August 31, 2006

Cooley's Incoming Grand Rapids Class Filled to Capacity; High Enrollment Anticipated for Winter, Spring Terms

Thomas M. Cooley Law School's September class in Grand Rapids is now full-hitting its fall term capacity of 100 incoming students. The 2006 fall enrollment represents a 100 percent increase from previous fall terms.

The spike in Cooley's fall term enrollment at its downtown Grand Rapids campus, 111 Commerce SW, follows a July 10 announcement that the American Bar Association (ABA) had given Cooley the nod to establish full, 90-credit hour Juris Doctor degree programs at its campuses in Grand Rapids and Rochester.

Students who are hoping to study at Cooley's Grand Rapids location are now starting to enroll for the school’s January and May 2007 sessions through Cooley's rolling admissions system that accepts students and begins incoming classes three times a year.

"We've never doubted the need for a law school in West Michigan," said Marion Hilligan, Associate Dean of Cooley's Grand Rapids campus. "This is just the beginning of our mission to bring first-rate, practical legal education to West Michigan and beyond."

Prior to the ABA announcement, Cooley was authorized to offer 15 of 90 required credits at the Grand Rapids and Rochester locations, which required students to complete the remainder of their studies at Cooley's Lansing campus. Past years' incoming fall classes at Cooley-Grand Rapids averaged 50 students.

"The downtown Grand Rapids campus has been a significant factor in the urban renaissance and revitalization of the Heartside District," Cooley President Don LeDuc said. "We appreciate the area’s strong welcome and support and look forward to continued growth of our campus in the months and years to come." Cooley’s Lansing campus and Rochester location on the campus of Oakland University also are experiencing record enrollment for their fall classes.

Founded in 1972, Cooley Law School is the largest law school in the country. Cooley has the largest enrollment in African-American students of any law school and the second highest number of minorities overall in the United States. Cooley has three campuses across Michigan; its main campus in downtown Lansing, its downtown Grand Rapids campus in west Michigan, and its Rochester/Oakland University campus in southeast Michigan. In addition to the J.D. program, students at Cooley can also pursue an LL.M. in Tax or Intellectual Property.