WMU-Cooley Law School Viewbook 2019-20

ALL RISE

MICHIGAN | FLORIDA

WELCOME FROM PRESIDENT JAMES MCGRATH It is my great honor to be asked to serve as the leader of this venerable institution as we begin a new chapter in the history of WMU-Cooley Law School. Like many access law schools today we face many challenges – but as I tell my students, you need to embrace your challenges as opportunities. I am going to seize upon every opportunity to enhance the reputation of our school as a leader in using proven methods to prepare practice-ready, ethical lawyers.

We must ALL RISE to meet the opportunities that are before us.

The legal profession is also experiencing significant changes. We must not just react, but also anticipate future trends and lead when those trends threaten to take us in the wrong direction.

WMU-Cooley will position itself for not just the future of legal education, but also the future of legal practice.

Although progress has been made, the legal profession has much work to do in being truly diverse. WMU-Cooley has embraced greater access

to the legal profession since its founding and stands firm in its belief that the study of law should not be an esoteric pursuit, nor the law an elitist profession. The WMU-Cooley community will continue to build on this proud history as we lead by example.

Our students are fiercely committed to social justice.

Through hard work and engagement in the classroom they develop their legal skills for application in community minded externships and probono efforts that are building a more equitable world.

In my short time as President and Dean, I have been impressed with WMU-Cooley’s loyal community of faculty, staff, students, and graduates.

Finally, our graduates – over 20,000 strong, have proven themselves in the courts, both as advocates and judges, and in many impressive careers across the nation and around the world.

Our faculty is dedicated to personally reaching each one of our students. Instead of waiting for law schools to adopt proven effective teaching techniques, our faculty pioneer what actually works in the classroom to better educate future lawyers.

I plan to support and expand these efforts in making WMU-Cooley the epicenter of modern legal education.

Our staff are unwavering in their commitment to our students and their work in furthering our mission. Not just “support,” the staff is a proactive partner in finding ways to ensure our school achieves its goals. The longevity of so many of our staff members speaks volumes about their loyalty and passion for our school.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The law school’s unwavering commitment to prepare a diverse group of practice-ready attorneys was very attractive to me when I was considering joining WMU-Cooley. Here, making a difference in the lives of others is not just a tagline. We don’t just say we train practice-ready lawyers, which many law schools have recently adopted as their mantra. We have actually been doing it as an integral part of our curriculum since we were first opened in 1972 – Not by recently adding a few extra faculty members and courses, but by having a faculty with significant practice experience, weaving these skills into every course.

All of our graduates have practice experience PRIOR to graduation.

I will soon introduce new initiatives that will position our law school well to become a leader in modern legal education without losing our commitment to our core mission. We will build on our affiliation with Western Michigan University, a globally engaged, national research university, and continue to work with their education faculty to explore and test new ways to improve our teaching to better serve our students.

With a law degree from WMU-Cooley you will have the opportunity to be an influencer in our global community for many years to come. I encourage you to carefully review the pages that follow. I think you will be impressed.

I am excited to be at the helm for this new chapter in WMU-Cooley’s history. Please join me in this journey.

Sincerely,

JAMES MCGRATH Professor, President and Dean

Diversity

14-15

Scheduling Options

26-27

Transformational Experience

4-5

Student Life

16-17

Scholarships

28

Why Law School?

6-7

Prepared to Practice

18-19

Career Planning

29

Academics

8-9

Global Presence

20-12

Locations

Professors

10-11

Ethics and Professionalism

22-23

Next Steps

Social Justice

12-13

Reach for Greatness

24-25

30-33 34

FAST FACTS 25

“The investment a student makes in [business school or law school] degrees today is likely to produce at least a 10x return over his or her career.”

SHAWN O’CONNOR, FORBES MAGAZINE

FIND YOUR EXCELLENCE You have the ability to do great things. You are thinking about law school. You have obviously set high goals for yourself.

Law school is a commitment. It is a challenge. It is an education that will bring out your best. Come to WMU-Cooley, find your excellence — become the lawyer you aspire to be.

You realize the advantages that a legal education can bring. No education could be more stimulating, rigorous, or challenging. Law school will open your mind, unlock your potential, and enable you to achieve in ways that you may have never imagined.

At WMU-Cooley, we know all about potential and achievement.

Founded in 1972 by a group of lawyers and judges led by thenChief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, the late Thomas E. Brennan, WMU-Cooley is a national leader in practice preparation.

Since the beginning, WMU-Cooley has identified people like you who have proven to themselves and the

world that they have what it takes to succeed. Over 20,000 alumni, located all over the nation and the world, serve their communities as lawyers in firms large and small, judges, legislators, prosecutors, defenders, corporate leaders, educators, and entrepreneurs.

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90 81 WMU-COOLEY: A TRANSF

FAST FACTS 5

COOLEY LAW SCHOOL

CREDIT PROGRAM 65 credits in required courses plus 25 credits in electives stress the fundamentals of law and practice

ST

CLINICAL EXPERIENCES

WMU-Cooley was one of the pioneers to require our students to have practice experience BEFORE graduating.

