March 24, 2010

Citizen-Lawyer-Soldier to be Welcomed Home from Iraq by Chief Justice Marilyn Kelly of the Michigan Supreme Court, Federal Court Chief Judge Gerald Rosen, and Deputy Assistant Secretary Of Defense Michael McDaniel

Major Miles Gengler

In 2009, Chief Justice Marilyn J. Kelly of the Michigan Supreme Court helped Army Major and Grand Blanc, Mich. native Miles Gengler, a Thomas M. Cooley Law School graduate who was deployed to Iraq shortly after taking the bar exam, be sworn into the State Bar of Michigan via a 6,300 mile videoconference between Michigan and Baghdad, Iraq.

For the past year, Major Gengler served as a briefing officer for General Michael Barbero, preparing briefings for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General David Petraeus, visiting Congressional delegations, as well as the Iraqi Prime Minister, Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of Defense.

On Friday, March 26, at Cooley's Auburn Hills campus, Chief Justice Kelly, Chief Judge Gerald E. Rosen of the Federal Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Michael McDaniel will welcome Major Gengler home and honor him for his service. The event will include the unveiling of a framed American flag that was flown over Baghdad on July 4, 2009 in honor of Cooley Law School’s efforts on Major Gengler’s behalf.

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.