Benchmark | Winter 2016

Benchmark

WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY THOMAS M. COOLEY LAW SCHOOL ALUMNI MAGAZINE | WINTER 2016

GORDON BOARDMAN in front of his most recent canvas entitled To Lift the Form from Darkened Space.

WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY THOMAS M. COOLEY LAW SCHOOL ALUMNI MAGAZINE | WINTER 2016

Letter from

Contents

WMU-Cooley Benchmark EDITOR Terry Carella CO-EDITOR Sharon Matchette CONTRIBUTING WRITERS SeyferthPR seyferthpr.com DESIGN Image Creative Group imagecreativegroup.com PHOTOGRAPHY Tom Gennara, Boardman Mike Shuster, PricewaterhouseCoopers Terry Carella, Hudson and Farah SUBMISSIONS Benchmark seeks story ideas from graduates on a variety of subjects such as graduate achievements, international experiences, cultural diversity, legal information helpful to practitioners, unique law practices, advice to prospective law students, and special events. If you would like to share a story idea, please write, call, or e-mail: Communications Office WMU-Cooley Law School 300 S. Capitol Ave. Lansing, MI 48933 (517) 371-5140 ext. 2916 Fax: (517) 334-5780 communications@cooley.edu cooley.edu Benchmark is published twice a year by the administrative offices of Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, 300 S. Capitol Ave., Lansing, MI 48933 ALUMNI DATABASE The user name will always remain the word alumni. The password changes are disclosed in Benchmark on the inside front cover. Please call the Alumni Relations Office at 517-371-5140, ext. 2038, or e-mail alumni@cooley.edu if you have any problems.

The current password for this term is practice.

Features Winter 2016

A Beautiful Gift This issue of Benchmark prominently features our dear friend, alumnus and nationally renowned artist Gordon Boardman, who has made a monumental gift commitment to the Law School.

Through his estate plan, Gordon is leaving one of the largest gifts the Law School has ever received. But the financial value of the gift is not its most gratifying part.

What moves us is the fact that Gordon is entrusting to our Law School much of his life’s work – a collection of more than 400 paintings. The Boardman Collection will make the Law School’s already outstanding art collection even more formidable.

We will catalog, preserve, house, and proudly display these beautiful paintings to be enjoyed by students, faculty, staff, and guests at each of our campuses.

President LeDuc has appointed Pamela Heos as curator of the Boardman Collection. Many of you know Pamela from her work as Director of Alumni and Donor Relations, manager of our Cooley Society donor recognition organization, executive secretary of the WMU-Cooley Law School Alumni Association, and organizer of dozens of alumni events around the nation annually. Adding to that assignment, Pamela will now employ her background in art, art history, and museum practice to ensure that the Boardman Collection becomes a vital part of the beauty of our campuses.

Sincerely,

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GORDON BOARDMAN: JOURNEY OF LOVE AND FAITH A dedicated graduate of WMU-Cooley Law School, at age 85, Boardman shares his incredible journey of love and faith and makes a significant bequest to the law school.

PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS Four WMU-Cooley Law School graduates practice their skill at the second largest professional services firm in the world, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

ANDREW HUDSON: ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL WMU-Cooley graduate and Western Michigan University education graduate Andrew Hudson never guessed he would be working as an assistant attorney general in Lansing.

James D. Robb Associate Dean of External Affairs and Senior Counsel

WMU-COOLEY BOARD OF DIRECTORS Lawrence P. Nolan Chairman of the Board Nolan, Thomsen & Villas, P.C. Eaton Rapids, Michigan Hon. Louise Alderson Vice Chairman of the Board 54A District Court Lansing, Michigan James W. Butler, III Urban Revitalization Division Mich. State Housing Development Auth.

Lansing, Michigan Thomas W. Cranmer Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Troy, Michigan

Scott A. Dienes Foster Swift Collins & Smith St. Joseph, Michigan

Ho​n.​Stephen J. Markman Michigan Supreme Court Lansing, Michigan

Hon. Bart Stupak Venable, LLP Washington, D.C.

Sharon M. Hanlon Zelman & Hanlon, PA Naples, Florida

Kenneth V. Miller Millennium Restaurant Group, LLC Kalamazoo, Michigan

Dennis A. Swan Sparrow Hospital & Health System Lansing, Michigan

Don LeDuc President and Dean Western Michigan University Cooley Law School Lansing, Michigan ​ on​.​Jane E. Markey H Michigan Court of Appeals Grand Rapids, Michigan

James C. Morton Morton Karrass LLP Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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JIM FLINN: FROM HOSPITAL SECURITY OFFICER TO LEADING TWO ARIZONA HOSPITALS A former Marine, Jim Flinn started work as an attorney in hospitals in California after earning his law degree. Now he is CEO of St. Luke’s Medical Center, the largest hospital in greater Phoenix.

Edward H. Pappas Dickinson Wright PLLC Troy, Michigan Hon. Richard F. Suhrheinrich U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit Lansing, Michigan

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GORDON BOARDMAN, MARSTON CLASS, 1978

BY TERRY CARELLA

Gordon is a very private, modest and gentle man, with abounding gifts. He has a spirituality of kindness that radiates when he speaks, and is vividly illustrated in his art, his music, and with others. His extraordinary creativity and talent speaks from his soul, and is expressed from his heart.

In looking back at the 1995 Benchmark story, Gordon was retired from his career as an attorney and classical pianist, and following his passion to be a full-time Abstract Expressionist painter.

The story talked about his immense and “inexhaustible creative drive” whose “abstract acrylics of sweeping color and form” were “catching the eye of more than a few critics and galleries.” His work had already been featured in more than 12 group exhibitions, from Detroit to New York, winning superlatives from critics across the nation.

Gordon’s influence and hero was Matisse. “No artist soars higher for me than Henri Matisse,” proclaimed Gordon in the 1995 story. “He evolved beyond the Impressionistic work of his peers and became far more suggestive in his art than depictionoriented. This pioneering approach fascinated me.” Even today, Gordon is influenced by Matisse’s work. “It is his superb use of color that I attempt to emulate in my own paintings.”

OCTOGENARIAN’S JOURNEY OF

Love and Faith

In Trinity Term 1995, Gordon Charles Boardman was the featured graduate on the cover of WMU-Cooley Law School’s Benchmark alumni magazine. Twenty years later, and at the age of 85, Benchmark features Gordon again to share his incredible journey of love and faith, and to honor a significant bequest he has made to WMU-Cooley Law School.

But why a law degree when it appeared that his talent and educational background were in the creative arts?

“Because I had to eat,” smiled Gordon. “I had to make a living, and you can’t eat canvas. I had to work, and I started looking at other careers of interest.”

In 1972, Gordon came to Lansing, Michigan, to pursue a job opening in government relations to supplement his living while he intermittently worked on his art. He had heard that Judge Thomas E. Brennan started a law school in downtown Lansing and got to thinking about going himself after a couple colleagues mentioned that they were planning to enroll in Cooley’s evening program. Gordon wondered if law school was for him. “It might be a good fit for me since I worked with the legislature,” he thought. “I was in government relations. A law degree would allow me to be legislative counsel. I did a lot of testifying at committee hearings.” (continued)

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GORDON BOARDMAN, OCTOGENARIAN’S JOURNEY OF LOVE AND FAITH

“And I feel that painting is my story. It is the ultimate expression for me. I can say more with color and space and gesture and imagery than I could ever do using just the English language. That to me is my motivation. I feel I still have a story to tell, and that’s why I continue to paint.”

GORDON BOARDMAN

So it seemed to be a logical career decision for him.

Gordon graduated from Cooley with honors in 1978, and remembers the day fondly. “My “But I was concerned if this parents were able to make that was something I could do at ceremony,” he recalled. “Here this point in my life. Would I be I was, nearing 50, and there considered a candidate? I was they both were, just as proud of told ‘possibly.’” me as ever. It was important, I That was enough for Gordon. At think, to me and to them that I the age of 43, he began taking attained my juris doctor while classes at the young law school they were still living. I’ll never in January of 1975, while work- forget the looks on their faces.” ing with the legislature by day.

Gordon passed the Michigan bar on his first try, then worked “I wasn’t sure I’d have the stamina to pursue the degree,” in a law office in the nearby Michigan Tower building.

Gordon remembers. “I knew

“I don’t tout the law thing, because people wanted to label me as a lawyer who paints,” he explained. “But I’m not. I’m a painter who happened to be a lawyer.”

Yet Gordon had many other responsibilities.

“I looked after both of my parents who were in Madison,” recalled Gordon. “I brought them with me, and took care of “Even though I can’t say that my mother in my home in East law has pervaded my artwork, I Lansing until she died from think it’s there in some degree,” cancer. My aunt and my father shared Gordon on whether his lived with me too. I also had a legal background influences brother who was ill, and I lost his work today. “The sense him prematurely. I had planned of organizing my thoughts in to care for my aunt in East terms of what I’m going to do Lansing until she died, but she imagery-wise gives me a different insisted that I needed to go. She sensibility because of my told me, ‘You move and find your experience in law. I had to learn own place.’ So I did. I moved to what a commitment it was, so “I met many wonderful people a different form of language. I Kalamazoo.”

I set aside any other plans I through my work, and they knew had four years of Latin in high had and stayed with it for three of Cooley,” recalled Gordon.

Despite his heavy family school, and I loved language. I years – no vacations, nothing.

When I reminisce with Don responsibilities, Gordon managed feel the law degree enhanced my I won’t say I could ever do it (LeDuc) when we have lunch, to keep up with his painting. whole take on life. And so, it’s again — it was arduous — but we found we knew a number of there, and I’m very glad that I I had wonderful professors, not “I had been able to establish a people in the legislature, not the pursued it and achieved it.” the least of whom were Don good rapport with a New York least of them Governor Milliken, LeDuc and John Rooney.” gallery (Denise Bibro Fine Art), whom I knew and for whom I For Gordon though, it was about and I’ve been with them 20 served on a special Financial his art. About how precious and Despite the fact that Gordon years now,” stated Gordon. “So I Institutions Commission. It was sacred painting is to him. “My felt ill at ease being nearly had a New York gallery that was a big help to have law as part life is the impetus for my art, my two decades older than the interested in my work. I had a of my knowledge, along with a art for my life,” he declared in average student, he was not good rapport with the Kalamazoo sense of academia. I also can the 1995 Benchmark article. intimidated in terms of his Institute of Art. And the take credit for some legislation ability to absorb data and his Gordon’s commitments went far Muskegon Museum of Art also that was achieved. I had a 37intellectual capacity. beyond his love of art. liked my work. I had won awards. year career with the companies I I took the grand prize in St. “I didn’t write as quickly as worked with, so that was a long “Of course, my purpose of Joseph in 1993, and then again these younger students,” career in its own right in finance retirement was to be able to here at the Kalamazoo Institute Gordon admitted, “but I was and insurance, and my law devote my full time to my in 1999, and had several equally adept at reciting and degree helped me immensely painting,” Gordon clarified. honorable mentions at Muskegon did a pretty good job at case in that.”

“I already had my studio in and at other forums, so it all gave rendering. I was able to stay Kalamazoo that I had begun in me a lot of assurance in what I abreast with it long enough to 1990, and Richard (Wills), my was doing and affirmation that I graduate with distinction. Even life partner, lived there for his should continue. with the ups and downs, work. I wanted to be near him.”

I persevered.”

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I still feel there’s enough momentum to what I’m doing, enough favorable feedback, so that I feel that I have no choice but to continue. And I’ve done that for two decades. As you can see, I’m still quite prolific.”

The joy of painting and his music also overlapped for Gordon. As a classical pianist, he remembered fondly how he and his father shared that magical love for music. And how it has influenced him every day.

“Music is very important to me, and I believe it shows itself all the time in my work,” reflected Gordon. “I feel that there’s a sense of music, and form, and rhythm of movement, that the two overlap and need each other.

I don’t think I could do what I do without music.”

Richard, a highly regarded speech pathologist in the area and devoted member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, died suddenly in the spring of 2007. “We found out that he had pancreatic cancer, and it was seven weeks from diagnosis to death. It was devastating.”

20s; Gordon a budding artist; Richard a performance artist at the time (theatre and ballet).

“I did not know if I could ever get back to painting, even though Richard encouraged me to do so,” shared Gordon.

“That was the day the music stopped,” teared up Gordon.

In fact, Gordon always had music “I’ve never played anything in playing in his art studio when he Gordon never left Richard’s the studio since then. But I’ve was creating. side during those seven weeks. learned there’s wonderful music Father James Croom from St. Until the day he lost Richard. in silence, and I’ve decided Luke’s married the longtime that that was even a higher couple while Richard was in (continued) hospice. The two met in their

Gordon with his life partner, Richard Wills.

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Gordon still rents out studio space in the Park Trades Center in Kalamazoo – the same space he has rented since 1990.

yet much is the same.

Gordon does not, and will not, use a computer; preferring conversation in person, on the phone or in a letter.

level of music for me. So I feel a sense of music, even in silence. There are breaks, even in music. If you didn’t have some silent parts, you’d go stark raving mad. So I’ve learned it’s with the silence that I’ve grown as an artist. I’ve had silence in my studio for nine years now, and I feel it’s been an enabler of finer work for myself.”

“We work on the finest things,” shared Gordon. “We work on Brahms and Beethoven and Mozart — works that are performed by concert pianists. For me, there’s a poem by Robert Browning that says ‘A man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what is heaven for?’ And so I certainly do that in my music and my art.

CROSSING THE BRIDGE TO A FURTHER AND MORE HOPEFUL SHORE

“I never allow myself to stay static; my work continually evolves. I push myself to go further than where I am. A lot of my work — particularly after first losing Richard — had him, portraiture-wise, in the piece in many ways. He still pops into my pieces.

But slowly, over many years, with the help of loving and caring friends, especially Daniel Koshelnyk, their piano teacher, Richard’s professional colleague Laura Getty, and Pastor Jim Dyke who spoke at Richard’s funeral, Gordon did return to his studio, and to life.

