TAMPA, FLA. — Cooley Law School's Tampa campus recognized students for their achievements during its Honors Convocation on July 27. Among those honored was Josh Purdy, who received the Cooley Alumni Association Distinguished Student Award.
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NBC News' Dan Slepian and criminal justice advocate Jon-Adrian "JJ" Velazquez to headline Sept. 19 celebration supporting Michigan's only post-conviction DNA innocence organization
LANSING, MICH. — Cooley Law School's Lansing campus recognized students for their achievements during its Honors Convocation on July 23. Among those honored was Morgan Prybys, who received the Cooley Alumni Association Distinguished Student Award. The Alumni Association’s Distinguished Student Award is given to selected graduating students based on academic accomplishments, professionalism and ethics, leadership, extracurricular activities, and post-graduation plans. The recipients are selected by the Scholarship and Awards Committee of the Cooley Alumni Association. Recipients are presented with a diploma frame from the law school. A native of Sterling Heights, Michigan, Prybys distinguished herself through academic excellence, leadership, and involvement in student organizations. She served on Cooley's Mock Trial Board and was active in the First-Generation Lawyers' Association and the Organization of Women Law Students (OWLS). Prybys also received the Student Bar Association’s Fitzgerald Award for her commitment to improving student organizations and earned a Certificate of Merit for achieving the highest score in Compliance & Regulations. As a first-generation future attorney, she exemplified the qualities recognized by the Cooley Alumni Association Distinguished Student Award.
TAMPA, FLA. – Cooley Law School Professor Joseline Jean-Louis Hardrick recently premiered, “If These Headlines Could Talk,” an original historical documentary musical that brings the landmark decisions of the Warren Court to life through storytelling, music, archival materials, and legal history. The film is a sequel to “If These Mugshots Could Talk,” and examines one of the most transformative eras in American constitutional law. From 1953 to 1969, Earl Warren served as Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, the Court issued landmark decisions that expanded civil rights, civil liberties, and the rights of criminal defendants. Hardrick wrote, produced, and hosted the film as part of her continuing effort to make legal education more engaging and accessible through creative media. The documentary combines historical narration, original music, dramatic performances, and archival imagery to present constitutional law in a format designed to reach both legal and general audiences. Rather than focusing solely on Supreme Court opinions, Hardrick’s documentary highlights the lawyers, litigants, journalists, and ordinary people whose lives shaped – and were shaped by – the Court's decisions on criminal procedure, privacy, civil rights, and the Constitution. “This project asks a simple question: ‘Who tells the story of the law?’” said Hardrick. “We know the names of the justices, but behind every landmark case are courageous individuals willing to challenge the status quo. Their stories deserve to be heard.” The premiere brought together members of the Cooley Law School community, including faculty, alumni, students, judges, and legal professionals, for an evening celebrating the intersection of law, history, and the arts. A recording of the premiere can be viewed on YouTube.
LANSING, Mich. – On June 29, Cooley Law School’s Deans Fellow Program received the 2026 Excellence in Innovation Award: Law Schools from Insight Into Academia magazine, the nation’s longest-running publication advancing best practices in higher education. This honor celebrates law schools redefining the future of legal education. Through transformative programs and initiatives, these schools are reimagining curriculum, experiential learning, technology and AI integration, access to legal education, professional pathways, and more to better serve the evolving needs of students and meet the changing demands of today’s workforce. “The Insight Into Academia Excellence in Innovation Award: Law Schools is a prestigious national honor recognizing law schools driving innovation in legal education,” said Holly Mendelson, co-owner and publisher of Insight Into Academia magazine. “This selective recognition celebrates programs defined by forward-thinking design and measurable impact –initiatives that raise the standard and advance the field.” Cooley Law School launched the Dean's Fellow program, a peer learning initiative, in 2023. Designed to foster collaboration, belonging, and practical skill development, the Dean's Fellow program connects students with peer educators who understand the unique demands of legal education. It has produced measurable and meaningful outcomes in student engagement, academic development, and educational equity by creating a learning environment where students are more likely to seek support, build confidence, and persist through the challenges of legal education. “Cooley Law School’s Dean's Fellow is a peer educator program. It serves junior students, deepening their mastery of course material. For the Fellows, it also strengthens their leadership and communication skills, and offers valuable mentoring experience that contributes to their own professional development and career readiness,” said Cooley Law School President and Dean James McGrath. “It creates a stronger sense of representation, inclusion, and community among students, supporting Cooley's vision of advancing justice and equity through broad access to legal education. We are honored to be among the top law schools in the country to receive the Insight Into Academia’s Excellence in Innovation award.”
