January 5, 2005

Cooley Professor Named Assistant Dean

Lansing, Michigan - Thomas M. Cooley Law School Professor Nelson Miller has been appointed Assistant Dean of the law school's Grand Rapids campus. He assumed his new responsibilities this week with the start of winter term.

Miller joined Cooley in 2004, first as a Visiting Professor, then as an Associate Professor. He has taught Torts at Cooley.

Miller was enthusiastic about the opportunity.
"I am delighted at this opportunity to serve the students, faculty, and administration of the school. I have learned that the surest way to one's own satisfaction is to satisfy the needs of others. I am thanking the students and faculty in advance for the patience they will show me as I develop the knowledge and skills to serve them."

Before joining Cooley, Miller was a partner at Fajen & Miller, PLLC, in Grand Haven, Mich., specializing in civil litigation in constitutional law, civil rights, commercial, malpractice, insurance, employment, and personal injury, and transactional work, and in forming and advising non-profit organizations.

Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Grand Rapids Campus Marion Hilligan welcomed the addition. "I am so pleased that Professor Miller is the new Assistant Dean of Faculty for the Grand Rapids campus. This is good news for the faculty, staff, and students. We are lucky to have a person of Dean Miller's skill and experience take on the job of overseeing faculty and student needs."

"Dean Miller's extensive community service experience directing and working with pro bono legal service organizations gives him a good balance of organizational, managerial, and interpersonal skills - just what his new work requires.

"I look forward to working with Dean Miller to keep growing our GR campus. We are both enthused about our award-winning, beautifully renovated building in downtown Grand Rapid's Heartside district, where we are part of an emerging neighborhood filled with art, culture, education, dining, and entertainment venues. And we intend to make Cooley Law School a vital partner in this progress."

Miller graduated from Indiana University in 1984 with highest honors, and from the University of Michigan Law School, cum laude. While in school, he was a member of the Order of the Coif and Law Review, and earned an Evidence Award.

He is a frequent author, with articles and chapters published in a variety of law review publications, guides published by the Institute for Continuing Legal Education, and others.

Founded in 1972, Cooley Law School is the largest law school in the country. Cooley has the second-largest enrollment of African-American students of any law school and the 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/Western Michigan University 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 in Intellectual Property. Find out more about Cooley Law School by visiting the Cooley Web site at www.cooley.edu.