“It is impossible to speak of any work I have done since this time without expressing the importance of Richard’s presence in this journey of painting.

He was so much a part of my painting life before his death, and I draw much strength from his memory spiritually.”

Even though Gordon works in his studio in silence, he continues to immerse himself in music at home. He has two grand pianos and studies with his piano teacher once a week.

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Everything has changed,

“It pleases me to see my work evolve. I wouldn’t be happy putting out work just because somebody thought it would sell. But I push myself — you can take works that are two or three years apart and see quite a giant step in how it’s changed in imagery. I jump back and forth with some figuration in my work, always.

“But my present work is leaning more and more abstract. That doesn’t mean you can’t see a form — perhaps a figure, a face or something — in some of the work, that’s always there. But my current trend is, I think, more and more

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Gordon uses his 1960 Smith Corona typewriter for all his letters and correspondence.

abstract, which, to me, really adheres to the true definition of Abstract Expressionism, which is allowing yourself the freedom to let whatever happens on the canvas happen, without any sense of representation or limitation.

“That’s how I drive myself. I hope that I always have a reservoir of creativity within me that allows it. So far I have.

I sometimes think, ‘well maybe this will run out,’ or ‘maybe this will get stale,’ but I haven’t reached that point. And that’s kind of a gift for an octogenarian!”

Gordon has kept a journal for 53 years; an autobiographical testament to what he does.

“I don’t expect anyone to read it — no one can read my handwriting,” laughed Gordon. “But it’s a discipline area for me. I’ll look back and notice that I always had worries, even when I was very young. I still have worries. I believe things happen in life to cause you worry. So I share them with my diary, and it is part of the narrative of my life, which is a good accompaniment to what I’m doing in art and music.”

It can be said that Gordon’s life has

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Every Wednesday at noon, Gordon attends church at St. Luke’s to honor his life with Richard. He reads a Bible passage before the priest reads the Holy Gospel and leads the singing of a hymn which he accompanies on the piano.

taken him down many paths; some intended, some destined. But it is his art that lights the road along the way.

“My work often speaks of a journey — a passageway leading to a space beyond and always to a more promising destination,” philosophized Gordon. “It is like crossing the bridge to a further and more hopeful shore.”

“And I feel that painting is my story. It is the ultimate expression for me. I can say more with color and space and gesture and imagery than I could ever do using just the English language. That to me is my motivation. I feel I still have a story to tell, and that’s why I continue to paint.”

A GIFT OF AFFECTION AND REMEMBRANCE “It’s not an easy question; to whom would I entrust my life’s work, with all that goes along with that,” Gordon responded when asked why he made the decision to bequeath his substantial art collection to WMU-Cooley in his estate plan. “There are easily 400-500 pieces of major work — some of them as large as 9-feet by 6 feet and some even larger — most of them framed.”

“I reviewed it with my estate attorney,” said Gordon, and I decided that I wanted to give Cooley right of first refusal.”

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Gordon uses the same chair in his studio, purchased in Chicago 50 years ago, held together lovingly by duct tape.

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Gordon still wears his 1978 Cooley class ring today.

“I have a sense of confidence and trust in Cooley,” answered Gordon. “I know in my heart that Cooley will perpetuate my life’s work with the utmost care and integrity, with the highest possible standard. And that feels good while I’m still non-posthumous.”

GORDON BOARDMAN

“Of course I had wonderful experiences with many people from Cooley over the decades,” continued Gordon. “Lots of names come to mind, but when Don LeDuc visited my studio, it must have been in the early 2000s, I was impressed that he took the time to come to Kalamazoo.

I told him during his visit that if he saw a painting he would like, I would give it to the law school. So he took me at my word, and he narrowed his choice down. The piece he chose had been in an exhibit in New York City with the Bibro gallery, and it had considerable recognition.”

“I had the warm sense that the school was empathetic to my artwork,” said Gordon.

“I could have donated to others, but I had such a long-standing relationship with Cooley, and I was much more comfortable with my work staying in Michigan. It made sense to me.”

That original donation to the law school, a large-scale piece Gordon called Trifurcatedly Separate But Equal, still hangs on the same wall of the Lansing campus lobby where the first Cooley Art Unveiling ceremony was held on Feb. 27, 2003. It was, in fact, Gordon’s art and donation that was the spark and inspiration behind Don LeDuc’s idea to formalize the WMU-Cooley Art at Cooley Fund. The plaque describes the law school’s interpretation of the Triptych, where it found three levels of symbolism in the painting; the Constitutional doctrine of separate-but-equal principle, America’s three separate and independent branches of government, and the three Michigan campuses.

Find out more about the Art at WMU-Cooley collection by visiting the law school’s official blog page at cooleylawschoolblog.com.

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WMU-COOLEY LAW GRADUATES JUSTIN CALL, ANDREW LANE, JENNIFER PAILLON, AND ALBERT ROBISON AT PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS

Justin Call (Coleman Class, 2009), Andrew Lane (Sharpe Class, 2008), Jennifer Paillon (Trimble Class, 2015), and Albert (A.J.) Robison (Johnson Class, 2013) are among the nearly 200 professionals who make up PwC’s tax practice for the company’s greater Michigan market.

PwC is a network of firms in 157 countries with more than 200,000 employees. In Michigan, PwC has over 800 employees working in three core lines of service: tax, assurance, and advisory. When PwC’s Detroit office needs to fill the ranks in its tax division, Tim Pratcshler, principal in PwC’s state and local tax group, focuses his attention on recruiting top talent from colleges and universities, including law schools.

PricewaterhouseCoopers From offices towering more than 30 floors above the heart of downtown Detroit, four WMU-Cooley Law School graduates practice their skills at the second largest professional services firm in the world, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

“Tax seems to be the sweet spot for recruiting law students because we’re really working with not only tax compliance, but also tax consulting,” said Pratcshler, who has been with the firm for 13 years. “We do a lot of legal research, writing, memos, opinions, and the things that really focus and fit the skill sets of lawyers and law students the best.”

Pratcshler noted there are certain skills his team looks for when recruiting new tax professionals. “We want people who have gone through a rigorous curriculum, have analytical skills, have a thought process that’s really team based, and are able to communicate very well.”

Embracing the culture of a large organization like PwC is another trait that Pratcshler looks for. He noted that WMU-Cooley graduates on his team have made the transition with ease.

“We want people who walk in the door every day with big smiles on their faces, approach whatever issue is put in front them, and who are confident enough to ask questions and work as a team. When you look at the folks we’ve brought in from WMU-Cooley, they all exhibit those traits.”

TIMOTHY PRATCSHLER

(continued)

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MEET

THE WMU-COOLEY TAX ATTORNEYS AT PwC

Why did you choose WMU-Cooley? They had a

at ISU, I took a law class and after that, I thought it would be interesting to go to law school.

I noticed that Cooley had a great reputation and learned of scholarship opportunities.

pretty generous scholarship program that I qualified for, so that was nice. My father Charles Lane (Clark Class, 1979) went to Cooley, so it’s nice to have followed in his footsteps.

What about law school stands out to you the most?

Justin Call

JUSTIN CALL

What is your position with PwC? I work with the transfer pricing tax group. Transfer pricing is an intriguing and wonderful area of tax. We help multinational entities establish appropriate armslength transaction prices for intercompany transactions.

How has PwC helped you become a leader? PwC has wonderful training and wonderful leaders. They have smart people who have helped me grow as an individual and develop my skills even further.

Why did you choose WMUCooley? Before attending law school, I studied accounting at Idaho State University (ISU).

I was always intrigued by law, tax and accounting. While

I remember Cooley being very tough. They were not easy on your grades. I took two states’ bar exams; Cooley helped me to establish the skill set to pass both on the first try.

Tell us about your family?

My wife and I have four daughters. Our youngest daughter is two years old and our oldest daughter is 10. We like camping and water skiing, and we enjoy family time.

ANDREW LANE

Since working your way through the ranks at PwC, currently as director of International Tax Services, how have you grown?

PwC has done a lot to help me succeed. The leadership team doesn’t let you get comfortable; you are pushed and encouraged to step outside your comfort zone and take on new challenges.

Tell us a little bit about why you chose to go to law school and why you chose WMU-Cooley. I

Andrew Lane

These challenges helped me to become a better leader and grow my career at PwC.

Tell us about your path to becoming a tax attorney.

I earned my undergraduate degree in business administration, marketing, and finance at Walsh College.

After graduating from Walsh, I entered the Macomb (Michigan) police academy, but then set my sights on becoming a prosecutor so I entered law school. At Cooley I enrolled in a tax class and began paying attention to a more practical perspective of what opportunities existed post law school. Cooley had an LL.M. in tax, and I thought I could get an edge up against other candidates seeking positions in tax law.

What did you like best about law school? One of the things I liked best about Cooley was the professors.

The professors, especially in the LL.M. program, take a very practical approach to classroom education. Most of the professors came from tax practices and had fulltime jobs during the day.

They taught in their areas of expertise because they were so passionate about it. I actually work alongside some of the individuals who were professors at the time I was at Cooley.

Share a little bit about your personal side. I’m a dad; I have a 16-month-old son. I coach a fifth grade basketball team at my church. I also like to do home improvement projects.

Jennifer Paillon

JENNIFER PAILLON

Tell us about your work at PwC. I work in the state and local tax group. We do compliance and controversy work, and we help with issues clients may have with individual state filings.

How did Cooley help you transition to your current job? I enrolled in a tax class and actually really liked it. I talked to various professors about opportunities in tax law and they began to encourage me. I completed an internship with the IRS and found out there are actually a few adjunct professors at WMUCooley who work at the IRS. The internship was an amazing experience, so I just continued down the path of tax.

didn’t have the traditional route to law school. I didn’t start until I was 30 years old. I had various jobs in real estate, property management, and nonprofit work. I needed to work full time, so when I heard about WMU-Cooley’s part-time program, I decided to take the LSAT. I was offered a really amazing scholarship so it opened up this new pathway that I didn’t know I was still capable of doing.

How is PwC helping you grow? PWC has been super supportive. The training programs are great. I have participated in national training programs. PwC has every research database you could possibly want with access right at your fingertips on a daily basis. There also are a lot of experienced individuals who are willing to help with networking opportunities.

A.J. ROBISON

Can you explain a little about what your role is here at PwC? I am a senior tax associate in the state and local tax group. I do a lot of compliance work, such as

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A.J. Robison

preparing and reviewing tax returns. I also do controversy work. There are many notices that come in and I help prepare appeals to both the Michigan Tax Tribunal and the Hearings Division of the Michigan Department of Treasury.

What is it about the job that you enjoy the most?

Tax is very challenging. It’s very technical. It’s one of those subjects in school that I thought you had to be very bright to do. There are subjects most people can do, but I felt tax was tougher and I liked the challenge of it.

very well connected, which is probably how I got my job at PwC. The professors introduced us to tax and the accounting firm professionals.

One of my professors recommended that I start networking with accounting firms and other CPAs and that’s pretty much what led me to PwC. The professors’ contacts are what really set Cooley apart.

Why did you decide to go to law school, and why did you choose Cooley? I always wanted to go to law school and decided on Cooley because I was working full time and Cooley offered weekend classes.

Tell us about your other interests. I’ve been married for seven years and have two dogs. I’m into sports. I’m big into golf and play every week, weather permitting. I like to play hockey, so I’m in a hockey league, and I’m also in a softball league.

What is it about Cooley that gave you an advantage or really made a difference in what you’re doing today in your tax field? The Cooley professors are really great.

They have a ton of knowledge and experience. And they’re

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ANDREW HUDSON, HILLIGAN CLASS, 2012

WMU EDUCATION GRADUATE TAKES ON LAW SCHOOL AND FINDS PERFECT JOB AS

Assistant Attorney General

Early on, Hudson’s family influences and being a good student in school shaped his decision to become an educator.

and teaching three years at a Catholic school and a charter school, Hudson determined he needed a new career path.

“My grandfather was a teacher and I had a couple of aunts who were also teachers,” said Hudson. “I was always good in school and was one who tutored classmates. I was in the National Honor Society and I kind of made the logical assumption that because I was good in school, I would be a good teacher. I liked the process of learning and I liked school and so I wanted to make a career out of it.”

“At the end of three years, I kind of reassessed and decided that teaching was not something I wanted to do longterm,” said Hudson. “I knew I had skills that could be applied to a lot of different jobs, so that’s when I began looking around at other careers.”

Choosing to attend Western Michigan University wasn’t a hard choice for Hudson either.

Growing up in Kalamazoo, Andrew Hudson (Hilligan Class, 2012) knew two things for sure, one he would go to Western Michigan University, and second, he wanted to be an educator. The one thing that he didn’t know was that he would end up in Lansing working for Michigan’s Attorney General.

“It was local, obviously, and it was known for its education department. I wanted to be near home. Also, my dad and my grandfather went to Western too. We have a long lineage of Broncos,” noted Hudson. “At the time, my grandparents were elderly and I was helping take care of them. I also wanted an opportunity to work in the local schools where I grew up.”

While at WMU, Hudson worked for a local agency with emotionally impaired children. He credits this work for a real springboard into teaching.

“I had previously kind of been a shy and reserved person and working with emotionally impaired kids kicks the shyness right out of you.”

Once he joined the teaching ranks, from interning at Kalamazoo Public Schools

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While watching Court TV, Hudson realized he could use his skills as a teacher as an attorney. “It was similar to a classroom in the sense that you have a jury that you are trying to teach the case to. I thought this would be really fascinating,” remembered Hudson.

Choosing WMU-Cooley was easy for Hudson, as Lansing was close to his family in Kalamazoo, and also was a good fit for someone choosing to change careers. “I was not your traditional law school student in the sense that I was a little bit older, I had been in one career already, and I wasn’t going from undergraduate to law school,” he said.

