3,000 Cooley Community LinkedIn Group Members!

Today we enrolled our 3,000^th Cooley Law School Community LinkedIn Group member.  Since just 13 months ago when we surpassed the 2,000 mark, our membership has grown by 50%.  This progress demonstrates the value of staying connected with fellow Cooligans around the nation through our LinkedIn group.  Cooley alumni reach out to one another, share job opportunities, refer cases, send tips on interviewing, and offer their thoughts on law practice.

If you are not already a Cooley Community Group member, joining is easy. First, establish an account and professional profile with LinkedIn.  Then search for “Cooley Law School Community” and click on the “Join” button.

We are proud of Cooley’s alumni and want to use our group as just one of many ways to promote each others’  success.  Now let’s see how quickly we can get to 4,000 members.  Tell other Cooley graduates to sign up for LinkedIn and join the Cooley Community Group as well.  Above all, stay connected!

In addition to LinkedIn, see Cooley’s Alumni Website Page

New York Requires Pro Bono Efforts By Law Students Before Bar Admission

Thomas M. Cooley Law Review

Members of the Thomas M. Cooley Law Review have been writing on a broad range of topics.  This post summarizes an article by Brittany Mills about New York’s new requirement that bar applicants have pro bono experience.

New York has adopted a novel approach in motivating aspiring attorneys to provide pro bono legal services—mandating fifty hours of pro bono legal services prior to granting a license to practice law in New York State.  New York is the first state to implement such a requirement as a prerequisite to gaining a law license.  Pro bono work must be legal related.  For for example, the founder of the mandate, New York Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman, stated that building houses for Habitat for Humanity would not fulfill the requirement, but that doing legal work for Habitat for Humanity would.  Moreover, the work can be performed in any state, not just in New York.

The new mandate is intended to serve two purposes. First, it is meant to increase the accessibility of legal services to low-income individuals who traditionally have had very little access to legal assistance.  Second, the mandate is designed to instill in lawyers the desire to serve the public throughout their careers.  Although some controversy surrounds the mandate, the move has been hailed as “potentially revolutionary.”  This is because of the sheer number of pro bono hours that will now be provided to the public, and because of the mandate’s potential to create a ripple effect of similar mandates, nationwide.

Read Ms. Mills’ article in full

See the new Cooley Law Review On-Line Edition

Cooley Information Session

Thinking about law school? Attend an Information Session! March 12-14, 2013

What can you do at an Information Session?

» Attend an expert panel of Cooley faculty, staff, students, and alumni.
» Learn about the value and versatility of a law degree.
» Find out how to prepare, perform, and succeed in law school.
» Ask questions about admissions, financial aid, and scholarships.
» Take a campus tour and meet personally with campus deans.

Check in starts at 5:00 – All Sessions run from 5:30 – 7:00p.m.

Register and Get Details Online