At Cooley Law School we provide a transformative practical legal education, grounded in the science of learning, that prepares and inspires our students to become lifelong learners and agents for positive change in their communities and our profession.
Cooley advances justice and equity by providing broad access to a legal education to diverse individuals who meet that opportunity with a commitment to achieving high standards of professional competency.
We are private, independent, non-profit, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt law school dedicated to teaching students the knowledge, skills, and ethics needed to succeed in both the law and its practice and to be valuable members of society.
At Cooley Law you won’t just learn the law … you’ll live and breathe it.
Recognized by PreLaw Magazine as one of the best law schools for practical training for 2023.
With our rigorous academic programs, you’ll work hard, be challenged, and gain confidence — but you’ll also get real-world experience before you graduate.
We’ll give you the knowledge, practical skills and ethics to hit the ground running.
Social Justice Clinics
Community Service Clinics
Externships
Cooley’s externship program furthers the school’s mission of practical legal scholarship by placing students with practicing lawyers throughout the United States and in various countries around the globe. Externships are learning opportunities for students placed with nearly 3,000 lawyers and judges who have agreed to provide a mentored learning environment. Student externs receive classroom training from faculty members in addition to supervision and evaluation by their attorney mentors.
Competitions
Cooley students can choose to hone their skills in competitions against other Cooley students and, and if selected, represent Cooley Law against students from other law schools. Faculty members coach the travel teams and accompany them across the country as students compete on skills including client counseling, negotiation, trials, and appellate advocacy.
Law Review
The Cooley Law Review's mission is to publish pragmatic and theoretical legal scholarship for judges, practicing attorneys, and students of law. The Law Review team is comprised of some of the highest achieving students from Cooley Law School. Together, they strive to produce a quality legal publication reflective of the caliber and diversity of students, faculty, alumni, and our school as a community. The goal is to publish articles that will be useful for practitioners and provide support and guidance for judicial opinions.
You can expand your leadership skills and develop lasting relationships with fellow students through involvement in student organizations. You may be interested in becoming the voice of students in the Student Bar Association, participating in organizations such as the Black Law Student's Association, or exploring the intersections of faith and the law in the Muslim, Christian, or Jewish student groups. You can also participate in organizations related to sports law, intellectual property law, criminal law, and a variety of other subjects.
Students, faculty, and staff generously serve communities not only where they live, but around the country. For instance: Hurricane and disaster relief; mentoring high school students; supporting children's literacy programs; veteran assistance programs; mental health initiatives.
Cooley coordinates with more than 30 programs that offer free legal assistance to people who cannot afford representation. Cooley faculty, staff, and students contribute hundreds of thousands of hours of free legal service per year through pro bono projects, externships, and clinics.
Cooley Law School works hard to help you reach your professional goals. Students are encouraged to visit the Career and Professional Development (CPD) Office early and often in their law school career to continue the career development process through graduation and beyond.
Job Postings
Students have access to #HireCooley for their daily publication of volunteer and paid positions, including summer associate, internships, fellowships, law clerk, judicial clerkships, and part-time and full-time employment openings throughout the world. Students access #HireWMUCooley on the Careers page of the Cooley Connect portal.
Career Counseling
Personal appointments are encouraged for students. Topics of discussion may include:
Programs & Workshops
CPD hosts workshops and events designed to introduce you to career options and practice areas, prepare you for the rigors of a legal job search, and help you build a professional network. Each term, you can attend career exploration and development events like:
Career Resource Center
At each campus you have access to a library of career-related resources on topics including resume writing, interviewing, internships, job search, professional dress, and networking. Most resources are available for checkout with your student ID.
Recruitment Programs
CPD hosts year-round on-campus interviews for students interested in associate, summer associate, and law clerk positions. Listings are updated frequently and are posted on Symplicity.
Online Resources
All of our resources are included in Cooley's online library database. You can search the database by title, author, subject, or keyword. Cooley subscribes to leading national job bank services.
Reciprocity Policy
The Career and Professional Development Office is pleased to share its resources with, and accept requests for reciprocity from, students and graduates of other ABA accredited law schools.