Civil Rights Attorney Michelle Alexander Speaks at Cooley Law School
January 17, 2012 – On January 17, Dr. Michelle Alexander, civil rights attorney, Ohio State law professor and author of The New Jim Crow, spoke at Cooley Law School's Lansing campus. Alexander's appearance coincided with the school's annual Martin Luther King Jr./Equal Access to Justice Day celebration and was sponsored by the Black Law Students Association and the Northwest Initiative/A.R.R.O.
While speaking at Cooley, Alexander shared how the consequences of a criminal conviction lead to barriers when individuals seek employment and how these barriers adversely affect communities, families and taxpayers. In addition to celebrating Martin Luther King Day, Dr. Alexander joined the Legislative Black Caucus at the Capitol earlier in the day to kick off the "Ban the Box" campaign. The Fair Chance Coalition is also working on the campaign to pass legislation that would take the box off job applications that asks, "Have you been convicted of a felony?"
About Cooley Law School: Founded in 1972, the Thomas M. Cooley Law School is a private, nonprofit, independent law school accredited by the American Bar Association and the Higher Learning Commission. Cooley has provided its more than 15,000 graduates with the practical skills necessary for a seamless transition from academia to the real world. Cooley offers its Juris Doctor program, Joint Degree programs, and Master of Laws programs three times a year with enrollment in January, May and September. Cooley Law School has campuses across Michigan in Lansing, Auburn Hills, Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor, and its new campus in Tampa Bay, Florida.
