Cooley Law School Ribbon Cutting Attracts Large Turnout

On Wednesday, Oct. 31, the Thomas M. Cooley Law School formally marked the opening of its new Tampa Bay campus with a dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting.

More than 250 people attended the event at 9445 Camden Field Parkway, Riverview, including Cooley’s founder and president emeritus, the Honorable Thomas E. Brennan.

Speakers included Don LeDuc, president and dean of Cooley Law School; Jeffrey Martlew, associate dean of Cooley Law School-Tampa Bay campus; Robert J. Nader, president of the Hillsborough County Bar Association; Honorary Emiliano Jose (E.J.) Salcines, senior judge, 2nd District Court of Appeals; Gwynne A. Young, president of The Florida Bar; Haile Spratt, president of the TMC/TB Student Bar Association; and County Commissioner Al Higginbotham.

Renovations to turn an existing building in Riverview into a state-of-the-art law school began in September 2011. Now complete, the 132,000-square-foot building can accommodate 700 students. It includes a 25,000-square-foot law library, 336-seat auditorium and 24 classrooms.

Currently, 275 students are enrolled.

Once the campus establishes its full curriculum, the Riverview campus will employ 53 full-time faculty and staff and about 35 part-time faculty.

Founded in 1972, the Thomas M. Cooley Law School is a private, nonprofit, independent law school accredited by the American Bar Association and the Higher Learning Commission.

The law school has four campuses in Michigan as well as its new Riverview campus. Visit the website for more information.