We train students to be lawyers who know how to get the job done.

Our challenging academic programs blend rigorous classes with practical legal experience to prepare students for the bar exam, the courtroom, and the real-world practice of law.

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So why the law? “I looked at it from the perspective of what can I actually do to help my community. I knew I could help individual people as a doctor, but as an attorney I knew I would be able to help many others on a much larger scale.”

MUSTAFA AMEEN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY AMEEN & SHAFII ATTORNEYS AT LAW

KNOWLEDGE | SKILLS | ETHICS

6

6

ORMATIONAL EXPERIENCE

CHALLENGING ACADEMICS • Comprehensive curriculum • Thorough bar exam preparation • Faculty holds students to high standards • Mid-term exams reinforce learning

FACULTY COMMITTED TO STUDENTS • Accessible professors • Faculty are legal practitioners and excellent teachers • Culture of continuous feedback • Connect students with alumni and future employers

PREPARED FOR LAW PRACTICE • Top-notch facilities • Experiential learning • Courtroom readiness • Legal skill development • Large alumni network

FLEXIBLE PROGRAMS • Year-round admission opportunities • Begin in January, May or September • Class schedule that supports full-time employment • Evening and weekend schedules support part-time study

TRANSFORMATIONAL EXPERIENCE • Welcoming to all students • Diverse student body • Collaborative student-centered law school experience • Supportive of student success

COMMITMENT TO SERVICE • Clinics provide opportunities for community service • Student externships provide value to community • Graduates committed to careers that serve individuals and communities 5

3 7 LAW SCHOOL MAKES YOU B START DATES

FAST FACTS 59 3

Begin classes starting in January, May, or September

DAYS OF CLASSES Evening and weekend classes support part-time study and full-time employment

Equipped with a legal education and a passion for the law, an attorney can have a rewarding and fulfilling career in so many ways; from a protector in the courtroom to being an advocate in private practice. A legal education is one of the most versatile, most useful academic disciplines available today. A law degree is so much more than just a return on investment. It is an investment in you!

A LEGAL EDUCATION:

Teaches discipline, leadership, and organization skills

6

Enhances your ability to communicate clearly and persuasively

Instills a strong work ethic, professionalism, and confidence

Sharpens your critical-thinking and problemsolving abilities

BRIGHTER. BOLDER. BETTER. Earning a law degree is a good career move and a true testament to what you want to give and get out of life.

Enrich yourself with a WMU-Cooley law degree.

“

I always wanted to be an attorney. I didn’t seek out to do it, I just always knew that someday I would become a lawyer. My friends would change their ideas of what they wanted to do when they grew up, but I knew I wanted to be an advocate.”

SHEQUEL ROSS WMU-COOLEY GRADUATE THE LAW OFFICES OF SHEQUEL ROSS, LLC

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1 8 CHALLENGING ACADEMICS

FAST FACTS 59 7

ST

COOLEY LAW SCHOOL

LEGAL DRAFTING

WMU-Cooley was one of the first law schools in the nation to require coursework in legal drafting

CREDIT HOURS

Minimum requirement of research and writing, resulting in a skill set that gives students a distinct advantage

The Law School’s comprehensive curriculum includes courses you need to succeed on the bar exam and in practice. Whatever area of law you pursue, WMU-Cooley’s programs will give you the knowledge and practical skills you will need to succeed.

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5

WRITING ELECTIVES

Choose from additional electives, such as Scholarly Writing, Pre-Trial Skills, Appellate Practice, Journals and Law Reviews

9

AREAS OF CONCENTRATION

Focus your study in a particular field of your choice

JURIS DOCTOR (J.D.) DEGREE WMU-Cooley’s J.D. curriculum is designed to help you master the knowledge, skills, and ethics needed for the bar examination, law practice, and even further graduate study. The curriculum also requires actual practical experience.

Every WMU-Cooley student gets real-world experience before graduation.

SPECIALIZE YOUR CURRICULUM Whether you are interested in environmental law, sports and entertainment law, business law, or civil rights, you can tailor your curriculum to meet your interests.

DUAL-DEGREE PROGRAMS WMU-Cooley’s dual-degree programs with Western Michigan University allow you to earn a J.D. degree and a master’s degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, or Social Work.

MASTER OF LAWS (LL.M.) DEGREES WMU-Cooley offers a broad array of graduate legal education programs where you can focus your legal career in areas such as Tax or Intellectual Property.

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9/10 7:1 PROFESSORS ARE PRACTION SPEAK FROM EXPERIENCE. FACULTY ACHIEVE 9 OUT OF 10 RATING

FAST FACTS 59

COOLEY LAW SCHOOL

STUDENT/FACULTY RATIO Students benefit from small classes and individualized attention from caring teachers

Imagine learning criminal law from a professor who was a prosecutor for 20 years — or learning about homeland and national security from a professor who was a Brigadier General and the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Homeland Defense Strategy.

