Benchmark | Summer 2021 by Cooley Law School

Benchmark

WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY THOMAS M. COOLEY LAW SCHOOL ALUMNI MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2021

SAMUEL ONYEGAM Doing What He Loves ERIKA WEISS Embracing Heritage

WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY THOMAS M. COOLEY LAW SCHOOL ALUMNI MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2021

Letter from the

President and Dean Benchmark EDITOR Terry Carella CO-EDITOR Sharon Matchette ADVANCEMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS Helen Haessly Acting Director of Alumni Relations CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Terry Carella, Sharon Matchette SeyferthPR DESIGN Image Creative Group PHOTOGRAPHY Shelby Fox 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:

As I write this, we are busy preparing for our transition back to face-to-face teaching and learning. We will be offering our students opportunities for both in person and remote classes this fall as we hopefully emerge from the COVID pandemic. The pandemic has forever changed the way we interact with each other. We shifted to online learning one day in March 2020 and kept our community safe while continuing to educate the next generation of Cooley lawyers. During the pandemic, your faculty worked tirelessly to not just deliver a legal education online, but to improve the way we educate our students using cutting-edge, scientifically proven methods and strengthening our already robust active learning environment. Many of these innovations will serve us well as we return to the physical classroom. The remote learning was incredibly prescient for some of our skills classes. For the future, our practice-ready graduates will need to be as prepared for a virtual courtroom as they are a physical one. During the pandemic, we also learned that we all needed to take a closer, more introspective look at issues of systemic racism in our country. We held seminars and panels and a very successful, virtual conference on Multicultural Lawyering and began new opportunities for law firms to become “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champions.” All of these efforts continue our mission of true access to the legal profession. Speaking of our mission, we have been busy updating our mission statement to reflect our commitment to our foundational values as we become leaders in providing a modern legal education. Look for more information on this in the fall. The innovations we have put into place are showing that we are moving in the right direction for the future. Our smaller physical footprint makes us more nimble and more accurately reflects the demand for a legal education in Michigan and in Florida. We have been busy.

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

This edition of The Benchmark features the above efforts, and many stories of the great work our alums are doing in all areas of the legal profession, including big law, the judiciary, government, public service, academics and of course our venerable solo practitioners. We also feature the exciting work of some of our faculty members, our amazing Cooley Innocence Project, and incredible students.

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

Enjoy these amazing stories of our collective success and keep in touch. I love hearing from you.

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 517-371-5140, ext. 2045, or e-mail alumni@cooley.edu with questions.

James McGrath Professor, President and Dean WMU-COOLEY BOARD OF DIRECTORS THOMAS W. CRANMER HON. LOUISE ALDERSON Miller Canfield Chair, Board of Directors Troy, Michigan 54-A District Court Lansing, Michigan SCOTT A. DIENES Vice-Chair, Board of Directors MUSTAFA AMEEN Barnes & Thornburg, LLP Law Office of Ameen & Shafii Grand Rapids, Michigan Tampa, Florida JOHN M. DUNN AARON V. BURRELL President Emeritus of Dickinson Wright PLLC Western Michigan University Detroit, Michigan Kalamazoo, Michigan CHRISTINA L. CORL Plunkett Cooney Columbus, Ohio

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 Butzel Long Detroit, Michigan

Contents Features Summer 2021

2 8 10 12

SAMUEL ONYEGAM As an attorney with the Department of Homeland Security in Texas, Samuel Onyegam advises the U.S. Customs and Border Protection on issues affecting the hundreds of miles included in the Big Bend Border Patrol Sector. In his many tasks with the post, Samuel says it is a privilege to advance the mission of protecting the nation.

ERIKA WEISS Growing up in west Michigan with Native American heritage, Erika Weiss noticed, but didn’t focus on the ethnic ignorance she encountered. As she grew older, however, she tapped into that culture and was eager to learn as much as she could. That education led to the new attorney focusing on the needs of the Native American community and creating a niche legal practice.

CHOI PORTIS Serving as the Deputy General Counsel in the Detroit, Michigan Water and Sewerage Department, Choi Portis finds herself in the midst of the city’s revitalization efforts. She combines her busy work there with her volunteer work with the ABA Young Lawyers Division and plans to launch projects focusing on diversity studies, expungement issues, and more.

JOHN DESMOND Reno, Nevada litigator John Desmond has high praise for how the legal field has adapted its practices to the restrictions imposed by the pandemic. He believes many of those changes will stay in place, as law firms embrace the cost-savings realized by utilizing technology. The future is bright for attorneys in 2021 as a return to normality releases a pent-up demand for legal services.

SAMUEL ONYEGAM, WILKINS CLASS, 2011 BY TERRY CARELLA

Samuel A. Onyegam (Wilkins Class, 2011) would be the first to say he had a good time as a student at WMU-Cooley Law School. But that didn’t mean he was into partying or the bar scene in Lansing, Michigan. He had one priority as a law student. He would make as much out of his law school education and experience as possible, and a good time meant staying focused on “learning the law the right way.” 2

Onyegam’s practice includes providing advice to, and legal representation of, CBP’s component agencies (US. Border Patrol, Office of Field Operations, and Air and Marine Operations) in matters relating to their activities and functions.

SAMUEL A. ONYEGAM

Doing What He Loves to Do AND MAKING AN IMPACT

For Onyegam, “the right way” meant spending most of his time in the law library studying and learning the law. “I was a known staple in the basement of the WMU-Cooley library,” smiled Onyegam, although “at the time I didn’t fully realize how well such studiousness was preparing me for law practice.” Onyegam currently serves as an attorney

with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Office of Chief Counsel. Onyegam is stationed at the CBP Office of Chief Counsel Office in Marfa, Texas at the Big Bend Border Patrol Sector Headquarters. The Big Bend Border Patrol Sector’s area of responsibility spans hundreds of miles along the southwest border.

Onyegam advises and represents CBP in a wide range of legal issues. Onyegam represents CBP in matters relating to international trade, represents CBP in administrative tort claims against the U.S. Government under the limited waiver of sovereign immunity pursuant to the Federal Tort Claims Act, handles assets forfeiture cases, represents CBP in labor and employment cases before the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission and the Merit Systems Protection Board, represents CBP in arbitrations before the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, serves as an ethics officer for CBP employees, advises CBP on personnel matters; and advises CBP in matters relating to immigration enforcement. Much of Onyegam’s practice involves constitutional issues such as the scope of border authority, border patrol enforcement operations, search and seizure, freedom of speech, and due process of law. “At its core, my work involves constitutional law,” Onyegam stated. “I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.” Onyegam continued, “I take seriously my obligation to dispatch my duties and responsibilities, consistent with my oath of office.”

DOING WHAT HE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO Onyegam’s interest in the law started early in life as a youngster growing up in Okehi, a small farming town outside the city of Port Harcourt in Nigeria. In primary school, he would sneak out of class to go to the local magistrate court to watch court proceedings. He was riveted watching and listening to lawyers (barristers) in the courtroom. He was (continued)

SAMUEL ONYEGAM

impressed with their ability to engage in and offer commanding and persuasive analysis on wideranging subjects and topics, even matters involving subjects and topics outside of the law.

books countless times, “I was mesmerized by Plato’s dialogic style and by Aristotle’s Politics and Poetics. I became even more determined to pursue a profession involving the use of words as tools of trade, and persuasion, much like the carpenter uses the tool in his toolbox to craft fine furniture.

“I enjoyed hanging out by the window of the courtroom and watching the barristers do their thing, and I was fascinated by all that. I got into trouble sneaking “When I speak with friends out of class to do this, but I was today, those who knew me growing up, they say they are not deterred.” not surprised I became a lawyer. While attending a Catholic They say, ‘No surprise, you are seminary school, Onyegam came doing what you always wanted to across two books, Plato’s The do,” smiled Onyegam. Trial and Death of Socrates and After secondary school, Onyegam Aristotle’s Politics and Poetics, in the bookstore of the Catholic came to the United States. He knew his path to law school Institute of West Africa, which might not be smooth and easy. was adjacent to his secondary He imagined he would not have school. After reading these

as many options regarding his law school choice. He knew he would have to work hard. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Onyegam received his master’s degree in Liberal Studies with a focus on International Relations/ U.S. Foreign Policy and a special emphasis on the Behavior and Rhetorics of Emerging Hegemonic Powers. Onyegam applied to WMUCooley Law School based on various factors, including the diversity of the student body, the rolling admissions program, and the option to start law school in January, May, or September. According to Onyegam, “WMUCooley Law School was the right fit for me.” In fact, as Onyegam

to clear this up. From that day on my grades improved dramatically. I went on to appear multiple times on the Dean’s and In January 2009, Onyegam Honors lists, received multiple packed up and drove from Allen, Honors Scholarships, and Texas, to Lansing, Michigan, to received a Certificate of Merit start his law school journey with for outstanding scholarship in WMU-Cooley Law School. international law.” likes to say, WMU-Cooley chose him, and gave him a chance. And he’s never looked back.

much that the student’s parents from WMU-Cooley. After presented Onyegam a special gift Onyegam was licensed as a as a thank you. Texas attorney in May 2012, he took the first steps towards a PUBLIC SERVICE HAS BEEN career in public service.

FULFILLING AND REWARDING

In line with his interest in international law and foreign affairs, Onyegam first explored a career as a Foreign Service The first couple of terms in law Onyegam became laser focused. Officer with the U.S. Department school were like learning a new He joined a study group. As he of State by taking the Foreign way of thinking, according to settled into law school over the Service Officer exam. After Onyegam. There were challenges next terms, he discovered he had taking another public service in the beginning, which was hard It was a very brief conversation more opportunities to mentor exam, Onyegam was contacted to take for someone who was he had with a WMU-Cooley and coach newer law students by the U.S. Department of used to getting top grades. professor of international law who, like him, were exploring Homeland Security, U.S. that turned his attention to ways to develop and refine the Citizenship and Immigration “I recall going straight home the possibility of working for a Services (USCIS). After a lengthy one day after finding out I didn’t organizational and management government agency. That fleeting skills necessary to adjust to process, he accepted a position do well on my first Contracts suggestion sat in the back of the law school environment. as an Immigration Services test. That was it, I told myself his mind through his externship Officer. Onyegam adjudicated that would never happen again, One student appreciated his with the Dallas County Public engagement and mentoring so and made final decisions on and I needed to figure out how Defender’s Office and graduation Helping others through public service is at the core of who Onyegam is as a person. The work that energizes him the most is using his knowledge and skills to make an impact on people in real ways.

SAMUEL ONYEGAM

“The reason I am passionate about my work is that I provide advice to the U.S. government that helps to advance the Department of Homeland Security’s mission of enforcing our immigration laws and safeguarding our homeland.” SAMUEL ONYEGAM

various immigration petitions and applications. In accepting the position, Onyegam received approval to also operate his private law firm. In May 2012, the same month he started his position, Onyegam opened his law office in Dallas, Texas where he represented clients in a variety of civil and criminal cases.

interpreted immigration legislation and policy and proposed legislation; interpreted and recommended revisions to policy; participated in formulating adjudications policies, procedures, programs, and

Onyegam wanted to gain experience and expertise in immigration enforcement. This led Onyegam to accept his current position with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of

involves wide-ranging legal issues including those relating to combating terrorism, human trafficking, narcotics and arms smuggling, international trade, intellectual property rights, and agricultural violations. This work is part of a bigger goal and purpose, which is to advance the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s mission of safeguarding our homeland.

By the time Onyegam left USCIS, he had “Contributing risen to the to advancing position of Senior the mission of Immigration safeguarding our Services Officer, homeland is a adjudicating potent source and making of pride and final decisions fulfillment for in complex and me. Like millions high visibility The Marfa lights, also known as the Marfa ghost lights, have been observed near U.S. Route 67 on Mitchell Flat of Americans, immigration east of Marfa, Texas. my immigrant cases involving history provides a wider lens national security, public Chief Counsel where a major implementation plans; and through which I see various safety, and fraud. Onyegam aspect of this practice involves provided administrative and issues. It not only adds a also mentored, coached, and advising the government on technical consultation and broader understanding of, advised immigration officers; a wide range of immigration guidance. and an appreciation and provided adjudications training; enforcement issues. tolerance for issues relating to maintained adjudications After seven years with my position as a government oversight; and provided subject “The reason I am passionate USCIS, Onyegam explored lawyer, it informs my approach matter and technical expertise about my work is that I provide opportunities to broaden his to issues involving diversity, on various issues relating to advice to the U.S. government expertise in U.S. immigration inclusion, engagement, and interpreting and applying that helps to advance the law, but he also wanted collaboration.” immigration law, procedures, Department of Homeland to remain with the U.S. and policy including postSecurity’s mission of enforcing Department of Homeland As much as Onyegam feels his decisional proceedings such as our immigration laws and Security. With his expertise life’s struggles and successes motions to reopen, motions to safeguarding our homeland. in interpreting and applying are not that different from reconsider, appeals, consular In addition to advising the U.S. immigration law, many others, he does feel that returns, and revocations. government on immigration procedures, and policies in the the trajectory of his professional Onyegam analyzed and enforcement, my work also adjudications environment,

“While I aspired to become a lawyer, I did not imagine that I would be a lawyer advising and representing the United States government. But I feel uniquely privileged to serve in the role that I do today.” SAMUEL ONYEGAM

career and his position as a government lawyer presents unique obligations and responsibilities. “While I aspired to become a lawyer, I did not imagine that I would be a lawyer advising and representing the United States government. But I feel uniquely privileged to serve in the role that I do today.”

while building a solid, dynamic and rewarding legal career. Looking ahead, Onyegam anticipates remaining in public service with the Department of Homeland Security. He feels fulfilled in his work, but he

Onyegam also can see himself as a law professor, teaching courses in international law, immigration, national security, and other areas within his expertise. “These aspirations keep me

PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION “Among the very first things I internalized as a public servant is that I took an oath to support and defend the Prada Marfa is a permanent sculptural art installation by artists Elmgreen and Dragset. Constitution of the United States against all grounded and focused on also aspires and could visualize enemies, foreign and domestic. maintaining a high work ethic, himself serving in the future as I perform the duties of my being persistent and resilient, an adjudicatory decision-maker position as a government lawyer and always working hard.” at the level of an immigration consistent with this oath.” judge. For Onyegam, his responsibility is to provide legal advice to the government based on an objective and fair interpretation of the laws and consistent with currently applicable policies. Onyegam knows his job may not be for everybody but believes it offers an excellent opportunity for those who may be interested in public service,

BALANCING WORK

“I know some people who became immigration judges after many years as government lawyers.” One of them is a close friend and mentor. He believes the vast experience and expertise gained as a government immigration lawyer would be a great asset on the bench.

Onyegam engages in a variety of hobbies to maintain his physical and mental health. He has a regular exercise routine and enjoys being outdoors, especially hiking the mountains of the Big Bend region of Texas.

times, I make two annual trips to Colorado, a summer trip and a winter trip. “I take two to three weeks off and just get on the road to explore and soak-in some of the truly beautiful and mesmerizing landscapes in our beautiful country. I have done road trips across 44 states, and am looking forward to my road trips through Alaska and Hawaii. “Having also traveled internationally, I believe the United States is the most beautiful and the greatest country on the face of our planet. No other country comes even close. Road trips allow me to really get to know and enjoy our great country — America the beautiful. It is also an excellent avenue to decompress and rejuvenate.” DISCLAIMER: This article is a personal account of Attorney Onyegam’s life and experience in public service. The article does not reflect any official position and/ or statements from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection or the Office of Chief Counsel.

