September 15, 2006

Cooley Professors Make Presentations to State Bar

Cooley Law School professors Ron Bretz and Joseph Kimble addressed members of the State Bar of Michigan at the organization’s annual meeting Sept. 14, 2006.

Kimble spoke on the topic “Surefire Ways to Improve Your Writing,” while Bretz discussed the book History of Michigan Law.

Kimble’s presentation was an interactive writing seminar. He provided a workbook for participants to use at the session. They were also able to take the workbook with them for use later. Attorneys were put to work on writing exercises, and Kimble offered advice, revisions, and references.

“Every seat was taken and the reviews were positive,” Kimble said. “I think people were pleased.”

He distributed complimentary copies of The Scribes Journal of Legal Writing, Vol. 10. Copies of his recently published book, Lifting the Fog of Legalese, were also available.

For Bretz’s presentation, he and other authors of chapters in History of Michigan Law presented a panel discussion. Bretz wrote the chapter “170 Years of a Balancing Act: A Brief History of Criminal Justice in Michigan,” on the development of criminal law in Michigan.

Each author/panel member discussed a chapter other than the one they wrote. Bretz discussed “Ruin and Recovery: Conservation and Environmental Law in Michigan,” authored by Dave Dempsey.

The discussion was interesting, Bretz said. “We intertwined the history of Michigan with the law.”

Just before the State Bar presentation, Bretz spoke at a symposium on the book held by Wayne State University Law School and the book’s publisher, Ohio University Press.

Founded in 1972, Cooley Law School is the largest law school in the country. Cooley has three campuses across Michigan in downtown Lansing, downtown Grand Rapids in west Michigan, and at Rochester/Oakland University in southeast Michigan. In addition to the juris doctor program, students at Cooley can also pursue an LL.M. in Tax or Intellectual Property. Find out more about Cooley Law School by visiting the Cooley Web site at www.cooley.edu.