June 27, 2006

Independent Accreditation Group Praises Cooley Law School

Lansing, Michigan — The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) – North Central Association has once again bestowed praise upon the Thomas M. Cooley Law School. In 2001, Cooley was one of the first independent law schools to voluntarily seek and receive accreditation from the HLC. Now, five years later, the HLC has granted Cooley a 10-year extension of the accreditation – the longest allowed by the commission.

"The Thomas M. Cooley Law School is a quality institution that is grounded in its mission," the HLC review team stated in its report. "The School has a clear sense of what it is and where it’s going."

For Cooley officials, the praise is simply another step in validating the world-class operations at the school’s three Michigan locations.

"As the country’s largest law school, we at Cooley are always trying to work on moving the entire practice of legal teaching forward," Cooley President Don LeDuc said. "By working with a nationally recognized institution such as the HLC, we are ensuring that all of our strategies are in the best interest of helping students learn the art of practicing law."

The HLC accreditation includes Cooley’s Juris Doctor program and Master of Laws degrees in taxation and intellectual property. In addition to its accreditation by the HLC, Thomas M. Cooley Law School has been accredited by American Bar Association since 1975.

Founded in 1972, Cooley Law School is now the largest law school in the country. Cooley has three campuses across Michigan; its campus in downtown Lansing, its downtown Grand Rapids campus in West Michigan and its Rochester/Oakland University campus in southeast Michigan. In addition to the Juris Doctor program, students at Cooley can also pursue a Master of Laws degree in taxation or intellectual property. Find out more about Cooley Law School by visiting www.cooley.edu.

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is part of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA). NCA, founded in 1895, is one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States. Through its Commissions it accredits, and thereby grants membership to educational institutions in the North Central region: Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, New Mexico, South Dakota, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming. HLC is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Reports from the HLC are available upon request. For more information, visit www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org.