Sept. 14, 2011

Two Cooley Faculty Members Chosen to Participate in ‘Best Law Faculty’ in the Country Study

Professor Phil Prygoski

Associate Dean and Professor Nelson Miller

Thomas M. Cooley Law School has the distinction of being the only law school in the country with two members of its faculty chosen to be included in a law professor-focused study seeking the "best law faculty" in the country. Nelson Miller, professor and associate dean of Cooley's Grand Rapids campus, and Phil Prygoski, professor at Cooley's Lansing campus, both have been chosen to be part of the study, which is designed to identify the best law faculty and to publish their best teaching practices in the book What the Best Law Teachers Do (Harvard Press 2012).

The book's author, Michael Hunter Schwartz, is the co-director for the Institute of Law Teaching and Learning and professor of law, associate dean for faculty and academic development at Washburn University. His goal is to find the best law teachers in America and to synthesize the principles they apply in their teaching as best practices and to share those with colleagues in legal education.

"We are extremely fortunate to have Nelson Miller and Phil Prygoski nominated as 'best law faculty' in the country," said Cooley Law School Associate Dean of Faculty Charles Cercone. "These nominations confirm that Cooley’s faculty has not only some of the best practitioners in their fields, but also some of the best teachers. We are truly honored to have both Phil and Nelson on our faculty."

As part of his research, Schwartz is visiting Cooley on Thursday, Sept. 15 to study and observe the classroom techniques of Miller and Prygoski. Schwartz will also be making a presentation to Cooley’s faculty about teaching and teaching-related matters. The interactive presentation will begin at 12:30 p.m. at Cooley’s Lansing campus in the Cooley Center Room 911.

About Thomas M. Cooley Law School:
Thomas M. Cooley Law School is the largest law school in the nation.  Founded in 1972, the private, nonprofit law school operates its Juris Doctor program, Joint Degree programs, and Master of Laws programs across Michigan in Lansing, Auburn Hills, Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor. Cooley recently announced a new Tampa Bay, Florida-area campus, with courses beginning in May 2012.  Cooley has more than 15,000 graduates across the nation and worldwide and offers enrollment three times a year in January, May and September. Cooley is an independent law school, accredited by the American Bar Association and the Higher Learning Commission. Additional information can be found at cooley.edu.