Daily Briefs

WMU-Cooley ranked among top diverse law schools by U.S. News and World Report


Western Michigan University Cooley Law School has been named among the top racially and ethnically diverse law schools in the country by U.S. News and World Report.

In its September 2021 report, the national publication ranked WMU-Cooley 21 out of 199 American Bar Association accredited law schools, all of which consisted of one-third of enrolled students came from minority backgrounds in fall 2020. U.S. News and World Report named the top 46 law schools in its ranking.

Last fall, WMU-Cooley’s student enrollment was 926, with 42 percent minority students.

“We believe that our classrooms should reflect the diverse society our students will serve,” said Paul J. Zelenski, WMU-Cooley senior vice president and associate dean of Administration, Enrollment and Student Services. “We work hard to accomplish our long-standing mission of providing equitable access to a modern legal education.”

WMU-Cooley is ranked 55-70 in U.S. News and World Report’s “Part-time Law” schools. The publication ranks schools according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence.

It is the mission of WMU-Cooley to embrace a culture of diversity and inclusiveness as it prepares graduates for the legal profession through an integrated program with practical legal scholarship. Reflecting the diversity of the communities it serves, WMU-Cooley’s diverse student body creates a dynamic learning environment that enriches the educational experience and promotes careers of its graduates.

 

Michigan, Detroit seek $204K for fighting election lawsuit
 

DETROIT (AP) — Attorneys are seeking $204,000 in fees for successfully defending Detroit and Michigan from a post-election lawsuit filed by lawyers aligned with former President Donald Trump.

The tally filed Wednesday came two weeks after a judge said the lawyers, including Sidney Powell and L. Lin Wood, would pay a penalty for pursuing the case. The final figure will be determined later.

Trump voters filed a lawsuit in November after Michigan’s vote in favor of Joe Biden was certified. They alleged fraud and wanted voting machines impounded.

U.S. District Judge Linda Parker said the lawsuit was a sham.

“Individuals may have a right — within certain bounds — to disseminate allegations of fraud unsupported by law or fact in the public sphere,” the judge said. “But attorneys cannot exploit their privilege and access to the judicial process to do the same.”

Detroit was represented by lawyers in private practice. They’re seeking $182,000. The Michigan attorney general’s office is requesting about $22,000.

Parker also ordered 12 hours of legal education, including six hours in election law, for each of the nine pro-Trump attorneys. Her decision will be sent to the states where the lawyers are licensed for possible disciplinary action there.
There is no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. Powell, however, has defended the Michigan lawsuit, saying it was justified.



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