WASHINGTON D.C. – Cooley Law School Professor Emeritus Joseph Kimble was honored with the 2026 Burton Award for Book of the Year on Legal Writing for the book, “Essentials for Drafting Clear Legal Rules.” He co-authored the book with Bryan A. Garner, distinguished research professor at SMU Dedman School of Law. The awards ceremony was held at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., on June 1. This marks the third time that Kimble has received the prestigious Burton Award. He previously won Burton Awards for Reform in Law in 2007 and 2011 for his work in helping to completely redraft the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Federal Rules of Evidence. The Burton Award for Book of the Year on Legal Writing recognizes outstanding contributions to the clarity, precision, and effectiveness of legal communication. “Essentials for Drafting Clear Legal Rules,” in the words of the presenter, “exemplifies the highest standards of legal writing and provides invaluable guidance to practitioners, judges, and scholars alike. This book has made a lasting impact on the way legal rules are crafted, promoting clarity, consistency, and accessibility across the profession. The authors’ work has helped shape modern legal drafting.” “In some ways, this book has been 30 years in the making because it reflects the work that Bryan and I have done in helping to restyle all five sets of federal court rules,” said Kimble. “The guidelines and techniques that we applied throughout are captured in this book. It’s all about the ways to achieve clarity — 90 or so guidelines and techniques, and something like 250 before-and-after examples. And we decided to make the book available for free online. We’re trying to change the way that lawyers draft, and the book is already being used in some law schools.” Established in 1999, the Burton Awards is a national, nonprofit program that recognizes the highest standard of excellence in law. Its principal focus is on effective legal writing. The winners range across the legal profession: jurists, practitioners, lawyers in the military and the executive branch, and law-school professors. Judges for the awards include professors, members of law firms, and other outstanding leaders in law. Each year, the guests at the ceremony include federal-court judges, general counsel from the finest corporations, officers in the military, law-school deans and professors, and partners in the largest and most prestigious law firms. Photo: Joseph Kimble, professor emeritus, Cooley Law School, receives the 2026 Burton Award for Book of the Year on Legal Writing for the book, “Essentials for Drafting Clear Legal Rules,” during the Burton Awards ceremony at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., on June 1.
Cooley Law School’s Moot Court team won first place at the 2026 Robert Orseck Moot Court Competition, held during the Florida Bar Convention. The team consisted of law students from Cooley’s Tampa Bay campus: Isabel Zagazeta, Demitri Samarkos, and Carson Yonker. Additionally, Yonker was named the competition’s Best Oral Advocate. Sponsored by the Young Lawyers Division of The Florida Bar, the Orseck Competition brings together teams from all 12 Florida law schools. Cooley advanced through a highly competitive field, facing teams from the University of Florida, Florida A&M University, and the University of Miami in the preliminary rounds. The team went on to defeat Barry University in the quarterfinals and Ave Maria School of Law in the semifinals. In the final round, Cooley faced St. Thomas University before the full Florida Supreme Court. Oralists Demitri Samarkos and Carson Yonker delivered a strong performance, successfully responding to rigorous questioning from the justices to secure the championship. Chief Justice Carlos Muñiz recognized Cooley Law School as the competition’s winner. Cooley alumnus and Adjunct Professor Daniel Cardwell coached the team. During the competition, Judge Paul Byron of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida noted the team delivered one of the strongest rebuttals he had seen in any moot court competition.
