On September 17, 2009, Charles R. Toy was officially sworn in as the 75th president of the State Bar of Michigan. Overseeing an organization that boasts over 40,000 members, he provides guidance and oversight to the state's collective legal society. This came after being named the Associate Dean of Career and Professional Development at Thomas M. Cooley Law School in late 2008 and after having graduated from the institution's well respected law school in 1981. While he's keeping busy these days, he had a full career before, as well.
Toy built his career and reputation as a practicing attorney for twenty four years with Farhat and Story, a Lansing, Mich. firm and focused his expertise on environmental, oil, gas and property law. He served as a contract administrative law judge for two Michigan departments - the Michigan Department of Natural Resources as well as the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. He also worked as a law clerk in the Michigan Court of Appeals as well as a prosecutor for Ingham County. He dedicated more than two decades as part of the Cooley Alumni Association Board of Governors and served as its president in 2004. He currently is a member of the House of Delegates, which exists to write policies and goals for the American Bar Association.
Along with his responsibilities with the Michigan State Bar, Toy works with students and graduates as they prepare to enter the legal world as newly licensed attorneys. He oversees his Career and Professional Development office and his staff of professionals, who seek to help these young graduates find their way. Upon accepting the position, Toy said, ''There is a crucial continuum between the classroom and a career. I want Cooley's office of career and professional development to be instrumental in that continuum and ensure all Cooley graduates are employed''. And to that end, he has redefined ''success''. Cooley graduates rank highest in the country when it comes to finding legal employment after graduation. One would think this is no easy feat in the nation's largest law school. Not surprisingly, Toy immediately went to work to closely audit the school's employment assistance programs in an effort to find areas to improve. He wanted to not only improve the program, but expand the career services aspect of his department. ''We can provide the best education to our students, but if students are not employed after graduation, we're not fully completing our job'', Toy said at the time.
As mentioned, Toy is a graduate of Cooley in 1981. Graduating summa cum laude, he serves as an inspiration to those students he now seeks to assist. He graduated first from Oakland University in 1972 with a bachelor's degree in biological science, while minoring in both chemistry and physics. He received his Master of Science degree from Michigan State University in 1980 and even worked as a shipboard oceanographer, where he was able to travel the world twice. Cooley Law School's President and Dean Don LeDuc says of him, ''Toy brings to Cooley a wealth of experience and prestige, but he also provides a great role model for our students and serves as a wonderful example of what can be accomplished in a legal career.'' We couldn't agree more and are proud to have him as a part of our Career Dean Services.
Charles R. Toy is married to Mary Ellen and they have four adult children. For more information on Toy, visit the Thomas M. Cooley site at Cooley.edu.
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