March 26, 2008

Cooley Law School to Launch Course on Driving Under the Influence Law

The Thomas M. Cooley Law School announced today that it will launch a new course in May 2008 regarding driving under the influence law. The course is believed to be one of the first law school courses in the United States to specifically deal with the law as it relates to driving under the influence. It will be taught by Birmingham attorney Patrick T. Barone, anationally regarded expert in the field.

"Cooley prides itself on offering practical legal education to its students and we are delighted to have a national expert like Patrick Barone teach this course for us," said John Nussbaumer, Associate Dean of Cooley’s Auburn Hills campus. "Many of our graduates become assistant prosecuting attorneys or work as general practitioners, offering their clients full-service help on a wide array of issues, and this course will help prepare them to handle these kinds of cases."

According to James Nesci, a regent for the National College for DUI Defense (NCDD), Cooley’s course will be one of the first of its kind in the United States. The NCDD is a professional, nonprofit corporation dedicated to the dissemination of information about DUI defense law as a specialty area.

The course which will include instruction regarding the elements of various under-the-influence charges, including alcohol and illegal drugs, and the various defenses applicable to such cases. In addition, students will learn about the forensic and scientific issues that often play a critical role in these cases, including:

* Alcohol metabolism
* Breath and blood testing
* Field sobriety testing

The course will integrate skills training, including a mock trial, with the legal principles and ethical issues that arise in this area of the law, following Cooley’s long-time focus on knowledge, skills, and ethics. As noted by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in Educating Lawyers: Preparation for the Practice of Law, "law schools need to do a better job integrating the teaching of legal doctrine with a much stronger focus on helping students develop practical 'lawyering' skills and understandings of ethical and moral considerations."

Mr. Barone is the co-author of two books on the subject, including Defending Drinking Driver, a leading treatise in the field.

Celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, Cooley Law School is the largest law school in the country.  Founded in 1972, it operates J.D. programs across Michigan in downtown Lansing, in Auburn Hills, and in downtown Grand Rapids. Today, Cooley Law School has more than 12,000 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.