“One of my favorite places to hike is the Vail Valley region of Colorado, a truly scenic and beautiful place. In normal

ERIKA WEISS, LIVINGSTON JOHN NOCITA, TURNER CLASS, CLASS, 2014 1991 Grand Rapids, Michigan

ERIKA WEISS

Embracing Heritage Leads to Practice in Native American Law Growing up, Erika Weiss’ (Livingston Class, 2014) family didn’t talk much about their Native American ancestry. While In middle school, Weiss remembers often being asked, “what are you?” She wasn’t sure how to answer what seemed like a strange question, often saying to herself “I’m a human,” while realizing she “stuck out like a sore thumb” to those asking the question. Today, Weiss is sure how to answer the question, and has even embraced her Native American roots enough to build a legal practice working with Native American tribes and their businesses. Her dedication to this niche practice has led Weiss to being named to the 2020 Lawyers of Color Hot List. Lawyers of Color is a non-profit organization devoted to promoting diversity in the legal profession and advancing democracy and equality in marginalized communities. The listing honors up-and-coming attorneys who have had noteworthy accomplishments, giving special attention to candidates who are active in diversity pipeline initiatives. Weiss’ grandmother was one of 12 siblings who grew up during a time when many Native Americans didn’t talk about their Native ancestry. It wasn’t until after her grandmother died that her father learned they were descendants of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians. As casinos operated by Native American tribes became more prevalent around Michigan, Weiss, who grew up in a quiet suburb northeast of Grand Rapids, was often asked “You

background in tribal law issues, Leckie (Green Class, 1988), for influencing her interest in law, as and by graduating magna cum well as her grandmother, who was laude. a juvenile probation officer. During her externship at a large law firm in Grand Rapids, Weiss “My aunt was my biggest realized she wasn’t as fond of influence. I remember sitting working in that position as she in her office asking her about thought and began toying with the different things she was working Weiss has found that many in idea of having her own firm. on,” said Weiss. “She took me Michigan underestimate the to court with her and let me sit number of Native Americans in She ended up with a small firm in in the back of the courtroom to the state. west Michigan gaining experience watch her during a trial and spoke in commercial litigation and “It really is surprising that with with me about different aspects of mortgage-backed securities how many tribes there are in the case after the trial.” litigation. Michigan, people don’t realize there is a significant presence in While attending law school, Knowing that practicing Indian the area,” said Weiss. “It’s always she realized that she was more Law was in her heart, Weiss interested in business law, and been interesting being Native in reached out to a contact at also had an interest in legal west Michigan.” Rosette, LLP’s Michigan office to matters concerning Native talk about her goals of practicing Weiss believes that with recent American tribes. She began with a firm specializing in tribal events involving race, people are learning there were opportunities law. It was at Rosette that she truly interested in learning more for tribes outside of casinos. was able to work solely with about others. Native American tribes and their Weiss also recognized that the “I do think things are getting businesses. tribes have many other business better, as I was recently at entities and opportunities that “I was doing my dream job,” a gathering with a group of many people do not realize the said Weiss. “I wanted to work 20-something-year-olds saying tribes are involved in. She grew with tribes and at this point was ‘I don’t know much. Tell me passionate about using her legal practicing in the area of what the about what tribes are around us skills to work in the area of tribal purpose I went to law school and what they do. We want to economic development. learn more.’ I don’t think these was for.” “There is so much cool stuff that discussions are only happening On LinkedIn, Weiss was tribes are doing that no one knows around Natives, but because of discovered by a recruiter. She about or realizes because all you the environment we are in right had told the recruiter of her see are casinos,” said Weiss. now. It’s exciting for me to have long-term goal of wanting to people say ‘I’m ignorant about During her time at WMU-Cooley, help set up a Native American this but I will learn more, tell me she realized that in order to get practice group and dive into that more, let’s talk.’” a job at a big law firm she would area. Weiss accepted a position have to stand out from other Weiss knew at a young age that as a litigation associate and, she wanted to attend law school. students and be involved in after eight months with the firm, extracurricular activities. Weiss While attending Grand Valley she and another attorney were State University, Weiss applied to spent so much time in the law tasked with setting up a Native several law schools, but decided school’s resource center that American practice group at eventually she was hired as a to stay in Michigan and attend Barnes & Thornburg. student worker. Additionally, WMU-Cooley. “Because work with tribes was she set herself apart from others She credits her aunt, Melissa being done by other attorneys by having a sound interest and must get a big check from the casino?” She would reply, “No, we don’t get one of those. Our (tribe’s) casino doesn’t really make that much money to give out that much money to our members.”

across the firm, it allowed us to pull all the work under one group and really expand our efforts,” said Weiss. Because Weiss’ tribal focus is economic development, she made the jump from litigation to the firm’s corporate department. “Tribal economic development corporations’ goals are to generate revenue and wealth for the tribe for the benefit of the tribal members,” said Weiss. “Depending on the strategic plan of the tribe and its economic development company, their business transactions could include anything from real estate purchases, company acquisitions, and operating businesses such as manufacturing or even federal contracting.” Beyond her work as an attorney, Weiss and her husband Kirk are parents to two-year-old daughter, Payton, and are expecting their second child in August. They are also pet parents to two Shih Tzu dogs and enjoy playing golf. And she is quick to say “it’s not cliché,” but she does enjoy going to casinos.

Erika with her husband, Kirk, and daughter, Payton.

“There is so much cool stuff that tribes are doing that no one knows about or realizes because all you see are casinos.” ERIKA WEISS

CHOI PORTIS, WILKINS CLASS, 2011

Choi T. Portis (Wilkins Class, 2011), a Detroit native and deputy general counsel for the city of Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, will tell people affectionately and with a laugh that her day job is centered on “fighting over sewer water.”

DETROIT’S REVITALIZATION FLOWS THROUGH THE WORK OF GRADUATE

Choi T. Portis

However, above the ground, her career pace doesn’t allow for any moss to grow underfoot. In addition to her duties with the city, Portis also is a member of the executive counsel for the State Bar of Michigan Young Lawyers Section; owns Portis Legal, PLC, a small boutique law firm; serves as a mentor and tutor to bar candidates through the Wolverine Bar Association; and is chair-elect for the American Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division. She is also a busy mom to her 10-month-old daughter, Kensley. For Portis, her career choice faced a turning point during her junior year at Eastern Michigan University. While working on a political science major with a focus on public law and government, her adviser, a professor, recommended Portis compare career opportunities with a political science degree versus what a law degree might offer.

“With a political science degree, I could either go into academia and teach, or go to Washington, D.C., or Lansing,” said Portis. “I weighed that against what a law degree would offer, and it seemed to me that the most versatility of a post-bachelor’s degree would be in law.” Four months after graduating from EMU, Portis enrolled at WMU-Cooley where she was among the youngest in her class. It wasn’t too long afterward she found law school to her liking. “I had this immediate sense of camaraderie and family,” Portis said. “The staff, my fellow students, we all kind of worked together toward the common goal of graduation. I never felt like a stranger on campus, I felt like part of a family.” Among those who helped inspire her were professors Florise Neville-Ewell and Martha Denning Moore. “They both were instrumental in building a family atmosphere. Dean Moore

really worked toward helping make it a community for students. And her homebaked cookies helped,” Portis said with a chuckle. Moot court was also a great experience, she added. “It was kind of my first taste of advocacy,” Portis said. “In my practice now, I do a fair amount of litigation, and even though moot court was at an appellate level, it definitely honed my advocacy skills.” Following graduation, Portis had a brief stint in debt collection litigation before joining the city of Detroit, where she worked as a litigation attorney. From there her career blossomed and she was

CHOI PORTIS

named as the deputy general counsel for Detroit’s Water and Sewage Department. She handles complex litigation matters, supervises outside counsel, reviews department contracts, and serves as counsel to the department director and the Board of Water Commissioners regarding various legal issues. Portis enjoys the role she plays in Detroit as it continues its path to a major rebirth. “None of the new developments in the city can happen without water,” she said. “If one of the big three automakers want to build a new plant, they have to touch our water department. It’s great being a part of the city’s renaissance. Working to build this department has really been super cool, and every day is different. One day I might be working on a project on how COVID impacts our employees, and then the next day I might be handling a suit over a drainage issue.” Portis’ hard work has not gone unnoticed. She was named the 2017 Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association’s Barrister’s Honoree and was a member of the Michigan Chronicle’s 2017 40-under-40 class. Most recently, she was honored as a 2020 Michigan Chronicle Woman of Excellence. She also dedicates her time to service projects in the Inkster community as a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Eta Iota Omega Chapter. Portis was recently elected Chair-Elect of the American Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division; she will become chair of the division next year. The division is the ABA’s home for new attorneys, giving members tools to navigate the early years of a career, opportunities to network, and resources to grow skill sets. She is working on a number of projects for the division, including programming for women of color in the legal profession.

As the chair of the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, Portis plans to implement three major projects: 1. A study on Men of Color in the profession; 2. A Women of Color project that will highlight women of color in the profession; and 3. A public service project entitled Operation Second Chance that will focus on providing bar associations with information and resources to implement expungements, and an advocacy component that will focus on restoration of voter rights for returning citizens.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, she was able to travel a lot, including a visit to the Dominican Republic where she toured landscapes used in Jurassic Park. She also loves to read. Among her most recent books are “The Anxious Lawyer: An 8-Week Guide to a Joyful and Satisfying Law Practice Through Mindfulness and Meditation” and “Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.”

When she isn’t busy with her professional duties, Portis spends a lot of time with her daughter, fiancé Steven Roberson, and her family. “Besides watching Sesame Street with her, I love taking my daughter on walks in the neighborhood and the waterfront, watching and listening to the birds, and soaking in the nature,” she said.

Receiving the Detroit Bar Association Barristers President’s Award in 2017.

Choi with her family at graduation.

Choi with her daughter, Kensly, and her fiancé, Steven Roberson.

JOHN DESMOND, PERSON CLASS, 1994

When offices started closing down back on March 16 of 2020, John Desmond remembered thinking at the time that this whole thing would only last two to three weeks, maybe four weeks max. But four weeks turned into two months, then six months, then “Here we are, a year later,” he recalled.

John Desmond BY TERRY CARELLA

“Everything was a bit of a shock for people, especially because nobody had ever experienced anything like this before.” In fact, the closest thing Desmond could compare this with was his experience during 9/11; and the impact that crisis had on people. “I was actually on a plane at a gate that didn’t depart on the morning of 9/11. That memory will always stick with me, and one that I will never forget. But this pandemic is very different.” Desmond feels this past year has been a devastation like no other – crossing every barrier around the world. Yet he also believes there have been some invaluable lessons learned and there will be new, better ways of doing things, especially in the legal field – lasting changes that will go into the future.

LAWYERS CAN SERVE A GREATER ROLE AS LEADERS AND EDUCATORS For Desmond, this past year has been an incredible learning experience. Always one to look at things through the lens of a litigator, Desmond, codivision director for Dickinson Wright’s litigation practice, has been impressed by how well the profession has adapted, despite attorneys’ long-time focus of doing things mostly in person. He says that lawyers are realizing, after more than a year of virtual work, that there are many advantages to doing things remotely. “Whether it’s an in-person deposition, hearing, client meeting, or even preparation with colleagues,” explained Desmond, “that all has changed and will stick with us. I think the ease of being able to do a deposition by video rather than traveling across the country for what may be a

three-hour deposition that you have three days of travel for – it only makes sense that remote work will be a lasting change. I also see the ability to work with courts and other agencies electronically as having a lasting impact.” Yet there are some things Desmond thinks will return to in-person work once the world transitions to a new normal. “The biggest thing I have heard from colleagues and courts is that they miss that human contact and interaction,” shared Desmond. “I think we’ll eventually go back to having in-person hearings. There are still certain things you may lose from doing things remotely, such as picking up body language or a pause in a deposition. That in-person observation can be very helpful and meaningful in terms of

assessing the credibility and character of the witness. Yet we know we can do everything remotely, if we have to, even if it’s not ideal.”

LIFE’S TWISTS AND TURNS Desmond’s career path did not start on a legal track, especially with most of his family in the medical profession. His father was a pharmacist, who owned a drug store for 40 years in Reno, and two of his sisters ended up as physicians. But it was his sister closest in age who gave Desmond another path to consider – law school – despite the fact that she never ended up practicing as a lawyer but opted to follow another path as an English professor. It was during high school that Desmond started honing in on the law as a career, getting a job working for a small civil litigation firm in Reno. He

Career Advice

> Get involved in > Don’t let your foot off the gas and make the bar activities outside of the day-to-day practice. exam your focus. There are many ways you can round out your career and who you are, not just as a lawyer, but as a person.

> Always challenge yourself. Don’t be afraid to learn something new. > Have a good work-life balance, which includes having a routine.

Reno, Nevada

ended up liking it so much he worked there through his undergraduate years in college. BY SHARON MATCHETTE

“It was really interesting,” said Desmond. “They gave me the opportunity to go to trial, to observe a lot of things. I was an English literature major in undergrad and ended up doing some speech and debate classes and took some classes that you would call pre-law classes. And it was really to my liking. I enjoyed working part time during high school and college for this law firm. They taught me a lot of things that I still use today.”

LAW SCHOOL BOUND It was clear that law school was Desmond’s next career step. In looking around the country at law schools, it was WMUCooley Law School’s generous merit-based scholarship that motivated him to pack his bags and move from Reno, Nevada to Lansing, Michigan. As much as Desmond loved being out west, he never looked back, even when others thought

he might want to take his high GPA and finish out his J.D. nearer to home. But he liked everything WMU-Cooley offered.

even thinking about practicing in. It really pays off to study and take exams when it’s fresh in your mind.”

“I was getting a great education and the professors were doing a great job,” explained Desmond. “I didn’t look at it as a stepping stone. I felt they provided me an opportunity through the scholarship to perform well, and if I did perform well, they paid for a lot of tuition expense, which was great.”

CREATING YOUR CAREER

Following law school, Desmond did move back west, but he wasn’t certain where he wanted to practice. He made the decision to take two of the toughest exams in the United States, the California and Nevada bar exams, to keep his options open. “I ended up taking the Nevada bar exam six months after the California bar, and thankfully passed those,” stated Desmond with a sigh of relief. “I would encourage everyone to take time on bar preparation and then take exams in states you are

With the bar exam behind him, it was a ballot initiative in Nevada seeking to impose term limits for judges that caught Desmond’s interest. He became very involved in the campaign on behalf of the Nevada District Judges Association and agreed to do a one-year clerkship. Then at the conclusion of that term the district judges asked him to stay on to assist with the opposition efforts to the ballot initiative, and he did. In the meantime, the judge for whom Desmond was clerking was elected to the Nevada Supreme Court. Yet civil work and civil litigation was his true interest. Once his clerkship ended, Desmond focused on finding a position in that area of expertise. It didn’t take long. A job offer came in from a Las Vegas-based complex litigation firm that he had interacted with when he

was clerking. That offer turned into an invigorating eight-year career with the firm. “Working at the firm, I had the opportunity to interact with a lot of different lawyers nationally – some very high-end firms and many good litigators. The cases brought forward many opportunities for depositions, for hearings. Even in my first two years at the firm, I took over 150 depositions, which was great. I learned a lot,” said Desmond. No matter your experience, Desmond recognizes that you need to rely on your instincts and trust your judgment to excel. “You learn a lot just by watching and listening,” tells Desmond. “Things like spending time in the courtroom, being able to see different lawyers in action in different types of cases. Seeing different styles of arguments. It really gave me a window into the profession in terms of charting my career path.” (continued)

JOHN DESMOND

Desmond also learned to truly respect litigators, especially during big, lengthy cases, with thousands of exhibits.

within the existing expertise of the firm. That experience on a national platform has really been invaluable.”

“I really appreciated the efforts that lawyers took in presenting the case in a very digestible fashion to the jury and court,” said Desmond about his litigation colleagues. “They were able to distill a lot of complex information down in an understandable manner. That was very appealing to me. I have always enjoyed the intellectual challenge of the law, being able to parse through a lot of evidence and a lot of witnesses and present it in a way that would be meaningful to the court or to the jury. I find it fascinating.”

Dickinson has a dedicated Electronically Stored Information (ESI) team and the resources to handle electronic discovery, documents and management, as well as a robust IT infrastructure, which Desmond said is another benefit to attorneys and their clients. The combination of these benefits has helped the firm weather the pandemic over the last year.

BIG FIRM ADVANTAGES After working for a few other firms over his career, Desmond now works for the litigation division of the large firm of Dickinson Wright in its Reno, Nevada office. The major advantage Desmond sees in working in a large firm is the depth and breath of expertise and services the firm can offer. “You want to give the client the best service possible, but it can be hard when you have to refer those matters out. Dickinson, being a full-service firm, I haven’t had to do that. For the most part we’ve been able to service everything

“Our litigation practice was actually up last year from 2019, which frankly, surprised me a lot,” shared Desmond. “We really didn’t miss a beat. Our productivity was up year over year in 2020 from 2019, and lawyers were engaged. I think part of it is generational. I think it’s easier for younger lawyers to adapt to that environment. There’s an expectation now that you can effectively work remotely. I don’t know that clients are going to go back to wanting to pay for you to travel across the country for a three-hour deposition.” Desmond even sees that there will be an increase in litigation needs as businesses open more.

“Anytime, and the same was true after the 2008 financial crisis, you have an economic event like this, there seems to be pent-up demand of businesses or people who may have been thinking about pursuing a case or a dispute but didn’t due to economic and other uncertainties. I think there’s likely to be an uptick in litigation from that.”

FACULTY IMPRESSIONS Looking back at his law school experience, Desmond remembered his time in Professor Otto Stockmeyer’s classes. “I took Professor Stockmeyer for Contracts and ended up taking a couple other courses from him. He’s a remarkable person, both in terms of the way he taught, but also in the way he explained a methodology for how to understand things. It might have been out of fear of being called on in class, but I always prepared for that class in a way which was different than I was used to doing. It was a very effective way to prepare. I succeeded in that class and I ended up getting his book award in Contracts. But more than that, it was the way he taught and the way he approached things. It was instructive in terms of other subjects. He insisted students kept up with the reading and the classwork – he was a good

task master on that. And I think that served me well – not just for other classes, but really for instruction on how to conduct yourself in practice – to just be prepared and always try to be ahead of the game.” Desmond believes there is much to look forward to in the future. He thinks lawyers are going to have the opportunity for a greater role, more than ever in 2021. “I think we’re going to see a shift in priorities with a lot of the different federal agencies,” explains Desmond. “We’re already starting to see that – whether it’s on environmental issues, or criminal prosecutions or white-collar issues. We will see a change there. “Lawyers can serve a greater role in public education to help explain the law and the basic structure of our government, and what the Constitution means, the role of the states and the federal government. Recent events have brought the issue in the spotlight, and it is creating confusion. I think lawyers can be at the forefront of educating the public on how the rule of law is intertwined with the workings of the government and the people.”

