Western Michigan University Cooley Law School Blog

Starting a new law school from scratch is not a simple matter. WMU-Cooley Law School’s founder, Justice Thomas E. Brennan, had many concerns, large and small, to attend to, from hiring faculty to acquiring furniture. He devised the school’s innovative year-round schedule, created the Student Bar Association and Scholastic Review Board, composed the school’s motto, and designed its distinctive diplomas.  Another of Brennan’s concerns was that his students—also new, of course—achieve success at the new school. To that end he typed up a one-page list of suggestions he titled “Judge Brennan’s Ten Commandments for Law School.” For several years, Xerox copies were included in new-student welcome packets. In later years, some first-year professors attached copies to their course syllabus. But as far as is known, the “Ten Commandments” were never typeset or digitalized. . . until now. Here, preserved on the internet, is the handout that helped the first generations of WMU-Cooley law students achieve success.

It has happened again. A candidate for the Michigan Supreme Court has declared, “It is incumbent upon our state’s highest court to enforce and not make the law.” I have written about this mischaracterization of the role of our state’s highest court before, but a reminder seems in order. Here is an abridged version of my op-ed column in the Detroit News several election cycles ago:

Remembering John W. Fitzgerald  July 7th marks the 14th anniversary of the passing of Justice John W. Fitzgerald (1924-2006). He was the favorite son of Grand Ledge MI who rose to become Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court while playing an instrumental role in the life of WMU-Cooley Law School.

WMU Cooley has been offering online legal education for over a decade through our Graduate LL.M. Programs. Since 2010, LL.M. faculty have been teaching online classes, starting with the program in Intellectual Property Law, and then moving into other LL.M. degree programs in Tax, Homeland and National Security, and Corporate Law and Finance. We have also offered a Weekend Blended Learning Program for our J.D. students, allowing them to have 4 weeks of online instruction of a 15-week semester, since September 2017. 

Blog contributor Otto Stockmeyer is a WMU-Cooley Law School Distinguished Professor Emeritus. This is another in his series of posts offering a fresh look at famous cases.

Blog contributor Otto Stockmeyer is a WMU-Cooley Law School Distinguished Professor Emeritus. This is another in his series of posts offering a fresh look at famous cases.

Just like any organization or business or higher education institution, individuals have their our own learning ecosystem – that is, they have their own sources for learning. Some people reach out to people they respect or feel are experts to learn; maybe a family member or friend, or it could be a professor, mentor or colleague.  

Nina Yakubov is one of those people who always had a good idea what she wanted to do, even at an early age. Growing up in Russia, being around very educated people, Yakubov was especially amazed by how lawyers could think in a way nobody else could. She thought of attorneys as "Super Heroes." 

Once again it's tax season. Probably one of the most stressful times of year, outside of the pressures you might feel during the holidays or, if you are a law student, taking a law school exam. Take a deep breath. There are some easy and FREE resources you might be able to use. 

A recent blog post features WMU-Cooley Law School graduate Ed Sternisha. Included is a photo of Sternisha with his law school diploma displayed on the office wall behind him. That photo got me thinking that perhaps our 20,000+ graduates — whose diplomas are on display in offices around the globe — may not know the story behind their “world’s largest” diplomas.