“Cooley kind of caters to that sort of thing, the non-traditional pathway.”

Graduating second out of a class of 351 at WMU-Cooley, Hudson credits his success to his participation on the mock trial teams. “I competed in the first-year competition and enjoyed it,” he said.

“It was fun. I got to use my teaching skills, in a way, to organize things and plan things out and then speak in front of people.”

After winning the first-year mock trial competition, he signed up for the next semester’s evidence competition and won that as well. “Professor (Anthony) Flores contacted me about the national team, so I joined that too,” said Hudson. “I had a knack for it.”

Following graduation, Hudson worked for the Eaton County Prosecutors office.

Six months later, after Hudson passed the bar, Eaton County Judge Calvin Osterhaven hired Hudson as his clerk.

Osterhaven would eventually announce his retirement plans and Hudson decided to look for his next job.

After several interviews with the Michigan Attorney General’s office, Hudson was hired as an assistant A.G. in the Licensing and Regulation Division. It did not take long after being hired by the A.G.’s office for Hudson to decide to make Lansing home. He has since purchased his first home, just a short walk from his office.

The choice to pursue a career in law was a good one, Hudson noted.

“It was the best decision I ever made,” said Hudson. “I grew up in law school. It really helped me mature and grow up as a professional. I found the perfect job for myself after law school, and Cooley had a lot to do with it.”

See more about Andrew Hudson at cooleylawschoolblog.com.

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JIM FLINN, HOOKER CLASS, 1993

Today, Flinn is the CEO of St. Luke’s Medical Center in Phoenix, and Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital. But his path to the law and to his gratifying career as a leading health care executive was anything but a straight line.

Jim Flinn (Hooker Class, 1993) hadn’t been in law school very long when he fell ill.

He thought it best to let his professor, Ronald Trosty, know at the beginning of class that he wasn’t prepared and why. Professor Trosty thanked him for being honest.

“As soon as class began, Professor Trosty asked the first question of the day, and guess who he called on? Me!” Flinn said with a flourish. Flinn couldn’t believe it.

“My lifelong dream had been to be a police officer,” Flinn shared. “At that time, you had to wait until you were 21 before you could begin training to become an officer, so I decided that I would join the Marine Corps.”

Flinn learned a lot as a Marine at the Beautfort Air Station in South Carolina, including the mental toughness and demands of being a Marine. But he still longed to be a police officer. He enrolled in criminal justice classes at nearby Beaufort Technical College (BTC), where a paper that he wrote drew the interest,

At the time, it was a tough lesson to learn, but to this day, Professor Trosty’s teaching moment has guided Flinn through the decades to what is a very impressive career in the health care field.

JIM FLINN

JIM FLINN, CEO OF ST. LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER IN PHOENIX

not only from his professor, but his professor’s wife.

“My professor, Danny Crooks, was impressed with a report I had submitted,” remembered Flinn. “He even shared it with his wife, who was an attorney. She told him ‘This kid should go to law school!’”

“So I apologized, and again I told him that I had been sick and hadn’t had time to prepare,” said Flinn. “He then told me, ‘I may understand, but will your employer understand? Will your client understand?’ He had me leave the class because I was unprepared.”

“I learned there are no excuses. So not only do I now prepare, I over-prepare,” Flinn said. “And that more than anything else has helped me to be successful today.”

The Phoenix skyline

That one comment gave Flinn the confidence and belief in himself to turn his attention from law enforcement to a career in the legal profession.

Flinn, with his wife, Amy

While still enlisted in the Marine Corps, Flinn changed gears and enrolled at the University of South Carolina (USC) where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in interdisciplinary studies.

Following his graduation from USC, Flinn, a Greater Lansing native, returned to the area to start his legal journey at WMU-Cooley Law School.

Flinn enjoyed law school and the intellectual challenge. He thrived on the National Trial Team and, in his senior year, clerked for then-Michigan Governor and Cooley graduate John Engler (Wing Class, 1982).

LIFETIME OF LEADERSHIP “I learned then that regardless of your ultimate goal, the rigors of going through law school, along with the relationships you make there, are invaluable and serve you for the rest of your life.”

JIM FLINN

(continued)

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JIM FLINN, LIFETIME OF LEADERSHIP IQRA KHALID, WASHINGTON CLASS, 2012 AND RUBY SAHOTA, FITZGERALD CLASS, 2007

promoted to assistant vice president at St. Lawrence Hospital after it had merged with another hospital.

Three years later, Flinn made another move, this time to the greater San Diego area to be the CEO of Pomorado Hospital.

Flinn with former Governor John Engler

Dan Quayle greets Flinn

Right after graduation, Flinn started working at Lansing’s St. Lawrence Hospital in security. In his short time there, he remembered asking his colleague, Kevin Cole, about what it took to be a risk manager in his role with the hospital.

“I quickly realized that an individual in risk management could be very influential,” Flinn surmised. “And with my law degree, I could earn a good living at it.”

It was not much after that Flinn decided to dip his feet into politics and run for a Republican representative seat. Although he lost in a close primary race, he believes that the experience was all part of the greater plan.

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Flinn sought the nomination for state representative

“A career in politics is the best thing that never happened to me,” Flinn joked.

“Especially when you look at today’s political environment.”

Not to be discouraged, Flinn’s leadership aspirations were satisfied later when he ran and won two elections to his local board of education. He was proud to be an instrumental part of getting a new school built before his career changed, along with a move.

“My dad likes to joke about that new building,” smiles Flinn. “He said that once I helped to get the building of the new school approved, he and other taxpayers got the bill for it - then you left town.”

Flinn moved to Los Angeles, California, to be the Chief Operating Officer for Antelope Valley Hospital. It felt right, even though he had recently been

“My goal was to run my own hospital by age 40, so at 39, I got my chance in San Diego,” said Flinn.

Always the tireless learner, Flinn not only ran Pomorado, he earned a master’s degree in leadership of healthcare organizations at the University of California at San Diego.

Flinn’s aspirations and diligence led to other positions in larger health care systems around the nation, including a position as the CEO of North & South Dallas hospitals.

“At the time, I had a strong background in not-for-profit hospitals, which is what many of the hospital systems were in California. I wanted to explore the forprofit side of health care, and I had that opportunity in Texas,” explained Flinn.

That experience moved him to Phoenix, Arizona, where he took on larger leadership roles, first as CEO of OASIS Hospital, then to his present position as CEO of St. Luke’s Medical Center.

Healthcare, which is headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee. IASIS owns and operates 16 acute care hospitals and one behavioral hospital in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Texas, and Utah.

At OASIS, Flinn had the chance to build a hospital from the ground up.

Flinn is proud of his career and community contributions and enjoys his life with his wife, Amy, and their seven children. He is president of the Arizona Healthcare Executives Chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), serves on the public policy committee for the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association Board, and represents Arizona on the ACHE Council of Regents.

“The concrete had just been poured,” Flinn articulated. “I was able to hire the entire staff, secure the certificate of occupancy, and achieved Medicaid and Medicare eligibility with the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations for the hospital.”

It was his highly skilled reputation at OASIS that led to his current role with St. Luke’s Hospital, in Phoenix and Tempe, Arizona, both part of IASIS

Flinn’s career path may have taken many turns, but there’s one thing he knows.

Every lesson learned will help you find your way in this life’s journey. And his legal education taught him lessons he uses every day.

“I am not a practicing lawyer in the literal sense. But thanks to my education at Cooley, I have the legal background that others do not.

In my work, I read letters of indemnity, letters of agreement, and contracts. It’s an advantage that I understand the language.”

JIM FLINN

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JUDGE JOSEPH J. FARAH, WIEST CLASS, 1979

Lessons in loyalty

JUDGE JOSEPH J. FARAH

Growing up in Flint, Michigan, the Hon. Joseph J. Farah (Wiest Class, 1979) learned the importance of loyalty. After graduating from Michigan State University and then WMU-Cooley Law School, Farah returned to his hometown of Flint to serve the community where he was raised. In the ensuing years, Farah has remained loyal not only to his community but to his law school.

STARTING OUT Once he returned home after graduating from WMU-Cooley, Farah spent 18 years at a small law firm in downtown Flint working on defense cases. During that time, he learned the measure of success for a criminal defense attorney — winning a case — can sometimes be a lonely victory.

“I remember early in my career getting a not-guilty verdict after a week-long trial as a defense counsel. The allegation of sexual assault was made by a six-year-old child against her mother’s boyfriend,” said Farah. “When I called my friends and said ‘let’s go out for burgers and a beer, I’m buying — I just won this big case,’ they asked, ‘well what was the case about?’ I told them, and my friends all had the same reaction. ‘Why would you want to celebrate?’”

That was a defining moment for Farah. It didn’t take long for Farah to realize that positive verdicts were not necessarily the best outcome.

“As a criminal defense attorney, getting a not-guilty verdict was probably the most satisfying, but a close second is achieving a resolution that seemed satisfactory to my client,” noted Farah.

“Sometimes the better part of valor is not going to trial, but rather to try to achieve a result that is acceptable for clients and their families. Sometimes avoiding a trial is the way to go.” (continued)

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JUDGE JOSEPH J. FARAH, LESSONS IN LOYALTY GAYLE KEMP, MUNDY CLASS, 1986

JUDGE FARAH Farah’s practice grew over the years to the point that he started handling more and more appellate work. It was this extensive experience and exposure to the Court of Appeals and the Michigan Supreme Court that led Farah to a judicial career.

“I have always tried to help out our law students because I believe that if I can help them like I was helped, those students will then help others as they move forward in their careers.”

“I probably argued in the Court of Appeals 40 times as an attorney, and drafted over 100 briefs,” calculated Farah. “I believe it was this work that was the most relevant experience in guiding me to the bench.”

In 1998, Farah was appointed to Genesee County’s 7th Judicial Circuit Court where he was assigned to the family division.

During his seven years in the family division, Farah handled domestic and juvenile cases. Since 2005, Farah has presided over cases in the court’s civil and criminal division.

DEVOTED COMMUNITY MEMBER

JUDGE JOSEPH J. FARAH

Born and raised in Flint, Judge Farah has seen the good and the bad times. Yet despite the city’s ups and downs, Farah remains committed to his hometown.

“I had my opportunities to leave the area, but at the same time I enjoyed what I was doing in Flint,” said Farah. “I like the area, and continuing to live and work here doesn’t mean that I couldn’t travel to other areas.”

Beyond the bench, Farah stays involved in two organizations that he feels help to make Flint a better place. He is on the board for the West Flint Optimist Club and the Metro Community Development board.

As a judge and longtime community member, Farah has seen the struggles of Flint first-hand.

“Back in the 1970s, Flint had three times the automotive manufacturing jobs as we do now,” remembered Farah. “And public schools had more then 40,000 students compared to 10,000 today. We have seen the difficulties that hard times can bring about. The water crisis is one of them. We have difficulties with the government sometimes in our area. We were under an emergency manager for a while and that presented a lot of challenges. The resources just aren’t there like they used to be.”

LOYALTY TO WMU-COOLEY

Joseph Farah with longtime companion Andrea LeGendre (right) and her daughter Alexandrea

But through the tough times, Farah doesn’t believe anyone should give up on Flint.

“It’s sad to see the struggles in Flint, but there’s no time for despair, no time for the doldrums. You just keep marching ahead, knowing two things resolutely in your mind. First, Flint will never be the same as it was and, second, we will make it better than it is.”

As a student at WMU-Cooley, Farah already had an allegiance to the law school. “Cooley gave me an opportunity to attend, like any other law school, but Cooley was much more forthright,” stated Farah. “I appreciated that, and I felt a sense of gratitude.”

Farah even did a column in the student publication, The Pillar, about why people stay loyal to their schools. He said that it depends, in large part, on whether or not it was a positive experience. For Farah, his experience at Cooley was positive then, and still is today. In fact Farah has even served on the law school’s board of directors.

“I was honored to be asked by President LeDuc to be on the board,” said Farah.

“I had the opportunity to see the inner workings of the school, including faculty, finances, and bar exams. It really gave me a different perspective on how much the school has grown since I attended.”

Farah also gives back in many other ways.

For instance he has supervised over 40 law student externs and interns, teaches courses in Evidence, and contributes financially to support law students.

AWARDS Farah was recently honored as Judge of the Year by the Michigan Defense Trial Council and awarded the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee’s Guardian of Justice. He also received the Distinguished Alumnus Service Award by WMU-Cooley’s Past President’s Committee of the Alumni Association.

As much as Farah is proud of his community, WMU-Cooley, and all of his accomplishments, he takes special pride in his family, longtime companion Andrea LeGendre (Flannigan Class, 1999) and daughter, Alexandrea. “They motivate me, challenge me, and allow me to reach heights I never thought possible.”

JUDGE JOSEPH J. FARAH

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ELLIOT GLICKSMAN, WMU-COOLEY PROFESSOR

appreciated. I will very much remember Elliot Glicksman as my dear friend.”

PROFESSOR ELLIOT B. GLICKSMAN

Remembered and Treasured (JANUARY 25, 1942 — JULY 25, 2016)

BY TERRY CARELLA

We will remember Elliot Glicksman for much more than his intellect and as a distinguished professor at WMU-Cooley Law School. We will remember and treasure him as a good man.

Rabbi Amy Bigman of East Lansing elaborated on the gift of a good name during a moving memorial service in Ann Arbor for the late Elliot B. Glicksman, WMU-Cooley Distinguished Professor Emeritus.

“In the Book of Ecclesiastes,” started Rabbi Bigman, “our rabbis taught that there are three crowns: The crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood, and the crown of royalty. But they emphasize that the crown of a good name exalts them all. The Elliot I knew, the Elliot all of you knew, had that crown of a good name.”

Rabbi Bigman went on to say that, “a good name is to be treasured above precious oil. Wealth, health, and even

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life pass away, but a good name lives forever. It is this view that the Talmud teaches.