“I also think, from a broader sense, lawyers can really be leaders in terms of what we’ve been through this election cycle and remind people that we are a nation of laws and the importance of the rule of law. While the rule of law is an overused term in today’s media, I still think a lot of people don’t understand what it means.” 14

JAMES TURGAL, MONTGOMERY CLASS, 1992

BY SHARON MATCHETTE

James Turgal stared at his phone in shock. In just five minutes, his life had been completely changed. Settled in nicely to his post as Special Agent in Charge for the FBI in Phoenix, Arizona, moving across the country was not on his to-do list. But when your boss – who happens to be FBI Director Robert Mueller – calls and tells you he needs you back in Washington, D.C., ASAP, you just start packing up your house and go. Still reeling from the mostly one-sided conversation, Turgal called his wife and joked, “Just got a call from Headquarters, I feel like we’ve just been the victim of a drive-by ‘shooting!’”

James Turgal BY SHARON MATCHETTE

A LIFETIME CALLING TO PROTECT AMERICA

It was 2013 and Mueller was calling Turgal back to D.C. to take over the FBI’s Human Resources Division. It certainly wasn’t his usual job description – which included everything from busting down doors in drug raids, to serving as Chief Attorney for all Domestic Terrorism operations for the FBI. However, the FBI’s HR functions were still using paper and in need of desperate repair and Turgal’s track record of solving difficult problems was legendary. “You’re the guy,” Mueller told him. And the call ended there. It wasn’t the first time that Turgal and his wife had packed everything up and moved – although it was the quickest as he only had 30 days – and it wouldn’t be the last. Over the course of his career with the FBI, Turgal and his family moved nine times to respond to the needs of the bureau. Turgal (Montgomery Class, 1992) is a 21-year veteran of the FBI. When he retired in October 2017, he was Number 6 in the organization. He signed on with Deloitte & Touche, LLP, when he (continued)

JAMES TURGAL

left the bureau and then, in January 2021, he joined the cyber-security firm, Optiv Security, Inc., in Washington, D.C.

CHOOSING A LIFE’S CALLING Turgal didn’t start out on a career path to the FBI. Early in life, he wanted to be either an attorney or a police officer. He started getting experience in the legal field during high school, working summers for a local attorney in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he grew up. He continued that practice in college while earning his B.S. in Business Administration-Economics at Northern Arizona University. Turgal, now 54, took a gap year after earning his bachelor’s degree and started exploring law school options. He took the LSAT and was accepted to three schools. He said he chose WMU-Cooley because of the personal attention he found students received, as well as the school’s manageable size and its robust moot court program. While at WMU-Cooley, Turgal served as a research assistant for Professor Barry Dubner. The legendary Dubner was an influential mentor for Turgal, shaping the nature of the lawyer he would become, and becoming a friend for whom he would house-sit and dog-sit when the Dubner family went on vacation. It’s common knowledge that law school, while intellectually stimulating, can be stressful. Turgal found a slightly unusual way to de-stress, taking flight lessons at nearby Mason Jewett Airfield during his third year at WMU-Cooley. By the end of his law school career, Turgal had earned his J.D. and a pilot’s license, skills that were to become very important in his subsequent law and FBI careers. Dubner strongly encouraged Turgal to get his LL.M. degree. With an eye toward starting a corporate law practice back in Arizona, Turgal focused on programs in that field and soon had his pick of three top schools. He chose Georgetown University School of Law in Washington, D.C., where he could focus on corporations and securities law. “I love the whole concept of how economics 16

plays a role in corporate decision making,” he explained.

nervous breakdown. And, the partner’s wife told him, “He’s not coming back.”

While the transition from Arizona to Lansing hadn’t been too bad, it was a culture shock going from Michigan’s small capital city to the non-stop motion and traffic snarls of D.C. Turgal lived in the basement of a college buddy’s house and got to class mostly by using the Metro. Turgal may have nerves of steel, but even he quickly tired of the daily battle with the insanity of D.C. traffic.

Turgal was 27 and stunned. Suddenly, he recalled, “I was responsible for all of the cases, rent, and two employees. I was terrified.”

“The LL.M. program is a two-year program and I did it in one year. I needed to get out of D.C.,” he chuckled. Ironically, as fate would have it, Turgal would go on to spend the bulk of his career living and working right there in D.C. But first, Turgal followed his plan to return to Arizona where he joined the practice of the attorney he’d worked for during his high school and college summers. The partner, Turgal recalled, would do pretty much anything to settle out of court, but Turgal was made of sterner stuff and wanted to mix it up. “Here’s this young kid with two law degrees, and I wanted to be in front of judges and juries.” With their different interests and skill sets, the two made it work. Until the traumatic day that it didn’t.

BUMP IN THE ROAD In a made-for-TV scenario, two years into the partnership, an unsuspecting Turgal answered the phone one day and found himself talking to his partner’s wife. “I remember to this day, I was in the office,” he recalled. Bottom line – the partner had cleaned out the bank accounts, fled to California and had a

It was an actively bad situation, he recalled, but a couple of Turgal’s many attributes are his steadfastness and his focus. He is the calm in the room. “I just take a deep breath and say, ‘OK, let’s work the problem. Do the math and work the problem.’” Work the problem, he did, but that meant dealing with subject matters that weren’t in his wheelhouse and resolving inherited cases he would never have taken on if he’d had a choice. Still, in the interest of giving the on-board clients the service they deserved, he soldiered on. One of those cases, however, would prove to be a bridge too far and would dramatically change the trajectory of Turgal’s career.

TRAGEDY STRIKES It started with one of the firm’s long-term clients, a couple in their 60s who suddenly found themselves with a son in deep trouble. The son, armed with a .357 and a wicked anger management problem, had fired four rounds into his own lawn while having a telephone argument with his girlfriend, who was in her own backyard 100 yards away on the other side of a fence. The son was over-charged with aggravated assault and Turgal was able to get the case more reasonably resolved as a misdemeanor reckless discharge of a firearm. Fast forward a month or so, and Turgal was sitting in the courthouse waiting on a status hearing for an unrelated case when

He said he chose WMU-Cooley because of the personal attention he found students received, as well as the school’s manageable size and its robust moot court program.

Washington, DC

“It was the best decision I ever made, going to the FBI. I got to protect people every day.” JAMES TURGAL

angry at the girlfriend – had taken to stalking the young woman. Giant “Wanted” posters adorn a press conference regarding the FBI’s efforts to track down the killers of Border Patrol And then Agent Brian Terry. he beat the he received word that the judge girlfriend and her grandmother, putting the older lady in the wanted to see him. intensive care unit for two “This is just a status hearing,” weeks. he remembers thinking in confusion, “why does the judge Turgal was stunned. The defendant had long since want to see me in chambers?” stopped being Turgal’s client, It is rarely a good thing when but “it was a watershed a judge preemptively orders moment,” he recalled. Forced an attorney to appear in his to take on clients and cases he office, and this day would be didn’t want, he asked himself, no exception. “Do I want to keep doing this?” The answer was quick in Turgal walked in to hear the coming – “No.” judge angrily ask, “Do you know what your client did?!” After a brief exchange, Turgal realized he and the judge were not on the same page and asked who he was talking about. The judge gave him the name and Turgal realized it was the young man from the bullets-in-the-lawn matter. “But that case was resolved,” Turgal told the judge. That’s when he found out that the same young man – still

Resolved, Turgal reached out to Sherie Veramay, then director of WMU-Cooley’s Career Resources Department and asked her to help him out of his misery and start sending him job postings. Turgal, who’d worked with the FBI on a couple of bankruptcy and fraud cases, recalled one of the agents telling him at the time “Boy, the FBI could sure use you.” Up to his ears

in his caseload at the time, the compliment didn’t really resonate with Turgal. But when Veramay’s listings included some FBI positions, he sat up and took notice. He remembers thinking, “Maybe this is a sign the universe is trying to tell me something.” It was. Two weeks later, Turgal received a phone call from the FBI’s Phoenix office and got an offer to join the bureau. He made the hard decision to give up his practice. “In my mind, it was everything I wanted to be. I always wanted to be a litigator.” But the FBI offer was too good to turn down, so Turgal closed his practice, gave his clients away, and relocated to Quantico, Virginia for four months of intensive training at the FBI Academy. “It was the best decision I ever made, going to the FBI,” Turgal said. “I got to protect people every day.”

THE FBI YEARS Turgal’s FBI career is a study in upward mobility. His first post following the academy was in Houston. He was there for

four years assigned to the drug squad, conducting late-night surveillances, working drug warrants, arresting area drug dealers and tracking them back to the cartels. It was intense, dangerous work. “There was a lot of kicking in doors,” he recalled. He was also using his law degree – once the squad figured out they had an attorney on the team, Turgal was put in charge of getting the warrants and other paperwork. A professional fixed wing pilot, Turgal also flew for the FBI in his Houston post. From 1996-2011, Turgal served as Supervisory Special Agent and Chief DivisionAssistant General Counsel. He was a criminal investigator, an FBI pilot, and a Cyber Task Force Supervisor. He was also Chief Division Counsel and Assistant General Counsel, serving as the designated general counsel for the FBI’s Cincinnati Field Office and chief attorney for all domestic terrorism operations across the FBI, including the Oklahoma City bombing follow-up investigation, the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, the creation (continued)

of the Terrorist Watch List and the No Fly List. The Cincinnati posting was one that still stands out in Turgal’s memory. It was an assignment that would have a profound effect on his life and involve work and victims he would never forget. At the time, the FBI was beginning to recognize the importance of cyber security and created a task force there. Many of the cybercrime issues involved offenses against children and Turgal and his team dove in and spent the next four years investigating and solving crimes in that arena. “We saved 17 children from being harmed. To save a child in danger – you can’t beat that,” Turgal said. From July 2011 to March 2013, Turgal was Special Agent in Charge for the bureau’s Phoenix, Arizona Field Division, with responsibility for all Arizona operations, 600 employees and a $22 million budget. He directed all operations for the bureau, including counterterrorism, counterintelligence, cyber, criminal, foreign intelligence, economic espionage, and border operations. He was also the senior executive in charge of the design and construction of two large new FBI facilities. In this role, Turgal was responsible for investigation of the murder of Senior Judge John Roll and the attempted murder of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, the FBI’s response to the ATF’s “Fast and Furious” gun scandal, the bureau’s ongoing investigation of the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, and

a 20 percent increase in public corruption convictions, including the convictions of a U.S. representative and two state legislators. During this time, while the FBI was working to solve the 2010 Terry murder, Turgal felt that the investigation needed a boost. Why not provide a little incentive for potential witnesses to wade into dangerous waters. “We weren’t getting a lot of traction,” Turgal recalled about the search to find the men believed to be responsible, “so I went to HQ to get the public involved and set a $250,000 per person reward for information leading to the capture of the four individuals responsible.” The 2012 press conference announcing the bounties captured the attention of the nation, and the internet is filled with clips from that event with Turgal and six-foot posters of each of the wanted men.

IN FROM THE FIELD It was in 2013 after arriving back in D.C. that Director Mueller named him Assistant Director-Chief Human Capital Officer and launched Turgal on a completely different kind of assignment. His task was to rescue and revamp the vital operations of the Human Resources Division that dealt with a global workforce of 38,000 people and a $4.6 billion dollar budget. Turgal oversaw a staff of 400, helped the department through a mandated downsizing and designed and implemented a replacement for the FBI’s 30-year-old personnel management system. Before the upgrade, he recalled,

nationwide “everything was still on paper.” By February 2016, Turgal had the HR situation well in hand and he was promoted again, this time to Executive Assistant Director-Enterprise Information Technology. In this role, he was tasked with rescuing the FBI’s Information Technology (IT) infrastructure, restructuring IT operations and information security. In addition to transforming the IT operations, he set out to re-energize the IT workforce, by refocusing IT’s mission on the Agent and Analyst technology needs. In this role, he oversaw the entire IT infrastructure which included Top Secret, Secret and Unclassified networks across a global footprint including 56 field offices, 400 resident agencies and 88 foreign legal attaché offices. Throughout his FBI career and subsequent high-level private sector positions, Turgal‘s successes have generated major press interest. A onesecond Google search brings up almost 20,000 hits – his success and promotions within the FBI, the move to Deloitte & Touche LLP, following his retirement from the bureau, and the more recent move to Optiv Security, Inc. Even after more than two decades in the public eye, and as polished as he is in front of the camera, Turgal is still a bit uncomfortable seeing himself on camera. “Maybe some people get used to it,” he said, but he added that he always finds himself critiquing his performance. But he’s come a long way since first experiencing the

media attention. “It felt very weird,” Turgal recalled, seeing his name in those initial press releases. He values one in particular, though. “I kept the very first press release, where I was named Special Agent in Charge and able to go back where I grew up and be responsible for the protection of the community that shaped me and helped me grow and become the leader I am today.”

TIME TO MOVE ON With his vast skills in everything from counterterrorism to cybercrime cases, and cyber security solutions, it was no surprise when private firms came calling when Turgal left the FBI. Now at Optiv, Turgal draws on his two decades of experience in investigating and solving cybercrimes for the FBI to protect the clients who come to the firm for help, guidance, and solutions. An end-to-end solutions firm, Optiv clients include both those proactively protecting themselves upfront and those firms who find themselves in some sort of cyber mess that needs repair. Turgal has received numerous FBI Director’s Awards and Certificates of Achievement for national security investigations, such as the Oklahoma City bombing, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the multiple life sentences of Jared Loughner, who was convicted of the murder of Judge Roll and the attempted murder of U.S. Representative Gabby Giffords in 2012. He also was given the Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Executive for the FBI in 2015.

CHARLES FORD, GREEN CLASS, 1988

BY SHARON MATCHETTE BY SHARON MATCHETTE

ATTORNEY AND ATHLETE – A MAN OF MANY TALENTS AND GIFTS

Charles Ford

Charles Ford has lived life large, not only as a star athlete, but as an attorney and a successful sports and life coach for kids. He is without question a man of many talents with many gifts to share.

At 66, one would think Ford (Green Class, 1988) had at least one eye on retirement, but one would be wrong. Instead, the former Lansing, Michigan city councilman and school board member is now working on Ford Version 2.0 in Georgia. Rather than retire, Ford has just been admitted as a member of the State Bar of Georgia and has joined The Office of The Public Defender Atlanta Judicial Circuit.

Ford’s success in sports was actually a family affair. Ford and his two brothers all played football at the same time, and were nicknamed the Roadrunners. They all ran track also. Ford’s sons excelled in sports as well. Charles II was homecoming king and a basketball standout, while Kevin was an MVP in high school football like his dad.

Ford went on to play ball at Lansing Community College, where he was a national leading scorer in basketball but even as A few years ago, Ford pulled scrappy as he was on the court, at up stakes from his Michigan roots and headed south, where 5’9” he wasn’t getting recruited. He was headed for All American he is pursuing many of his familiar interests – just in better status, but broke his leg during his sophomore year of college and temperatures! ended up named as Honorable STAR ATHLETE Mention All American. Ford was a #1 All Around It was while he was rehabilitating All-State athlete in football, his leg, playing in the summer basketball, and track, and was league teams with the Boys and named a high school Most Valuable Player and Outstanding Girls Clubs, that the trajectory of Ford’s life started to change. Player. He was also inducted A college coach watching the into the Lansing Sports Hall of Fame and the High School Hall summer league, Patrick Miller, of Fame and selected as one of encouraged Ford to attend Northwood Institute in Midland, Lansing’s Top 150 Athletes of the last 150 years for the city’s Michigan. Ford enrolled, meeting a man who would become a sesquicentennial celebration. lifelong friend, David Kallman. The family originally started Kallman, the son of a local in Alabama, but wound up in judge and headed for law Lansing, Michigan, where Ford school himself, recruited Ford pursued his successful athletic to attend law school. In fact, career at Sexton High School. once Ford passed the bar, it was His love for sports and skill in Kallman who presented Ford as working with students eventually a new attorney to the court, and led to a job as the freshman Kallman’s father, the Hon. James basketball coach at Sexton. Kallman, who swore him in to the State Bar of Michigan that day. (continued)

After graduating from Northwood in 1978, Ford began his career as a Human Resources Manager with the Michigan Department of Transportation. He also earned his master’s degree at Michigan State University in Labor and Industrial Relations.

