Phone: (517) 371-5140 ext. 2814
Fax:
Email: timmera@cooley.edu
Home Page: www.cooley.edu
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Summary Description:

The Thomas M. Cooley Law School Professionalism Committee and Professionalism Plan.

The Professionalism Committee, described in the history below, culminated its work with the publication of Cooley's Professionalism Plan. That far-reaching Plan proposes 18 initiatives that attempt to bring ethics and professionalism to every aspect of Cooley Law School. The initiatives affect how the administrative offices do business with students, how students address personal conflicts with each other, classroom and office deportment of faculty and staff, personal professional development of the student separate from the classroom, commitment to public service, professional involvement by the bar with the school, and of course, bringing ethics teachings to every classroom. We believe this is the most comprehensive plan of any law school in the country to bring ethics into the culture, the curriculum, the environment, and the minds of each member of the law school community.

The Committee was asked to figure out how to change the culture at Cooley Law School, and it did exactly that. The initiatives in the Plan touch every part of the lives of Cooley community members, including how they conduct themselves outside the school. Eleven of the 18 initiatives are implemented and all but two are in progress. Those two must await completion of other reecommendations before implementation, but planning for each is underway. The 18 initiatives are:

1. Reshape the class on Professional Responsibility.

2. Require all students to undergo a first-year professionalism and career review.

3. Require all students to build a portfolio reflecting their professional growth and activities throughout their three years in law school.

4. Consider further refinements to the curriculum to infuse professionalism themes.

5. Expand the role of lawyer/mentors in each student's development.

6. Monitor professionalism of students.

7. Create an elective course on Professionalism and Issues in the Practice.

8. Fill the new PR/Professionalism faculty position.

9. Create a student ethical oath and standards of professionalism.

10. Bring legal professionals' influence into the School and the lives of each and every student.

11. Bring State Bar Character and Fitness Committee and Attorney Grievance Commission influences into the School.

12. Create a student-run mediation board to address conflicts between students.

13. Continue to emphasize professionalism among faculty, staff, and administrators, and ensure that there are systems in place to review and address unprofessional conduct.

14. Establish a standing Professionalism Advisory Committee.

15. Create a Center for Public Service and Professionalism in the classroom building.

16. Create a place for student social interaction with staff and faculty.

17. Be the first law school in the nation to formally adopt the AALS recommendations on commitment to public service.

18. Create an Institute for Principled Administration in Higher Learning.

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Program History:

The Professionalism Committee was established in 2002 by the Dean of Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Don LeDuc, in response to what he viewed as a decline of professionalism, ethics, and moral character in the law school student body and in the legal profession. The Committee membership was created by accepting every volunteer who offered their time to address this problem after receiving a call to action from Dean LeDuc. That call went out to all the staff, students, and faculty of Cooley Law School, to local members of the Bench and Bar, and to Cooley alumni. The response was overwhelming and an indication that Dean LeDuc was not alone in his concern. With approximately 65 original members, the Committee got underway in June of 2001.

After more than a year of intense work, the Committee presented its final report to the Dean. While the Committee deactivated when its work was completed, the plan it proposed, which was adopted in full in July 2002, has been implemented and will result in permanent change to the culture and teachings of the law school. Eleven of the 18 initiatives are implemented and all but two are in progress. Those two must await completion of other reecommendations before implementation, but planning for each is underway.
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Confidential Items:
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Expanded Program Description (Optional):

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Supporting Materials:

Professionalism Plan (pdf file)

Current status of each initiative (2004 Annual Report) (pdf file)