Thomas Cooley Law And Western Michigan Consider Affiliation

Tampa_thomas_cooley_western_michiganThe Western Michigan University Thomas Cooley School of Law?  Could happen, if the current proposal for a new formal alliance is approved.  They would remain separate institutions, formally, with separate governance structures.  I'm not sure how much this would be like the linkage between Detroit College of Law and Michigan State University, resulting in the current Michigan State College of Law.  The new school remains independent of MSU, notwithstanding its name.

For Cooley, this would be a major branding event – affiliating the school with a state university.  For Western State, the situation seems similar to the Southern New England School of Law – UMass Dartmouth merger.  Just as UMass Dartmouth was unlikely to get a law school without the merger, Western Michigan seems similarly unlikely to gain a law school without this proposal. 

Picture of the future? Western Michigan University Thomas Cooley School of Law, Tampa Campus .

4 Comments

  1. Hipanon

    The press release points out this will make WMU one of 90 universities in the country with a medical school and a law school. I suspect this will make them the only university with a med school, a law school, and a minor league baseball stadium.

  2. BoredJD

    "For Western State, the situation seems similar to the Southern New England School of Law – UMass Dartmouth merger. Just as UMass Dartmouth was unlikely to get a law school without the merger, Western Michigan seems similarly unlikely to gain a law school without this proposal."

    Unlike that merger, I assume this one won't come with significantly lower tuition.

  3. roger dennis

    Hipanon..after July 1, when Rutgers gets two medical schools they will have a minor league baseball stadium, two med schools and two law schools..ego needs me to say I put the deal together for the baseball stadium…Campbell's Field on the waterfront in Camden NJ.

  4. Hipanon

    Roger — I stand corrected, I expect Rutgers will do well when the "number of affiliated medical schools and minor league baseball stadiums" is added to the next edition of the Cooley rankings.

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