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15 11 NERS WHO AVERAGE YEARS TEACHING EXPERIENCE Veteran faculty are skilled teachers

AVERAGE YEARS PRIOR PRACTICE EXPERIENCE

Full-time faculty have a world of practice experience

KNOWL-

WMU-Cooley law professors base their teaching on vast experience as practicing lawyers. They bring to the classroom a real and tangible perspective making learning robust and relevant.

The real-world experience of the faculty complements the theoretical foundation of their teaching and provides valuable insights into the practice of law.

Our faculty are committed to the success of each student. As mentors, they combine their own experience practicing law with a love of teaching, providing individualized support and continuous feedback to each student.

The classroom is collaborative and supportive. Students learn that they can be their very best by working with others.

“

The law school has professors on campus with diverse professional experience, including in international practice. Having access to professors with this much world experience is a huge advantage.

I believe that WMU-Cooley provides students with a quality education that is unpaired with any other law school across the United States.”

NATHAN TAMULONIS, WMU-COOLEY STUDENT

HIGH FACULTY RANKINGS WMU-Cooley students think very highly of their professors, consistently ranking the faculty a nine on a scale of 10 in course evaluations.

MORE PRACTICE EXPERIENCE Our professors average 11 years of practice experience before joining our faculty.

MORE TEACHING EXPERIENCE WMU-Cooley professors teach three semesters a year, which adds up to a faculty with more teaching experience than almost any other law faculty in the country. WMU-Cooley faculty average 15 years in the classroom.

FACULTY EXPERTS IN THE NEWS Our experienced faculty bring to the classroom their expertise on nearly every legal issue. The media and the public rely on our faculty for expert news commentary because the faculty match their scholarship with experience gained from wideranging law practice.

Visit cooley.edu/faculty to see the entire list of WMU-Cooley’s exceptional professors and faculty experts.

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4

8 EXPERIENCE SOCIAL

EXONERATIONS

FAST FACTS

CLINICS

At WMU-Cooley you have the power to help those who have experienced injustice. Faculty lead by example in our commitment to serve our communities and others, whether it’s being involved in one of our many clinics like the WMU-Cooley Innocence Project, Sixty Plus, Inc., Elderlaw Clinic or Access to Justice Clinic; or taking on societal issues like Human Trafficking, the Opioid Epidemic or

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JUSTICE FIRST HAND

LGBT rights. At WMU-Cooley, you can choose how you want to be a leader in social justice and reform.

“

I have always felt as though I have two ‘selves’ – the one that I bring to work every day to a job, and the one that cares deeply about societal issues affecting others. I have made a choice in my life to do both by integrating social justice into the work that I do; and in the process of making a living, change lives.”

TRACEY W. BRAME, WMU-COOLEY ASSOCIATE DEAN AND 2019 PRESIDENT OF THE GRAND RAPIDS BAR ASSOCIATION’S MICHIGAN INDIGENT DEFENSE COMMISSION (MIDC)

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STUDENT BODY DEMOGRAPHICS

47 19-70 A DIVERSE STUDENT BODY %

FAST FACTS 59 13

STUDENTS OF COLOR

AGE RANGE OF STUDENTS

COOLEY COOLEY LAW LAW SCHOOL SCHOOL

Students who attend WMU-Cooley come from across the nation and around the world. The diversity of their backgrounds and perspectives creates a dynamic, open, and uniquely stimulating learning environment that enriches the educational experience and, ultimately, the career of every WMU-Cooley graduate.

WMU-Cooley believes lawyers and judges should mirror the rich diversity found in the communities they serve. Our students learn in a welcoming, supportive environment that prepares them to practice law in all types of settings and communities, ultimately making for a more vital, well-rounded, and empathetic legal profession.

NATIONAL MOOT COURT TEAM

SOCIAL WORKER AND LAW SCHOOL STUDENT

19 YEARS OLD AND EXCELLING AT LAW SCHOOL

EDUCATOR FOR ADVOCACY AND JUSTICE

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ATTENDING EVENING PROGRAM

42/58 1 THAT REFLECTS SOCIETY MALE TO FEMALE RATIO

#

MULTI-RACIAL ENROLLMENT and degrees awarded

KNOWLEDGE | SKILLS | ETHICS

“

14

WMU-Cooley has done what many law schools are unable to do, which is to make sure every entering class has meaningful diversity — not just diversity for the sake of diversity, but true inclusion as members of the law school, admitted on the same standards, in a community that embraces their differences, embraces what they bring to the table.”

AARON V. BURRELL WMU-COOLEY GRADUATE DICKINSON WRIGHT PLLC

EQUAL JUSTICE FOR ALL

STUDIED IN TORONTO AND OXFORD

LEADERSHIP ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER

FAMILY LAW ADVOCATE

MS. JD “INSPIRATION” AWARD

FROM SPANISH LANGUAGE INTERPRETER TO LEGAL ADVOCATE

GRAD ASSISTANT AND RESEARCH LAW CLERK

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35 3 10 VIBRANT STUDENT LIFE

FAST FACTS 59 13 15

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

STUDENT SCHOLARLY JOURNALS

STUDENT SKILLS COMPETITION TEAMS

COOLEY LAW WMU-COOLEY COOLEY LAW SCHOOL SCHOOL LAW SCHOOL

WMU-Cooley students have great opportunities to pursue their interests and improve their skills while serving their communities.