“Monuments need not be erected for the righteous. Their deeds are their memorials. They will be remembered and revered for the kindness they have shown, and for the love they have given.

“They are shining examples of what it means to be a mensch.”

Friend and colleague Distinguished Professor Emeritus Charles Palmer captured the essence of why Elliot will be treasured always by our WMU-Cooley community.

“For Elliot, it was his knowledge of evidence law that he was most

proud,” stated Palmer. “So, let me brag a little bit about my friend Elliot. After six years of practicing law, he was one of the original professors to join Cooley Law School. Over the decades, Elliot went on to make well over 60 presentations to groups across the nation. He talked to the Georgia judges association. He talked to the Nebraska judges. He talked extensively to the national Judicial College in Nevada. He talked to the Texas judges association, the California administrative judges association, Michigan new judges, the Michigan Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan, and the Idaho Judiciary. And that’s to name just a few!”

answering calls from graduates who needed advice on cases they were working on. Just the other day I heard Distinguished Professor Emeritus Charles from a Cooley graduate, Mark Garrison, Senger also shared his admiration for who was a Wyoming public defender and Elliot with the Cooley community upon wanted to share his Elliot story. hearing of his passing. “Our paths first crossed at University of Detroit Law “He said early on as a public defender before I was drafted into the Army,” said he was faced with several difficult Senger. “In his private practice of law, evidentiary cases and he immediately he was dedicated to the highest ethical thought of his ‘brilliant law school standards. As a law professor, he strove professor at Cooley as the only person to support deep commitment to academic he would contact for advice.’ He said it responsibilities.” was that contact that sparked his idea to have Elliot speak to the Wyoming Public Distinguished Professor Emeritus Keith Defenders Association.

Hey said that, “Elliot was one of the first Cooley faculty members I met when I “Even a judge who was a Cooley graduate came to Lansing. He was a dear friend contacted Elliot during an evidentiary and colleague – always the gentleman. hearing to confirm the law before he gave He will be missed.” his ruling!

Professor Kimberly O’Leary shared “But he did it with a smile. He really that “Elliot was an outstanding mind, enjoyed doing it. That was how much he a careful thinker, a person devoted to loved Cooley.”

Cooley and to faculty development, and a delightful person.”

Thea Glicksman, Elliot’s loving wife of more than four decades, shared how much Elliot loved Cooley and the friends he made at the law school and across the nation.

“Elliot’s great legal knowledge and his willingness to share this knowledge far and wide was a tribute to the kind of person he was,” said Thea. “His expertise not only taught the next generation of lawyers, it Professor Palmer added that Elliot had also helped build the good name and national 17 publications to his credit, including reputation of Cooley Law School. writing the Review of Evidence Law in the “I remember how much time he spent State of Michigan. working on his presentations and “But most of all, what I want to say — on behalf of me and most of you — is that Elliot was my friend,” continued Palmer.

“Regardless of professor, distinguished professor, whatever — I will remember him as my friend. No one I know had the unique quality to greet me with, ‘Charlie!’

And smile with that gleam in his eye, and DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR EMERITUS CHARLES SENGER that hard handshake - which I always

“And as a person, a colleague, and a friend, his loss cannot be put into words. He will live always in our memories, and that truly is his final gift.”

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LAWRENCE P. NOLAN, WMU-COOLEY GRADUATE AND BOARD CHAIR

WMU-Cooley Graduate and Board Chair Lawrence P. Nolan Assumes Presidency of the State Bar of Michigan Nolan is the third WMU-Cooley graduate to hold the post of president of the State Bar of Michigan (SBM), following Thomas Rombach (Morse Class, 1987) who served from 2014-2015, and Charles R. Toy (Kavanagh Class, 1981) who served from 2009-2010.

As Nolan begins leading the association, he said he would like to bring to fruition the recommendations from the 21st Century Practice Task Force.

“The task force spent a year compiling a detailed assessment of how to improve the profession in Michigan,” said Nolan. “Now it is our job to continue implementing this great work.”

Lori A. Buiteweg (right), who served as State Bar of Michigan President from 2015-2016, passes the gavel to Lawrence P. Nolan during the bar’s annual meeting.

Lawrence P. Nolan (Cooley Class, 1976) was sworn in as the State Bar of Michigan’s 82nd president during the organization’s annual meeting on Sept. 22 in Grand Rapids.

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Nolan also plans to continue to co-chair the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee and encourages all lawyers to perform pro bono service for those in need.

Nolan practices law at the firm of Nolan Thomsen & Villas PC, in Eaton Rapids, Michigan. He is a member of the General Practice – Solo & Small Firm Section, Law Practice Management & Legal Administrators Section, and Master Lawyers Section and has served as treasurer, secretary, vice president, and president-elect.

MARLA MITCHELL-CICHON, WMU-COOLEY PROFESSOR AND WMU-COOLEY INNOCENCE PROJECT DIRECTOR

WMU-Cooley Innocence Project Director Professor Marla Mitchell-Cichon Recognized and Honored Marla Mitchell-Cichon, WMU-Cooley Law School professor and WMUCooley Law School Innocence Project director, was not only honored with the State Bar of Michigan’s Champion of Justice Award this fall, she also recently received Ingham County Bar Association’s Leo A. Farhat Outstanding Lawyer Award.

Both awards recognize Mitchell-Cichon for her outstanding legal and societal contributions, in addition to paying homage to her exemplary character, integrity, judgment and legal scholarship.

Mitchell-Cichon led the efforts for the release of WMU-Cooley Innocence Project’s client Donya Davis. Davis was wrongfully convicted of carjacking, armed robbery and rape in 2007. Davis was exonerated in 2014, and is the third client exonerated by the WMU-Cooley Innocence Project. The Project is currently working on 15 promising cases and screening approximately 200 cases for factual innocence.

She and WMU-Cooley’s Innocence Project faculty and students are dedicated to righting the wrongs in our criminal justice system. In December 2015, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed legislation ending the sunset provision on the state’s post-conviction DNA testing law, MCL 770.16. The law, now permanent, helps to ensure that innocent prisoners are identified and released and that the actual perpetrators of crimes are brought to justice.

“The passion Mitchell-Cichon has for criminal justice reform is also evident in her teaching and advocacy,” said Michael McDaniel, Lansing campus associate dean. “WMU-Cooley Innocence Project students practice law pursuant to Michigan’s student practice rule and under Mitchell-Cichon’s supervision. Recently, three interns represented a client in the Genesee County Circuit Court. In addition to teaching in the clinic, Professor Mitchell-Cichon has partnered with Associate Dean Christine Church to teach a Wrongful Conviction seminar based on the Netflix documentary, Making a Murderer. She is also seeking legislation to compensate the wrongfully convicted.”

WMU-Cooley Law School Professor and WMU-Cooley Innocence Project Director Marla Mitchell-Cichon with the Champion of Justice Award.

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Ronald Sutton was named the new associate dean of the law school’s Tampa Bay campus following the retirement of Associate Dean Jeffrey Martlew.

Sutton was Tampa Bay’s assistant dean and professor.

Leadership Promotions President and Dean Don LeDuc announced leadership promotions at the law school’s Lansing and Tampa Bay campuses.

Retired Brigadier General Michael C.H. McDaniel, professor of law and director of the Homeland Security Law LL.M. Program, has been appointed associate dean of the Lansing campus.

McDaniel, an expert in constitutional law and national security law, is a former Brigadier General with the Michigan National Guard.

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Before joining the law school faculty in 2010, he served as the deputy assistant secretary for homeland defense strategy, prevention and mission assurance at the Pentagon. From 2003-2007, McDaniel served as director of homeland security for the state of Michigan.

As associate dean, McDaniel will oversee all academic, student, and administrative matters at the Lansing campus.

Christine Church, who served as associate dean of the Lansing campus and team leader for the law school’s academic team, has been appointed associate dean of academic programs for the law school.

Church, who practiced family law, domestic violence, and bankruptcy before

joining WMU-Cooley, has been an assistant dean and professor at the law school since 2006 and an associate dean since 2013. In her new role, Church will coordinate the law school’s assessment and learning outcomes initiatives, major curricular developments, and new weekend programs, which are scheduled to begin at the law school’s Auburn Hills and Tampa Bay campuses in May 2017.

Before joining WMU-Cooley in 2012, Sutton was president of Sutton Sports Management Company, where he was involved with worldwide representation of professional athletes, coaches and broadcasters. Previously, Sutton was an attorney-shareholder with Fraser, Trebilcock, Davis & Dunlap, of Lansing, Michigan, where his practice areas included commercial litigation, insurance law, family law, and sports law.

PRESIDENT AND DEAN DON LeDUC HAS APPOINTED THE FOLLOWING PROFESSORS TO SERVE AS AUXILIARY DEANS TO SUPPORT STUDENT INSTRUCTION, STUDENT SERVICES, ASSESSMENT OF TEACHING, AND THE SCHOOL’S AFFILIATION WITH WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY. AUBURN HILLS

Frank Aiello

Erika Breitfeld

Martha Moore

GRAND RAPIDS

Associate Professor Karen Fultz, was named assistant dean at the Tampa Bay Campus.

Professor Mable Martin-Scott will serve as the Lansing campus assistant dean.

Martin-Scott, an expert in commercial transactions and unemployment law, joined the law school faculty in 2001. She has been chair of the Contracts Department since 2012 and has received the law school’s top faculty award for teaching excellence 11 times.

Martin-Scott will assist in managing the operations of the Lansing campus.

Fultz was a partner with the law firm Cozen O’Connor in Atlanta, Georgia before joining WMU-Cooley in 2013. She was selected as a member of the Who’s Who of Black Atlanta and was named one of the Nation’s Best 40 Advocates Under 40 by the National Bar Association. Fultz is an expert in the areas of commercial and business litigation, subrogation and recovery litigation (products liability), family law, and business development. In addition to teaching substantive and practical skills in Torts and Equity and Remedies courses, she is very active in Tampa’s legal community. This includes the George Edgecomb Bar Association and various committees of the community’s other bar associations.

Tonya Krause-Phelan

Devin Schindler

David Tarrien

LANSING

Gary Bauer

Brad Charles

TAMPA BAY

Kathy Gustafson

Dan Matthews

Stevie Swanson

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The Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association Recognizes Aaron Burrell Aaron Burrell (Woodward Class, 2010) received the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association’s Barristers President’s Award. The award recognizes a young attorney whose early career has exhibited high standards of service. Burrell is an associate at Dickinson Wright in Detroit where he focuses his practice in the areas of complex commercial litigation, labor, labor and employment law, appellate law, and minority business enterprises.

He was recently elected to the Oakland County Bar Association’s board of directors and is the immediate past president of the D. Augustus Straker Bar Association.

WMU-Cooley Associate Dean of External Affairs and General Counsel James D. Robb (left) with WMU-Cooley graduate Aaron Burrell (right) with his award.

Leadership in Times of Crisis ethics program offered at Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum Western Michigan University, WMU-Cooley, and the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum are collaborating in a new class for students of both schools and members of the community. The program was developed to educate and inspire individuals to adopt the ethical leadership standards exhibited by President Ford throughout his life.

WMU-Cooley Professor Lauren Rousseau was honored by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as one of its 2016 Women in the Law.

Professor and Graduates Honored as Women in the Law Professor Lauren Rousseau and graduates Jenna Wright Greenman (Jay Class, 2000) and Amy Tripp (Moody Class, 1996) were chosen

by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as members of the 2016 Women in the Law class. Each year, the Women in the Law program honors 30 high-achieving women lawyers in Michigan for their contributions and accomplishments.

Rousseau is chair of WMU-Cooley’s Civil Procedure, Evidence and Practice Skills Department. She supervises an Access to Bankruptcy Court/WMU-Cooley collaborative program through which law students are paired with experienced attorneys to handle pro bono bankruptcy cases. Rousseau is an avid leader in fighting heroin and opioid addiction in Michigan and serves on the board of several nonprofit organizations.

Wright Greenman, principal at Kitch Drutchas Wagner Valitutti & Sherbrook in Detroit, is a defense litigator specializing in complex medical malpractice and birth trauma. Tripp, who is a partner at Chalgian & Tripp Law Offices in Jackson, is recognized nationally as an expert in special needs planning with an expertise in helping clients plan for age and incapacity.

Leadership in Times of Crisis classes consist of three sessions, held one Saturday morning per month at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum’s DeVos Learning Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

“We live in an era of politicians, not statesmen,” said Victoria Vuletich, WMUCooley Law School professor. “Too many leaders on both sides of the aisle view the office they hold as a vehicle to fulfill their personal aspirations instead of an opportunity to serve the nation and its citizens. This crisis of leadership drove us to create an ethical leadership class at a time when it is most needed.”

The class, taught by WMU and WMU-Cooley faculty, offers students the opportunity to evaluate the rights and duties of the major stakeholders when making decisions, to distinguish between legal and ethical obligations and to create a personal approach for ethical decision-making.

During the fall sessions, Professor Devin Schindler explored lessons from President Ford’s pardon of former President Richard Nixon. Professors and Brigadier Generals Thomas Edmonds (WMU) and Michael McDaniel (WMU-Cooley) explored leadership lessons from the fall of Saigon and the Helsinki Accords. The final session of the program featured Kalamazoo County Commissioner Kevin Wordelman, who led a discussion on President Ford’s handling of the New York City bankruptcy and its relevance today.

Reservations are being taken for the next three sessions in 2017, which will be held on three Saturday mornings – one each in January, February and March. The cost for WMU-Cooley and WMU graduates is $250. For more information about “Leadership in Times of Crisis,” contact WMU-Cooley Professor Victoria Vuletich, 616-301-6800, ext. 6960, vuleticv@ cooley.edu.

Participants who successfully complete the program receive a certificate of participation from the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum.

The program has also received the support of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation.

The foundation has provided students with a copy of the DVD, Gerald R. Ford, A Test of Character, which was commissioned by the Peter F. Secchia Family.