LAW SCHOOL BOUND It was during that master’s quest that yet another sign from the universe nudged Ford toward a law degree. Ford had an opportunity to attend the Holmes-Cooney boxing match in Las Vegas. Unfortunately the match was on the day of his Labor Law exam. So Ford obtained permission to take the test a day early. He took the test and felt good about it, but was nervous when the professor suddenly called him back into the room. “I thought I was in trouble,” Ford chuckled. Turns out, he scored 100 percent on the final. “NO one gets 100 percent on that test,” he said, but Ford broke that record and that got the attention of his professor. The professor looked at him and, echoing the words of his friend some years earlier said, “I think you should get a law degree.” Ford shared the conversation with a labor union rep at work and went to lunch. “I came back to my desk and there was an admission packet to Cooley Law School. Attached to the packet was a hand-written note from the rep that said, ‘Stop talking about it and do it!’ I read everything. I loved it.” While at Cooley, Ford was president of the Black Law Students Association at the school. The student organization worked closely with AfricanAmerican students from the local high schools. Ford said they kept track, and eventually learned that

a few of those students went on to for sports, coaching, and law, Ford into school-day work with grades decided he was in. have a career in law. 2-4. When he discovered that many of the students in the class “It was the greatest experience,” Ford did well in school and took were autistic, he started reading up he recalled of his time at the firm. nothing for granted, especially on it and began implementing the Eventually, however, Ford went out given his struggle dealing with techniques he’d learned. on his own. He practiced “rental a rare, life-threatening illness at law,” he said, chuckling that the time that took him to the One day, there was someone in his meant he took on whatever law Mayo Clinic and the Cleveland class taking notes. He didn’t think Clinic to find the help he needed. “paid the rent.” too much of it until his boss called Despite his health concerns, him into her office later that day. “I practiced criminal law, divorce, Ford remembers fondly of his Ford realized shortly into the conchild custody – I did it all. There achievements in law school; versation that the note-taker was are areas of law you’re good at, the excitement at an honors someone from the state evaluating and areas you like. I love criminal convocation when he earned a the school’s autistic program. Ford law and I’m good at probate and Book Award called the American said his boss told him, “I’d like family law.” Turns out he was good Jurisprudence Award for the best to thank you. You were one of the at defense work and his practice grade in Collective Bargaining and bright spots we had!” thrived. earning the Distinguished Service Ford liked working with the class, Award for his work with the Sixty In his non-work time, Ford but was set to be reassigned the Plus, Inc., Elderlaw Clinic. discovered cruises and soon following year. Knowing that the found himself going on two or Ford graduated from WMU-Cooley new placement would not be a three cruises a year. On his first in 1988. He continued working at good fit, Ford left the school and cruise, Ford – a longtime dancer MDOT, applying what he learned began to think about getting back – found himself teaching dance in law school to his everyday tasks into law. “I thought, there is no on the cruise. He ended up going at work. reason for me to live here and not on multiple cruises from 2008have a license.” 2019, a pastime that ended only SERVING COMMUNITY Ford also got into politics, serving when Covid shut down the cruise He also began gravitating back business. He has continued to stay to politics. Attending a political on the Lansing City Council for connected to the arts, however, fundraiser, Ford met Georgia four years, beginning in 1989. appearing in, among other things, politician Stacey Abrams, who In 2007, he was elected to the Count the Stars, by Carmichael, urged him to get his law license in Lansing School Board where he on YouTube. his new state. served for over six years. Ford took early retirement from MDOT in 2002, but “relaxation mode” didn’t last long. He retired on Oct. 31 and on Nov. 1, he was back at work, this time in the Lansing schools. Responding to a request from a longtime friend who was the principal at his alma mater, Sexton High School, Ford jumped in as a priority substitute teacher at the middle and high school, as a substitute ninth and 10th grade counselor, and as a coach at Sexton. It was at one of his basketball games that he found himself in a conversation with Lansing attorney Andrew Abood about working for the firm. Always balancing his enthusiasm

HEADING TO THE PEACH STATE Also a golfer, in 2014, Ford responded to a friend’s invitation to move to Georgia where he could play golf year-around. He was retired again, his parents had passed away, and his political career in Lansing had reached a stalemate. With nothing keeping him in Michigan, Ford packed up and headed to the Peach State.

Because of various deadlines, Ford had six weeks to get through all the steps that needed to be taken. He made it, and was sworn in Sept. 9, 2020. He is now licensed to practice law in both Michigan (since 1989) and Georgia.

Ford quickly got back into his legal career having recently started working with the Office of the Public Defender Atlanta Judicial Deciding he still wasn’t ready for Circuit in May 2021. He’s keeping retirement, and not yet licensed an eye on the cruise business to practice law in Georgia, Ford to literally hop on board when returned to his other love, educa- things open up and – of course – tion. In January 2015, he signed he’s diving into yet another new on as an after-school specialist for creative venture, writing a book. Details of the book to come in third grade at the local school district. A year later, he was moved Ford Version 3.0.

ALUMNI NEWS

WMU-Cooley Alumni News “It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere!” Thank you to the April 20, 2021 Texas and Southwest Region virtual hosts Ashlee Olson (Chipman Class, 2011) and Bill Cox (Witherell Class, 1990). What a great way to reconnect with fellow graduates. Look for more virtual Alumni Networking events over the summer and into the fall. Graduates interested in hosting a virtual regional event should contact the Alumni Office at alumni@ cooley.edu

“Cheers to Us” FUNdraiser Our first two FUNdraisers were a great success with President and Dean James McGrath mixing it up, literally, with donors on Thursday, March 25, and Thursday, June 3, 2021 for our “Cheers to Us” FUNdraiser events. Join us for the next “Cheers to Us” FUNdraiser - Wine Down the Fall virtual event on Thursday, September 16, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. Go to the Alumni Events page on the website at cooley.edu/ alumni/events to get your tickets. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Alumni Office at alumni@ cooley.edu.

Give to the WMU-Cooley Merit Scholarship Fund Many of you received a generous honors scholarship as a student at WMU-Cooley, and realized the enormous relief and benefit of reducing your tuition during law school and lower debt after graduation. Think about paying it forward now by giving to the Merit Scholarship Fund. We don’t have to tell you what it would mean to our law students today. Thank you to Elizabeth Devolder (Hughes Class, 2016), Law Office of Elizabeth

Devolder, PLLC, and John Mashni (Moore Class, 2013), Foster Swift Collins & Smith PC, for leading the Merit Scholarship Fund effort. Give to the WMU-Cooley Merit Scholarship Fund today at cooley.edu/alumni/helpour-students.

Thomas M. Cooley Society 2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS 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 Kimbal R. and L’Mell Smith 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 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 Nelson P. Miller 22

John R. & Sarah H. Nussbaumer Lucille Hartigan O’Connor Edward Overbeck/Great Lakes Companies PNC Foundation James Robb & Kim Shierk Louis A. Smith Robert W. Stocker, II Hon. Richard Suhrheinrich Jerry, Linda & Jordan Sutton - Sutton Advisors PLC

TEMPLE SOCIETY $25,000 Eric E. & Tobi Breisach Raymond J. and Loretta M. Brennan Jeannette Buttrey Paul Carrier Clark Hill PLC CleanTeam USA Dickinson Wright PLLC Audra A. & Dustin S. Foster Marjorie Gell Jacqueline P. George Peter D. and Sandy Jason Peter M. Kempel Adele I. Kessler Foundation Joseph Kimble Dorean M. Koenig Steven L. Maas Dale & Carol Wissmuller Malewska In Memory of Phillip Marco B.G. (ret.) Michael C. and Ann C. McDaniel Miller Canfield Lawrence W. Morgan MSU Federal Credit Union Oakland University Operations Department Ernie & Denise Phillips Plante & Moran, LLP State Bar of Michigan Norman Otto Stockmeyer Louise Cooley Sutherland Amy Timmer and Mark Meservey Charles & Mary Ellen Toy Joan P. Vestrand William & Marilyn Wagner William Weiner and Paula Latovick F. Georgann Wing David P. Wood

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 Keith & Cherie Beck Alvin M. Bentley Foundation Carey S. Bernstein David C. Berry Edward O. & Debra M. Blews In Memory of Gerald Boston David Brandwein Hon. Thomas E. Brennan, Jr. Hon. Terrence P. & Loretta G. Bronson Evelyn K. Calogero Capital Area United Way, Inc. Terry and Michael Carella Peter J. Carras Terrence F. Cavanaugh David G. Chopp Church Wyble PC Dennis & Marla MitchellCichon Rush and Julie Clement Loren and Kathleen Conklin Continental Canteen Thomas M. Cooley Alumni Association William David Cox III Lisa M. Coyne Thomas Cranmer Hon. Janice K. Cunningham and 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 Hon. John N. Fields Gerald Fisher Hon. & Mrs. John W.

Fitzgerald Anthony & Karen Flores Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith, P.C. Judith A. & Allen M. Frank Fraser Trebilcock Davis & Dunlap PC Analiese & Neal Fusner Garan Lucow Miller PC Tom & Peggy Garikes Elliot B. 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 Eileen Kavanagh Bernard T. Kennedy Lawrence J. Kish David A. Lee Loomis, Ewert, Parsley, Davis & Gotting, PC In Memory of Howard J. Soifer Hon. Ronald W. Lowe Lyman & Sheets Susan L. Mallory Hon. Jane Markey and Curt Benson Dena and John Marks Maurice Distinctive Apparel MayotteGroup Architects Hon. Pamela J. McCabe 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 Hon. Donald D. Panarese 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 Eldonna M. Ruddock 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 Hon. Bart T. & Laurie Stupak Clare Todd – Kalsec Ronald J. Trosty Gerald Tschura Marie A. Wanamaker Gregory & Cynthia Ward Warner Norcross + Judd William R. Lathers Trust 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 Brett J. Bean Ross A. Berlin Black Law Students Association Tom and Colleen Boland Michael J. Boyle Tracey Weaver Brame Robert J. Branch Lynn S. Branham

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. With each incremental level that is reached, members are acknowledged and receive beautiful commemorative gifts at the annual Cooley Society Donor Recognition Gala. William J. Brennan Ron & Leslie Bretz Brian’s Books, Inc. Jose’ T. Brown Aaron Burrell Cheryl Bywater Peter and Mary Terpstra Cagle James & Lori Carey Charles P. Cercone Chalgian & Tripp Law Offices PLLC Elaine H. Charney Kimberly Colgate Committee for Constitutional Reform Consumers Energy Foundation Cooley Student Bar Association Christina Corl David G. Cotter Country Club of Lansing Michael P. Cox 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 Diane M. Dietz 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 Robert A. Fisher William J. Fleener Michael R. Foreback The Foresight Group Patrick L. Fuller Dr. and Mrs. Robert L. Funaro Bruce M. Gale Thomas Gennara Photography Michael J. Gibson Paul D. Goldner

Hon.William T. Graham & Strickland Family Foundation Lou Ann & Thomas J. Hall N. Victor Hatami Carl Haussman James T. Heos John C. & Nancy 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 Antonios Kalogerakos Kelly Services Dermot & Patricia Kennedy Mara Kent Kline Family Foundation Edward D. Knight, III Steven M. Krause Nell Kuhnmuench and Roy C. Saper Laura LeDuc Henry J. Legere, Jr. & Pamela M. Heemer LexisNexis Lincoln Financial MacDonald Broadcasting In Memory of Evelyn Machtel Mable Martin-Scott Matrix Consulting James Soto McGrath Kevin McQuillan Michigan Office Solution (MOS) Miller Foundation Robert E. Mitchell Mueller Law Firm Roger Needham Florise R. Neville-Ewell Lawrence & Dianne Nicolette John F. Nocita Michael J. O’Connor In Memory of the Hon. Michael O’Hara Thomas & Maureen Paciorkowski Edward Pappas Darryl J. Parsell 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 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 Such Video, Inc Dennis A. Swan In Memory of Theodore W. Swift John A. Taylor Laurie A. & Stephen B. Taylor James F. Todd Gina M. Torielli Kelley Tucker United Jewish Foundation of Metropolitan Detroit James E. Waldo Eugene G. & Marilyn M. Wanger L. Graham 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 & Valerie Alvarado Judith F. Anspach Sally D. Babbitt Bain & Bain

Marietta Harte Barbour Steven Basha David and Ronda Beck Hon. Elizabeth S. “Liesl” Beckley Barry E. Berger Laurie K. & William Berner Ann Brennan Bertsch Ed Blackman Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Michigan James Bonfiglio Michelle Teny – Borsellino BRD Printing John & Catherine Brennan Pauline Brennan Chad A. Brown Margaret L. McMullin Brown Dr. Michelle Simmons Brown Joseph F. Burke Kathleen C. Butler John A. Carras Sean F. Carrol Karen Chadwick Christine Zellar-Church Cintas Corporation Classic Business Products Debra A. Clawson James P. Colbert Joseph A. Collins John C. Colpean Community Foundation of Georgia Edward F. Cook Mark and Lisa Cooney Joseph Correnti Nino A. Coviello Janet S Cowan Rev Family Trust D. Augustus Straker Bar Association John J. D’Alessandro Michael A. Darby Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association Foundation Frank DiGiacomo Scott T. Doggett 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

Douglass K. Fischer Marc A. Fishman Tiffany Foskey Marga Franck Virginia and John Frezell Holly Glazier-Hicks Jeremy M. & Melissa M. Goodman Steven B. Goolnick Andrew Gozinsky Richard S. Gravante Randall Gregg Hon. Roman S. Gribbs Patrick S. Griffin Grosshans Painting, Inc. Jason J. Guari, esq. John L. Hackman Danielle Hall Lisa Halushka Robert Hann Scott Harrison William H. Harsha Christopher Hastings Richard G. Hayhoe Healthy & Fit Magazine 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, Inc Lisa Kenney Kent County Office of the Defender Jonathan I. Knight Kositchek’s Donna Kozik Andrew Krause The Kresge Foundation Robert E. Krinock Stephen P. Krupp Robert S. LaBrant In Memory of Tom Downs Lake Trust Credit Union Lewis Langham Lansing Symphony Orchestra Salvatore F. Lanza 23

21ST CENTURY SOCIETY $2,500 (CON’T)

Stuart Lazar Helen N. Levenson David Leyton Liberty Mutual Logicalis, Inc. Ashley Lowe Suzanne Margules Lowe Lutz Electric Construction Co., Inc. Gerald MacDonald William I. MacDonald Mahoney & Associates Inc. Robert & Layne Maloney Lawrence E. Manning Salvatore Marabondo Paul Marineau Ann M. Marks Kathy Ann Martin Daniel Matthews Catherine McCollum Ruby McCoy Foundation Keeley A. McDonald-Riddle Kevin T. McGraw James C. McLaughlin Richard D. McLellan Michigan State University Midstate Security Hon. James E. Mies Konstantinos I. Mikropoulos Peggy L. Miller David Mittleman Hon. Donna T. Morris 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 I. Eric Nordan Willette J. Northup Kimberly O’Leary Anthony O’Neill Otis Elevators John B. Parks Robert A. Pecchio Brian L. Petrequin Stephen Pierpoint Joseph J. Piperato III Norman E. Plate Lawrence Ploucha Darin A. Poole Brenda Popplewell David L. Porteous Darin Portnoy Brian Potestivo 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 Dale Robertson Lauren Rousseau 24

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Schartow 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 Allen M. Soifer Sandy & Howard 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 James B. Thelen & Kara Zech Thelen Thrun Law Firm PC TIAA Nancy Totzke Christopher R. Trudeau Karen Truszkowski Reginald M. Turner James Vitrano Robert C. von Gruben Victoria Vuletich in memory of Carol Jean Vuletich & Valerie Vuletich Boyd Judson Werbelow David C. & Janice U. Whipple Hon. Helene N. White James M. Williams Glen L. Ziegler *Denotes New Member to Cooley Society + Denotes Upgraded Donor Level

We gratefully acknowledge our 2020 donors CHAIRMAN’S CLUB $25,000+ AccessLex Institute

PRESIDENT’S CLUB $10,000+ Kalsec Don LeDuc

DEAN’S CLUB $5,000+ James McGrath

FOUNDER’S CLUB $2,500+ Eric E. & Tobi Breisach (1989 Joseph T. Copeland) Christina L. Corl (1995 John E. Bird) Audra A. Foster (1997 Grant Fellows) R Joseph Kimble Edward D. Knight (1984 Aaron V. McAlvay) Dan Longo MSU Federal Credit Union Amy Timmer (1988 Abner Pratt) Paul Zelenski

TEMPLE CLUB $1,000+ Frank Aiello Louise Alderson (1986 Thomas R. Sherwood) Mustafa Ameenuddin (2006 John W. Fitzgerald) Ross A. Berlin (1981 Thomas M. Kavanagh) Gordon C. Boardman (1978 Isaac Marston) Tracey Brame Jose T. Brown (1981 Charles D. Long) James D. Buttrey (1982 Warner Wing) Jeanette R. Buttrey (1991 Josiah Turner) Paul J. Carrier