Some examples include:

Law Review,

Law Journal, Mock Trial, Moot Court

Study Abroad

in fascinating places like Melbourne, Australia; Hamilton, New Zealand; Oxford, England; Toronto, Canada

Competitions: Intra-School and National Moot Court Competitions, First Year Competition, Evidence Competition, Intra-School Trial Competition, Invitational Trial Competition, National Mock Trial Teams, ABA Client Counseling, and ABA Negotiation Competitions

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70

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS SERVED BY STUDENTS

WINNING TEAMS WMU-Cooley prides itself on the numerous national competitions we have won over the decades, including many national ABA Client Counseling Competitions. Most recently, WMU-Cooley teammates Brandon Ayers, Lauren Simasko and Josh Bemis stole the show in the New York Bar Association’s Moot Court regional competition, which qualified them and their coaches to head to nationals.

SCHOLARLY JOURNALS Students can earn the chance to serve on the school’s Law Review or its Journal of Practical and Clinical Law. J.D. students and students earning an LL.M. in Homeland and National Security Law can earn the chance to serve on that program’s new online Homeland and National Security Law Journal.

KNOWLEDGE | SKILLS | ETHICS

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS Students can expand their leadership skills and develop lasting relationships with fellow students through involvement in student organizations. They might be interested in becoming the voice of students in the Student Bar Association, participating in organizations such as the Black Law Student’s Association, or exploring the intersections of faith and the law in the Muslim, Christian, or Jewish student groups.

Students can also participate in organizations related to sports law, intellectual property law, criminal law, and a variety of other subjects.

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PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICES WMU-Cooley coordinates with more than 30 programs that offer free legal assistance to people who cannot afford representation.

WMU-Cooley faculty, staff, and students contribute hundreds of thousands of hours of free legal service per year through pro bono projects, externships, and clinics.

COMMUNITY SERVICE Students, faculty and staff generously serve communities not only where they live, but around the country, for instance: • Hurricane and disaster relief • Mentoring high school students • Supporting children’s literacy programs • Veteran assistance programs • Mental health initiatives 17

+

SINCE

3,000 1996 PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LAW SINCE 1972 FAST FACTS 59

EXTERNSHIP SITES

FIRST IN NATION TO REQUIRE EXTERNSHIPS

COOLEY LAW SCHOOL

What does it really mean to be “prepared for law practice,” particularly in a global society? At WMU-Cooley the answer is clear. Since its founding, WMU-Cooley has placed students into the field to learn how to practice. WMU-Cooley’s strong skills curriculum, coupled with thousands of opportunities to apply those skills, will set you apart and give you confidence to be a lawyer from day one.

“

I have learned that I can go up against anyone, in any setting, and I can defend my position and defend it well and prevail.

That is one of the biggest lessons I have learned. I have to trust myself, trust that I can understand the law, and I know all the aspects of it, and from there I can adequately defend or advocate for my client.”

BRANDON AYERS WMU-COOLEY MOOT COURT TEAM WINNER

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Unmatched Excellence

KNOWLEDGE | SKILLS | ETHICS

6

6

THE REAL PRACTICE OF One of the greatest advantages of a legal education is that it can take you anywhere in the world. At WMU-Cooley, you can prepare for a good job by choosing a real-life experience to complete your legal education. WMU-Cooley is one of the few schools in the nation that require a clinical experience before graduation, either through an externship or clinic opportunities. You have many choices.

CLINICS WMU-Cooley has a number of clinics (on campus or nearby) giving students real-world experience that allows them to start making a difference the day they graduate.

EXTERNSHIPS WMU-Cooley students can explore their chosen field of work and gain valuable experience by participating in an externship with an experienced lawyer at one

of more than 3,000 sites worldwide. The WMUCooley Externship Program is a partnership between students, practicing attorneys, and WMU-Cooley faculty. In our externships, students may earn up to 10 academic credits for work that they perform under a licensed attorney who has been practicing for at least three years.

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50 27 WMU-COOLEY’S PRESENCE STATES

COUNTRIES

FAST FACTS 59

COOLEY LAW SCHOOL

Nearly wherever you go, you will find WMU-Cooley graduates and learning opportunities. Network Wwith WMU-Cooley alumni across 50 M I D E ST states and 27 countries. Broaden your legal experience by studying at WEST 10,326 locations around the world. Gain experience at over 3,000 externship sites globally.

