David J. Tarrien
Assistant Professor
B.A. Concordia College 1997
M.A. Western Michigan University 2000
J.D. Thomas M. Cooley Law School 2002
Professor Tarrien joined the fulltime faculty at Cooley Law School in 2013. He previously served as a Visiting Professor and Academic Resource Center Faculty Supervisor at Cooley’s Grand Rapids campus since 2011. Professor Tarrien also served as a coordinator of the ARC in Grand Rapids 2003-2010, and as coordinator of the Michaelmas Professional Exploration Program.
From 2002-2003, he was a law clerk and assistant attorney for Colpean and Associates in Lansing. Professor Tarrien has also served as a graduate teaching assistant at Western Michigan University, and as an adjunct professor and grading assistant in the Research and Writing Department at Cooley.
Professor Tarrien is active in community service. He is Cooley’s representative on the West Michigan Presidents Compact Committee, and a member of the boards of directors for both the Dyslexia Center of West Michigan and Arts in Motion. He has put together panel discussions of attorneys practicing in special education law, initiated an Individualized Education Program pro bono project, and started an elementary/middle school student court program with Cooley students. He previously served as vice president of the school board for St. Andrew’s School in Grand Rapids, and as a volunteer researcher for the Michigan Disability Rights Coalition in East Lansing.
Professor Tarrien teaches Introduction to Law, Advanced Writing, Research and Writing, Federal Disability Law, and Special Education Law.