David G. Chopp (1993 Joseph B. Moore) Community Foundation of Central Georgia, Inc. Kathleen A. Conklin Michael A. Darby (1985 Talbot Smith) James R. Davis Chad D. Engelhardt (2005 Thomas F. McAllister) Joseph J. Farah (1979 Howard Wiest) Helen M. Haessly (2000 William Cushing) Danielle M. Hall (2001 John Blair, Jr.) George R. Hamo (1981 Thomas M. Kavanagh) Robert Hann John C. Heugel (1980 George E. Bushnell) James G. Hurley (1990 Edward H. C. Wilson) Image Creative Group Inc. KAK Network David A. Lee (1979 George M. Clark) David S. Leyton (1982 Flavius L. Brooke) Dale E. Malewska (1984 Aaron V. McAlvay) Robert T. Meeks (1977 Isaac Christiancy) Marla Mitchell-Cichon Michael Molitor Gerlinde Nattler (2010 James Witherell) Lawrence P. Nolan (1976 Thomas M. Cooley) Thomas Paciorkowski (2008 Edward M Sharpe) Sinas, Dramis, Larkin, Graves & Waldman Joan P. Vestrand James J. Vlasic (1978 Epaphroditus Ransom) Mitchell Zajac (2017 Warren Earl Burger)

PILLAR CLUB $500+ Stuart M. Altman (1995 Franz C. Kuhn) Marylynn Bain Frederick M. Baker Margaret L. Brown (1988 Sanford M. Green) Aaron V. Burrell (2010 Augustus B Woodward) Gary R. Campbell (1999 Richard H. Flannigan) Elaine H. Charney (1978 Isaac Marston) Thomas W. Cranmer DK Security William J. Fleener (1994 Russell C. Ostrander) Michael A. Flores (1992 John W. McGrath) Tiffany M. Foskey (2003

Otis M. Smith) William T. Graham (1989 David Johnson) Michael P. Hatty (1979 Henry M. Butzel) Richard C. Henke Anonymous Lawrence J. Kish (1978 Isaac Marston) Jonathan I. Knight (1997 Grant Fellows) Steven M. Krause (1978 Epaphroditus Ransom) Lyman and Sheets Insurance Agency Catherine J. McCollum (2008 Edward M Sharpe) Ken K. Miller (1989 Joseph T. Copeland) Kenneth V. Miller (1977 Benjamin Graves) Martha Moore Marvin Moore I Eric Nordan (2018 Patricia Boyle) Kimberly O’Leary Thomas C. Rombach (1987 Allen B. Morse) Gerald Rudowsky Clyde P. Selig Daniel F. Sheaffer (1996 Blair Moody, Jr.) G Michael Stakias (1976 James V. Campbell) State of Michigan Carlos B. Vicent (2009 Dorothy Comstock Riley)

CORNERSTONE CLUB $250+ Deborah A. Adeojo (2002 Thomas Johnson) Daniel L. Askren (2010 Augustus B Woodward) Sally Backofen John I. Bain (1985 Talbot Smith) Cherie L. Beck (1999 Richard H. Flannigan) Elizabeth S. Beckley (1992 Robert M. Montgomery) Carey S. Bernstein (1992 Robert M. Montgomery) Erika Breitfeld-Hasiak Terrence P. Bronson (1976 James V. Campbell) Chad A. Brown (1999 Richard H. Flannigan) Cheryl Bywater Theresa Carella John J. D’Alessandro (1985 Charles W. Whipple) H K. Drake (1980 George E. Bushnell) Robert C. Ellis (1987 Allen B. Morse) Matthew C. Fendon (2008 Clark J Adams)

William L. Ferrigan (1976 Thomas M. Cooley) John N. Fields (1976 James V. Campbell) Michael R. Foreback Dustin S. Foster (1997 Grant Fellows) Sharon M. Hanlon (1982 Daniel Goodwin) James T. Heos (1976 Thomas M. Cooley) Pamela Heos Emily Horvath Steven Hughey G P. Hunter (1987 John W. Champlin) Mark E. Janer (1982 Flavius L. Brooke) Mary Pat Jaracz (1982 Daniel Goodwin) James C. Johnson Dermot F. Kennedy (1982 Warner Wing) Laura E. LeDuc John M. Mallul (1983 Michael D. O’Hara) Kathy A. Martin (1999 Thomas A.E. Weadock) Jeffrey L. Martlew (1976 James V. Campbell) Catherine P. McEwen Joel A. Montilla (2016 William Taft) Florise Neville-Ewell Paul J. Carrier, LLC Robert A. Pecchio (1984 Aaron V. McAlvay) Research The Law Judeline T. Rouzard (2003 Harry S. Toy) Randy C. Rubin (1998 Nelson Sharpe) Bart T. Stupak (1981 John R. Dethmers) Gerald Tschura Kelley A. Tucker (2004 John E. Cross) Joseph A. Warren (1980 Walter H. North)

CENTURY CLUB $100+ Sarah J. Anderson (2014 Henry Brockholst Livingston) Elie Banna (2002 Thomas Johnson) Marietta H. Barbour (1978 Isaac Marston) Laurie A. Berner (2000 William Cushing) Kyle B. Blowers (2008 Edward M Sharpe) Benjamin T. Bolser (1993 Frank A. Hooker) James H. Bradberry (1979 Howard Wiest) Justin Brooks Clifford J. Camp (2018

Samuel Nelson) Dalton L. Carty (2016 Charles Evans Hughes) Daniel S. Christian Joseph C. Correnti (1988 Sanford M. Green) Syeda F. Davidson (2008 Thomas Giles Kavanagh) Scott A. Dienes (1995 John E. Bird) Ruth M. Drago Heather L. Dunbar (2001 John Blair, Jr.) Gerald B. Eisman (1978 Epaphroditus Ransom) Mark C. Elliott (2010 Augustus B Woodward) Linda Elman Milton J. Evans (1999 Louis H. Fead) Tracy L. Feliksa (2013 William Johnson) Jacqueline A. Freeman (2006 Neil E. Reid) Michael J. Gibson Dean E. Goldblatt (1991 Josiah Turner) Jason J. Guari (1995 Joseph H. Steere) A. Hakken Jeffry H. Hall (1983 Michael D. O’Hara) Timothy T. Harris (2017 Earl Warren) Kristin D. Hempsted Bosch (1999 Louis H. Fead) James M. Hicks Eric R. Hoecker (1987 Allen B. Morse) Joseph P. Hogue (2013 John Marshall) Ieva A. Inglis Vivian Jackson-Boko James S. Jamo (1984 Randolph Manning) Byron J. Johnson (1977 Alpheus Felch) Barbara A. Kalinowski Jeffrey S. Kemm (2010 James Witherell) Thomas F. Kendziorski (1982 Flavius L. Brooke) Craig J. Kobrin (1992 George H. Durand) Andrew J. Krause (1980 Walter H. North) Tonya Krause-Phelan Stephen P. Krupp (1995 Joseph H. Steere) Christine A. Laney (2016 Charles Evans Hughes) Julie M. Lawler-Hoyle (2017 Earl Warren) Joseph L. Litz (1983 Bert D. Chandler) Suzanne E. Lowe (1981 Charles D. Long) Rita Marsala Joseph D. McCormack (1991 Josiah Turner)

Michael C. McDaniel Tiffany M. McEvans Dallah (2005 Thomas F. McAllister) Francis W. McHugh (1988 George Martin) Deborah H. McKelvy (1984 Aaron V. McAlvay) Daniela E. Mendez (2018 Patricia Boyle) Konstantinos I. Mikropoulos (1991 Josiah Turner) Matthew T. Miller (2005 Raymond W Starr) Robert Milstein Taneashia R. Morrell (2015 Robert Trimble) Bruce M. Moss (1985 Talbot Smith) Monty C. Moyer Julie A. Mullens Joseph Nelson Michael J. Otis (1976 James V. Campbell) Jodi Overman Albaitis Carey R. Parks (1983 Michael D. O’Hara) Jerry D. Ponder (1980 George E. Bushnell) Karen M. Poole (1990 Benjamin F. H. Witherell) Leonard D. Rice (1990 Edward H. C. Wilson) Joan E. Rosema David (2000 John Jay) Lauren A. Rousseau Richard A. Sadoff (1983 Bert D. Chandler) Devin Schindler Lisa Smith Vincent P. Spagnuolo (1979 Howard Wiest) Charles A. Stacy (1997 Paul L. Adams) Jonathan C. Stanbery (2010 William D Woodbridge) Jordan V. Sutton (2013 William Johnson) Ronald Sutton Terry R. Sutton (2003 John B. Swainson) Jeffrey D. Swartz (1976 Thomas M. Cooley) David J. Tarrien (2002 Samuel Chase) Gerald E. Tarud (2004 John E. Cross) Patrick Tolan Charles R. Toy (1981 Thomas M. Kavanagh) Amy R. Tripp (1996 Blair Moody, Jr.) Michelle Villaronga (2011 Ross Wilkins) Victoria A. Vuletich William P. Weiner Mark S. Wheeler (1991 Edwin Lawrence) David C. Whipple (1979 Henry M. Butzel)

Karen Willis John J. Wojcik (1996 Eugene F. Black) Michelle Wooddell Gary J. Young (1997 Grant Fellows) Marinela Zografi (2019 Benjamin Robbins Curtis)

COOLEY CLUB UP TO $99 Arturo Alfaro (2020 David Davis) Rhonda L. Allen (2004 Roger A. Needham) Robert J. Alpiner (1986 Edward Mundy) Anthony R. Alvarado Lena Bailey Gary P. Bauer (1988 Sanford M. Green) Brendan T. Beery (1998 Ernest A. Snow) Michael R. Behan Richard A. Behof (1994 Rollin H. Person) Thomas Blansett Douglas E. Blease (2020 David Davis) Gregory M. Bokar (1995 Joseph H. Steere) Jonathan W. Brignall (2020 David Davis) Cynthia Brown Carrol A. Buck Glenda Butler (2019 Samuel Freeman Miller) Shawn D. Bzdziuch (2010 William D Woodbridge) Chiung-Ying S. Cheng (2019 Noah Haynes Swayne) Ali Chokr (2020 David Davis) Tynika A. Claxton (2003 Otis M. Smith) William J. Cole (1996 Eugene F. Black) Edward S. Cooper (1989 Joseph T. Copeland) Brian J. De Grenier (2020 David Davis) Lakisha Dessalines (2020 Stephen Johnson Field) Erin Eberhart J Michael Fedewa April Fly (2018 Samuel Nelson) Robert L. Gariepy (1977 Benjamin Graves) Seth S. Gaskins (2011 Ross Wilkins) Germese S. Gee (2014 Thomas Todd) Stephen F. Gorczyca (2010 James Witherell) Andrew P. Gould (2011 Henry C Chipman) Dana E. Goza (2019 Noah

Haynes Swayne) Joseline Hardrick Hugo R. Harmatz (1991 Robert E. Krinock) Susanne E. Harris (1993 William L. Carpenter) Matthew J. Heos (2010 Augustus B Woodward) Dianne Herbin Joyce E. Hill (2019 Benjamin Robbins Curtis) Ieisha M. Humphrey (2011 Solomon Sibley) Steven Ivy (2012 Marion M Hilligan) Robert J. Johnson (2018 Patricia Boyle) Constantine P. Kanellos (1993 William L. Carpenter) Eduard Khaitov (2011 Henry C Chipman) Kara Korf David M. Lang (1994 G. Mennen Williams) George H. Latimer-Knight (2018 Samuel Nelson) Kristy Lecceadone Sean W. Logsdon (2004 Roger A. Needham) Gail P. Mancewicz (2020 David Davis) Kenneth J. Mattern (2001 James Iredell) Ricardo J. Mauro (1993 Joseph B. Moore) Nicola Mitry (2020 David Davis) Nasr Mualla Steve L. Neugent (2014 Gabriel Duvall) Alexander M. Papajohn (1997 Paul L. Adams) Peter W. Peacock (1983 Michael D. O’Hara) Brian A. Potestivo (1989 Samuel T. Douglass) Todd Rooze (2010 Augustus B Woodward) Alecia M. Ruswinckel (2003 John B. Swainson) Stephanie W. Samuels (2017 Fred Moore Vinson) Cheryl A. Scott SeyferthPR Jan Shimshock Jodi E. Silberman Maria Snyder Henry M. Stoever (1980 George E. Bushnell) Chao Tantipjitkasem (2013 Alfred Moore) Luther M. Waatti (1989 Joseph T. Copeland) Lawrence F. Wilson (2001 James Iredell) James Wolak Jeffrey J. Wood (1983 Michael D. O’Hara) Sharon Zann 25

SCHOOL ALUMNI NEWS

Up to the challenge. Cooley grad succeeds against series of overwhelming odds. Law students often face tough challenges during their demanding legal studies. But Samantha Norris, who graduated from WMU-Cooley Law School on May 23, faced a far greater challenge—a strenuous battle against cancer. Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Stage 2b unfavorable with bulky disease during the beginning of her 2L year, Norris has since had a total of 58 bags of chemotherapy and an autologous stem cell transplant. “I immediately knew I wanted to continue my education, even if chemotherapy would slow me down,” she says. Achieving remission last June, Norris is still undergoing maintenance chemotherapy, but decided to take three months off in order to focus on bar prep. “Many people act like it’s heroic to continue law school throughout treatment, but I don’t see it that way,” she says. “When you get sick you have a choice: stop your life and focus solely on treatment—which no one would blame you for— or try and keep some normalcy during treatment. “School honestly helped me feel normal while being sick even though what I was going through was anything but. I often attended class from a hospital bed and I even took four final exams in the hospital during my

stem cell transplant. At Cooley, we always talk about ‘grit’ and I truly believe if you have ‘grit’ and determination, you can do anything you set your mind to. “I was definitely not a 4.0 student during treatment, but I didn’t want to use what I was going through as an excuse because I made the decision to stay in school,” she adds. “I made the Dean’s List while undergoing treatment because I stayed organized and kept my priorities in check. Even on days where I could barely open my eyes, I tried to do something productive. I’m most proud about my last semester at Cooley when I took 17 credits and received all A’s and one B-minus. I had three surgeries and maintenance chemo during my last semester and still accomplished this.” Norris, who holds a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Communication from Central Michigan University, with a minor in Legal Studies, has wanted to be an attorney as far back as she can remember. “I’ve always had a passion to advocate for people and I excel with interpersonal communication as well as public speaking, so I figured I could use my voice to help the voiceless,” she says. Despite the often overwhelming challenges, Norris enjoyed her law school experience at Cooley’s Auburn Hills campus, where at graduation she

received the SBA’s Distinguished Student Award; and also served briefly as treasurer for the Cooley alumna Samantha Norris, who has battled Hodgkins Organization Lymphoma since her 2L year, is now in remission. of Women Law Norris also plans to help others Students (OWLS) before her who face similar challenges. cancer kiboshed that role. “The community at Cooley— whether it be the deans, professors, office support, or students—are so warm and welcoming,” she says. “Everyone genuinely wants you to do well, so as a student you never feel alone or in the dark.” Her passion has always been in criminal law, and she hopes to practice criminal defense. “I absolutely love litigation and the endorphins it releases,” she says. “Because I was sick for most of law school I was unable to get a lot of real world experience, so I could see myself working at a prosecutor’s office for the first two years to learn as much as I can. I also love estate planning and family law and hope to do that on the side. “I had an amazing opportunity to practice as a student attorney for the Sixty Plus Estate Planning Clinic. I was able to draft a full estate plan for two individuals and it gave me fundamental skills that I will carry with me into my career.”

“No one chooses to have cancer and the financial obligations that come with being sick are unreal,” she says. “I hope to use my skills as an attorney, specifically my simple estate planning knowledge, to provide pro bono services to those in the cancer community.” Norris also is a mentor for young cancer patients—“Something I hope to do for the rest of my life,” she says. “I hope that by sharing my journey I can encourage others to never doubt their inner strength and the community around them because with both of those things you can accomplish anything, like beating cancer and receiving a Juris Doctorate.” Article excerpt reprinted with permission of The Detroit Legal News. Photo courtesy of Claire Abendroth. Written by Legal News writer Sheila Pursglove.

ALUMNI NEWS

Best Lottery Lawyer When you are a winner of the billion dollar Mega Millions jackpot, you call the best lottery lawyer you can find. That lawyer was Kurt Panouses (Morell Class, 1985) and he immediately established a new club name for his four clients, Wolverine FLL, and accepted the prize on their behalf from Michigan Lottery officials on March 12, 2021. He also shared some tidbits in a March 17, 2021 article in Hometown Life. The winners are “really good friends who are probably best friends now.” They are between the ages of 45 and 65. They are from southeast Michigan. They have “educational backgrounds.” They are fans of the University of Michigan. The story said that one member of the group stopped at the Kroger store at 47650 Grand River while “passing through Novi,” after realizing the friends had not yet bought a ticket for the $1.05 billion Mega Millions. This person selected multiple easy picks and continued home. The rest is history, or a new future for them all!

