'War Stories: The Dos and Don'ts of Criminal Practice'

– Photo courtesy of WMU-Cooley


On Tuesday, Oct. 4, the Criminal Law Society (CLS) at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School hosted the panel discussion “War Stories: The Dos and Don’ts of Criminal Practice.” Panelists included (back row, left to right) Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Jerry Dorsey, Oakland County defense attorney Robyn Frankel, and Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor David McCreedy, along with State Appellate Defender Valerie Newman (front row, second from right).  Welcoming the panelists to the WMU-Cooley Auburn Hills campus were (front row, left to right) Eric Langton, CLS treasurer; Megan Leyva, CLS president; and Mayrel Narvaez CLS board member.  The attorneys shared their experiences in criminal practice and offered practical, valuable advice that each student can apply in practice.  During the event, Newman said an attorney cannot learn the complete details about a case from a file and it is important to meet with the client because he or she can offer information not available anywhere else.  “It is also especially important to discuss your case with the client before attempting to make any plea agreements with the prosecutor,” said Newman. “An attorney should do their due diligence and follow up on information that the client provides, no matter how unrealistic it may seem.”