LANSING, MI – Cooley Law School Innocence Project hosted a panel discussion on Sunday, June 14, titled, “Inside the Innocence Movement: A Panel Discussion with the Freed and Exonerated.” A total of seven exonerees participated in the event, including Dell Crawford, George DeJesus, Melvin DeJesus, Kenneth Nixon, Eric Anderson, Roy Blackman, and Ruben Pinuelas. “For the innocent people in prison, keep fighting,” said George DeJesus, who, along with his brother Melvin, was exonerated on March 22, 2022, after serving 25 years in prison. “Keep fighting even if they tell you there’s no hope. If you’re innocent, and you know you’re innocent, keep fighting.” The event provided first-hand accounts of how flaws in Michigan's criminal justice system resulted in them being wrongly convicted and what it took for them to finally be exonerated. Attendees also heard from Cooley Law School Innocence Project staff about their work on behalf of those who have been wrongly convicted and incarcerated. They gave attendees the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about what they can do to recognize and prevent wrongful convictions. “I’m still adapting with the new technology, I can barely use my phone,” said Dell Crawford, who has been free for almost 90 days after serving 17 years in prison. “The way you shop, the way you eat, the way you order… everything is different.” Ann Garant, co-director for the Cooley Law School Innocence Project, facilitated the event. “The number of exonerated participants in the panel just goes to show how many individuals have been wrongfully convicted,” she said. “Fellow exonerees are extremely supportive of their brothers and sisters in this community.” Since its inception, the Cooley Innocence Project has screened over 7,500 cases and is responsible for the exoneration of 10 individuals: Kenneth Wyniemko (2003), Nathaniel Hatchett (2008), Donya Davis (2014), LeDura Watkins (2017), Kenneth Nixon (2021), Gilbert Poole (2021), Corey Quentin McCall (2021), George DeJesus (2022), Louis Wright (2023), and Dell Crawford (2026). In addition, the Cooley Innocence Project has helped to exonerate Lacino Hamilton, Ramon Ward, Terance Calhoun, and Crystal Mulherin, Duane Williams, and George Calicut Jr. In honor of its 25th anniversary, the Cooley Innocence Project is hosting a gala on Sept. 19 at Grewal Hall in Lansing. The event, featuring NBC Dateline Producer Dan Slepian, an advocate for the innocence movement, as the keynote speaker, will begin at 6 p.m. More information about purchasing tickets to the gala or supporting the work of the Cooley Innocence project can be found at https://cooley.edu/innocence25. Organizations interested in scheduling the Cooley Innocence Project for speaking engagements can contact Ann Garant at innocence@cooley.edu.
On Sunday, June 14, Cooley Law School Innocence Project will host a panel discussion, “Inside the Innocence Movement: A Panel Discussion with the Freed and Exonerated,” featuring exonerees Dell Crawford and brothers George and Melvin DeJesus. The event will be held in Cooley’s lobby.
LANSING, Mich. – Cooley Law School’s Innocence Project is celebrating a milestone anniversary in 2026: 25 years of exonerations – which includes over 6,000 screenings and 10 exonerations. Established in 2001, the Cooley Innocence Project is the only post-conviction DNA innocence organization in Michigan. It is part of the Innocence Network, a national organization which has been credited with the release of over 375 wrongfully convicted prisoners, mainly through the use of DNA testing and false forensics. “For 25 years, the Cooley Innocence Project has helped prove the innocence of Michigan residents who have been wrongly convicted by our justice system,” said Ann Garant, co-director of the Cooley Innocence Project. “Our staff and student interns strongly believe in the Cooley Innocence Project’s mission of restoring freedom to the wrongfully incarcerated and raising public awareness through advocacy and education.” In Michigan, the Cooley Innocence Project office has screened over 6,000 cases and is responsible for the exoneration of ten individuals to date: Kenneth Wyniemko (2003), Nathaniel Hatchett (2008), Donya Davis (2014), LeDura Watkins (2017), Corey McCall (2021), Kenneth Nixon (2021), Gilbert Poole (2021), George DeJesus (2022), Louis Wright (2023), and Dell Crawford (2026). It also helped to exonerate Lacino Hamilton (2020), Ramon Ward (2020), Terance Calhoun in 2022, Crystal Mulherin (2024), Duane Williams (2024), and George Calicut Jr. (2026). “The Cooley Innocence Project has been pivotal for restoring hope to Michigan citizens who may be innocent of a convicted crime and their families throughout the past 25 years,” said Marla Mitchell-Cichon, Cooley Law School distinguished professor emeritus and of counsel to the Cooley Innocence Project. She has worked alongside the Project since 2002, and served as its director from 2012-2021. “As I’ve had the privilege to be part of six exonerations at the Cooley Innocence Project, there is still important work to be done and more exonerations to come in the next 25 years.” The Cooley Innocence Project was founded in May 2001, by the late Norm Fell, shortly after Michigan’s post-conviction DNA testing law went into effect. Today, the Cooley Innocence Project consists of five staff attorneys, two support staff and select second- and third- year law students who practice law under Michigan's student practice rule. Under the supervision of experienced lawyers, qualified students receive hands-on training while they screen applications, investigate facts, conduct interviews, analyze cases, prepare court pleadings and represent clients in court. Attorneys from various law firms volunteer alongside students to support the work of Cooley’s Innocence Project. “Our firm has been working with the Cooley Innocence Project for years, and we’ve seen firsthand the amazing work that they do,” said Mary Chartier, partner, Chartier & Nyamfukudza, P.L.C. “To work side-by-side with a team of committed legal professionals whose sole goal is to exonerate the innocent is inspiring. They literally change the course of people’s lives. They work tirelessly to gain freedom for people who have no other options by stepping in and giving them hope for freedom. The Cooley Innocence Project embodies the Constitution and the best of the legal profession every day, and I’m so proud to have worked with them on numerous cases.”