Kimble Center for Legal Drafting’s Second Public Seminar On April 1, the Kimble Center for Legal Drafting at WMU-Cooley Law School held its second public seminar—for a packed (virtual) house. The Center, created by the law school in 2017, has a publicservice mission, which includes offering educational programs for the legal profession, law students, and others with an interest in legal and official writing. The title of this second seminar was “30 Tips for Better Legal Drafting and Writing.” The presenters were Professor Emeritus Joseph Kimble, Professor Mark Cooney, and Professor Patrick Barry (University of Michigan Law School). Professor Kimble gave tips on drafting; Professor Barry, on persuasive writing; and Professor Cooney, on plain language generally. Nearly 350 people signed up from around the world. Many were from state governments, and a large number were from the U.S. federal government. Attendees were from New Zealand, the Phillippines, Greece, France, Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic, Brazil, and Venezuela, among other countries. Below are some of the comments:

Kurt Panouses (right), Lottery attorney, and Board member and consulting attorney Larry Nolan.

“thoroughly enjoyed it” “awesome—everyone kept my attention” “really valuable” • “fantastic” “excellent advice” • “so informative” “wonderful tips” • “so much fun” For more information about the Center, search Kimble Center for Legal Drafting on the law school website.

SCHOOL ALUMNI NEWS

2021 Distinguished Student Awards The Alumni Association Scholarship and Awards Committee met in February to review nominations for the Distinguished Student Award for graduating seniors in the William Burnham Woods class. The winners received awards based on academic achievements, professional69%leadership, BENCHMARK extracurricular activities ism, ALUMNI MAGAZINE and service to communities. The award for each of the winners is a beautiful diploma frame. The winners for Hilary Term 2021 were Melissa Heinz, from the Grand Rapids campus; Comfort Aduwa, from the Lansing campus; Sarah Roberge and Michael (Buddy) Faulkner, from the Tampa Bay campus; and Ashley Shults, from the Auburn Hills campus.

2021 Alumni Memorial Scholarship Winners The WMU-Cooley Law School Alumni Association presented the winners of the 2021 Alumni Memorial Scholarship with their awards at Honors Convocation for Hilary term at all campuses. The scholarships were awarded based on academic record, character, potential for success as future lawyers, and financial need. The Scholarship and Awards Committee of the Alumni Association reviewed the applications and selected the winners.

Lugo Akergren, from the Tampa Bay campus, and You Qu, from the Lansing campus. Each of the winners received $5,800 in credits toward tuition. The awards were presented by Karen Poole, immediate past president of the Alumni Association, and chairperson of the Scholarship and Awards committee. The Alumni Association recognizes these students for their hard work and commitment to success while completing their law degrees.

The 2021 winners were WMU-Cooley students Denise Suters and Ronja

“We congratulate these students for their academic accomplishments and their contributions to their communities and the school,” said Helen Haessly, Acting Director of Alumni Relations.

U.S. Supreme Court Bar Admissions The Alumni Association sponsors an annual small group ceremony at the U.S. Supreme Court, where up to 12 graduates are admitted to practice in front of the Supreme Court. Last year’s in-person ceremony was cancelled because the court building was closed to the public as a result of the pandemic. This year’s event has been postponed until Nov. 3, 2021. WMU-Cooley President and Dean James McGrath will make the motion on behalf of the group and there will be an evening reception in the D.C. area that evening, if possible. Alumni interested in participating in a future swearing-in ceremony, should contact the Alumni Office at alumni@cooley.edu. Space is limited.

SCHOOL NEWS

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 keynote speakers for being a part of the discussions and solutions we face today. If you missed any of the conversations, you can catch up by watching them on the law school’s official YouTube page.

Aaron V. Burrell

January 7, 2021: Aaron V. Burrell (Woodward Class, 2010), Dickinson Wright, Honoring the life of Martin Luther King Jr. WMU-Cooley Community Conversation

Takura Nyarnfukudza

February 18, 2021: Takura Nyamfukudza (Moore Class, 2013), CN Defenders, Black History Month WMU-Cooley Community Conversation

Renalia DuBose

March 17, 2021: WMU-Cooley Professor Renalia DuBose, Women’s History Month Community Conversation

Judge Rosemarie Aquilina

April 13, 2021: Judge Rosemarie Aquilina (Carr Class, 1984), How to Recognize Sexual Assault - and Take Action WMU-Cooley Community Conversation

Karl A. Racine

May 19, 2021: Karl A. Racine, Washington, D.C. Attorney General, A Conversation on Social Justice WMUCooley Community Conversation

Jay Kaplan

June 11, 2021: ACLU Attorney Jay Kaplan, The History of LGBTQ Rights, WMUCooley Community Conversation

SCHOOL NEWS

WMU-Cooley School News WMU-Cooley Graduations Go Virtual in Wake of Pandemic When the Covid-19 pandemic settled in for its lengthy stay around the world in Spring 2020, WMU-Cooley Law School – like so many others – needed to find a new way of doing business. Classes went fully online, professors taught via the lens of webcams, and milestones like graduations needed to continue via modern technology. Since the time that the pandemic closed down in-person activities, WMU-Cooley has held three virtual graduation ceremonies for graduates in Michigan and Florida. JANUARY 2021 The most recent ceremony for the Justice Ward Hunt Class was held Jan. 24, 2021. The event honored 141 juris doctor and 13 master of laws degree recipients. Nicholas Petrakos, from Michigan, and Damian Rape, from Florida, presented the valedictory remarks. Henry Ford College President Russell Kavalhuna (Brickley Class, 2007) provided the keynote address. Petrakos told graduates, “Do not let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. You have come way too far in life to let others put you down. Fight for what you believe in, even if it means you have to fight like hell. Help as many as you can, as often as you can. Follow your gut and speak with a level of confidence that can’t be matched.” Rape addressed how the law school adapted during the pandemic. “We did the unthinkable and went online. We took this in stride and adjusted our study habits and overcame. We were the first set of law students to deal 30

with online learning for a long period time. We set a new standard, a high standard, a standard we upheld, and maintained our integrity in. We stayed strong and resilient in a terrible and trying time.” Kavalhuna, who worked as a clerk at the Michigan Supreme Court and as a federal prosecutor, said that, while working in these capacities, “A profound truth snuck up on me. It was that I was carrying this awesome responsibility of representing someone else, something bigger than me. It was the institution I was serving and it was the people who we served, and you will soon enjoy this truth.”

DECEMBER 2020 On Dec. 6, 2020, WMU-Cooley honored 70 graduates of its Justice William Strong Class. During the ceremony, 64 juris doctor and six master of laws degrees were conferred to graduates from the law school’s Michigan and Florida campuses. Ashlee Morris, from Michigan, and Ray C. Petty, from Florida,

provided the valedictory remarks. WMU-Cooley President and Dean James McGrath provided the keynote address. Morris thanked the WMUCooley faculty, adjunct professors, and the librarians who “instilled in us the knowledge and know-how to not only become successful attorneys, but independent thinkers that can see both sides on almost any issue.” “At the beginning of our law school tenure, we were all bright-eyed and eager to learn about the law,” said Morris. “Through this experience we found a group of like-minded individuals who are eager to do the same. Now, as we come out of this experience, we emerge as fully capable legal minds ready to take on whatever the world throws at us.” Petty spoke about the importance of WMU-Cooley Law School being the most diverse law school in the nation. McGrath said, “I want to start out by saying how proud I am

SCHOOL NEWS

“Cooley Law School has given many of us the opportunity that we might not otherwise received. We graduate at this point in time in a very critical moment. A time filled with hatred, a time filled racism, a time filled with bigotry, a time filled with greed, and a time filled with coronavirus. But our charge after today is to remake the world we live in and remind the world of the principles it was established on.” RAY C. PETTY of our students, stepping up and making it all work when nothing in the world seems to be working right. I’m proud of our faculty and staff for shifting gears to keep everything working when we went 100 percent online in a moment’s notice.”

NOVEMBER 2020 WMU-Cooley held its first virtual graduation ceremony on Nov. 15, 2020, honoring those students who earned their J.D. in May 2020. During the ceremony, 142 juris doctor and five master of laws degrees were conferred to graduates from the law school’s Michigan and Florida campuses. Providing the valedictory remarks were Jenell Gillespie, from Florida, and Lauren Simasko, from Michigan. The keynote was presented by WMU-Cooley Professor Marla Mitchell-Cichon.

Gillespie shared how students needed to quickly adapt when the pandemic hit. “In a matter of weeks our normal routine of going to class, talking to our professors, laughing and joking with our friends in the lounge and hitting those study sessions in the library were replaced by finishing classes online, social distancing from or peers and remaining in the safety of our homes as we quarantined,” said Gillespie. “There is beauty in the struggle and we do not grow when things are easy. True growth comes when we face challenges and come out on the other side stronger.” Simasko said, “You have proven our intelligence to the world. You are responsible, reliable, resourceful, analytical, but as a WMU-Cooley graduate you have even more. Knowledge of the law isn’t only power, it’s adventure. It’s the chance

to create a just future for our global community.” Mitchell-Cichon, who has extensive practice experience in criminal and poverty law and who served as director of the WMU-Cooley Innocence Project before her retirement, spoke about the importance of love for the vocation of law in order to experience joy while working in the legal profession. “Love for a vocation, love for a profession, love for a calling. You now know I have been a lawyer for quite some time. And I have been recognized for my work. But love is not about that,” said MitchellCichon. “When we love, truly love, we seek nothing in return. When we give love freely and unconditionally, we experience joy. That is what this profession has given me. And that is what I wish for you.”

SCHOOL NEWS

DEI Champions Show Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Values

WMU-Cooley Law School launched a new initiative on Founder’s Day in January 2021 called DEI Champions devoted to increasing the practices of diversity, equity and inclusion. The DEI Champions program recognizes WMU-Cooley’s long history as one of the nation’s most diverse law schools, while recognizing and bringing forward partners in the community who are equally committed to diversity, equity and inclusion values in the workplace and in society.

“The American Bar Association’s latest profile of the legal profession showed that only 14 percent of U.S. lawyers as being an underrepresented minority,” commented James McGrath, President and Dean of WMUCooley Law School. “While WMU-Cooley is well above that mark with 43 percent of our students as self-identified minority students, we believe that the entire legal profession can and must do better.” The DEI Champions effort will be co-chaired by Christina Corl

We invite you, your firm, or your business or organization to become an official DEI Champion, signaling a commitment to working with the law school in recruitment efforts, student scholarships, more diverse hiring practices and curricular enhancements.

(Bird Class, 1995) from the Plunkett Cooney law firm and Aaron Burrell (Woodward Class, 2010) from the Dickinson Wright law firm. Corl and Burrell are also members of the WMU-Cooley Board of Directors. “I am thrilled to be part of this new initiative and encourage everyone who cares about diversity, equity and inclusion to consider joining us in this effort,” said Corl. “It is an important time in our history to have all aspects of our justice system be inclusive and diverse,” added Burrell. Both firms are generous supporters of the DEI Champions program. For more information about how you or your firm can become a partner DEI Champion, please contact Donor Relations at 517-371-5140 ext. 2014, or alumni@cooley.edu, or visit the Become a DEI Champion page.

SCHOOL NEWS

In 2021, WMU-Cooley Innocence Project Earns Release of Kenneth Nixon (15 years of wrongful imprisonment) and Gilbert Poole (32 years of wrongful imprisonment)

Kenneth Nixon after being released from the Michigan Reformatory in Ionia, Michigan.

On Feb. 18, Wayne County, Michigan, Judge Bruce Morrow set aside the conviction of Kenneth Nixon. Nixon was wrongfully convicted of murder, attempted murder and arson in 2005. Nixon was represented by the WMUCooley Law School Innocence Project and the Wayne County Conviction Integrity Unit. On May 26, 2021, Oakland County Circuit Judge Rae Lee Chabot set aside the conviction of Gilbert Lee Poole, Jr. who was wrongfully convicted of murder in 1989. “Mr. Poole’s conviction was based on unreliable evidence, including a bite mark comparison, which is not based on science,”

Gilbert Poole after being released from prison.

Nixon: Kenneth Wyniemko (2003), Nathaniel Hatchett (2008), and Wayne County residents Donya Davis (2014), LeDura Watkins DNA testing excluded Poole from (2017). This past year, the project the crime scene and implicated an also supported the exonerations of unknown individual. “I commend Ramon Ward and Lacino Hamilton the Michigan Attorney General and by contributing its DNA expertise her establishment of a conviction and grant resources to obtain integrity unit that will investigate testing. https://www.cooley.edu/ claims of innocence and uncover news/wmu-cooley-innocencethe truth,” said Mitchell-Cichon. project-paves-way-release-gilbertpoole-after-32-years-wrongful The WMU-Cooley Innocence Project is the only post-conviction and https://www.cooley.edu/news/ wmu-cooley-innocence-projectDNA innocence organization in Michigan. Since its inception, the earns-release-kenneth-nixon-aftermore-15-years-prison office has screened over 5,800 cases and is responsible for the exoneration of six men including said Legal Counsel to the WMUCooley Innocence Project Marla Mitchell-Cichon.

SCHOOL NEWS

Marla Mitchell-Cichon Passes Baton to Tracey Brame as WMU-Cooley Law School Innocence Project Leader will continue to work with the project on a part-time basis, serving as legal counsel.

After serving as director for the WMU-Cooley Law School Innocence Project since 2012, Professor Marla MitchellCichon turned the clinic’s leadership over to WMU-Cooley Associate Dean and Professor Tracey Brame. Mitchell-Cichon

Brame most recently served as associate dean at WMUCooley’s Grand Rapids campus and as the director of the law school’s Access to Justice Clinic. She joined WMUCooley’s faculty in 2006. Brame is the immediate past president of the Grand Rapids Bar Association and was named 2020 Lawyer of the Year by Michigan’s Lawyer’s Weekly.

Donation Made to WMU-Cooley Innocence Project Attorney Wolfgang Mueller donated $8,500 to the WMU-Cooley Law School Innocence Project. He is founder of the Mueller Law Firm, in Novi, Michigan. Mueller, who specializes in wrongful conviction and police misconduct cases, said, “I am proud to support the WMUCooley Innocence Project in their efforts to correct wrongful convictions. Their diligence and perseverance has allowed individuals to avoid dying in prison for crimes they did not commit.” WMU-Cooley Professor Tracey Brame, director of the WMUCooley Innocence Project, said, “We are thankful for Mr. Mueller’s dedication to the Innocence Project’s work.

His donation will provide additional support for our review of cases and provide much needed resources to those applicants who we accept as clients.”

“Since the beginning of my law career, advocacy work has been my passion,” said Brame. “It’s an honor to assume the role of director for the WMUCooley Innocence Project from Professor Mitchell-Cichon, who has spent much of her legal career fighting for the wrongly accused.” Mitchell-Cichon joined WMUCooley Law School in 1995, teaching in the Sixty Plus, Inc., Elderlaw Clinic and has worked with the law school’s Innocence Project since 2002. She has served as the

school’s faculty externship coordinator and taught Professional Responsibility and the Wrongful Conviction Seminar. In 2006, MitchellCichon received the Justice for All Award from the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan. In 2019, she received the Leo Farhat Outstanding Attorney award from the Ingham County Bar Association, the Champion of Justice award from the State Bar of Michigan and was named one of Michigan’s Leaders in the Law.

Mitchell-Cichon Supports Police Transparency Legislation Marla Mitchell-Cichon, distinguished professor emeritus at WMU-Cooley Law School and counsel to the law school’s Innocence Project, participated in a virtual legislative briefing in February focusing on the need for police transparency. Mitchell-Cichon joined Rep. Tyrone Carter (D-Detroit), other innocence advocates, and Michigan exonerees who collectively spent 52 years in prison for crimes they did not commit, as they shared their stories and discussed new legislation that would allow for greater police transparency. Carter, who hosted the discussion, has co-sponsored bipartisan legislation that would require police departments to release files of disciplined police officers requested under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), or during court cases. The legislation would allow for public access to all police misconduct records through FOIA, which would strengthen accountability, and offer police departments transparency during their hiring process. The legislation is designed to help prevent misconduct that contributes to wrongful convictions in Michigan.

SCHOOL NEWS

Ydelmis Cutino: Comfortable in the Fast Lane

Ydelmis Cutino (Woods Class, 2021) never backs away from hard work, in fact she embraces it. As a student, she was on a path to be a lawyer, and the sooner the better. At 20 years old, Cutino was already in her second year of law school after wrapping up her high school and her undergraduate degree by the age of 18. Ambitious and committed to soaking in as much education and knowledge as she could, Cutino’s law school experience was “so far, so good,” as she said, especially with everyone at WMU-Cooley being so supportive of her fasttrack timeline.

her the confidence to meet her goals head on.

“I have always wanted to be a lawyer,” said Cutino. “I’m originally from Miami; my parents are Cuban, both immigrants. They came to this country to start a the professors were so engaging and the students made me feel so new life and to take advantage of much at home; I was able to settle all the opportunities this country had to offer. Since I was a very into the task of learning the law as an equal. The hardest part was young girl, my parents impressed (continued) figuring out how to balance things in my life outside of law school.”