ALUMNI EXTERNSHIP SITES

1,503

142

33 19 19

59

5

21

106

16 29

8

9

16

21 225

3

42

138

WEST

10,326

19

33 35

WEST

8

19

174

499 125

54

5

21

1,265

7

218

59 16 53 9

39

29

ALUMNI EXTERNSHIP SITES

8 24

326

6

9

5

27

8

34

31 81

225

3 140 31

7

63

19

305

67

31

41

39

6 40

83

57

2 14

35

8

WEST

2,833

ALUMNI EXTERNSHIP SITES

467

19

16

8437 932

63

1031 213

34 623 126

490 114

35

8

53

9

174

1495 245 54

499 125

113

32 314

166

50

51

WEST

3,342 24ALUMNI 5

EXTERNSHIP SITES

265 27

140

8

849

31 41

34

11

12

157 305

34

67

523 121 29

2

41

16 1495 245

SOUTH WEST

3,342

ALUMNI EXTERNSHIP SITES

849

20

5

5

108

14

522

81

16

SOUTH

434 112

218

157

81

16 105

908 173 194

7

12

11

42 265

14

522

22

21

523 121 33

2

35

30

51 106

50

108

241

32 314

41

138 29

1,503

113

5 166

WEST

ALUMNI 623 126 EXTERNSHIP SITES

490 114 908 173

194 31 142 33 434 112

63

7

31 81

RTHEAST NO

5

E ST MIDW1031 213

8437 932

6

30

5

5

63

22

6

241

40

83

57

16

2

105

14

35

8

E

Unmatched Excellence

20 6 6

KNOWLEDGE | SKILLS | ETHICS

SPANS THE GLOBE WMU-COOLEY STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM LOCATIONS:

EXCHANGE PROGRAM • Exchange agreement with Münster, Germany

• Melbourne, Australia • Hamilton, New Zealand • Oxford, England • Toronto, Canada

T IN

ERNATIONAL

336

ALUMNI EXTERNSHIP SITES

92

2 3 5 5

2

1 12

2

36

3

1

2

1

2 2

2

226

1

2

1

1 1

1 2

1

1 1

2

1 1

2 1

1

5

1

1

2

2

10 3

2

1

3 4

2

1

2

2 1

1

1

2

5

2

4

5 1

2

1

7

1

14

2 2

1

1

3

3

3

1 1

1

1 3

WMU-Cooley Study Abroad Program Locations Exchange Program

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5,000 30 ETHICS, PROFESSIONALISM

FAST FACTS 59 21

VOLUMES OF ETHICS MATERIALS

PRO BONO PROGRAMS

COOLEY COOLEY LAW LAW SCHOOL SCHOOL

A lawyer’s professional reputation and character mean everything.

From the first day of law school, WMU-Cooley students are expected to live and perform as professionals, learning not just a body of knowledge and skills, but also embracing the ethics, values, and conduct required of their profession.

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I will not lie, I will not cheat, I will not steal, I will not plagiarize, and I will not tolerate those who do.”

WMU-COOLEY HONOR CODE OATH ADMINISTERED BY A ROBED JUDGE TO EVERY STUDENT AT FIRST-TERM ORIENTATION

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11,000 AND SER SERVICE STUDENT PRO BONO AND PUBLIC SERVICE HOURS ANNUALLY

KNOWLEDGE | SKILLS | ETHICS

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Our unique, strong culture of professionalism and service emphasizes a lawyer’s obligation to give back. Our legal clinics and numerous volunteer opportunities allow students to learn the law while making a difference in the lives of others.

The path to professionalism begins with the application process, builds throughout law school, and continues into your career. Everyone at WMUCooley is encouraged to adopt professionalism as a way of life.

Our innovative, American Bar Association award-winning Professionalism Plan features professional development opportunities, mentoring

relationships, a speaker series, workshops, the creation of a professionalism portfolio, and more. With this plan and other initiatives, we have created a culture of professionalism that permeates our school and touches every WMU-Cooley student.

WMU-Cooley Law School is a national leader among law schools in helping its students learn their professional obligations while internalizing

a personal commitment to ethics and service. In one year alone, working through clinics, externships and service, WMU-Cooley logs tens of thousands of hours of free legal assistance to the community.

We share a commitment to service that our students can carry into their communities throughout their careers.

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20,000 200 REACH FOR GREATNESS WI

FAST FACTS

JUDGES

COOLEY COOLEY LAW LAW SCHOOL SCHOOL

INTERNATIONAL JUDGE

APPELLATE JUDGE VISITING SCHOLAR

AT HARVARD, YALE, AND OXFORD

FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR STATE

CONGRESSMAN

Governor

SENATOR

REPRESENTATIVE

UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT

CORPORATE

CEO

A WMU-Cooley degree puts you in good company.

Besides working in law firms of every size, our graduates hold or have held numerous positions of leadership.

