Category Archives: Achievements

WMU-Cooley Law School graduate Choi T. Portis has been selected by the Detroit Bar Association as this year’s winner of the Barristers President’s Award, which recognizes a young attorney whose early career has exhibited high standards of service to the profession, his or her clients and the public. Portis, associate general counsel for the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, was presented the award during the Detroit Bar Association’s Summer Breeze event on July 19, 2017 at the Detroit Yacht Club.

WMU-Cooley Law School Associate Dean of External Affairs and General Counsel James Robb presents WMU-Cooley graduate Choi T. Portis with the Detroit Bar Association Barristers President’s Award. Portis was selected by the Detroit Bar Association as this year’s winner of the Barristers President’s Award.

“I was honored to present the Detroit Bar Association Barristers President’s Award to a woman who has made her law school proud by already distinguishing herself as a leader in our profession,” said James Robb, WMU-Cooley Law School associate dean of external affairs and general counsel. “In the legal community, leadership requires professional excellence, of course, but it also requires responsible participation in the organized bar and meaningful participation in service to our communities. Choi has exemplified each of these requirements. Through her outstanding work as Associate General Counsel of the Detroit Water & Sewerage Department and in her prior work representing abused children and handling corporate transactions, Choi demonstrates superb legal skills.”

In her position with the Water and Sewage Department, Portis handles in-house litigation, internal personal injury and property damage claims, damage claim appeals, billing disputes and contract review. She also serves as counsel to the department director regarding various legal issues, serves on the Damage Claims Appeals committee and supervises the department’s Environmental and Safety team.

In addition to her work with the city of Detroit, in February, Portis started Portis Legal, PLC, a small solo firm designed to provide low-cost, transactional legal services to clients. She primarily focuses on business entity formation, contract formation and review, but also offers copyright and trademark registration services as well.

Portis is an executive council member of the State Bar of Michigan Young Lawyers Section, and serves on the organization’s Diversity Committee. She is also the district representative for the state of Michigan, and a vice director of Diversity and Inclusion for the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division. Portis serves as a mentor to many, tutoring bar candidates through the Wolverine Bar Association Minority Bar Passage Program. She was recently honored as a member of the Michigan Chronicle’s “40 Under 40 Class of 2017.”

 Portis is admitted to practice in the State of Michigan and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. She earned her J.D. from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School.

Graduates from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School’s three Michigan campuses (Auburn Hills, Grand Rapids and Lansing) were bestowed with juris doctor and master of laws degrees during the law school’s spring commencement ceremony on May 21, at the Michigan State University Auditorium. WMU President Dr. John M. Dunn provided the keynote to 149 graduates and their family and friends in attendance. Javaron Buckley, who was selected by his classmates, presented the valedictory remarks.

Western Michigan University President Dr. John M. Dunn provides the keynote during WMU-Cooley Law School’s spring commencement on May 21.

Dunn’s keynote marked the first time he addressed a graduating class at WMU-Cooley. He said that many of the graduates may have been among the first students to enroll under the affiliation agreement between the law school and the university that began in 2014.

Dunn also spoke about the current political climate and how recent law graduates may be called upon to re-establish the shared narrative of who and what we are as a nation.

“You are graduating at an unusual time in our nation’s history. This is a turbulent time in which we’re seeing attempts to redefine time-tested values like free speech, patriotism, civil rights and the basic ethos upon which our country was founded,” said Dunn. “You will be on the front lines when it comes to defending those laws and polishing that narrative. I know your commitment to the rule of law and when it comes to making the right decision, I have to say my money is on you.”

Javaron Buckley presents the valedictory remarks during graduation for WMU-Cooley Law School’s Michigan campuses.

During the valedictory remarks, Buckley reflected about their time in law school, comparing it to how the Titanic could have avoided sinking. “If the Titanic would have hit the iceberg head-on, it would not have sunk. There’s a life lesson about avoiding problems in that,” he said. “I stand before a group of remarkable graduates who took the voyage through law school and hit the iceberg head-on. It might’ve slowed some of us down, however it did not sink us.”

Buckley also spoke about their futures as attorneys and said, “As lawyers, we are the guardians of justice and the means by which the law reaches the people. Therefore, when carrying out your duties, remember to refrain from becoming intolerant to people’s problems. I ask that you serve with passion and integrity and with empathy for your clients.”

Each class at WMU-Cooley bears the name of a distinguished member of the legal profession. The spring 2017 graduating class is named after Justice Earl Warren. Warren was an American jurist and politician, who served as the 30th governor of California and later the 14th Chief Justice of the United States.

Pictured (left-right) Don LeDuc, WMU-Cooley president and dean; Dr. John M. Dunn, WMU president; and Lawrence Nolan, State Bar of Michigan president and WMU-Cooley board chair.Chief Justice of the United States.