Tonya Krause-Phelan, Cooley Law School associate dean of academics and professor, has been named to the Michigan Lawyers Weekly Hall of Fame Class of 2025. In addition, Cooley Law l graduates Karl Numinen (1992) and Rebecca Walsh (1991) were also named to the class.
As an honoree of MiLW’s Class of 2023 Influential Women of Law, Krause-Phelan began her legal career in 1989 working as an assistant public defender at the Kent County Office of the Defender. After three years, she moved to private practice, specializing in criminal defense.
Krause-Phelan joined Cooley Law School as a visiting professor teaching Criminal Law in 2005, and became a full-time professor a year later. In addition to Criminal Law, she teaches Criminal Procedure, Defending Battered Women, Criminal Sentencing, and Ethics in Criminal Cases. She assists with the West Michigan Defenders Clinic and coaches national mock trial and moot court teams. Four years after joining Cooley, she was honored by the Student Bar Association and awarded with the inaugural Professor of the Year award.
In 2022, Krause-Phelan became Associate dean of academics at Cooley.
Numinen is a partner at Numinen, DeForge & Toutant, PC. in the Upper Peninsula. He specializes in criminal, divorce, real estate and personal injury law. He also is of counsel to the Barone Defense Firm, and teaches a master class on trial skills to the members of the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan.
Walsh is a partner and senior attorney at American Baby & Child Law Centers: Birth Injury Lawyers, specializing in birth injury law. She also writes and speaks about insurance litigation and trial practices on a regular basis. Walsh previously taught Legal Methods at Cooley Law School as an adjunct professor.
The three were honored at an April 25 event at The Mint at Michigan First Conference Center in Lathrop Village.
As an honoree of MiLW’s Class of 2023 Influential Women of Law, Krause-Phelan began her legal career in 1989 working as an assistant public defender at the Kent County Office of the Defender. After three years, she moved to private practice, specializing in criminal defense.
Krause-Phelan joined Cooley Law School as a visiting professor teaching Criminal Law in 2005, and became a full-time professor a year later. In addition to Criminal Law, she teaches Criminal Procedure, Defending Battered Women, Criminal Sentencing, and Ethics in Criminal Cases. She assists with the West Michigan Defenders Clinic and coaches national mock trial and moot court teams. Four years after joining Cooley, she was honored by the Student Bar Association and awarded with the inaugural Professor of the Year award.
In 2022, Krause-Phelan became Associate dean of academics at Cooley.
Numinen is a partner at Numinen, DeForge & Toutant, PC. in the Upper Peninsula. He specializes in criminal, divorce, real estate and personal injury law. He also is of counsel to the Barone Defense Firm, and teaches a master class on trial skills to the members of the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan.
Walsh is a partner and senior attorney at American Baby & Child Law Centers: Birth Injury Lawyers, specializing in birth injury law. She also writes and speaks about insurance litigation and trial practices on a regular basis. Walsh previously taught Legal Methods at Cooley Law School as an adjunct professor.
The three were honored at an April 25 event at The Mint at Michigan First Conference Center in Lathrop Village.