LAW FBI P R E S I D E N T CORPORATE

PROFESSOR A G E N T

U.S. Hospital TECHNOLOGY INVESTOR A R M Y

JAG SENIOR LEGAL

ADVISOR

MEMBER

OF

JAPANESE

L E G I S L AT U R E MEMBER

OF

CANADIAN

PA R L I A M E N T

CEO COUNTY

PROSECUTOR

E N T R E P R E N E U R

LOBBYIST

59 21 23

TOTAL ALUMNI

TRIAL COURT

U.S. EMBASSY JUDGE

L E G A L CYBER Attaché SECURITY A D V I S O R

(FROM TOP LEFT) JOHN MALLUL, TRIAL ATTORNEY AND FBI AGENT; MUSTAFA AMEEN, PRIVATE PRACTICE; JOHN SCHMIEDING, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, ARTHREX INC.; AHMED SALIM, REGIONAL COMPLIANCE DIRECTOR, PRESENCE HEALTH; BRYAN MACCORMACK, PRIVATE PRACTICE; JUDGE ROSEMARIE AQUILINA, MICHIGAN CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE; AARON BURRELL, BUSINESS LAWYER, DICKINSON WRIGHT; JUDGE JANICE CUNNINGHAM, MICHIGAN CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE; DEWYNA BAKRI-BAZZI, PRIVATE PRACTICE; ERICA KIRKWOOD, DEPUTY GENERAL COUNSEL, ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES; SHEQUEL ROSS, PRIVATE PRACTICE

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70 26 ITH A WMU-COOLEY DEGREE ELECTED COUNTY PROSECUTORS

LEGISLATORS

KNOWLEDGE | SKILLS | ETHICS

WMU-Cooley graduates have been named Super Lawyers and State Bar presidents in multiple states. Others have been elected to Congress and the national parliaments of Canada and Japan. Still others have run universities and hospitals, major business corporations, sports organizations, and non-profits. In short, you can do anything you want and desire with a WMU-Cooley education. You will be in good company.

WMU-Cooley alumni will be part of your network — your professional family of 20,000 fellow graduates — from your first day of law school.

THE CRADLE OF JUDGES It is fitting that WMU-Cooley was founded by a judge and named after a judge. Since its founding in 1972, WMU-Cooley has produced more than 200 judges in at least 23 states, including California, Florida, Pennsylvania, and New York, plus Canada.

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Why are WMU-Cooley graduates so wellsuited for the bench? The answer is easy. Given WMU-Cooley’s longstanding emphasis on teaching students the skills they will need to excel in practice, nobody is more at home in the courtroom than a WMU-Cooley graduate. Combine this with WMU-Cooley’s ABA award-winning emphasis on ethics and professionalism, and WMU-Cooley graduates are ready for great leadership in the courtroom and in the community.

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3 2-5 1 STUDY LAW AT YOUR OWN

FAST FACTS 25

START DATES: JANUARY, MAY, SEPTEMBER

YEARS TO COMPLETE

ST

WEEKEND PROGRAM IN THE NATION.

COOLEY LAW SCHOOL

With campuses in Michigan and Florida, evening and weekend programs, and classes that start year-round, we give you the opportunity to study law on your terms. Flexible scheduling options support part-time study and full-time employment, so you can choose a schedule option that works for you.

“

I genuinely enjoy law school and studying. I know that sounds so nerdy but I really, really like this.

And I love WMU-Cooley because they have allowed me the flexibility I needed to excel. They have shown me the kind of respect that I think sometimes is hard to get in law school, especially coming into this as a 19-year-old. I immediately felt like an equal here.”

ALEXIS MORRIS WMU-COOLEY STUDENT

Unmatched Excellence

PACE YEAR-ROUND EDUCATION TAUGHT BY FULL-TIME FACULTY WMU-Cooley has a 12-month academic year consisting of three 15-week semesters. You may begin classes in September, January, or May. No matter when you start, you will be taught by the same full-time faculty and will have to meet the same graduation requirements.

WMU-Cooley’s program is ideal both for students who work while attending law school and for students on a more traditional schedule.

Students at some campuses may also choose to complete their entire legal education solely in the evening or on the weekend.

WMU-COOLEY SCHEDULE OPTIONS: • Weekday program • Evening program • Weekend program • Two-year program • Classes offered seven days a week • Classes that begin in September, January, or May • Classes offered year-round VISIT WMICH.EDU/LAW TO REVIEW ALL SCHEDULE OPTIONS.

10-50 100 GENEROUS SCHOLARSHIPS %

Earn a scholarship based on class rank

FAST FACTS 25

+

CLASS RANK SCHOLARSHIP

COOLEY LAW SCHOOL

EMPLOYERS

interviewed or posted jobs with the law school

Take advantage of earning from 10-100% of tuition — with the potential of being applied to all 90 credits required for graduation.

“

I applied to Michigan, WMU-Cooley, and Alabama, and was accepted everywhere.

It was the 100 percent scholarship at WMU-Cooley that made my decision easy. Now that I’m here, I absolutely love it, and I have been excelling in my classes and in my competition skills training.”

SHANDA VANDER ARK , WMU-COOLEY STUDENT

AFFORDING LAW SCHOOL

ASSISTANCE

MORE INFORMATION

• All students have access to • For more information about • WMU-Cooley continually tries to find ways to reduce an Enrollment and Student WMU-Cooley’s generous the cost of legal education.