DRIVING IN THE FAST LANE

Cutino had the goal of being a corporate attorney by age 21 or 22; which makes one wonder what the driving force was behind her motivation to start her career faster than most students. She “I knew law school would be hard, might say it was the inspiration and figured it would be lonely from her family and the support with everyone older than me,” she has received that has given started Cutino, “but the fact that

SCHOOL NEWS

NOW NOT LATER For a goal-oriented individual like Cutino, time was the only thing getting in the way of reaching her dreams. Despite having to finish up her undergrad at the University of South Florida (USF) in Management, at the same time she was taking her first classes in law school, she was not deterred.

upon me the importance of education. They would say, ‘You don’t want to be like us. You make sure education is your number one priority. Being educated is necessary to get you where you want to be in life.’” She took what her parents said to heart. She learned to have a vision for herself. She also learned that any dream can come to you, so long as you are willing to work for it. “That urge to be an attorney has been with me since I was young,” reiterated Cutino. “I loved the idea of representing other individuals, and really defend them as their advocate. The question was more when and where I would get my legal education, not whether or not I would be an attorney.” Cutino looked into many law schools. Once she found out about WMU-Cooley and learned more about what the

“Why should I wait another semester; law school offered, the more she why should I wait two more was convinced it was a great semesters, when I can really choice for her. advance and get things done at “I read WMU-Cooley’s an earlier pace? Especially me, requirements for the application,” being very goal oriented and explained Cutino. “I read having that vision since I was very everything they had to offer. I young. Knowing what I want to learned about the option where do and where I want to be in life I could apply before I had my has really helped me in planning bachelor’s degree. I was only a accordingly.” semester away from getting my Looking back, Cutino admits that undergrad degree, but I already the learning has been as hard as met the qualifications in terms she imagined, but worth every bit of my GPA and LSAT scores. of struggle. I thought, ‘Why wait another semester to start anywhere else “I was working at the time when I can start a semester earlier at Regions Bank,” recalled at WMU-Cooley? I thought, “Why Cutino about her first semester not?!” as a law student. “It was very overwhelming, trying to balance

everything altogether. But looking back, it all worked out. I was able to graduate with my undergrad degree in management from USF and roll over into my education at WMU-Cooley.” On May 23, 2021, Ydelmis reached her goal to finish law school. And at the age of 21, she is one of the youngest graduates in the history of WMU-Cooley Law School.

HARD WORK AND DISCIPLINE Born and raised in Miami, Cutino moved to the Sarasota in 2016. It was her parents who immigrated to the United States in the 1980s to escape political oppression. Once here, they focused entirely on work to sustain the family. The family also placed great importance on their gifts from God and the strength of their religious beliefs. “So I am the baby in the family, and the only one at home. I know I symbolize the opportunity my parents never had. They knew my belief in God, hard work and being disciplined would open doors for me. I believe that. Anything you want in life requires discipline. If you’re not a disciplined person, it’s going to be difficult to get somewhere in a specific amount of time.” Her parents supported her in every way, and she made her parents proud at every step. She was the

“The fact that WMU-Cooley is very inclusive, regardless of your nationality, your beliefs, that was very important to me. There’s a whole bunch of diversity in this school. They are very accepting of everyone. They give everyone the same opportunity. That’s what really stood out for me about WMU-Cooley, over any other school.”

SCHOOL NEWS

valedictorian in elementary, middle and high school, including having the highest GPA of her graduating high school class. Yet Cutino points most of her success to the unwavering support of her parents. In fact, she understands that success can sometimes only come from falling down many times. The difference between success and failure is in your hard work, discipline, and a belief in yourself. “Even though I know I want to be a corporate attorney, and I know what I need to do to get there, I still need encouragement. I know that if I fall down 10 times, I will be sure to stand up 11 times. That is something that my parents have really inculcated in my way of being; my way of thinking,” asserts Cutino. “My fiancé is also a great supporter of me. He’s always there to make sure I am doing my homework and going to class. Both he and my parents are great sources of encouragement and motivation in everything I do. Whenever I feel discouraged, that self-doubt finds its way into my head, I tell myself, ‘This happened for a reason and I’m going to learn as to why I shouldn’t do that again, or how I can fix this, or how I can approach this differently next time.’ My support group has been key to helping me throughout my trajectory in school and life.”

LOOKING FORWARD Cutino’s focus on becoming a corporate attorney stems from many things, but the simple reason is because it combines both her career interests into one.

fields together – corporate and law – it definitely is something that appeals to me a lot. I have a cousin who is a practitioner, a corporate attorney, so I have been able to hear a lot of things about the opportunities and challenges as a corporate attorney. So far, everything she has said appeals to me. I can identify myself practicing for the rest of my life in this field. I also anticipate owning my own firm eventually.” That practice may also include doing business with her future husband, who is in real estate, while finishing up his education in global business. They have already discussed the possibilities. She’s excited just thinking about the possibility of, as she says, working and growing as a couple. Cutino is looking forward, but always looking back on how she has been able to accomplish so much in such little time. Her family and support system includes those at WMU-Cooley who have been there to help her succeed. Her law school family was also a great source of support. “At WMU-Cooley, what really stands out to me is the fact that everyone is very engaging and you feel like you are on the same level – your professors, your colleagues. Everyone is here for the same mission, for the same goal – and that is to succeed. They make sure you understand what’s happening, and will answer any questions.”

I N C E L E B R AT I O N O F

Dorean M. Koenig

(AUG. 1, 1934 - FEB. 3, 2021)

Trailblazer, peacemaker and a fighter for what was right. Law professor. Women’s rights advocate. Legal scholar. Never afraid to speak truth to power.

According to Cutino, that support has no limits.

“I really do enjoy studying law. I enjoy everything that the law stands for,” begins Cutino. “I also enjoy business. So the fact that I can incorporate both

SCHOOL NEWS

Joseline Hardrick: Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace Congratulations, Joseline Hardrick, Professor and Diversity Access Pipeline, Inc.’s Journey to Esquire Program Founder and President on receiving the Delano Stewart Diversity Award from the George Edgecomb Bar Association. essential to make sure that businesses don’t lose talented people merely because they felt excluded or misunderstood. In recent times, the number of women and people of color who have entered and matriculated through law school and gained admission to the bar has increased. Still, their representation And so it becomes even more important for in law firms and groups who are well represented within the courthouses throughout the United States legal field to become more familiar with those is either stagnant or decreasing. There is who are not. Not only that, these efforts are Diversity and inclusion are essential, not just for groups who have traditionally been marginalized or negatively impacted by discrimination. They benefit everyone in the workplace. As a Black woman who happens to be a lawyer, I am in a group representing only 2.3% of the lawyers in the United States. That means when I go into several spaces: from the courtroom to the boardroom to the classroom, I do not look like the legal expert my audience expects. I’ve had to overcome that bias by making sure I am prepared and professional, and I go out of my way to be seen and known.

SCHOOL NEWS

a massive “brain drain” - talent is leaving the legal profession. That trend affects us all, particularly in an industry that is slow to change and quickly aging. Therefore, a strong business case exists to continue the commitment to diversifying the legal field, particularly in the places of power like law firms, boardrooms, corporations courthouses, and law schools. There was a time when there was little or no diversity in any workplace. The legal professions in the United States, one of the most advanced countries globally, was particularly adverse to admitting women, people of color, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and foreigners. Thankfully, in recent years the legal industry has become more accepting as people, especially lawyers, understand the importance of having a diversified workplace. However, we are far from having true diversity. To bolster this trend and to maximize the positive impact of diversity, the legal industry is working towards incorporating traditional and innovative strategies. Yet, we still have a long way to go.

A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT Diversity is a relatively new phenomenon and one that is still making the rounds. If we went back to even 25 years, we would see several examples of blatant discrimination. For instance, a 2006 - ABA Commission of Women in the Profession Report - “Visible Invisibility: Women of Color in Law Firms” study found some disturbing findings. These are: Of the women of color who worked in law firms, twothirds said they had been excluded from networking opportunities. However, only 4 percent of white men had the same experience.

Almost 50 percent of the women of color had been victims of harassment and demeaning comments. In contrast, only 3 percent of white men were in the same position. Forty-four percent of the women of color did not get the assignments they wanted. Unsurprisingly, only 2 percent of the men faced the same situation. Fifty-three percent of the women of color continued to practice in law firms compared to 72 percent of white men.

IN RECENT YEARS Although we have come a long way in recent years, things have not improved drastically. In the last two decades, corporations have emphasized and made strides in having a diversified workplace. In contrast, many law firms seem stuck in the past. Though there have been efforts to reverse the trend, it seems as if most of them have not achieved the desired level of success. According to the “Bias Interrupters Project - You Can’t Change What You Can’t See: Interrupting Racial and Gender Bias in the Legal Profession,” women of color in the

legal profession continue to face bias and harassment at every level within the legal industry: Fifty-eight percent of women of color attorneys were thought to be janitorial staff. In contrast, only 7 percent of the white male lawyers reported the same. Sixty-three percent of the women of color had to go the extra mile to get the same recognition as their male colleagues Men of color and white women experience a “prove-it-again” bias at an increase of 25 percent compared to white men. Women of color experience “prove-it-again” discrimination at a much higher percentage -35 percent as compared to their counterparts Two-thirds of the women of color reported being held at a higher standard than their colleagues. This experience was also shared by the men of color and white women. Only half of women of color said that they had equal access to receiving high-quality assignments. This statistic is in contrast to 81 percent of white men. Close to three-fourths of white men believed that they received fair promotions. But only half of the women of color felt the same. Many attribute these experiences to the lack of equal opportunities in the law profession for women. They have been impacted immensely because of these practices. Even when it comes to parental leave, women suffer more dire consequences. Women of all races reported that they received far worse treatment after they had children. They received demotions, less pay, and low-quality assignments. (continued)

SCHOOL NEWS

IMPORTANCE OF DIVERSITY For the ideal functioning of the workplace, diversity has to exist and thrive. Different people with different backgrounds and skills can transform the workplace. They can do so much for the legal profession as a whole. We have to strive towards creating an environment where diversity is celebrated, not looked down on. So, what are some of the reasons behind having diversity in the legal profession? Lawyers have been given the task of ensuring equal justice under the law. If there is no diversity in the workplace, it becomes difficult to achieve justice. The background of the person influences the interpretation of the law. Since the USA is a diversified nation, it needs legal professionals that reflect that diversity and ensure the laws are written and applied in a just manner for all. Lawyers deal with sensitive issues. From rape to racial discrimination, lawyers have to be prepared for everything. For example, what if a sexual assault victim is unwilling to hire a male lawyer due to the trauma she suffered. It may not be fair or equitable for the victim to have limited options merely because of a lack of diversity.

WHAT IS BEING DONE? As firms understand the importance of having a diversified workforce, they are pushing reforms for inclusivity. Like this one firm that started the process a long time ago, but it sped up with George Floyd’s murder case. In recent months, the firm approved several initiatives to increase the proportion of lawyers of color and women. The aim is an equity partnership. Despite their efforts, the percentage of partners

who are people of color has risen only 3 percent over the last decade.

WHAT CAN BE DONE? This story is an example of just one firm that is taking a step in the right direction. There are plenty of other ways to become a more diversified workplace. The following are some of the techniques that a firm can look into: Firms can go for a more diversified recruiting practice. This strategy includes going to particular law schools where they are more likely to find women and women of color. Law firms should invest in getting diverse attorneys. This strategy does not only mean that the firms hire them but make them feel welcome. They should receive the same projects as their counterparts and should not have to worry about discrimination. Instead of making people feel that they should conform to a particular culture, celebrate the differences as this will retain more people. Diversification in the workplace is crucial. Despite being a part of the legal profession that professes to solve complex problems, much more work needs to occur to overcome this barrier. It is high-time the legal professionals “step up their game,” so to speak, and implement a more diversified workplace. Joseline Jean-Louis Hardrick is a Visiting Assistant Professor at WMUCooley Law School’s Tampa Bay campus and teaches Criminal Law and Constitutional Law. She is also the founder, president, and acting executive director of Journey to Esquire,® which runs a Scholarship & Leadership Program, blog, and podcast. Visit www.journeytoesquire. com for more information.

Faculty Briefs Tracey Brame, Associate Dean and Professor Presented, “Cultural Competency” at the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan Spring Conference, on March 12, 2020. Presented, on the “Clean Slate Act” for the Legal Aid of Western Michigan Spring Training on March 25, 2021. Presented, an overview of Michigan’s new expungement law. Featured, in “Inside Track” in the Grand Rapids Business Journal, March 19, 202, on https://grbj. com/features/inside-track/insidetrack-professor-comes-full-circle/

Erika Breitfeld, Assistant Dean and Associate Professor Coached, the Duberstein National Moot Court team, which advanced to quarterfinals at the Shapero Cup regional competition. Coached, the Welchser National Moot Court team. Coached, the New York City Bar Association National Moot Court team. Served, on the Board of Directors for the Macomb County Veterans’ Treatment Court monthly meetings. Served, on the State Bar of Michigan Access to Justice Committee in her capacity as a member. Attended, “The Impact of Race on a Criminal Case” Law Symposium at Ohio Northern University School of Law.

Mark Cooney, Professor Accepted, for publication, a chapter in the forthcoming book, “A Manual for Law Review Editors” (Carolina Academic Press). Co-presented, “30 Tips for Better Legal Drafting and Writing,” Kimble Center for Legal Drafting Annual Seminar, April 1, 2021. Notified, by the Social Science Research Network, that three of his articles made the Top Ten downloads list for the “Legal Writing eJournal.” Co-presented, “The Importance of Plain Legal Language,” WMU–Cooley Community Conversations, Oct. 22, 2020. Judged, for the National Online Moot-Court Competition. Emceed, the Law Review’s Distinguished Brief Awards Ceremony. Attended, three board meetings for Scribes—The American Society of Legal Writers.

Mary D’Isa, Distinguished Professor Emeritus Served, on the American Bar Association’s Division of Education 2021 Silver Gavel Award Screening Committee. For a list of this year’s 22 finalists, see https://www.abajournal.com/ news/article/aba-announces-22finalists-for-2021-silver-gavelawards.

Mark Dotson, Professor Submitted, 2021 Spring update for: “Stein On Personal Injury Damages.”

Joseline Hardrick, Visiting Professor Appointed, to the Federal Judicial Nominating Conference by Congresswoman Kathy Castor to serve for a four-year term to recommend candidates for U.S. Attorney, U.S. Marshal, and U.S. District Court Judges for the Middle District of Florida. Awarded, the George Edgecomb Bar Association’s Delano Stewart Award for Diversity.

Richard Henke, Professor Serving, on the Consultative Group for the American Law Institute (ALI) for the drafting of the Restatement of the Law Third, Torts: Remedies. Attended, on Nov. 13, 2020, a virtual draft conference. This project is in its early stages, and initial drafts are underway.

Joseph Kimble, Distinguished Professor Emeritus Named, to the Michigan Lawyers Weekly Hall of Fame Class for 2021. The award recognizes Michigan legal leaders for their successful careers and valuable contributions to the community.

Published, in the Michigan Bar Journal’s Plain Language column, an article called “Some Examples from the Proposed New Federal Rules of Bankruptcy.” Professor Kimble is a drafting consultant on the multiyear project to completely redraft the Bankruptcy Rules. Published, an article in Court Review called “The Value of Intuition in Judging: A Case Study.” Published, his latest “Redlines” column in Judicature, the scholarly journal for judges. The column was called “At Least Do the Easy Stuff.” Spoke, virtually at the 2020 Summit of PLAIN, the Plain Language Action and Information Network of Federal Government Employees. His talk was called “Flimsy Claims for Legalese and False Criticisms of Plain Language: A 20-Year Collection.” Spoke, with Professor Mark Cooney, at a WMU–Cooley Community Conversation on “The Importance of Plain Legal Language.” Spoke, at the virtual annual meeting of the Michigan Academy of Science, Arts & Letters. He discussed courts› runaway use of lay dictionaries in deciding cases. Spoke, along with Professor Mark Cooney and Professor David Barry (University of Michigan Law School), at the second public seminar sponsored by the Kimble Center for Legal Drafting. The virtual seminar had over 345 registrants from around the world. Accepted, an invitation to give a keynote address at the joint international conference of Clarity, the Center for Plain Language, and the Plain Language Association International. He will speak on the medical power of attorney developed by the Kimble Center for Legal Drafting. Accepted, an invitation to speak at the 2021 Legislation and Law Reform Conference.

Faculty Briefs Contributed, a short segment to a video with the recollections of persons who were involved in helping to get passed the Plain Writing Act in 2010. Among other things, he testified before the House Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs. Attended, the virtual annual meeting of Scribes—The American Society of Legal Writers. Professor Kimble has served on the Board of Directors since 2001. Attended, the virtual winter meeting of the Standing Committee on Federal Rules. Marked, the end of his 20th year as the membership secretary for Clarity—An International Association Promoting Plain Legal Language. WMU-Cooley has been home to Clarity’s administrative office during all that time.

