|
Thomas M. Cooley Law School is continuing the implementation
of its award-winning
Professionalism Program. Cooley has launched the Center
for Ethics, Service, and Professionalism, which is dedicated
to the following ideals:
- Lead by modeling and teaching ethics
- Foster and encourage service
- Practice professionalism
- Commit to our communities
Cooley Assistant Dean, Graduate Receive Appointments by the Michigan Supreme Court
October 10, 2011 - Martha Denning Moore, assistant dean and professor at Cooley Law School's Ann Arbor campus, and David Porteous, graduate of Cooley and principal of the law firm of McCurdy Wotila & Porteous, have both been re-appointed to the Attorney Grievance Commission (AGC) by the Michigan Supreme Court. [full
story]
Father-Daughter
Team Wins Prestigious Champion of Justice Award
The father-daughter team of 70th District
Court Judge M.T. Thompson, Jr. and Cooley Professor Monica
Nuckolls were recently honored with the State Bar of Michigan's
2011 Champion of Justice award.
[full
story]
 Student
Honored for 'Above and Beyond' Community Service
At the school's Honors Convocation
in Grand Rapids, the Student Great Deeds Award was presented
to Jennifer Bylsma. [full
story]
 Fourth
Cooley Faculty Member Since 2005 to Receive Major State
Bar of Michigan Award
Cooley Law School Associate Dean John
Nussbaumer will be honored with the State Bar of Michigan's
Champion of Justice Award on September 29, 2010. [full
story]
 Cooley
Law School Director Honored by Department of Military
and Veterans Affairs with Legion of Merit
Heather Spielmaker, director of
Cooley Law School's Center for Ethics, Service and Professionalism,
was honored by the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
with its Legion of Merit during a ceremony on June 29, 2010.
[full
story]
 Cooley
Assistant Dean Honored for Community Contributions
Cooley Law School Professor and Assistant Dean
Martha Moore was honored by the Detroit Renaissance Alumni
Chapter of Alabama A&M University Alumni Association
with their "Most Distinguished Mark of Excellence Award." The
honor is given out each year to recognize "outstanding
citizens in the metropolitan Detroit area who have made countless
contributions to improve the quality of life for our citizens." Moore
was honored at the association's Founder's Day Luncheon March
27 in Livonia. [full
story]
Professionalism In Action
Before incoming Thomas M. Cooley Law School students step
into their first law school class, they are oriented to the
importance of attorney ethics and professionalism through
a collaborative program between the State Bar of Michigan
and Cooley, called Professionalism in Action. Begun in 2009
by then State Bar of Michigan President Edward H. Pappas,
the program brings students, local attorneys and judges together
to discuss the role and importance of ethics and professionalism
in both the study and practice of law. Learn
more about the program.
Cooley's Professionalism Publications
Inspiring Pro Bono: The
Thomas M. Cooley Law School Experience
 Faculty
and students regularly contribute thousands of hours per
year to such efforts through pro bono projects and through
externships and clinics. In this document, we focus on the
2009 pro bono efforts our students have undertaken without
the awarding of academic credit - not even clinic or externship
credit. Cooley has truly fostered an overwhelming commitment
to
pro bono service.
 Reflections
of a Lawyer's Soul: Institutional Experience
of Professionalism at Thomas M. Cooley Law School by
Amy Timmer and Nelson Miller
Creating a Culture of Professionalism in Law School: The
Thomas M. Cooley Law School Experience
 How
Cooley successfully implemented the 18 initiatives from the
original plan. This program was selected for the 2006
Professionalism Award from the ABA Standing Committee
on Professionalism. Read
about the ABA Professionalism Award.
Professionalism
Plan:
Professionalism - Taught, Learned, and Lived in Law School
 Eighteen
proposed initiatives, developed by Thomas M. Cooley Law School.
Endorsed by the Student Bar Association, Faculty, Staff,
Board of Directors, Alumni Association, and Board of Governors,
and supported by the State Bar of Michigan.
Michigan's Guide to the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act
(SCRA)
 Download
a copy of the Michigan's
Guide to Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (pdf).
The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) offers special
protections to soldiers against civil actions like divorce
and foreclosure while they are deployed.
Cooley
and attorneys with Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP
(Honigman) bring clarity to SCRA's application for
Michigan's courts and, ultimately, provide another layer
of support to Michigan servicemen and women.
