August 10, 2010

Director of Cooley Law School’s Corporate Law and Finance Master of Laws Program Appointed as Chair of American Bar Association Council

E. Christopher Johnson, Jr.

E. Christopher Johnson, Jr. to serve as chair of the ABA’s Council for Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Educational Pipeline beginning Aug. 10, 2010.

Thomas M. Cooley Law School's Director of Corporate Law and Finance master of laws program, E. Christopher Johnson, Jr., has been appointed as chair of the American Bar Association's (ABA) Council for Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Educational Pipeline by ABA President Stephen N. Zack. Johnson begins his one-year term today at the adjournment of the 2010 ABA Annual Meeting.

"I look forward to serving as chair of this council," Johnson said. "We hope to find ways to increase access to legal education across
the country and explore how to improve educational systems so that the legal profession reflects the great diversity of people we serve."

The Council for Racial and Ethnic Diversity in
the Educational Pipeline works to increase the number of students of color who are on track
to becoming lawyers, and serves as a think tank and incubator for activities that foster a more diverse educational pipeline into the
legal profession. It also acts as a forum for key stakeholders to address particular issues and builds networks in order to change educational systems and the legal profession.

Johnson is a national leader in efforts to increase access to law school and diversity in the legal profession. One of his recent efforts included bringing a nationally recognized institute designed to diversify the legal profession to Michigan. Cooley and Oakland University (OU) partnered with the American Bar Association's (ABA) Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO) to offer the Sophomore Summer Institute, a month-long program that provided students with intensive, academic coursework and aimed to help disadvantaged students build the skills and confidence they need to succeed in law school.

Johnson is a member of the ABA House of Delegates, the Council for Legal Education Opportunity, the ABA Section of Legal Education Standards Review Committee and a past chair of the ABA Africa Law Council. He has been recognized by numerous organizations for his work in the diversity arena, including the ABA, National Bar Association, National Black Law Students Association, State Bar of Michigan, Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association, and Oakland County Bar Association.

Johnson has led and developed Cooley's master of laws program in corporate law and finance since January 2009. Before joining Cooley, Johnson served as vice president and general counsel of General Motors (GM) North America.

Cooley Law School
Cooley Law School is the largest law school in the nation.  Founded in 1972, the private, non-profit law school operates J.D. programs across Michigan in Lansing, Auburn Hills, Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor.  Today, Cooley Law School has nearly 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 cooley.edu.

The American Bar Association
With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world.  As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.