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From the Deans' Suite - 4/23/26 - A Stronger Future in Cybersecurity and Privacy
Last Thursday and Friday, April 16 and 17, our College of Law welcomed leaders from across the country for the 11th Annual Cybersecurity & Privacy Protection Conference—a gathering that once again made clear both the urgency of this work and the distinctive role CSU Law plays in shaping it. What began as an ambitious vision has grown into one of the leading cybersecurity and privacy convenings in the Great Lakes region, reflecting the strength of a Center built to bring law, technology, business, and public policy into meaningful conversation.
From the Deans' Suite - 4/17/26 - The William I Weisberg Center for Health Law & Policy
Health law is no longer a specialized corner of legal practice — it is one of the most visible places where law, policy, and daily life converge. Questions of access to care, insurance coverage, regulatory oversight, and public trust shape not only the healthcare system, but the lived experiences of individuals and communities across the country. In these times, the need for rigorous, practice-focused health law education has never been greater. The William I. Weisberg Center for Health Law & Policy exists because of that need—and because the Cleveland State University College of Law is uniquely positioned to meet it.
From the Deans' Suite - 4/13/26 - A Historic Week and a Transformational Investment
It has been an extraordinary week here at the College of Law. The highlight, without question, was the press conference announcing a $5 million endowment from the State of Ohio, made possible through the leadership of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. This remarkable investment will allow us to launch a first-of-its-kind prosecutor training program at Cleveland State University College of Law.
Moments like this are rare in the life of a law school.
From the Deans' Suite - 4/2/26 - A Note That Made My Day
A few weeks ago, I received a note that truly made my day.
The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office reached out to share how well one of our students, Arwa Elmashae, performed in her first oral argument as a Certified Legal Intern. Through Ohio’s Legal Intern Certificate Program, students can appear in court and handle real matters under attorney supervision—bringing their legal education into direct service of clients and community.
From the Deans' Suite - 3/27/26 - Not Just A Degree
Last Friday evening, one of our alumni stood before a group of admitted students, many of them still deciding whether to come here, and told them that graduating from CSU Law gives you more than just a degree. He had prosecuted cases in Cuyahoga County, sat for fourteen years on the Court of Common Pleas, and then, beginning in 2019, served as a Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. He grew up in Cleveland, attended St. Ignatius, John Carroll, and then CSU Law as an evening student while working full-time. His father, Judge John J. Donnelly, Class of 1968, did the same thing a generation earlier and went on to become Presiding Judge of the Cuyahoga County Probate Court.
From the Deans' Suite - 3/12/26 - Happy 90th Milly Collins!
Earlier this month, at the Cleveland State University alumni gathering in Florida, I had the pleasure of meeting Milly Collins, a proud graduate of CSU Law’s Class of 1981. Milly turned ninety this past Sunday, March 8th.
As we talked, Milly shared a story that is quintessential CSU Law: ambitious, practical, service-minded, and deeply connected. Her story demonstrates what our part-time program (and now online program) has always made possible: an education that meets talented people where they are, and helps them achieve their dreams.
From the Deans' Suite - 3/3/26 - The Profession in the Building
When we talk about what makes CSU Law special, we always highlight our alumni and our deep connections to the practicing bar and the fact that lawyers don’t just support this school — they show up.
Last week offered a vivid slice of how the local legal community shows up for our students. Judges, alumni, legislators, and practicing attorneys were in our building — questioning, mentoring, advising, debating, coaching. Across multiple events, our students were not simply studying the law. They were receiving direct guidance from the lawyers who practice it every day. They were being questioned, coached, and pushed to improve.
Here’s what that looked like.
Moot Court Night: Appellate Advocacy on Display
From the Deans' Suite - 2/25/26 - Faculty & Staff Focus | February 2026: Scholarship, Leadership & Global Impact
We are very fortunate to have outstanding full-time, adjunct, and emeritus faculty, leaders-in-residence, and staff. We are pleased to share regular updates on their excellent scholarship, presentations, teaching, and service. This Faculty/Staff Focus is distributed widely to Law School students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the CSU community.
From the Deans' Suite - 2/12/26 - From Cleveland Heights to the Olympic Stage
This week in From the Deans’ Suite, we step back and make space for a message from our emeritus colleague, Professor Ken Kowalski, who reminds us that sometimes the impact of our work in the law shows up in unexpected ways and sometimes many years later.
The U.S. Women's Hockey Team is having phenomenal success at the Winter Olympics, currently standing at #1 in Group A. That success is due in no small part to a player from Cleveland Heights, Laila Edwards, as detailed in the Plain Dealer.
Greater Cleveland and Cleveland Heights in particular can take pride in Ms. Edwards' accomplishments.
From the Deans' Suite - 2/3/26 - Opening Doors
There’s a particular kind of door you only notice once you’ve walked through it. When you turn around to look back and realize that you’re now the expert, the person other people rely on and look to as a role model. No one ever walks through these doors on their own. Someone (often more than one) was always on the other side, holding the handle, saying, “Come on in. Let me show you how this works.”
Mentors open those doors. They do it through a conversation over coffee; a candid story about a mistake made and a lesson kept; a resume marked up with honest red ink; an encouragement, delivered when things turn hard, that you, too, can find your place in this profession.