Our Mission

The Mission of the Thomas M. Cooley Law School is to prepare its graduates for entry into the legal profession through an integrated program with practical legal scholarship as its guiding principle and focus. This mission includes providing broad access to those who seek the opportunity to study law, while requiring that those to whom that opportunity is offered meet Cooley's rigorous academic standards.

Our History

Thomas Cooley is an independent, graduate college of law accredited by the American Bar Association (321 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60610, Phone: 312-988-5000) since 1975, the Higher Learning Commission (30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, Illinois 60602-2504 Phone: 800-621-7440 / Fax: 312-263-0456) since 2001 and a member of the North Central Association. Thomas Cooley has grown from a regional law school in Lansing, Michigan, to one of national stature. We are the nation's largest Juris Doctor program and most comprehensive accredited part-time legal education program. A fair and objective admission policy and tough, practical, professional legal education have created an important place for Thomas Cooley among American law schools.

The Thomas M. Cooley Law School was founded in 1972 by a group of lawyers and judges led by the then Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, Thomas E. Brennan. The school was named for Thomas McIntyre Cooley, a legal scholar and practicing attorney of the 19th century.

Cooley Law School teaches students the knowledge, skills, and ethics needed to be a success in the law and a valuable member of society. Cooley has developed a legal education curriculum and program designed to prepare its students for the practice of law through experienced-based teaching of lawyer skills. Students learn to apply legal theory to situations they may encounter as practicing attorneys. As part of Cooley's Professionalism Plan, Cooley students are also taught the Professionalism Principles adopted by the Thomas M. Cooley Law School community.

Thomas Cooley is also committed to providing a legal education to people from all walks of life. Cooley is proud of its diverse national and international student body where students, through fair and objective admission policies, have the opportunity to learn the law.

Quick Links

Apply to Cooley

Benchmark Fall 2011

Benchmark Column: September 2011, Volume 3, Number 3