Judge Kristen Simmons, 54-A District Court, was the featured presenter during Western Michigan University Cooley Law School’s Lansing campus orientation and Professionalism in Acton Program, which took place January 2-3. Simmons spoke to the new law students about integrity, professionalism, and ethics, and administered the WMU-Cooley Honor Code Oath.
While speaking about integrity in the legal profession, Simmons, a WMU-Cooley graduate, told the new law students that that is important to do the right thing all the time, not only when it is perceived that others are watching.
Pictured, front row from left: Associate Dean Michael C.H. McDaniel, students Ali Hage-Hassan, You Qu, Amanda Wagner, Alexzandra Andrews, Joseph Vaysman, Aaron Smith, Assistant Dean Mable Martin-Scott; back row, from left: students Scott Bradley, Patrick Abood, Thomas Schmitz, Hon. Kristen Simmons, and students Tori Lee, Justin Haddad, and Richard Gregory.
“I was sitting right where they are sitting not too long ago and to look at where hard work and sacrifice can get you,” said Simmons. “Others that I started law school with did not understand how important character, honesty and integrity is to the profession and they were not successful in getting through law school.”