WMU-Cooley graduates Amy Tripp (left) and Jenna Wright Greenman (right) with their awards.

West Michigan community members and students from WMU-Cooley Law School discuss President Ford’s pardon of Richard Nixon during the Leadership in Times of Crisis course.

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MICHAEL McDANIEL, ASSOCIATE DEAN AND RETIRED BRIGADIER GENERAL

ASSOCIATE DEAN AND RETIRED BRIGADIER GENERAL MICHAEL C.H. McDANIEL MAKES

an impact in Michigan West Michigan Day of Remembrance and Scout Salute “These men, along with the men and women who serve our country, whether in the service, police department, or fire department, are our nation’s heroes.”

MICHAEL C.H. McDANIEL

Lansing campus Associate Dean Michael C.H. McDaniel was the featured speaker during the September 11 Community Day of Remembrance and Scout Salute on the grounds of Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Each year, the Gerald R. Ford Council of the Boy Scouts of America along with the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation and Museum honor those who sacrificed their lives during the terrorist events of September 11, 2001, with a day-long Scout Salute.

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McDaniel, who earned the rank of Eagle Scout as a teenager, said, “Everyone remembers where they were on that day and yet when you hear the phrase 9/11, you don’t think of anything other than the events from 15 years ago. We say 9/11 and everyone knows what we feel and what occurred.

It was a visceral deep pain.”

Speaking to an attentive audience, of Boy Scouts and their families, police officers, firefighters, first responders, and those belonging to service organizations such as the Salvation Army and the American Red Cross, McDaniel spoke about the courageous efforts of Father Mychal Judge, a New York City Fire Department chaplain,

and John O’Neil, a retired FBI agent who worked at the World Trade Center. He said Judge and O’Neil, who chose to go toward the disaster zone 15 years ago and died trying to help others, should be the kind of people we recognize as heroes — ­ those who serve to protect the U.S. Constitution.

“These men, along with the men and women who serve our country, whether in the service, police department, or fire department, are our nation’s heroes,” said McDaniel. “We should not be confused with entertainers and sports figures who consume much of the time during national newscasts. They may be possible role models, but not heroes.”

McDaniel Appointed to the Flint Water Interagency Coordinating Committee

WMU-Cooley Associate Dean and Retired Brigadier General Michael C.H. McDaniel (right) with Randall and Sharan Levine, WMU-Cooley graduates and managing partners at Levine & Levine.

McDaniel Speaks About the Importance of Veterans Treatment Courts to Kalamazoo County Leaders Dean Michael C.H. McDaniel spoke to Kalamazoo County leaders and individuals interested in creating a county operated Veterans Treatment Court (VTC). The event was hosted by WMU-Cooley graduates Randall (Wiest Class, 1979) and Sharan (Wiest Class, 1979) Levine, who are managing partners of Kalamazoobased Levine & Levine Attorneys at Law. McDaniel, who authored Veterans Treatment Courts in Michigan: Manual for Judges, spoke about the benefits of VTCs. “Veterans Treatment Courts help Michigan’s justice system-involved veterans get back to leading productive, law-abiding lifestyles more quickly,” he said. “Through VTCs, we can help those who served our country and want to be productive members of their communities.”

In 2016, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder announced the appointment of Dean McDaniel to the Flint Water Interagency Coordinating Committee (FWICC). McDaniel’s appointment is in addition to his role leading Flint’s Fast Action and Sustainability Team, where he serves as liaison between Flint Mayor Karen Weaver’s and Snyder’s offices, a post that he was appointed to in February 2016.

The 17-member committee, housed within the Michigan State Police, will make recommendations to the governor regarding the health and welfare of people exposed to lead, studies Flint’s water infrastructure and determines potential upgrades, reviews Flint Water Task Force recommendations, and recommends ways to improve communication between local and state government.

“We are proud to have our faculty assist the residents of Flint in addressing this unprecedented problem.”

DON LeDUC, WMU-COOLEY PRESIDENT

“General McDaniel’s appointment to this important position continues the law school’s tradition of serving the public while providing WMU-Cooley’s students the real-life knowledge and experience that trains them well for the practice of law,” said WMU-Cooley President Don LeDuc.

“We were pleased to present this opportunity to discuss the importance of creating a Veterans Treatment Court in Kalamazoo County,” said Randall Levine, who is an advocate for the county’s development of a Veterans Treatment Court. “Michigan is a national leader in the number of Veterans Treatment Courts, and the addition of such a court here will address challenges the justice system is ill equipped to solve.”

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how the government handled it was illuminating,” said Vuletich. “The parties and government efficiently handled the transition of authority from David Cameron to Theresa May quickly, calmly and smoothly. The students compared this to how our presidential election cycle is handled, and came away with much respect for parliamentary or a multi-party systems. Many of them expressed that that it is time for the United States to move away from a two-party system.”

(Left-right) Danielle Scarfo, Tampa Bay campus; Jason Masopust, Leigh Curtis, and Houda Derri, Auburn Hills campus; Professor Victoria Vuletich; Hai Dui, Lansing campus; Jennifer Lyons, Lavi Gonzalez, and Christine Behrman de Colindres, Tampa Bay campus.

(Row 1, left-right) Lavi Gonzalez, Houda Derri, Hai Dui, (row 2, left-right) Leigh Curtis, Jason Masopust, Jennifer Lyons, (row 3, left-right) Christine Behrman de Colindres, Professor Victoria Vuletich, and Danielle Scarfo.

STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM STUDENTS SEE RESULTS OF “BREXIT” UP CLOSE When eight WMU-Cooley students enrolled to be part of the law school’s Study Abroad program in Oxford, England this summer, little did they know they would be living through history in the making – at ground zero!

The students arrived to a nation roiling with disbelief and uncertainty after the historic “Brexit” vote, a referendum that decided the United Kingdom (U.K.) will be leaving the European Union.

“Many people told us that the widespread assumption was the referendum to leave the European Union would never pass,” said WMU-Cooley Professor Victoria Vuletich, who accompanied the students to Oxford. “The BBC featured stories of numerous young people who did not vote, or voted to exit as a lark, thinking their votes would not count. Several of them were remorseful and expressed a desire to revote. Even the leaders of the pro-Brexit camp seemed a little surprised at the outcome. The students and I

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learned that, though our individual votes may be one in millions, they do matter. Each vote really does count.”

While in Oxford, the students studied European Union Law and European Union Business Law. The courses focused on the workings of the European Union at the same time widespread discussion and commentaries were occurring about how Brexit will actually play out in the months and years to come.

The students were in for another historic experience with the election of Theresa May as Great Britain’s second female Prime Minister.

“Hearing and observing firsthand the political and constitutional crisis the Brexit vote spawned and

“It was interesting to see how many of our law students were asked their opinion on the U.S. Presidential election,” stated Professor Vuletich. “It appeared that citizens in the U.K. were much more knowledgeable about the United States than we were on the U.K. I was surprised at the degree of detail and familiarity they have with U.S. politics. They were particularly interested in our views on Donald Trump,” said Professor Vuletich. “He was the subject of many cross-cultural conversations.”

“We made new friends in Oxford that we were sad in leaving behind. But each of us is richer for having borne witness to history in the making and seeing how our legal system and government can endure with the ages – if we all do our part to care for it.”

PROFESSOR VICTORIA VULETICH

Another highlight for the students was the tour of the Middle Temple Inn of Court in London. The students dined in the Middle Temple Hall, constructed in 1573, and students learned that Queen Elizabeth liked to visit the hall and socialize with attorneys. The students also learned of the multitude of Middle Temple members who were involved in establishing the United States of America. The Middle Temple suffered heavily from bombing during World War II and the architectural impact of the bombing was part of the tour.

“It was a powerful, visible reminder that the rule of law can, and probably must, endure many challenges to support freedom and serve the people,” Vuletich noted. “One of the highlights for me was the portrait of the barrister who argued the Carbolic Smoke Ball case, which I am sure many attorneys of my generation read in law school. It made that old case from law school leap from the pages of a textbook and come alive. In his portrait I could see the defeats, victories and day-to-day drudgery that mark the life of attorneys everywhere.”

The six weeks was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the students and Vuletich.

“We had such fun learning, exploring and living together.

During the last week, we gathered under the famous Bridge of Sighs, at Hertford College, for a group picture.

We were all wearing our Oxford shirts and hoodies. Our smiles were tinged with melancholy by the realization that in a few days it would all be a memory and we would scatter to our former lives all over the United States.”

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Tampa Bay Campus Debt Relief Clinic News

Homeland and National Security LL.M. Students Participate in Supreme Court Mock Trial

Graduate to Lead Debt Relief Clinic Victor H. Veschio (Sharpe Class, 1998) was appointed director of the Debt Relief Clinic at the Tampa Bay campus. The clinic serves residents of Hillsborough County who are struggling with debt-related legal issues and is staffed by WMU-Cooley Law School students working under the supervision of a licensed attorney.

“It’s an honor for me to be able to help individuals in our community who are in need, while at the same time teaching law students the importance of service to community.”

Veschio has over 17 years of experience as an attorney and expert in debt relief he will continue to practice at Gibbons, Neuman Attorneys at Law in Tampa, Florida, while servicing the law school’s clinic. Veschio has extensive experience in creditor’s rights representing banks, credit unions, and private investors in federal bankruptcy courts.

“WMU-Cooley’s Debt Relief Clinic has become a valuable resource for Hillsborough County residents needing help restructuring debt,” said Veschio.

In June, LL.M. students participated in a mock trial at the Hall of Justice’s Supreme Court courtroom in Lansing, Michigan.

The homeland and national security law students went before seven Michigan judges, and the 90-minute trial was part of the day-long legal training for Michigan judges and court administrators.

“This is believed to be the first event of this type in the United States,” said Associate Dean Michael McDaniel. “Our students were well-prepared, polished and professional. They added substantially to the quality of the training, as the judges could observe, or participate in, how issues like quarantine and involuntary blood draws might play out in their courtrooms.”

Associate Dean Joan Vestrand Speaks at Annual U.S. Coast Guard Ethics Forum Auburn Hills campus Associate Dean Joan Vestrand presented “Principled Leadership: The Road from Good to Great,” during the U.S. Coast Guard’s 27th annual Ethics Forum on March 21 at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut.

VICTOR VESCHIO

“Leadership is the cornerstone for any individual, no matter what their walk of life, in building a solid foundation for a successful career and life,” said Vestrand.

Debt Relief Clinic Honored for Outstanding Pro Bono Service The Debt Relief Clinic was honored by the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee for Outstanding Pro Bono Service for providing legal counseling and representation to underserved indigent communities in the Tampa Bay area.

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Since its inception in 2014, the Debt Relief Clinic has contributed nearly 5,400 hours to assist the community. In 2015, the Debt Relief Clinic assisted more than 100 clients with bankruptcy matters and contributed more than 1,300 hours of student intern time to bankruptcy matters.

The Clinic’s nomination emphasized the substantial population of self-represented bankruptcy filers in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida as well as the resources the Debt Relief Clinic provides.

WMU-Cooley students and professors: (left-right) Kate Mortensen, Nancy Mullett, Professor Michael McDaniel, Professor Mike Leffler, Terry White, and Mary Mara.

U.S. Coast Guard veteran Thomas Gelwicks (left), Associate Dean Joan Vestrand (center), and Citadel Military Academy Chief Warrant Officer Thomas Gelwicks Jr., participated in the U.S. Coast Guard’s 27th annual Ethics Forum.

The U.S. Coast Guard Academy’s Ethics Forum provides the Corps of Cadets with a full day of lectures, panels, and small group dialogues on the topic of ethical situations in the Coast Guard and beyond. As future officers, cadets are educated in the concepts of integrity and strength of character, but this annual event allows for an immersion in thought-provoking discussions led by experts in a variety of disciplines.

(Left-right) WMU-Cooley Law School student Christine Pytlinski, and graduate Christine Laney (Hughes Class, 2016), accept the award for Outstanding Pro Bono Service.

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Where Do You Find WMU-Cooley Alumni?

LEGAL COUNSEL IN CORPORATE AMERICA Our alumni tell us time and again that they received a well-rounded, well prepared and top notch legal education. Your fellow graduates have taken many interesting, varied and impressive career paths. Here is but a glimpse of some of those alumni in corporate America – many you surely will recognize.

WMU-Cooley graduates are represented in all 50 states and 28 countries.

Walgreens, Fantastic Sams, Whirlpool, Microsoft, CMS Consumers Energy, Kelloggs, Dow, Bissell, Auto-Owners Insurance, DTE Energy, Dow Elanco, PBS-Geneology Roadshow, Amway, PGA-Professional Golfers’ Association, Trump Organization, General Motors, Jackson National Life Insurance, Big 10 Conference, Ford Motor Company, UAW-United Auto Workers-Ford, Nestle, Boehringer Ingelheim, Walmart, Farm Bureau Insurance, Harley Davidson, PricewaterhouseCoopers, EDS, AFLAC, Conoco, AIG, First American Title, Metropolitan Life, National Hockey League and Ernst Young, just to name a few.

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Swearing in Ceremonies Highlight WMU-Cooley Graduates TAMPA BAY CAMPUS

Charity Event Raises $5,150 To Help Detroit Public School Students Attend College “This was a great opportunity for us to join together with the community to benefit Detroit public school students who are interested in law school, said Assistant Dean Lisa Halushka. “We will mentor the scholarship recipients throughout their undergrad experience and be accessible for future inquiries regarding law school.”

(Left-right) Pamela Moore, Detroit Public Schools Foundation president and CEO; WMU-Cooley student Paul Spann; Remy Sirls-Boulbol, Detroit Public Schools Foundation development director; WMU-Cooley student Jawwad Khan; Lisa Halushka, WMU-Cooley assistant dean; and WMU Cooley students Jacqueline Snyder-Powdhar, and Arturo Alfaro.

