Western Michigan University Cooley Law School Blog

According to Commander Michael Shea, the director of Saint Michael’s Legal Center, "there are a lot of people in our society who just can't afford a lawyer." The clinic, which is housed at WMU-Cooley Law School's Tampa Bay campus, helps to bridge that financial gap, a crevice that is over 50 percent in the family law area.

WMU-Cooley student Shekinah Apedo's first name in Hebrew means "In the Glory of God." As a social worker, Apedo loved that she was able to live out her faith, and give glory to God, in her career. But it was in the courtroom when she knew she was best serving her clients.    

This blog was originally published on May 17, 2017 WMU-Cooley Law School graduate Brandon Moultrie knew he wanted to go to law school, and knew that he wanted to do it Florida.  Ever since he did his undergrad in the Sunshine State, he relished the opportunity to come back. It took one campus visit to WMU-Cooley's Tampa Bay campus to be convinced. Everybody made him feel like he was already home.  

This blog was originally published on May 19, 2015. As much as every news affiliate is looking for a story, reporters and news sources are always in need of someone who can take personal opinion out of a story and replace it with a professional and objective account of a story – no matter how controversial. Many also can argue that literally every story has the potential to have a legal viewpoint.

Imagine being in business for yourself for almost 10 years and suddenly everything changes. New laws make it a very real possibility that your employees will become your boss. You could conceivably lose your company. You could lose your livelihood, your income, everything you have built. And the worst part is, due to a lack of education, your prospects are very limited.

I passed through the turnstile and onto the mid-level concourse in Carver Arena, the home court for the basketball team of Bradley University, from which I’m happy to hold a bachelor’s degree. I had never before been to a Bradley game. Bradley was and is a school of around 5,000 students, so I’d expected to find maybe a few hundred people in the crowd. It took me some time, as I beheld my cavernous surroundings, to scrape my chin off the floor. Ten thousand strong rose to the rafters, and they produced a din, even before the opening tip, that was deafening.

Taking on the world is something WMU-Cooley law student Ashley Hart is not afraid to do. In fact, it's in her blood. She not only feels the need to help others, she wants to make sure she is at the table in making policy decisions on their behalf.

As a result of yet another tragic school shooting, this one in Parkland, Florida, the conversation about gun control and Second Amendment rights has reached a new level. This time, however, the dialog is not being pushed by parents or school administrators, but by the targets of these terrible events, the students themselves. It is a trend that WMU-Cooley Professor Brendan T. Beery says is inspiring him and his students.

Oscar night always brings to mind bright lights, big names, prestigious awards, and that spectacular trip down the red carpet! Well, that's pretty much what the WMU-Cooley Law Black Law Students Association, Tampa Bay Chapter achieved during “A Night at the Oscars: A Red Carpet Affair” held February 24th in honor of Black History Month. 

The Tampa Bay, Florida, area, located on the west coast of the “Sunshine State” near the Gulf of Mexico, is home to WMU-Cooley Law School’s campus in Riverview. The area is home to several sports teams, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL football team, the Tampa Bay Rays major league baseball team, and the Tampa Bay Lightning NHL hockey team. Between the beaches, the historic sites, and the sports, cuisine and nightlife choices, the Tampa Bay area is a vibrant location, steady in its growth and attractiveness to tourists and residents alike. Students also find a welcoming home here. In addition to WMU-Cooley, the area is also home to the University of South Florida and the University of Tampa.