Western Michigan University Cooley Law School Blog

McDonald Pierangeli Macfarlane law firm is making its mark on the west Michigan community, offering, as they would say, a "small firm feel," with a "big firm experience." That's what WMU-Cooley graduate Jonathan Paasch liked about the firm when he first joined. It's the same feeling and experience he likes to say he had in law school. Yet Paasch didn't always want to be an attorney. 

Otto Stockmeyer is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School. This article is from the Spring 2019 issue of The Mentor, newsletter of the State Bar of Michigan Master Lawyers Section. Professor Stockmeyer is a member of the Section Council. His previous blog posts are cataloged here. 

WMU-Cooley Professor Gary Bauer considers his job an important one for those law students considering going solo. His years of business and marketing experience, alongside nearly 20 years of teaching experience, are invaluable in helping WMU-Cooley students learn to navigate the successful road to solo practice, or those considering a new career. Read Professor Bauer's April 25, 2019 SoloLawyerByDesign blog post below that explores a second career in the law after retirement. 

Ret. Brig. General and WMU-Cooley Law School Associate Dean Michael C.H. McDaniel was the keynote speaker during the City of Lansing's Memorial Day Ceremony. Below is his speech.

Shanda Vander Ark grew up wanting to be an astronaut. In fact she thought she had made it into the Air Force Academy – until she didn't pass her physical exam. Who would have known that having a screw in a shoulder from an eighth grade injury would be a deal breaker?

Brandon Ayers always wanted to go to law school. He took a somewhat winding path to get there, but once he did, he jumped in with both feet, earned his J.D. degree in just a fraction over two years, and passed the bar a month after graduation.

At WMU-Cooley Law School, one of the activities students can participate in is the moot court program. Recently, graduate Brandon Ayers and law student Lauren Simasko talked about that experience.

David Malson, by anyone's standards, personifies career success and a meaningful life. But Malson would say it has been his dedication and commitment to building balance and forging strong relationships that has guided him, both personally and professionally. Malson is one of many WMU-Cooley graduates that will be featured in the 2019 summer edition of Benchmark Magazine. Here's an excerpt from his upcoming feature. Look for the full story in the next issue of Benchmark Alumni Magazine coming out in June 2019! 

Recently I encountered three examples of comma misuse among legal writers. At first I thought the comma faults were random. But then I noticed they had something in common; in each case the comma preceded a verb. The commas create the impression of a runner stumbling midway to the finish line. From a law-school student publication: “May the odds forever, be in your favor.” From a legal newspaper: “And a lot of these kids, were really good players.” From a law-school press release: “[The law school] is committed to pursuing a collaborative approach in working with the Council, to continue meeting ABA standards.”

Nathan Tamulonis hails from Indianapolis, but after college everything seemed to converge together in what he calls the "perfect storm." The warm breezes of the Tampa Bay area were calling him, and Tamulonis and his fiancé, Hanna, made the decision to make Tampa their home, and WMU-Cooley Law School Tamulonis's law school.