The Auburn Hills campus held its eighth annual charity event to raise money for the Western Michigan University Cooley Law School Scholarship fund. This year, the charity event was called FUNDS – Financing the Undergraduate Needs of Detroit Scholars.

The event raised $5,150 for the scholarship that helps Detroit Public School students who would otherwise not be able to afford undergraduate school. The Western Michigan University Cooley Law School Scholarship will be awarded each year to a graduate of a Detroit public school who has expressed an interest in attending law school after college.

The Hon. Christopher C. Sabella of the 13th Judicial Circuit Court administered the Florida Bar oath to seven recent WMU-Cooley Law School graduates, granting them authorization to practice law before the state’s courts. The ceremony was held in the law school’s appellate courtroom.

Judge Sabella noted that, the day an attorney is sworn in counts as one of the best days in an attorney’s life. He told the graduates, and attending family members, faculty, staff and students, that the new attorneys would remember this day as vividly as the day one gets married, or the day of a child’s birth.

Admittees included Michelle Ace-Carroll (Hughes Class, 2016), Jennifer Alderman (McLean Class, 2015), Elizabeth Devolder (Hughes Class, 2016), Philistine Hamdan (Trimble Class, 2016), Cristina Solis (Hughes Class, 2016), Eric Bossardt (McLean Class, 2015), and Kymberly Starr (Hughes Class, 2016).

The event featured a silent auction and live entertainment. The Detroit Public School All City Jazz Combo performed, and local hip hop artist Big John presented a selection of songs written just for the benefit. Stand-up comedians Adam Degi, Grand Rapids’ (Michigan) Funniest Person recipient; and Stu McCallister, Gilda’s LaughFest participant rounded out the evening’s entertainment.

Eric Bossardt and his son Lawson watch as the Hon. Christopher C. Sabella signs the paperwork allowing Bossardt to practice law in Florida.

The Hon. Christopher C. Sabella joins new admittee Elizabeth Devolder along with her husband Bryan Devolder, also a WMU-Cooley graduate, for a family photo after the swearing-in ceremony.

LANSING CAMPUS U.S. Army Judge Advocate First Lieutenant Jordan Wilson (Taft Class, 2016), of Lansing, Michigan, was sworn into the Michigan Bar while on active duty through the military’s video conferencing network. Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Amy Ronayne Krause administered the oath from the Michigan National Guard Headquarters in Lansing, where Wilson’s family, friends and colleagues gathered to witness his acceptance into the State Bar.

The scholarship is administered by Detroit College Promise, a non-profit organization which is part of the Detroit Public Schools Foundation. The student scholarship fills the gap for needs that are not usually included in other scholarships or financial aid, such as transportation, clothes, and food.

Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Amy Ronayne Krause administers the State Bar’s oath to recent WMU-Cooley Law School graduate U.S. Army Judge Advocate First Lieutenant Jordan Wilson.

Wilson, who serves at the Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center in Charlottesville, Virginia, passed the Michigan Bar Exam in February. He was commissioned as a military intelligence officer in the U.S. Army Reserve after attending Liberty University on a four-year ROTC scholarship. He has served as a platoon leader, executive officer, and battalion intelligence officer. While attending law school, Wilson continued serving in the U.S. Army Reserve and at the same time worked with the Ingham County Veterans’ Treatment Court.

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GRADUATIONS Tampa Bay Ceremony

Michigan Ceremony Sabrina Mentor provides the valedictory remarks, speaking about how WMU-Cooley faculty go above and beyond to teach students the ethical values in the profession of law.

Sabrina Mentor provides the valedictory remarks.

Julianne Holt, Hillsborough County public defender, speaks to WMU-Cooley graduates during the law school’s recent commencement.

The summer 2016 class was named after Harlan Fiske Stone. Stone served as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in 1925 and then became the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in 1941.

“Let us always remember to take the time to understand not just the legal aspects of each client’s case, but that person’s state of mind and the life-altering impact to their life should we fail, even in the slightest, to always do what is in their best interest.”

During the valedictory remarks, Khadija Swims told the graduating class they have everything needed to be excellent attorneys and there is much work to be done for those individuals they will serve.

“We are in the midst of an important time in American history. We have the power to impact this nation’s future through the work that we do or don’t do. Take pride in the profession. Remember why you chose this path and use your skills and knowledge to do good and advocate for justice and change in the world.”

KHADIJA SWIMS

SABRINA MENTOR

President and Dean Don LeDuc; Julianne Holt, Hillsborough County public defender; Sabrina Mentor, WMU-Cooley graduate; and Jeff Martlew, retired WMU-Cooley associate dean.

Holt, who received her bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida and law degree from South Texas College of Law, told students to have a passion for practicing law. She noted that individuals lives will be affected everyday by their work as practicing attorneys.

“I have been a practicing attorney for 36 years and get up every morning loving what I do.”

Tampa Bay campus Associate Dean Jeff Martlew (right), presents Nestor Gonzalez his diploma.

Khadija Swims

Christina Pettway receives her diploma from President and Dean Don LeDuc.

(Left-right) State Bar of Michigan President Lawrence P. Nolan (Cooley Class, 1976) and President and Dean Don LeDuc. Nolan provided the keynote for WMU-Cooley’s graduation ceremony on Sept. 25.

Nolan, who earned his bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University and his law degree from WMU-Cooley Law School, spoke about the joys in obtaining a law degree and the importance of adapting to change.

“The joy of being a lawyer is that the journey really never ends.

It continues to change along the way. Adaptability is the key to survival. The wonderful beauty of law school is change. You will always be challenged to think.”

LAWRENCE P. NOLAN

JULIANNE HOLT

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WMU-Cooley Opens Center to Help Business Professionals and Students Deal with Conflict tactics in how to get a positive result from their clients. Participants receive advice on setting up in-house procedures to resolve conflicts in their professional environment.

Participants also have the opportunity to observe dispute resolution efforts with actual clients.

“WMU-Cooley launched the Center for Study and Resolution of Conflict to teach business professionals and law students how to rise above conflict and achieve a win-win outcome for them and their clients.”

GRAHAM WARD

Graham Ward, director of WMU-Cooley’s Center for Study and Resolution of Conflict

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WMU-Cooley’s Center for the Study and Resolution of Conflict offers seminars and specific undergraduate and graduate-level courses that teach participants how to improve the way they deal with conflicts.

to create a deeper understanding of the art of negotiation, including its history, societal contributions and how it has evolved through time.

“While we all engage in negotiations, virtually every day and Center officials demonstrate irrespective of our how to improve listening personal relationships skills, explain the benefits and employment of understanding the responsibilities, few have opposite point of view been formally trained and teach the value of in the art and science addressing conflict in a of negotiation,” Ward timely manner. Participants said. “Our four goals master best practices are to provide historical for the selected process, background, introduce consider the decisionmodernized win-win and making process, develop principled-negotiation an appreciation for creative concepts, demonstrate and alternative options, various negotiating and learn how to minimize styles, and identify damage and improve the specific conflicts within relationship among the those styles.” involved parties.

Instructors introduce The center’s director, participants to the various Graham Ward, hopes negotiating styles and

The center offers participants the expertise of practitioners experienced in problem-solving skills and sciences, supplemented by academics, consultants, and the synergies of working within a major research University, forming a collaborative effort with Western Michigan University.

The center’s programs are not only beneficial for law students and attorneys, but can help judges, business leaders, managers, government leaders, community members, and anyone who would like to improve conflict negotiation skills. The center is also able to customize courses and seminars as needed by corporations, institutions, and government entities.

More information about the program can be found on the law school’s website at wmich.edu/law.

WMU-Cooley Innocence Project Works to Get Compensation for Michigan’s Wrongfully Convicted Kenneth Wyniemko and Donya Davis, both exonerees who were represented by the WMU-Cooley Innocence Project, along with the clinic’s director and law school Professor Marla Mitchell-Cichon, recently appeared before the Michigan House Criminal Justice Committee to support Senate Bill 291, which would provide compensation for wrongfully convicted Michigan citizens, and House Bill 5815, which would provide for re-entry services to exonerees. Following the hearing the committee voted unanimously to send the bills to a full vote of the Michigan House of Representatives.

Michigan exonerees Kenneth Wyniemko and Donya Davis join Marla Mitchell-Cichon and the WMU-Cooley Innocence Project team at the Lansing Capitol building.

“Take a minute to consider all that you might lose during the years of wrongful incarceration. Then consider how you would begin to put your life back together. Where would you live? How would you support yourself? How would you explain where you have been when you apply for a job? These are just a few of the challenges that Michigan citizens who have been wrongfully convicted face on a daily basis.”

MARLA MITCHELL-CICHON

The WMU-Cooley Innocence Project is part of the national Innocence Network, which has been credited with the release of more than 344 wrongfully convicted individuals, mainly through the use of DNA testing. WMU-Cooley’s Innocence Project has exonerated three men: Wyniemko, Davis, and Nathaniel Hatchett.

Marla Mitchell-Cichon with Ken Wyniemko (left) and Donya Davis (right).

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Lansing Parks and Recreation summer program participants parade around Cooley Law School Stadium during the 16th annual Cooley for Kids day.

Class Notes

COOLEY FOR KIDS Baseball Fun For Area Kids and WMU-Cooley Law Students Hundreds of Lansing Parks and Recreation kids got to take in a Lansing Lugnuts baseball game, a free lunch, and plenty of fun activities during this year’s annual Cooley for Kids Day at Cooley Law School Stadium. The festivities started with the kids parading around the ball field carrying their colorful student-made banners. Then the Dream Team kid winners were announced and each of them got to run out with their paired up ball player onto the field. WMU-Cooley law students joined in by throwing out a first pitch and the singing of the national anthem.

1976

1982

Cooley Class

Wing Class

Heos, James, won a $2.75 million settlement for the estate of a 61-year-old motorcyclist who was struck and killed on Aug. 4, 2015. The settlement was placed on the record before the Hon. John Maurer on Sept. 1, 2016. He notes that expert testimony by accident reconstructionists, economists, physicians and toxicologists, was critical to the resolution. Phone: (517) 881-5032.

McKeen, Brian, managing partner of McKeen & Associates, a medical malpractice and personal injury law firm based in Detroit, Michigan, was named to the 2016 Michigan Super Lawyers list by Super Lawyers Magazine.

1976

Campbell Class Jordan, Stephen H., was re-elected to the Executive Committee of Rothman Gordon, P.C., where he is head of the firm’s Labor Law Department.

1985

T. Smith Class

Kelly Class

1986

Bushnell Class

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Jaworski, Thomas, was re-elected without opposition to his third six-year term as Alachua County Court Judge in Florida. He was previously elected in contested races in 2004 and 2010.

1978

1980

Students from Lansing’s Parks and Recreation summer program and WMU-Cooley law students team up during Cooley for Kids Day on July 25, 2016.

McAlvay Class

Lowney, Stephen J., an attorney with Foster Swift Collins & Smith PC, was listed in The Best Lawyers in America 2017, in Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law.

Reynolds, Frank H., an attorney with Foster Swift Collins & Smith PC, was listed in The Best Lawyers in America 2017, in Bet-theCompany Litigation, Criminal Defense: General Practice and White Collar, and Family Law, and in 2016 Michigan Super Lawyers, in Criminal Defense.

“Cooley for Kids Day is always a fun and gratifying event,” declared Terry Carella, WMU-Cooley’s communications director. “We are proud of our 16-year partnership with Lansing Parks and Recreation and we look forward to seeing the kids enjoy this event every year.”

1984

Otis, David K., a partner with Plunkett Cooney in East Lansing, Michigan, was named a 2016 Super Lawyer in Government by Michigan Super Lawyers Magazine.

Only 5 percent of the state’s licensed practitioners are named to the list. He was also designated a 2017 Best Lawyer in Municipal Law and Litigation in The Best Lawyers in America.

Miles Class Tarter, Todd B., was appointed to a four-year term as Associate Judge, 16th Judicial Circuit Court, in Kane County, Illinois.

1986

Sherwood Class O’Connor, Michael J., was named supreme secretary of the Knights of Columbus. A member of the Supreme Board of Directors, Michael has also served as the organization’s supreme treasurer and assistant supreme advocate. Michael is the founder of Michael J. O’Connor & Associates, LLC, a law firm with 15 offices throughout Pennsylvania,

and has been named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer in the field of workers’ compensation from 2004 to 2016 as published by Philadelphia Magazine.

1987

Champlin Class Lombardo, Frank J., a partner and senior trial attorney with Wingate Russotti Shapiro & Halperin LLP, in New York City, New York, was named to the New York Sportscene Children’s Foundation’s board of directors as a Senior Director. He is a member of the foundation’s events committee and will serve as chair for the organization’s 2017 Celebrity Golf Classic.

1988

Pratt Class Forbush, Audrey J., an attorney with Plunkett Cooney in Flint, Michigan was named a 2016 Super Lawyer in Government by Super Lawyers Magazine. Only 5 percent of the state’s licensed practitioners are named to the list.

Maurer, John, was appointed circuit court judge for Eaton County, Michigan. He was most recently a member of the Clinton County (Michigan) Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Previously, he worked for two decades with the Grand Ledge law firm of Deming & Maurer.

1989

Copeland Class Goodenough, Brian G., an attorney with Foster Swift Collins & Smith PC, was listed in The Best Lawyers in America 2017, in Insurance Law, Municipal and Real Estate Litigation, and Workers Compensation. He also received a Best Lawyers 2017 Lawyer of the Year distinction in Real Estate.

1989

Douglass Class Millenbach, Paul J., an attorney with Foster Swift Collins & Smith PC, was listed in The Best Lawyers in America 2017, in Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants, and in 2016 Michigan Super Lawyers, in Business Litigation.

1990

Benjamin F.H. Witherell Class Cox, William D., was named to DMagazine Best Lawyers in Dallas 2016. Cox, of the Law Offices of William D. Cox III, in Dallas, Texas, handles criminal law matters for high-profile clients and executives.

