Michele Cook Email & Phone Number

Metuchen, Nj, Us

Scotch Plains, Nj

Teacher of Social Studies at UCVTS Magnet High School. Current courses include U.S. History 2 and Patent Law. Previously planned/graded for U.S. History Through Crime. Teacher member of Middle States Accreditation team, Senior Class Advisor, and member of School Improvement Committee (ScIP).

Woodbridge, New Jersey

Substitute teacher at Middle and High School levels; included 3 long-term assignments in ELA and Social Studies. Full semester (planning, grading, & instructional autonomy) at Hightstown High School in East Windsor, where I taught World History and Humanities, including formal observations. Long term substitute for 6th grade ELA classroom at Fords Middle School (Woodbridge) for 3 months, and long term substitute for 7th grade Civics classroom at Avenel Middle School (Woodbridge).

New York And New Jersey

Litigated employment matters including wage and hour claims, hostile work environment, discrimination, retaliation, and other related claims in New Jersey and New York, including class action claims. Represented and counseled employers regarding employment law issues, including non-compete agreements, severance agreement, and employee handbook creation.

Worked with attorneys and law firm customers by phone and e-mail to obtain all information required to create Web sites for their practice; communicated with various internal departments (sales, scheduling, search engine marketing, technical, copywriting and others) as necessary to work on Web sites throughout the production process; reviewed Web copy for legal accuracy, usage and compliance with basic professional responsibility guidelines, as well as proper grammar, punctuation and other writing mechanics; worked with escalated accounts to assist customers and team members; handled projects involving new software pilots and cross-functional employee recognition; conducted an ethics presentation in New York on behalf of FindLaw.

Handled software licensing matters for the Business Software Alliance; represented various software producers and distributors in matters involving unlicensed software products; interacted with opposing counsel, companies, and client on a daily basis; independent case work and supervision of paralegals and case managers; deposition preparation in large MDL-based pharmaceutical litigation; reviewed documents in various matters for issues, relevance, and privilege.

Litigated complex commercial matters in state and federal court; interacted with clients (including high-profile clients); researched and drafted motions and oppositions; took and defended depositions; argued motions in state court; prepared cases for trial in both state and federal court; participated in discovery and staff management on large cases; independent case work; settlement negotiations; significant input and control over cases. Representative cases included:- People of the State of New York by Eliot Spitzer v. Richard A. Grasso, et al. Represented H. Carl McCall, former Comptroller of the State of New York, in third-party action brought by Richard Grasso. - Prescient Acquisition Group, Inc. v. MJ Publishing Trust, et al. Represented Michael Jackson in litigation seeking a fee allegedly owed as a result of refinancing certain debt.

Litigated mass tort, bankruptcy, and class action cases in state and federal court; interacted with clients; communicated with counsel and special master on various litigation issues; researched and drafted memoranda, motions and oppositions; defended depositions; argued motions in state court; prepared cases for trial; represented a claimant to the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund on a pro bono basis all the way through the hearing and appeal process.

J.D.

Activities and Societies: Moot Court; Phi Delta Phi (President - Legal Ethics Fraternity)Michele (Eason) Cook '01

B.A., History

Activities and Societies: Concentration in Italian; Phi Alpha Theta member (History Honor Society); Gamma Kappa Alpha member (Italian.