Attorneys, judges discuss ethics with law students

On Friday, May 3, Western Michigan University Cooley Law School’s Auburn Hills campus hosted a State Bar of Michigan Professionalism in Action Orientation for incoming students. Among those taking part were (left to right) State Bar of Michigan President-elect Dennis M. Barnes; Jordan Fields of the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office; WMU-Cooley Assistant Dean Lisa Halushka; James J. Vlasic of Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy, & Sadler PLC; Bryan Levy of Bryan H. Levy PC; retired Judge John S. Gilbreath Jr.; Oakland County 52-2 District Court Judge Kelley R. Kostin; and Robert Kostin of Robert E. Kostin PC.

– Photos by John Meiu

As part of orientation on May 3-4 at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School's Auburn Hills campus, law students participated in the State Bar of Michigan's Professionalism in Action program. During the program, students met with attorneys and judges about the importance of ethics and professionalism while attending law school and as practicing attorneys. In addition to the Professionalism in Action program, Oakland County 52-2 District Court Judge Kelley R. Kostin administered the WMU-Cooley honor code oath to incoming students during the law school's Honor Code Convocation.

Dennis M. Barnes, president elect, State Bar of Michigan, welcomed students and offered brief comments on his career and the importance of professionalism in the courtroom during the Professionalism in Action Program. He told students that they are being given an important opportunity to learn about ethics and practical legal skills at WMU-Cooley.

Before administering the WMU-Cooley Honor Code, Kostin told the new law students that as future attorneys they have voluntarily placed themselves in a position of higher standards and ethics.

"Today you enter a new and larger community, that is the legal profession," said Kostin. "Your primary challenge will be how to be an effective attorney and counselor of the law, while being an instrument of justice."

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