He is a former felony prosecutor and has been named among the National Association of Trial Lawyers Top 100 Lawyers (20122015).

1991

Lawrence Class Dadswell, Charles, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary at Illumina, was presented with the 2016 General Counsel Award for large public companies by the San Diego Business Journal. The award recognizes excellence in work as internal counsel.

Turetsky, Donna, a partner with Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP, in Long Island, New York, was honored by Hofstra University School of Law Center for Children, Families, and the Law as one of its Long Island Outstanding Women in the Law. She is a partner in the firm’s Trusts and Estates and Elder Law Practice Groups and concentrates her practice on trust and estate administration, elder law, estate planning, special needs planning, and guardianships.

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Class Notes 1993

1996

1997

2003

2006

Hooker Class

Moody Jr. Class

Voelker Class

Swainson Class

Edwards Class

Dawes, Terry, an associate attorney with McKeen & Associates, a medical malpractice and personal injury law firm based in Detroit, Michigan, was named to the 2016 Michigan Super Lawyers list by Super Lawyers Magazine.

Marhefka, Richard A., was promoted to partner at the Rothman Gordon Law Firm in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He joined the firm in 2014. In addition to his personal injury practice, he is a member of the firm’s Workers’ Compensation and Social Security Disability practices.

Thomas, Carol, an attorney in Saginaw, Michigan, was crowned Ms. Senior USA 2016. She won Ms. Senior Michigan in 2014 and Mrs. Michigan in 1988.

Christensen, Kristy, A., was named a partner in the firm of McCarty Law in Appleton, Wisconsin. She has been an attorney with the firm since 2006 and focuses her practice on civil litigation and mediation, intellectual property law, and construction law. She also leads the firm’s mediation practice.

Bush, Jordan, joined Alles Law in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as an attorney, with a primary focus on real estate. He previously served as district director for U.S. Rep. Justin Amash. Mr. Bush formerly was the managing member of a legal practice focusing on real estate acquisition, disposition, leasing, construction, and commercial development.

1993

Tripp, Amy R., was appointed

by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder to the Commission on Services to the Aging.

Moore Class Chernich, Scott A., an attorney with Foster Swift Collins & Smith PC, was listed in The Best Lawyers in America 2017, in Banking & Finance Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law. 1994 Williams Class Callaghan, Steve, was elected as Circuit Judge for Nicholas County, West Virginia. He will take office Jan. 1, 2017.

Craft, James Wiley II, was appointed as judge for the 47th Circuit Court in Kentucky.

Doerr, James, a criminal defense attorney at Lavelle Law in Palatine, Illinois, has launched a podcast series, Liberty and the Law. E-mail: jdoerr@lavellelaw.com.

1995

Steere Class LaMountain, R. Scott, head of major crimes (homicide) with the Middlesex County (New Jersey) Prosecutor’s Office, obtained a conviction on a cold case that made national news, the State v.

Michelle Lodzinski.

1996

Black Class Galloway, Warren S., Jr., authored a book, “10 Easy Steps to Starting a Business.” He is the owner of Warren Galloway & Associates LLC, which provides small business consulting services to government entities, nonprofits, private companies, the disabled, and individuals who are committed to rebuilding their communities, promoting self-employment, and developing independent living skills.

He also co-founded HR Talent Group, a nationwide permanent and contract staffing firm, is an adjunct professor of business at Baker College in Clinton Township, Michigan, and is Project Manager with TechTown Detroit SWOT City program. Phone: (248) 890-4079; email: tresa@eabytresa.com.

1997

Adams Class Frommer, Peter J., joined Goldberg Segalla in West Palm Beach, Florida, as a member of the firm’s Toxic Torts, Product Liability, and Business and Commercial Practice Groups. His practice focuses on representing defendants in asbestos and toxic tort litigation. He was previously with Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP.

44

1999

Flannigan Class Nichols, Michael J., of The Nichols Law Firm, PLLC, was selected as a 2016 Fellow by the Ingham County Bar Foundation.

2001

Grech-Clapper, Caroline A., of the Hanover Law Group in Southfield, Michigan, was appointed to the Livonia Human Relations Commission. She is also the president of the Women Officials Network Foundation, which encourages women to become involved in public policy through elected and appointed office.

Huff, Carrie E., joined the Gallagher Law Firm, PLC, in East Lansing, Michigan. She specializes in the areas of domestic relations/ family law, as well as personal protection litigation and general civil litigation. She has been named a Michigan Super Lawyers’ Rising Star every year since 2011 and was named one of the Top 5 Under 35 by the Ingham County Bar Association in 2013.

2002

2005

T. Johnson Class

McAllister Class

Hitchcock, Anita, was named as the city attorney for Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Sweeney, Jonathan, was elected Prosecuting Attorney for Nicholas County, West Virginia. He takes office Jan. 1, 2017.

Blair Jr. Class

Vamvakas, Jamie (Leavitt), has joined AIG in the Healthcare Claims Department as a Senior Complex Claims Analyst, in Chicago, Illinois.

She previously worked for over 14 years as a medical malpractice attorney with a Chicago-based law firm, defending the interests of hospitals, surgery centers, physicians, long-term care facilities and other medical professionals.

2002

Chase Class Alane, Natalie, with Alane & Chartier, PLC, was selected as a 2016 Fellow by the Ingham County Bar Foundation.

2006

Reid Class Braem, Michael, co-authored an article, Curiouser and Curiouser Excuses for Legal Jargon,” in the October 2016 issue of the Michigan Bar Journal.

Robinson, Kevin J., appears on cover of the July-September 2016 issue of The West Virginia Lawyer magazine for a story talking about the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity. He is an attorney with Pullin, Fowler, Flanagan, Brown & Poe PLLC in Beckley, West Virginia.

Hall, Lisa, an attorney with Plunkett Cooney in Grand Rapids, Michigan, was named a 2016 Rising Star in Creditor Debtor Rights, by Michigan Super Lawyers magazine.

To be considered a Rising Star, candidates must be either 40 years old or younger or licensed to practice for 10 years or less. No more than 2.5 percent of eligible attorneys receive the “Rising Star” designation.

2006

Fitzgerald Class Blanco, Jose, of Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, was recognized as the 2016 Public Servant of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers - Oklahoma Chapter. His practice at Legal Aid focuses on protecting the rights of persons with disabilities.

Lipin, Ilya A., was promoted to manager in the State and Local Tax (SALT) practice of PwC LLP in the firm’s Philadelphia, Pennsylvania office. He was also appointed in 2016 as a secretary of the Philadelphia Bar Association SALT Committee and as a co-editor of the ABA SALT Committee newsletter. He recently co-authored an article in State Tax Notes on state income tax rules for the market-based sourcing of services.

He advises clients in the areas of multistate income taxes, sales and use taxes, tax controversy, and state tax aspects that arise from M&A transactions. Phone: (215) 3279514; e-mail: ilya.a.lipin@pwc.com.

Moss, Shenique A., a member of the Wayne County (Michigan) Commission, was selected as a 2016 Fellow by the Ingham County Bar Foundation.

2007

Boston Class Evans, Nicole, was promoted to be the new 54-B District Court administrator in East Lansing, Michigan. She had served as the deputy court administrator since September 2011.

2008

Sharpe Class Sanders, Richard Jr., graduated from the Georgia Young Lawyers Leadership Academy, a program for young lawyers interested in developing their leadership skills.

Participants are selected through a competitive application process 2008

CJ Adams Class Crandell, Patrick D., an attorney with Collins Einhorn Farrell, in Southfield, Michigan, was named to the 2016 Michigan Rising Stars list.

Womack, Michael, was named city manager for Cedar Springs, Michigan. He was previously an attorney with Womack & Womack in Shelby Township, Michigan.

2009

Coleman Class Delus, Judith, graduated from the Georgia Young Lawyers Leadership Academy, a program for young lawyers interested in developing their leadership skills. Participants are selected through a competitive application process.

Dominguez, Miguel, graduated from the Georgia Young Lawyers Leadership Academy, a program for young lawyers interested in developing their leadership skills.

Participants are selected through a competitive application process.

Topeka, Kansas. Her practice area includes divorce, child custody, paternity, child support, and juvenile law. She previously was a legislative research analyst for the Kansas Legislative Research Department.

Tiscornia, Jude-Anthony, 32, was confirmed by the New Jersey State Senate as an Administrative Law Judge. The youngest administrative law judge, Tiscornia was interviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee for the post and confirmed by the full senate. He was sworn in on Sept. 29, 2016 and his chambers are at the Office of Administrative Law in Newark, New Jersey.

Wroblewski, Nick, joined Westpoint Financial Group, in Peru, Illinois, as a financial adviser. He works with clients in Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan, and his practice focuses on helping lawyers, doctors and farmers with risk management, wealth accumulation, and succession planning. Phone: (815) 326-0669; e-mail: nwroblewski@ financialguide.com.

2009

Riley Class Welch, Rob, has joined the nation’s largest health carefocused law firm, Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman, in Detroit, Michigan. He practices health care law with a focus on general corporate matters and contracting.

2009

Souris Class Ferencevych, Elizabeth H. (Foster), was recognized as the Mercer County (New Jersey) Bar Association Young Lawyer of the Year for 2016. She serves as Ethics Counsel for the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Washington, Natalie M. Teemer, joined the Family Law Division of Joseph, Hollander & Craft LLC, in

2010

Woodward Class Burrell, Aaron, was elected to the board of directors of the Oakland County (Michigan) Bar Association.

Kay, Andrew, an attorney with McKeen & Associates, a medical malpractice and personal injury law firm based in Detroit, Michigan, was named a 2015 Michigan Rising Star by Super Lawyers Magazine.

2010

James Witherell Class Murphy, Chris, was honored by the ACLU of Southern California on June 10, 2016, for pro bono work with the organization.

Sandoz, Jeffrey, a junior partner at Sandoz Law Offices, LLC, in Opelousas, Louisiana, is teaching Business Law this fall at South Louisiana Community College. He is a fifth-generation Sandoz attorney and practices bankruptcy and debt collection law with his father in south Louisiana.

45

Class Notes Notices

2010

2012

2014

Woodbridge Class

Hilligan Class

Todd Class

Thomas, Detriss, graduated from the Georgia Young Lawyers Leadership Academy, a program for young lawyers interested in developing their leadership skills. Participants are selected through a competitive application process.

Johnson, Anthony, of Atlanta, Georgia, was named to the Judge Advocate General Corp.

Griffie, Michael R., joined Butzel Long as an associate in the firm’s Detroit office. He specializes in Labor and Employment Law, and also practices in the areas of commercial litigation and higher education law. He worked in school leadership for 10 years, including service as principal of Hamtramck Academy. He was named to the Michigan Chronicle “40 Under 40” in 2014 for his service in education leadership.

Sauter, The Hon. Jeffrey, 63, of Grand Ledge, Michigan, died May 25, 2016. He was a judge with the Easton County (Michigan) Circuit Court and was part of a team that established the Eaton County Veterans Treatment Court. He was previously the longest-serving Eaton County Prosecuting Attorney, serving in that elected office 1991-2013.

2014

1989

Duvall Class

Douglass Class

Arena, Christopher P., earned his LL.M. in Intellectual Property Law from The George Washing University Law School in Washington, D.C., in May 2016.

Smith, Robert B., died March 4, 2016.

Whitehead, Bert “Tiger,” owns and operates Access Legal Care based in Redford, Michigan and Oak Park, Illinois. Services include family, estate administration, property, civil lawsuits, criminal and traffic, creditor and debtor, trademark and copyright and small business startup. Phone: (855) 437-3704; e-mail: tigerw@ legalaccesslegalcare.com.

2011

Sibley Class

2013

Moore Class Cameron, Jason, has joined Cantor Colburn LLP as an Associate in the firm’s Houston, Texas, office.

Cantor Colburn is one of the largest full-service IP law firms in the country. Jason concentrates his practice on patent preparation and prosecution in high-technology fields, including electrical and mechanical engineering, oil and gas technologies, and aerospace technologies. He has more than 25 years of experience working in the engineering and technology fields.

Racli, Paolo, served as a panelist during the compliance management discussion for the 2016 Joint Mutual Forum hosted by the FDIC and OCC, federal banking regulatory agencies, at the FDIC headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. He is First Vice President, Compliance Officer, Information Security Officer & Counsel at Cross County Savings Bank in Middle Village, New York.

Milner, Nathan J., joined Goldberg Segalla as an associate in the firm’s Workers’ Compensation Practice Group, in Syracuse, New York.

He was previously an assistant supervising hearing attorney with the New York State’s Special Funds conservation Committee.

2011

Deutch, Lauren, represented WMU-Cooley President Don LeDuc and WMU-Cooley Law School at the inauguration of Dr. Kim Schatzel, 14th president of Towson University in Towson, Maryland, on Sept. 16, 2016.

Lauren is a 2009 graduate of Towson University and is employed with Hill Barns and McInerney in Westminster, Maryland.

Chipman Class Barlaskar, Abe, an attorney with Plunkett Cooney in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, was named a 2016 Rising Star in Personal Injury: Defense, by Michigan Super Lawyers magazine. To be considered a Rising Star, candidates must be either 40 years old or younger or licensed to practice for 10 years or less. No more than 2.5 percent of eligible attorneys receive the “Rising Star” designation.

46

Faculty Briefs

1978

Kelly Class

1992

Montgomery Class Engle, David S., died Dec. 9, 2014.

2003

Otis Smith Class Kemp, Ethan, of Jersey City, New Jersey, died Aug. 26, 2016. He was the founder and owner of Kemp Law Group, LLC, in Jersey City, New Jersey.

2011

Chipman Class

2013

Marshall, Mya L., 41, died Aug. 5, 2016, in Birmingham, Michigan.

Marshall Class

2014

Todd Class Roland, Timothy, 29, of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, died in an automobile crash June 8, 2016.

