November 11, 2009

Legal Assistance Referral Program provides pro bono legal service to 650 deploying Michigan National Guardsmen and women

Pictured (from left to right): Army JAG Officer Kevin Weise, Cooley graduate Robert Hinman, Director of Cooley's Center for Ethics, Service, and Professionalism Heather Spielmaker, and Cooley student Roodgine Rosemberg.

Thomas M. Cooley Law School's Service to Soldiers: Legal Assistance Referral Program recently assisted Michigan National Guard JAG officers in preparing wills and powers of attorney for approximately 650 deploying Guardsmen and women at Fort Custer in Augusta, Mich., the largest Service to Soldiers event to date.

The event not only offered deploying troops the peace of mind that comes with having their legal affairs in order, it also created unique opportunities for Cooley students, alumni, and faculty. Students Erik Willard, Kim Mlinaz, Robert Golob, Roodgine Rosemberg, Kelly Spenski, Cloudette Heichel, Thomas Erb and Jaclyn Vidusic assisted by giving legal briefs to small groups about relevant provisions in the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and creating wills and powers of attorney under the supervision of JAG officers. Faculty members Karen Truszkowski, Nancy Wonch, and Christine Church, along with recent Cooley graduate Robert Hinman, also created documents for National Guard members preparing for deployment.

"This event allowed me to use my law license to help people in a very dramatic and immediate way," recent Cooley graduate Robert Hinman said.

The Service to Soldiers: Legal Assistance Referral Program was created by Cooley Law School in 2007. The program assists Michigan troops with civilian legal issues that complicate their reintegration after long deployments, like family law matters and creditor issues, and assists with document preparation before deployment.

Faculty members and students offer free consultations at reintegration events and, when appropriate, the program director matches these servicemembers to participating pro bono attorneys best able to help them. The demand for the program has recently increased dramatically due to the large number of Michigan servicemembers returning from the Middle East.

The program is administered by Heather Spielmaker, Cooley's Director of the Center for Ethics, Service, and Professionalism, and is actively seeking additional pro bono attorneys to help returning troops. Interested attorneys should contact Heather Spielmaker at (517) 371-5140, ext. 4112 or by email at spielmah@cooley.edu.

Cooley Law School is the largest law school in the country. Founded in 1972, it operates J.D. programs across Michigan in downtown Lansing, Auburn Hills, Grand Rapids, and Ann Arbor. Today, Cooley Law School has more than 14,000 graduates across the nation and worldwide and also offers joint degree and master of laws programs. Cooley offers enrollment three times a year; in January, May and September. Additional information about Cooley can be found at www.cooley.edu.