SCRA amendment for mortgages
and cell phones
Members
of the Bench - Feb. 2011 
Judge Advocates, Legal Administrators, and Paralegals - Feb
2011
|
   
 "Ethical Implications of Court Appointed and Pro Bono Representation"
Thursday, February 2, 2012, Noon
Lansing Campus, Cooley Center Lobby
Presented by Frank Eaman, Attorney and Counselor, Frank D. Eaman PLLC
Mr. Eaman has represented clients in many high-publicity criminal cases in state and federal Michigan courts. Since the 1980s he has been a lead attorney in many court cases that sought public defense reform or fair pay for appointed counsel, and has testified before the Michigan
Legislature on public defense issues. Eaman is a frequent speaker on issues of criminal defense and public defense throughout Michigan and at national conferences.
 "Getting
Through It: Bankruptcy Basics"
(attend one or attend all)
• Wednesday, January 11, 2012
• Wednesday, February 8, 2012
• Wednesday, March 14, 2012
• Wednesday, April 11, 2012
• Wednesday, May 9, 2012
The FREE seminars will be at the United States Bankruptcy Court,
211 West Fort Street, 21st Floor, Detroit, Michigan 48226. Topics to be covered include:
• Overview of the bankruptcy process
• Differences between Chapter 7 (liquidation)
and Chapter 13 (reorganization)
• Discharging debts and what isn’t dischargeable
• What to expect at the meeting of creditors
• Explanation of forms
• The automatic stay - the Bankruptcy Law’s
"stop sign"
This is an education seminar only. For more information please contact the Pro Se Law Clerk
at (866) 478-4436 or (313) 234-0074.
 Schools of Hope Students, faculty, and staff at the Grand Rapids campus collected school supplies for Heart of West Michigan United Way's Schools of Hope program. Students Monique Howery and Blair Parker volunteered to help "Stuff the Bus." [more]
 Day of Caring Heart of West Michigan United Way's Day of Caring was a huge success. The Grand Rapids campus participated in three projects (2 more than in 2010). [more]
In
2010 our students who participated in our externship program
and our in-house clinics worked a minimum of 320,000 hours
(the minimum number of hours required to be logged for each
student for academic credit). Of that total, the students
who worked in a public service capacity (using the Equal
Justice Works definition of prosecutor, public defender,
judicial, government, and civil work for indigent clients)
logged a minimum of 167,500 hours. When combined with hours
worked in clinics beyond what was required for academic credit
and with hours worked in pro bono programs (offered for no
academic credit), total hours of free legal assistance
offered by Cooley in 2010 was 334,769. At an average $150/hour,
the value of that work is over $50 million.
Notably, students worked 8,372 hours beyond what was required
for academic credit in just the clinics. Combined with the
hours worked through the pro bono programs listed below,
also not for academic credit, Cooley provided a total of
14,769 hours of pro bono assistance to the poor and underserved,
for no academic credit.
Also of interest is the hours worked for underserved populations. Cooley
students, faculty, and staff attorneys provided over 35,500
hours of pro bono legal assistance to underserved and low-income
clients, and those who would not otherwise fund such work. If
you add to that the 167,500 hours students worked in
a public service capacity (using the Equal Justice Works
definition of prosecutor, public defender, judicial,
government, and civil work for indigent clients), Cooley
offered 202,571 hours of free legal assistance to the underserved
and in public service.
For additional information on Cooley's pro bono programs
visit Pro
Bono Programs and Pro
Bono Program Opportunities.
We will not lie, cheat, steal, plagiarize, or tolerate
those who do.
This is the commitment that all entering students take,
along with our faculty and staff, at every orientation. Before
they can begin classes at Cooley Law School, a Michigan judge
administers this oath, and new students are introduced to Cooley's
Honor Code.
 Cooley
students are visibly enforcing the Honor Code. "Student
Exam Proctors" are involved with helping our regular
exam proctors during first term midterms and practice exams. "Our
hope is that by seeing other students acting as exam proctors,
new students will understand that our own student body takes
pride in, and enforces, the Honor Code," says Amy Timmer,
Associate Dean of Students and Professionalism.
Congratulations to the winners of the
Great Deeds Award for 2011:
- Katherine Fleming - Lansing Campus
- Marjorie Gell - Grand Rapids
- TBA - Auburn Hills
- Julie Mullens - Ann Arbor
Nominate
someone for a Great Deed!
Great Deeds Awards are given to recognize a staff
or faculty member each year at each campus and students up
to once per term per campus.
Nominations are accepted from anyone who would like to recognize
a staff or faculty member for outstanding community service
or a student for demonstrated outstanding commitment to the
service of others. |