Services coordinator who can merit scholarship program, WMU-Cooley rewards help explore financial aid visit wmich.edu/law academic achievement with options and assist with loan or contact: generous merit scholarships. repayment plans.

Admissions Office (517) 371-5140, ext. 2244 admissions@cooley.edu

28

40 CAREER PLANNING +

EMPLOYERS interviewed on campus each year

As a student, you can team up with WMU-Cooley’s Career & Professional Development Office to build your résumé and portfolio.

During law school and after graduation, you can always access WMU-Cooley’s extensive and dynamic alumni network.

CAREER AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OFFICE • You will be supported by a staff of experienced career advisors, many of whom are lawyers themselves • Year-round, on-campus interview programs • Sample résumés and cover letters • Internet job-search resources

• Career-resource library • Mock-interview programs • Job fairs and conference listings • Distinguished guest speaker series • Professional Development Series • Résumé and cover-letter workshops

• Volunteer Opportunities – matching law-related organizations with law students who seek substantive volunteer experience

• Access to Large Database – where students can research employers, apply for jobs, schedule counseling appointments, and RSVP to events

A MENTORING ALUMNI NETWORK With 20,000 WMU-Cooley alumni across the country and around the world, you will have access to a vast network of successful practicing lawyers who are available as advisors and mentors as you begin your legal career.

WMU-Cooley alumni pride themselves in knowing that they have received an education that is one of the best in the nation. Our alumni have gone on to successful careers in every state in the nation and around the world.

29

MICHIGAN

4 5 50 STUDY IN MICHIGAN OR FLO SEASONS TO ENJOY

BEAUTIFUL GREAT LAKES SURROUND MICHIGAN

FAST FACTS 59

COOLEY LAW SCHOOL

%

OF MICHIGAN IS COVERED WITH FORESTS AND WOODS

So ask yourself: Do I want to live and study in the beauty of the Great Lakes State? Or in the warmth of the Florida sun?

STUDY LAW IN THE GREAT LAKES STATE

• The state Capitol with its • Detroit is known as the car • Michigan has more than majestic dome was built in capital of the world, boasts 11,000 inland lakes and Lansing in l879. some of the nation’s best more than 36,000 miles of Art Deco-era architecture, streams.

• Enjoy all four seasons. and supports a sizzling Water ski or snow ski six • Michigan has 116 restaurant scene. months apart and spend lighthouses and summers enjoying the • Michigan has the longest navigational lights. splendor of the great lakes. freshwater shoreline in the world.

30

1 2 ORIDA. YOUR CHOICE. #

LONGEST FRESHWATER COASTLINE

THE ONLY STATE TO BOAST TWO PENINSULAS

KNOWLEDGE | SKILLS | ETHICS

20 6 6

Compare both and consider visits to see all the benefits first-hand. WMU-Cooley can bring you the best of the midwest and of the south with a single enrollment.

• Standing anywhere in the state a person is within 85 miles of one of the Great Lakes.

• Forty of the state’s 83 • Michigan includes 56,954 counties adjoin at least square miles of land area; one of the Great Lakes.

1,194 square miles of Michigan is the only state inland waters; and 38,575 that touches four of the five square miles of Great Lakes Great Lakes. water area.

• Grand Rapids is home to ArtPrize, drawing artists

and visitors from the entire country, as well as Meijer Gardens which houses the 24-foot Leonardo da Vinci horse, called Il Gavallo — the largest equestrian bronze sculpture in the Western Hemisphere.

31

FLORIDA

0 244 2 YEAR-ROUND ADMISSIONS STATE TAXES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA

FAST FACTS 59

SUNNY DAYS/YEAR

#

LONGEST COASTLINE STRETCHING FOR 8,436 MILES

COOLEY LAW SCHOOL

No matter which campus you choose, you will learn in an outstanding, spacious facility with every technological advantage. WMU-Cooley provides a comfortable, inviting learning environment.

STUDY LAW IN THE SUNSHINE STATE • It is hot and sunny most days. Plan an outdoor event knowing that the weather is likely to be good.

• No need to shovel snow, scrape ice off your car windows, or dress in heavy layers.

32

• No state taxes to pay in Florida.

• World class beaches and state parks are abundant.

Venture out to the coast and be back on the same day from almost anywhere you live in the state.

• A great place for all water sports, including boating, diving, swimming, and of course, surfing.

• Play outdoor sports, such as golf and tennis, all year-round at amazing high quality facilities.

400 1 1 ACROSS THE NATION SQUARE MILES OPEN WATER ESTUARY IN TAMPA BAY

#

FLORIDA HAS MORE GOLF COURSES THAN ANY OTHER STATE

#

LARGEST PRODUCER OF WATERMELON, TOMATOES, STRAWBERRIES, AND SUGAR IN THE COUNTRY.

