WMU-Cooley Ranked Among Top Diverse Law Schools

WMU-Cooley Law School has been named among the top racially and ethnically diverse law schools in the country by U.S. News and World Report. 

In its September 2021 report, the national publication ranked WMU-Cooley 21 out of 199 American Bar Association accredited law schools, all of which consisted of one-third of enrolled students came from minority backgrounds in fall 2020. U.S. News and World Report named the top 46 law schools in its ranking.

Last fall, WMU-Cooley’s student enrollment was 926, with 42 percent minority students. 

“We believe that our classrooms should reflect the diverse society our students will serve,” said Paul J. Zelenski, WMU-Cooley senior vice president and associate dean of Administration, Enrollment and Student Services. “We work hard to accomplish our long-standing mission of providing equitable access to a modern legal education.”

WMU-Cooley is ranked 55-70 in U.S. News and World Report’s “Part-time Law” schools. The publication ranks schools according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence.

It is the mission of WMU-Cooley to embrace a culture of diversity and inclusiveness as it prepares graduates for the legal profession through an integrated program with practical legal scholarship. Reflecting the diversity of the communities it serves, WMU-Cooley’s diverse student body creates a dynamic learning environment that enriches the educational experience and promotes careers of its graduates. 

About WMU-Cooley Law School: WMU-Cooley Law School was founded on a mission of equal access to a legal education and offers admission to a diverse group of qualified applicants across the country. Since the law school's founding in 1972, WMU-Cooley has provided a modern legal education to more than 20,000 graduates, teaching the practical skills necessary for a seamless transition from academia to the real world. WMU-Cooley enrolls classes year-round at its Michigan and Florida campuses. WMU-Cooley is an independent, non-profit law school, accredited by both the American Bar Association and the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.