article is available at https://journals. librarypublishing.arizona.edu/ appellate/article/id/5194/

Published, his most recent column—called “Taking Aim (Again) at Multiword Prepositions”—in Judicature, the scholarly journal for the judiciary.  https://drive. google.com/file/d/1dgBwpneo2NpUzwKT7LxfKMD_ ot6u5aM/view?usp=sharing

Published, an opinion piece called “Dictionary Mania in the Michigan Supreme Court, 2000–2012,” in the Michigan Lawyers Weekly. https://drive.google.com/ file/d/1NIbSjWCO6cucL0SV40Th1 UwZUA0deCig/view?usp=sharing

Revised, his “Tips for Better Writing in Law Reviews (and Other Journals.” They were originally published in the Michigan Bar Journal. They are now available on the website of Scribes—The American Society of Legal Writers. https://www.scribes.org/ writing-tips-for-law-reviews. And Scribes is distributing them to the offices of all U.S. law reviews.

Spoke, at the third annual public seminar sponsored by the Kimble Center for Legal Drafting: “More Hot Tips for Better Legal Writing and Drafting.” He spoke on shortening sentences and avoiding unnecessary repetition in drafting. Spoke, at the 2022 conference of the Commonwealth Association of Legislative Counsel. He spoke three times, twice live and once recorded, to three different time zones. His talk—based on the article noted above— was “Dictionary Diving in the U.S. Courts.”

Spoke, on that same subject at the 2022 International Conference on Legislation and Law Reform.

Spoke, at the biennial conference of the Legal Writing Institute on “Better Legal Drafting: Lessons from 20 Years of Working on U.S Federal Court Rules.” Professor Kimble first spoke at an LWI conference in 1990, longer ago than anyone else at the 2022 conference.

Spoke, on drafting to a legislative drafting class at the University of Michigan Law School.

Spoke, on textualism to the student chapter of the American Constitution Society at the University of Michigan Law School. Gave, a recorded keynote address to the international conference sponsored by the Japan Plain English & Language Consortium. He spoke on the myths about plain language and the extraordinary benefits of using plain language in public and legal documents— both covered in his book Writing for Dollars, Writing to Please: The Case for Plain Language in Business, Government, and Law.  Spoke, remotely with the Plain Language Team in the Office of Communications at the Social Security Administration. The team had made Writing for Dollars, Writing to Please the subject of a group book discussion.

Learned, in June, August, and September that he was in the top 10% of authors on SSRN by total new downloads within the previous 12 months.

Learned, in May that his article “Scouring Dictionaries: Their Use and Misuse in the Courts” was a top-10 download on SSRN for the Legal Writing eJournal. The article was published in Dictionaries: The Journal of the Dictionary Society of North America.

Attended, the summer meeting of the Standing Committee on Federal Court Rules. He has been a drafting consultant to the committee since 2000 and for the last three years has been involved in redrafting the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure.

Finished, work on the project to restyle the Michigan Rules of Evidence to conform to the Federal Rules of Evidence. Professor Kimble was the drafting consultant on the project, and

the committee’s work has now been submitted to the Michigan Supreme Court. He was also the drafting consultant on the federalrules restyling project.

Don LeDuc, Professor and Past President

Published, a fully rewritten edition of Michigan Administrative Law by ThomsonReuters, the third complete edition of the text.

Accepted, for publication, a fully rewritten edition of Michigan Administrative Law Primer, an abridged version of Michigan Administrative Law (first published in 1992), in the pending release of the Thomas M. Cooley Law Review.

Submitted, an article called Restructured Constitution of the United States, to the Thomas M. Cooley Law Review for its consideration.

Works, in progress include the 2023 annual supplement to Michigan Administrative Law (April 2023); Michigan Administrative Law Casebook; a casebook on Michigan’s Freedom of Information and Open Meetings Acts; and outlines and syllabi to accompany both casebooks. Work has also begun on the analysis of national law school data for 2022 published by the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar (the first analysis was completed in 2010 and has been updated annually).

Planned works include a review of The Federalist tied to the Restructured Constitution of the United States. Under consideration is the development of materials for a course on legislation and regulation, tentatively tied to the current required courses in Constitutional Law.

Matt Marin, Associate Professor Appointed, by the ABA Young Lawyers Division, as a TYL Magazine Associate Editor for 2022-2023.

Appointed, by the Michigan Bar, as a member of the Michigan Bar Journal Advisory Committee for 2022-2025.

Presented, “Memory: The Past, Present, & Future of Law School Exams,” for the Hamilton Lugar School Symposium, June 17, 2022.

Published, “Memorization Techniques for Law Students,” in the ABA Student Lawyer, September 14, 2022.

Published, “All Humans Are Mortal: Syllogisms for LegalAnalysis Success,” in the ABA Student Lawyer, July 4, 2022.

Published, “Two Sides of the Dog Collar: Puppy Contract Musings,” in the WMU-Cooley Law School Blog, June 13, 2022.

Published, “Wellness: Be Proactive!,” in the ABA Student Lawyer, May 16, 2022.

Otto Stockmeyer, Distinguished Professor Emeritus Published, an article, “What Should Be Done about Michigan’s System of Electing Supreme Court Justices?,” in Labor and Employment Lawnotes (State Bar of Michigan, Summer 2022). Available at https://ssrn.com/ abstract=4158033

Published, an article, “Plain Language to the Rescue,” on LinkedIn. Available at https:// www.linkedin.com/pulse/plainlanguage-rescue-otto-stockmeyer/

Published, a paper, “What Should Be Done About Remedies?,” on SSRN. Available at: https://ssrn. com/abstract=4021542

Duane Strojny, Associate Dean and Professor Moderated, and coordinated, American Association of Law Libraries Continuing Professional Education Committee webinar, Check Out Consortium Membership to Enhance Collection Development, June 15, 2022.

Appointed, as a blog contributing writer for American Association of Law Libraries Research Instruction and Public Services Section, with two recent posts: “Can You Really Accomplish Anything in 14 Hours?,” on Sept. 27, 2022, and “Surviving a Profession Faux Pas,” October 17, 2022.

Karen Truszkowski, Professor Emeritus

Served, on a panel with her client, who made a report of an assault by three college athletes, on the Dr. Phil Show, about “Athletes Behaving BadlyOr Targets for False Accusations?” Sept. 26-27, 2022.

Amy Timmer, Professor and Associate Dean

Hosted, national virtual conference of the National Legal Mentoring Consortium, which is now housed at Cooley Law School, as the director of the consortium.

Cooley

Nonprofit Organization

U.S. Postage PAID Lansing, MI Permit No. 241

Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Lansing, MI Permit No. 241

Cooley