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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.

CSU|Law Moot Court Teams Advance to Round 16 in National Competition

Cleveland State University College of Law is proud to recognize two of its 2L moot court teams for their outstanding performance at the 21st Annual National Moot Court Competition in Child Welfare & Adoption Law.

Competing against law schools from across the country, both CSU|Law teams advanced through preliminary rounds to earn placements in the Round of 16; an achievement that reflects the strength of the College’s advocacy program and the dedication of its students.

Representing CSU Law were Taylor Haazer, Isabella Benz, Jeffery Brannigan, Matt Harders, Julian Pellegrini, and Caden Wendling. Throughout the competition, both teams demonstrated exceptional legal analysis, written advocacy, and oral argument skills.

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.

CSU Law Professor Milena Sterio Recognized Among Top 100 International Law Scholars

Cleveland State University Distinguished Professor of Law Milena Sterio was named to HeinOnline’s list of the Top 100 International Law Scholars, one of only two honorees in Ohio.

HeinOnline is a premier online research platform offering more than 244 million pages of fully searchable, image-based PDFs, including periodicals, government documents, international resources and case law.

Read more

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.

From the Deans' Suite - 1/29/26 - Rock & Roll Meets Moot Court

I usually use this space to reflect on the week just behind us. This week, I’m going to look back a little further—because something truly special deserves a second look.

Two weeks ago, CSU Law’s Moot Court Team hosted the inaugural Rock & Roll Moot Court Festival, the first and only moot court competition in the country devoted entirely to the music industry.