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

Tammy Asher, Professor Served, for the third consecutive year, as an Educator Delegate at the Annual West Point Leadership Ethics and Diversity in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Workshop in Detroit, Michigan, in September 2016.

Gary Bauer, Professor Presented, “Powers of Attorney, What are they?

How can they go wrong?”

Oct. 9 for the Alpena Alcona Area Community Credit Union, and again on Oct. 10 at the Alpena Senior Center.

Submitted, the manuscript for a book which has been peer reviewed, has been accepted, and is being prepared for publication by the American Bar Association titled Solo Lawyer By Design.

Selected, by the Solo & Small Firm Section of the State Bar of Michigan, as the 2016 winner of the Section’s Outstanding Achievement Award.

Published, multiple new blogs on Sololawyerbydesign.com, including, “It is not the law that makes a good lawyer!,” “Great Attorney, Bad Fit!,” “Solo, Best Exit Strategy For Retirement; Hire To Retire,” and over 100 more over the last 20 months.

Many of these have been re-published by permission on other websites.

Erika Breitfeld, Assistant Professor and Auxiliary Dean Presented, introductory remarks during the Integrity in our Community Speaker event on June 29, 2016 at the Auburn Hills campus. On behalf of Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, presented Valerie Newman with an award for her outstanding leadership, civility, and integrity during her distinguished career.

Participated, in a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Veterans’ Treatment Court for Macomb County.

Awarded, the Stanley E. Beattie teaching Award for the third time at the May 2016 graduation.

Participated, in meetings as cochair for the State Bar Criminal Issues Committee.

Spoke, as a panelist at the Women Lawyers Association event “Love your job, Live your life” about the importance of working hard and also maintain a healthy life outside of work.

Mark Cooney, Professor Cited, in the 2016 editions of five American Jurisprudence Trials sections, eight American Jurisprudence Proof of Facts sections, treatises in California and Texas, and a 2016 George Mason Law Review article, for his article “Benching the MondayMorning Quarterback: The ‘Attorney Judgment’ Defense to Legal-Malpractice Claims.” The article was previously quoted in a published 2013 decision of the Illinois Appellate Court.

Spoke, at the State Bar Young Lawyers Section Annual Summit, in Novi, Michigan, on “Appealing Briefs.”

Attended, the annual dinner of the Michigan Supreme Court Historical Society’s Advocates Guild, at the Michigan Supreme Court, in Lansing, Michigan.

Republished, an article called “The Architecture of Clarity” in the September Michigan Bar Journal. The article made the Social Science Research Network’s Top Ten downloads list for three of its e-Journals, including Law & Rhetoric.

Spoke, on clear document design for the Lansing Chapter of the National Association of Legal Secretaries, in Lansing, Michigan.

Participated, in a meeting of the Board of Directors of Scribes – The American Society of Legal Writers, and continued reviewing author submissions to The Scribes Journal of Legal Writing.

Appointed, Chair of the Association of Legal Writing Directors’ New Directors Committee.

Attended, the Legal Writing Institute’s biennial conference, in Portland, Oregon, including participation in a summit of journal editors.

Attended, the Association of Legal Writing Directors’ annual meeting and its special reception for new directors in Portland, Oregon.

Hosted, the Law Review’s annual Distinguished Brief Award Dinner, in Lansing, Michigan.

Edited, and posted studentauthored summaries of Sixth Circuit opinions for the ABA’s Media Alerts website, for which he serves as the circuit supervisor.

Attended, Auburn Hills Environmental Law Society’s “Lunch & Meet” event, featuring conservation attorney Meghan Prindle. Professor Cooney serves as this student group’s faculty adviser.

Renalia DuBose, Assistant Professor Organized, and moderated, a forum, “Responding to a Law Enforcement Encounter,” Nov. 9, 2015, in Tampa, Florida.

Assisted, in coordinating the Tampa Bay campus celebration of Juneteenth on June 16, 2016. The event featured “Professionalism Personified,” with guest speaker Keith DuBose, a shareholder in Matthews Eastmore Trial Lawyers in Sarasota, and Professor DuBose’s brother-in-law.

David Finnegan, Professor Delivered, a presentation in Washington, D.C. on “The Economic Implications of Law Reform in Africa” on a conference panel at the American University Washington College of Law on April 15, 2016. The other panelists included a sitting justice on the Supreme Court of Uganda, a former Nigerian government minister, and a South African judge.

Authored, a report for the International Legal Resource Center on an “Assessment of Zanzibar’s Pilot Case Management System” on Aug. 22, 2016), providing pro bono advice on a judicial reform project under way in East Africa. The ILRC, based in Washington, D.C., is a joint effort 47

Faculty Briefs of the United Nations and the American Bar Association offering assistance on law reform projects around the world.

Provided, peer review of a book proposal for Routledge, a U.K.based publisher, in March 2016.

Provided, peer review of a manuscript for the Law & Society Review, the peer-reviewed publication of the Law & Society Association in October 2016.

Coached, the WMU Cooley Jessup International Law Moot Court team during the 2016 competition season.

Served, as the 2015 director of WMU-Cooley’s summer foreign study programs in Toronto, Canada and Oxford, U.K. Dustin Foster, Associate Professor Published, the 2016 edition of Michigan Estate Planning, a LexisNexis Practice Guide with co-author and WMU-Cooley Law graduate Sara Schimke.

Joseph Kimble, Distinguished Professor Emeritus Published, an article called “A Curious Criticism of Plain Language” in Legal Communication and Rhetoric: JALWD. Published, an article called “The Proof Is in the Reading: Solid Evidence That Plain Language Works Best” in the Michigan Bar Journal. The article excerpts four of the 50 case studies in his book Writing for Dollars, Writing to Please: The Case for Plain Language in Business, Government, and Law. 48

Published, an editing example called “Revising an Order” on the back cover of Judicature. The publisher intends to make this a regular feature.

the Law,” in Las Vegas Nevada, May 18-21, 2016.

Spoke, on subject of live grading at the Biennial Conference of the Legal Writing Institute, in Portland.

Authored, a Cooley blog, “Michigan Senate Takes First Step Toward Compensating Wrongfully Convicted Michigan Citizens.

Presented, a videotaped keynote address to the Biennial Conference of Clarity International, in Wellington, New Zealand. The address was called “No, the Law Does Not (Normally) Require Legalese.”

Professor Kimble is a past president of Clarity.

Attended, the Innocence Policy Network Conference in Excelsior Springs, Missouri, June 20-22, 2016.

Continues, to serve as editor of the Plain Language column in the Michigan Bar Journal, senior editor of The Scribes Journal of Legal Writing, and drafting consultant on all federal court rules.

Don LeDuc, President and Dean Published, the new release of his textbook, the 2016 edition of Michigan Administrative Law (Thomson Reuters/Westlaw). The first edition appeared in 1993 and a revised edition was published in 2001.

Marla MitchellCichon, Professor

Attended, the State Bar of Michigan Criminal Law Section Spring Conference, June 3-4, 2016.

Appeared, before the Genesee County Circuit Court for a hearing on a motion for new trial in People v. Molina. Supervised legal intern Joseph Daly, who argued the motion.

Authored, a Cooley blog, Quintessential Practical Legal Scholarship: WMU-Cooley Innocence Project Intern Joseph Daly Argues Client’s Case.

Served, as a panelist, State Bar of Michigan Criminal Law and Young Lawyers Sections of the State Bar of Michigan program on the new probablility program for DNA mixtures, STRmix, on July 22, 2016.

Testified, before the Michigan Senate Judiciary Committee in support of Senate Bill 1028 on Sept. 6, 2016. The bill provides housing and other needed services to Michigan exonerees upon release from prison.

Co-taught, with Dean Christine Church, a wrongful conviction course based on the Netflix’s series “Making a Murderer.”

Appeared, before the Genesee County Circuit Court for a status conference and bond hearing in People v. Molina on September 13, 2016. Supervised legal intern Erika Damstetter, who argued the bond motion.

Attended, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers 9th Annual Forensic Seminar, “Making Sense of Science IX: Forensic Science &

Testified, on Sept. 20, 2016, before the House Criminal Justice Committee in support of Senate Bill 291 which provides compensation for wrongfully

convicted Michigan citizens and House Bill 5815 which provides housing and other needed services to Michigan exonerees.

Authored, a Cooley blog post: “Will Michigan be the 31st State to right the wrong?” The blog discusses the need for compensation for wrongfully convicted Michigan citizens.

Received, a Champion of Justice award from the State Bar of Michigan, September 21, 2016.

Attended, Western Michigan University’s Wrongful Conviction program, featuring WMU-Cooley Innocence Project client, Donya Davis, October 3, 2016.

Featured, in Lansing Women’s Magazine, October 2016.

Kimberly O’Leary, Professor Presented, with fellow WMU-Cooley Professor Mable Martin-Scott and former WMU-Cooley Professor Joni Larson, “Using a Case-Progression Approach to Mapping Learning Outcomes and Developing Assessments,” at the 2016 Southern Clinic Conference held at The Charlotte School of Law, October 13-15.

Presented, along with Mary Helen McNeal of Syracuse University School of Law and Alison Hirschel of the Michigan Elder Justice Initiative “Three’s a Crowd: Ethical Issues in Representing Clients with Legal Representatives,” at the 2016 National Aging and Law Conference held in Alexandria, Virginia, Oct. 28-29, 2016.

Attended, The Risks & Rewards of Clinical Legal Education, a conference put on by the

International Journal of Clinical Legal Education and the Association of Canadian Clinical Legal Education, at the University of Toronto July 10-13, 2016.

James Robb, Associate Dean of External Affairs and General Counsel Reappointed, to a sixth term on the city of Birmingham, Michigan, Board of Ethics.

Lectured, at the State Bar of Michigan’s 40th Legal Milestones dedication event “The Kalamazoo Case: Establishing High School for All,” about the historical and legal significance of the 1874 Michigan Supreme Court decision written by Justice Thomas M. Cooley upholding publicly financed high school education.

Appeared, on the Laurie Moore television program on WWMT-TV, CW7 about Justice Thomas M. Cooley, the “Kalamazoo Case,” and the law school’s growing affiliation with Western Michigan University.

Devin Schindler, Professor Spoke, on Sept.

17, 2016, on “Gerald Ford and the Ethics of the Nixon Pardon,” as part of the Gerald R. Ford Museum Presidential Ethics Series.

Spoke, April 22, 2016: WOOD AM/FM, on “The Debate Over Immigration.”

Spoke, on May 2016: WZZM-TV, on “Supreme Court Splits.”

Spoke, on June 8, 2016, to Mlive, on “Certification of Police Officers.”

Spoke, on June 21, 2016: WKZOAM, on “The Appointment Crisis.”

Spoke, on June 22, 2016: WOOD AM/FM, on “The Supreme Court 2016 Term.”

Spoke, on June 27, 2016: WKZO-AM, on “Immigration Reform.”

Spoke, on June 28, 2016: WOOD-AM/FM, on “The Recasting of Casey.”

Spoke, on Aug. 16, 2016: WOOD-AM/FM, on “Individual Rights and Smoking Bans.”

Spoke, on Aug. 23, 2016: WOOD-AM/FM, on “Transgender Rights and Equal Protection.”

Spoke, on Aug. 25, 2016: WKZO, on “Direct Democracy and Marijuana.”

Spoke, on Sept. 12, 2016: WOOD-AM/FM: “Foreign Affairs and Sovereign Immunity.”

Spoke, on Oct. 10, 2016: WZZM-TV, on “Independent Prosecutors and the Election.”

Amy Timmer, Associate Dean and Professor Presented, to the Masters and Young Lawyers Sections of the North Carolina State Bar Association, on episodic mentoring.

Reappointed, to serve a threeyear term on the ABA Standing Committee on Professionalism.

Patrick Tolan, Associate Professor Presented, “Time to Change the Casualty Loss Deduction under Tax Code Section 165 to a Refundable Credit?” as a panelist at the Southeastern Association

of Law Schools 2016 Annual Conference on Aug. 8, 2016.

Christopher Trudeau, Professor Awarded, a prestigious research grant to conduct the first International study to measure the public’s preferences for legal communication. This grant was co-sponsored by Lexis/Nexis, the Association of Legal Writing Directors, and the Legal Writing Institute.

Published, “Plain Language in Healthcare: What Lawyers Need to Know about Health Literacy,” in the October 2016 Michigan Bar Journal.

Presented, “The Clear Drafter’s Toolbox,” for the Great Lakes Paralegal Association on Oct. 12, 2016.

Presented, “The Business Case for Incorporating Health Literacy into Health Systems,” at the CEO Forum for Christiana Care Health System in Wilmington, Delaware, on Oct. 18, 2016.

Presented, “Health Literacy for Lawyers: A Workshop on Reducing Risk & Improving Outcomes,” at the Health Literacy Missouri Summit on Oct. 20, 2016.

Presented, “Making the Case for Integrating Health Literacy into Health Systems,” at the Colorado Coalit​ion for Health Literacy’s Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado, on Oct. 21, 2016.

Presented, “The Public Speaks, Again: A Sneak Peak at New Data,” at the Clarity International Conference in Wellington, New Zealand, on Nov. 4, 2016.

Victoria Vuletich, Professor Directed, WMU-Cooley’s Study Abroad program in Toronto and Oxford, England in Summer 2016.

While in Oxford, the host college, Hertford College, asked Professor Vuletich to guest lecture for a class of visiting law students from Beijing.

Served, as the keynote speaker at the annual meeting of the State Bar of Michigan Legal Assistant’s Section, speaking on the restructuring of the legal profession.

Developed, in collaboration with WMU Professor Norman Hawker and Barbara McGregor from the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, a leadership program that has been acclaimed by the Grand Rapids Business Journal.

“Leadership in Times of Crisis” is open to both students and community members, and uses President Ford and several of his difficult decisions as vehicles to discern true leadership principles.

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