KNOWLEDGE | SKILLS | ETHICS

20 6 6

Unlike any other law school in America, WMU-Cooley enables you to choose the perfect setting for your law school experience and your lifestyle — one that is just right for you. Arrange a visit at wmich.edu/law and see for yourself.

• Lots of theme parks (for example: Disney, Universal Studios and Busch Gardens) and leisure/recreational venues for the entire family.

• Plenty of interesting and exotic animal life.

• Lots of nature trails, springs, rivers, and lakes to explore. Plus there’s the Florida Everglades.

• The state is cosmopolitan with a varied population representing people of all ages and races. Perhaps

only New York has a greater cultural diversity.

• Reasonable cost of living and home prices in many parts of Florida.

• Grow oranges, grapefruit, lemons, and avocados in your own backyard.

AMENITIES YOU WILL ENJOY, AT ALL CAMPUSES • Spacious and modern facilities • Appellate and trial courtrooms • High-tech courtrooms & classrooms • Expansive and comfortable library • Wireless access • Career & Professional Development office • Academic Resource Center • Student Bar Association • Student organizations • Student services • In-house clinics • Access to more than 3,000 externship sites • Full-time faculty for required courses • Faculty advisor

33

FAST FACTS 59

visit

Apply

ANYTIME throughout the year. admissions@cooley.edu 517-371-5140 ext. 2244 wmich.edu/law

NO FEE

wmich.edu/law

TAKE THE NEXT STEP WMU-Cooley is a great choice for your legal education. We help you plan for a fulfilling, successful law career. We work to give you the tools you need to become the best lawyer you can be. And we are committed to your success — from your first day at WMU-Cooley to long after you graduate.

Take the next step. Come to WMU-Cooley and unlock your potential to achieve in ways you may never have imagined.

34

“ IF YOU NEED HELP YOU CAN GET IT.

The selling point is the professsors.

Not a bad one yet and all are different.

WMU-COOLEY STUDENT GRAND RAPIDS CAMPUS

WMU-COOLEY PREPARES YOU FOR THE PRACTICE OF LAW. WMU-COOLEY STUDENT TAMPA BAY CAMPUS

WMU-Cooley is new, with current technology, and all in one building.

WMU-COOLEY STUDENT TAMPA BAY CAMPUS

WMU-COOLEY STUDENT LANSING CAMPUS

I am amazed at the number of resources and professors available.

WMU-COOLEY STUDENT LANSING CAMPUS

OUR PRE-REQS ARE ALL SUBJECT MATTER FOR THE BAR EXAM. WE WILL BE MORE PREPARED FOR THE BAR.

WMU-COOLEY STUDENT LANSING CAMPUS

WMU-COOLEY STUDENT TAMPA BAY CAMPUS

I was really anxious for a change, and WMU-Cooley gave me the option to start in May.

Employers like us because we know what we’re doing.

They will always meet you halfway.

WMU-COOLEY STUDENT LANSING CAMPUS

WMU-COOLEY STUDENT LANSING CAMPUS

IT’S LESS CUTTHROAT. BUT IT STILL HAS THE COMPETITIVE EDGE YOU NEED FOR LAW PRACTICE. WMU-COOLEY STUDENT GRAND RAPIDS CAMPUS

It’s so close-knit here, and smaller. It feels more like a family even with people you haven’t met before.

WMU-COOLEY GRADUATE

WMU-COOLEY GRADUATE

WMU-COOLEY STUDENT LANSING CAMPUS

FACULTY AND STAFF ARE SUPPORTIVE AND MAKE ME FEEL AT HOME.

WMU-COOLEY GRADUATE

I BELIEVE ITS PRACTICAL APPROACH TO EDUCATION IS UNMATCHED.

It feels more like a family.

THE WEEKEND PROGRAM WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND I WOULD RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE WHO IS TRYING TO JUGGLE LIFE WITH LAW SCHOOL.

Other law schools would not have this much diversity.

WMU-COOLEY STUDENT LANSING CAMPUS

You came out prepared for both taking the bar and understanding the law.

WMU-COOLEY GRADUATE

MY PROFESSORS WERE DEFINITELY THE BEST THING. SO EXPERIENCED, KNOWLEDGEABLE, AND DEDICATED TO OUR LEARNING. WMU-COOLEY ALUMNI

OUR PROFESSORS CARE SO MUCH ABOUT US SUCCEEDING, AND EVEN BEYOND THE CLASSROOM.

”

WMU-COOLEY STUDENT LANSING CAMPUS

WMU-COOLEY STUDENT TAMPA BAY CAMPUS

THEY EMPHASIZE AND REQUIRE INTERNSHIPS AND PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE.

Besides receiving a great education and preparation for the bar, I met amazing people.

WMU-COOLEY GRADUATE

WMU-COOLEY GRADUATE

ALL RISE

MICHIGAN | FLORIDA

WMU-COOLEY LAW SCHOOL | 300 S. CAPITOL AVE. | LANSING, MI 48933 | (517) 371-5140, EXT. 2244 | WMICH.EDU/LAW