Matthew Marin, Visiting Professor Presented, “Compassion in Law School: Post-COVID-19 Implications” for Hamilton Lugar School Symposium on Jan. 14, 2021. Co-Presented, “Remote Teaching Methods: Best Practices,” for the New England Consortium of Academic Support Professionals (NECASP) Annual Conference on March 26, 2021. Published, “Leading with Compassion: Reflections on PostCOVID-19 Legal Education,” in The Learning Curve, AALS Section of Academic Support.

Marla MitchellCichon, Distinguished Professor Emeritus Attended, State Bar of Michigan, Unconscious Decision-Making Training, December 2020. Attended, Multicultural Lawyering Conference, March 11-12, 2021. Presented, “The ABC’s of DNA and When To Know You Are Over Your Head,” to the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan Fall Conference, Oct. 16, 2020. Served, as graduation speaker, WMU-Cooley Stephen Johnson Fields Class, Nov. 15, 2020. Hosted, WMU-Cooley Community Conversation, Black History Month, Feb. 21, 2021. Served, as panelist, for the WMUCooley Review Symposium on Governmental Immunity and Police Reform, March 18, 2021.

Kimberly O’Leary, Professor Published, with fellow faculty member Mable Martin-Scott, a textbook, “Multicultural Lawyering: Navigating the Culture of the Law, the Lawyer, and the Client” (Carolina Academic Press, 2021). This is a textbook for a course O’Leary and Scott developed called Multicultural Lawyering. Moderated, along with fellow faculty member Mable MartinScott, a WMU-Cooley hosted online conference March 11-12, 2021 called Teaching Multicultural Lawyering: Development, Integration, and Conversation. The two also moderated a session on Developing and Teaching a Multicultural Lawyering course.

Yolonda Sewell, Visiting Professor Obtained, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Workplace Certificate, University of South Florida. Invited, to present at the Association of Academic Support Educators National Conference, “Bringing Our Whole Selves to Our Work.” Authored, a blog “YouSoup,” for Academic Support Blog. Interviewed, by The Pillar, “An Interview with Professor Yolonda Sewell: Texas, Bar Preparation, and Crossword Puzzles,” (Volume 8, Issue 2). Served, as small group facilitator, for an online conference, Teaching Multicultural Lawyering: Development, Integration and Conversation for WMU-Cooley Law School, March 11-12, 2021. Selected, to serve on American Association of Law Schools Academic Support Section’s programming committee. Co-authored, organizational AntiRacist Statement for Association of Academic Support Educators. Selected, to serve on Association of Academic Support Educators Covid-19 Task Force.

Otto Stockmeyer, Distinguished Professor Emeritus Published, “Justice Cardozo’s Supreme Court Confirmation,” Social Science Research Network (Nov. 6, 2020). Available at https://ssrn.com/ abstract=3726311 Published, “The Uniform Bar Exam is Coming to Michigan,” in the Detroit Legal News (Dec. 16, 2021). Available at http:// legalnews.com/detroit/1494706/ Published, “How to Maximize Your Article’s Impact,” in Labor and Employment Lawnotes (Winter 2021). Available at https://issuu. com/stockmen/docs/lawnotes Blogged, “Legal Reasoning? It’s All About IRAC,” in the ABA’s Before the Bar blog (March 9, 2021). Available at https://abaforlawstudents. com/2021/03/09/legal-reasoningits-all-about-irac/

Class Notes 1976

1981

1989

1994

1996

Campbell Class

Dethmers Class

Copeland Class

Ostrander Class

Black Class

Bronson, The Hon. Terrance, retired in 2019 after 30 years as a District Court Judge in Monroe County, Michigan. He founded the Monroe County Veterans Treatment Court. Judge Bronson is a veteran, a retired Naval Reserve Captain, Surface Line Officer. He was appointed to the Michigan Military Appeals Tribunal, an appellate court governing appeals from courts martial convictions within Michigan jurisdiction. He has been acting as a visiting judge in various jurisdictions since retirement.

Samuels, James, owner of Samuels Law Firm, PLLC, in Big Rapids, Michigan, was appointed to the state’s Mental Health Diversion Council. He is a member of the faculty and the board of the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan.

Goodenough, Brian, an attorney with Foster, Swift, Collins, and Smith, P.C., was selected by his peers for inclusion in “The Best Lawyers in America 2021.” He focuses in the areas of Insurance Law, LitigationMunicipal, Litigation-Real Estate, and Worker’s Compensation LawEmployers.

Godwin, Angeline (Dvorak), is retiring as president of Patrick Henry Community College in Henry County, Virginia. She was vice president for research and economic development at the University of Southern Mississippi 2002-2004, founding CEO/president of the Mississippi Technology Alliance in 2000, president of Ashland Community College in Kentucky 19972000, and dean of arts and sciences of Jackson State Community College in Tennessee 1994-97.

Field Foster, Monique C. (Pointer), senior counsel at Warner Norcrosss + Judd, was named to the board of directors at Peckham, Inc., in Lansing, Michigan. She concentrates her practice on all facets of government affairs.

Dwyer, Philip Joseph, has retired from his practice, The Law Office of Philip J. Dwyer in East Lansing, Michigan. He practiced civil and criminal law and was assisted at times by his daughter, Rosie C. (Dwyer) Clark (Reid Class, 2006). 1978

1981

Kavanagh Class Lawless, The Hon. Janelle, retired in December 2020 after 18 years on the bench. She was a judge for the 30h Circuit Court in Ingham County, Michigan. She served as the court’s Chief Judge, Chief Judge Pro Tem, and Presiding Judge of the Family Division. Judge Lawless inaugurated the Family Dependency Treatment Court (now called the Family Recovery Court) in 2007 to address substance abuse issues in child protection cases.

Kelly Class

1985

Ploucha, Lawrence, Of Counsel with Buchanan Ingersoll Rooney, in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, received the Federal Aviation Administration Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award.

T. Smith Class Lowney, Stephen J., an attorney with Foster, Swift, Collins, and Smith, P.C., was selected by his peers for inclusion in “The Best Lawyers in America 2021.” He focuses in the area of Employee Benefits (ERISA) law.

1989

Douglass Class Millenbach, Paul J., an attorney with Foster, Swift, Collins, and Smith, P.C., was selected by his peers for inclusion in “The Best Lawyers in America 2021.” He focuses in the areas of Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions-Defendants 1993

Moore Class Chernich, Scott, an attorney with Foster, Swift, Collins, and Smith, P.C., was selected by his peers for inclusion in “The Best Lawyers in America 2021.” He focuses in the areas of Banking and Finance Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law.

Harter, The Hon. Mathew, was reelected in 2020 to a third term as a District Court judge, Family Division, Clark County, Las Vegas, Nevada. He and wife Brandie have eight children and five grandchildren. 1994

Williams Class Williams, Scott M., was appointed Ogemaw County (Michigan) Probate and Family Court Judge by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Prior to the appointment he had served as Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Ogemaw County for 16 years.

1999

Weadock Class Jimenez, Michael, a partner with Scarinci Hollenbeck in New Jersey, was nominated by Gov. Phil Murphy to serve as a Superior Court Judge in Hudson County. Jimenez serves as the Guttenberg town attorney, special counsel to the North Bergen Board of Education, and labor counsel to the Hudson County Schools of Technology. He has also served as counsel to school boards in Weehawken and Fairview and as municipal prosecutor in several North Jersey towns.

Class Notes 2000

2003

Cushing Class

Toy Class

Leach, The Hon. George W., of Columbus, Ohio, was elected judge of the Franklin County Common Pleas Court Domestic Relations/ Juvenile Division for a six-year term. His practice has focused on criminal defense and family law. He also is an oil painter and many of his paintings are hanging in the Franklin County Courthouse and surrounding county courthouses.

Maitland, Maurice, is the principal attorney at Maurice Maitland Law Firm, in Ansonia, Connecticut. His practice focuses primarily on Social Security claims appeals, immigration, police brutality, and criminal cases.

2002

T. Johnson Class Downs, Timothy, was named to the economic development team of Thomas & Hutton in Charlotte, North Carolina, as the firm’s Regional Director for North Carolina Economic Development. He most recently served as the Senior Vice President of Economic Development for the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce where he was responsible for all aspects of economic development for Durham County

2005

Boyles Class Sheppard, Alfreda, a partner with Watson Spence in Georgia, was elected to serve a two-year term on the firm’s management committee. She focuses her practice in the areas of civil litigation, employment law and liability litigation, and product liability litigation. 2007

Fisher Class Baker, The Hon. M. Brandon, was appointed to the bench Oct. 29, 2019 by Missouri Gov. Mike Parson. He was sworn in Nov. 1, 2019 and will complete the remainder of the six-year term of the prior judge, who retired. He will have to run for reelection in 2024. Judge Baker is the Circuit and Presiding Judge of the 27th Judicial Circuit in Missouri. Previously, he was in private practice with his father (J.D. Baker) and brother (Blane Baker).

Hudon, Kathleen, was recognized as both a Santa Rosa County (Florida) Woman of the Year and a 2020 Pensacola Rising Star. Also in 2020, she earned her eighth degree, an MBA from the University of Florida. Hudon serves as a Pathways Navigator with the Department of Education for the state of Florida, and as Director of Student Affairs at Pensacola State College. 2007

Boston Class Hoover, Jeffrey A., of Howard and Howard, has been selected as an M&A All Star Advisor of the Year by the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) Detroit. Hoover, who practices out of the firm’s Royal Oak, Michigan, office, concentrates his practice in the areas of business transactions and corporate matters, including mergers, acquisitions and reorganizations of business entities, corporate finance, commercial lending, and real estate. He was also named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s inaugural class of Michigan’s Go-To Business Lawyers. The newly launched program recognizes the top 20 lawyers across the state in a given practice area as nominated by their peers.

2008

2011

CJ Adams Class

Sibley Class

Genovich, Laura, an attorney with Foster, Swift, Collins, and Smith, P.C., was selected by her peers for inclusion in “The Best Lawyers in America 2021.” She focuses in the areas of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation-Bankruptcy, Municipal Law.

Alomari, Mohammed, an attorney with Azimuth Legal Services, PLLC, in Southfield, Michigan, serves on the city of Sterling Heights, Michigan’s Ethnic Community Committee.

2009

Coleman Class Buontempo, Colleen R. (McClafferty), was promoted by Brach Eichler LLC, in Roseland, New Jersey, from associate attorney to counsel. She represents clients primarily in PIP arbitration. 2009

Souris Class Griffith, Justin L., was elected in November 2020 to be the Commonwealth’s Attorney of Pulaski County, Virginia. 2010

Witherell Class Moss, Maurice, an attorney with City Utilities of Springfield (Missouri), was named to the Missouri Lawyers Media Diversity and Inclusion List for 2021.

2011

Chipman Class Barlaskar, Abe, a partner with Plunkett Cooney in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, was named to the 2020 Class of Up & Coming Lawyers by Michigan Lawyers Weekly. He is a member of Plunkett Cooney’s Torts & Litigation and Transportation Law practice groups. Hohmeier, John, an attorney with Scarfone & Geen, P.C., in Madison Heights, Michigan, was named a Rising Star for 2020 by Super Lawyers. Tomasik, Mark, was promoted to vice president & deputy general counsel at DP Fox Ventures, which owns and operates over 30 car dealerships in Michigan and Illinois and the Grand Rapids Griffins AHL Hockey team.

2012

2013

2014

Ellsworth Class

Moore Class

Duvall Class

Charles, Lindsay Blessinger, earned her LL.M. in Elder Law with honors from Stetson University College of Law on Dec. 4, 2020. Lindsay and her husband, Steven Charles (Ellsworth Class, 2012) recently celebrated their five-year anniversary as elder law attorneys at their law firm, Sheets, Charles & Charles, in Evansville, Indiana.

Toburen, Mike, a solo practitioner at Toburen Law PLC, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, was named as one of the Up and Coming Lawyers for 2020 by Michigan Lawyers Weekly. The award is given to 25 lawyers in the state of Michigan who are in their first 10 years of practice.

Kucsan, Sara, an attorney with Lyons & Associates, P.C., in New Jersey, was named to the 2021 Rising Stars List. She practices family law.

Vergara, Claire D., joined Plunkett Cooney’s Transportation Law Practice Group as an associate attorney who will handle first- and third-party motor vehicle insurance claims. Zamler, Julie, has joined Burris Law in Detroit, Michigan, as a patent attorney. She focuses in patent preparation and prosecution. 2012

Washington Class Mennie, John, an associate at the Illinois personal injury law firm of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, P.C., was named an Illinois Super Lawyer Rising Star for 2021. He concentrates his practice on cases concerning serious personal injury, medical malpractice and products liability.

Warrick, Yeneisha, was appointed to a threeyear term as a municipal court judge in Newark, New Jersey. Previously, she worked in the city’s Office of The Municipal Prosecutors. 2014

Todd Class Kuzmich, John M., joined Plunkett Cooney’s Transportation Law Practice Group as an associate attorney who will handle first- and third-party motor vehicle insurance claims. He is a member of the firm’s Detroit office. Madej, Stephen, an attorney with Scarfone & Geen, P.C., in Madison Heights, Michigan, was named a Rising Star for 2020 by Super Lawyers.

WMU-Cooley encourages all graduates to contribute information to Class Notes. We want to learn about your law career and other accomplishments in the legal profession. E-mail communications@cooley.edu

2015

Story Class Ollie, Callana (Davis), was named Chief Legal Officer for the Oakland Community Health Network. 2017

Vinson Class Rivet, Joseph, opened Rivet Health Law in St. Clair Shores, Michigan in July 2020, serving national clients. His practice area specializes in healthcare reimbursement and compliance matters. He is a speaker and author regarding health care issues, publishing his third book, “E/M Auditing: A Stepby-Step Guide to Updated Coding, Reimbursement, and Compliance,” in January 2021. Samuels, Stephanie, authored a book, “Your New Career in Environmentalism: The Ultimate Guide to Finding and Getting That Dream Job.” 2017

Warren Class Winquist, Natalie, joined the firm of Smith, Haughey, Rice & Roegge, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as an associate attorney. She focuses on medical malpractice defense litigation.

In Memoriam 1980

North Class Greene, John R., 79, died Jan. 21, 2021. He was a career assistant prosecuting attorney for Genesee County, retiring in 2007. He represented children in family court and drug court, and served as a mentor for the State Bar of Michigan Lawyers and Judges Assistance Program. 1981

Kavanagh Class Haynes, The Hon. Janet, 75, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, died Dec. 16, 2020. She was a Kent County, Michigan Probate Court Judge, appointed by Gov. James Blanchard in 1988, and elected for each term thereafter. She retired in 2006 as Chief Judge of the court. 1982

Wing Class Carolan, Therese, 76, died Oct. 22, 2020, following a long battle with cancer. She was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Spain, but opted to join the Peace Corps and served in Chile. She practiced law in Michigan and California until an accident some 30 years ago cut short her career. Ferency, Michael John (Mike), 72, died Dec. 25, 2020, in St. Johns, Michigan. He was an assistant prosecuting attorney for Ingham County, Michigan, for over 20 years. 1990

Witherell Class Druback, Denise, 59, of Wall Township, New Jersey, died Nov. 23, 2020, of ovarian cancer. 1999

Flannigan Class Purcell, Thomas, 72, of Mundy Township, Michigan, died Jan. 3, 2021, of Multiple Myeloma cancer, from service-related exposure to herbicide during the Vietnam War. He operated a law practice in Flint, Michigan, before becoming disabled in 2007. Previously he worked for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. 2007

Boston Class Kurtycz, Robert F., 51, of Portage, Michigan, died Sept. 30, 2020. He practiced law in west Michigan.

300 S. Capitol Ave. Lansing, MI 48933 Change Service Requested

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

Thomas M. Cooley Law School

Join the ranks of WMU-Cooley’s top supporters with a membership in the Cooley Society. Membership is extended to individuals or organizations whose lifetime giving to the law school reaches $2,500 or more. to Us! is FUNdraiser Eventat cooley.edu/giving. Give or Making aCheers donation easy. Start September 16, 2021 pledge your tax deductible contribution today! Wine Down This Fall. Join President and Dean ho hom omas James McGrath, Senior Vice President Paul Zelenski, Cooley C l and your fellow alumni at our next “Cheers to Us” ociety FUNdraiser as we Wine Down this Fall. Not only can

M. TM S the

you enjoy spending time with friends, you can feel good about supporting scholarships for students at the same time. The first 10 people to purchase a ticket to this virtual event will receive a special gift~ Hurry and get yours now!

Go to the Alumni Events page on the website at cooley. edu/alumni/events to get your tickets, or feel free to contact the Alumni Office at alumni@cooley.edu.

Join us! Thursday, 9. 16. 2021 5:30 pm $250 per househhold (link to follow by email)