WMU-Cooley Law School announces diversity, equity and inclusion initiative

WMU-Cooley Law School recently announced an initiative devoted to increasing the practices of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the legal profession. This program, WMU-Cooley’s DEI Champions, will celebrate WMU-Cooley’s long history as one of the nation’s most diverse law schools, while also recognizing community partners that are equally committed to these values.

Throughout 2021, WMU-Cooley will invite individuals and organizations to become an official DEI Champion, working with the law school in recruitment efforts, student scholarships, more diverse hiring practices and curricular enhancements. Events will be planned throughout the year to recognize these partners and to promote this initiative.

“The American Bar Association’s latest profile of the legal profession showed that only 14 percent of U.S. lawyers identified as being an underrepresented minority,” commented WMU-Cooley Law School President and Dean James McGrath. “While WMU-Cooley is well above that mark with 43 percent of our students as self-identified minority students, we believe that the entire legal profession can and must do better.”

The DEI Champions effort will be co-chaired by Christina Corl from Plunkett Cooney, and Aaron Burrell from tDickinson Wright; both are members of the WMU-Cooley Board of Directors.

“I am thrilled to be part of this new initiative and encourage everyone who cares about diversity, equity and inclusion to consider joining us in this effort,” said Corl.

“It is an important time in our history to have all aspects of our justice system be inclusive and diverse,” added Burrell.

For more information contact Director of Donor Relations Pamela Heos at 517-371-5140 ext. 2014 or heop@cooley.edu, or visit the Become a DEI Champion page.