Visionary Looks Ahead - Thomas M. Cooley Law School

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A U-TURN TOWARDBen SyMKO (ADAMS CLASS, 2008) MAKeS nATiOnAL LiST OF OUTSTAnDinG yOUnGAMeRiCAnS OnLy A DOzen yeARS AFTeR DROPPinG OUT OF HiGH SCHOOLBenjaminSymko (AdamsClass, 2008)has come along way sincedropping outof high schoolat the age of17 and beingarrested forpetty crimes.In fact, he is now mentioned in the same breathas former presidents John F. Kennedy andGerald R. Ford; entertainer John Denver; heavyweightboxing champion Joe Louis; and formerSecretary of State Henry Kissinger, all recipientsof the United States Junior Chamber’s TenOutstanding Young Americans Award.LIFE AS A TROUBLED TEENShortly after dropping out of high school,Symko was arrested for stealing liquor. Luckily,while facing sentencing, Symko’s father intervened.He convinced the judge to send his sonto a spiritual boot camp in St. Augustine, Floridainstead of giving him the full 93 days in jailallowed by law.Symko considers his father to be the first in alife full of great mentors. “He was very instrumentalin my tougher days,” said Symko.“And he continues to be there for me today.”Surprisingly, Symko enjoyed the peaceful, yetdisciplined lifestyle at the Florida facility.“You pray, work and fast,” Symko said in a2009 interview with the GrandRapidsPress.He enjoyed the experience so much that heeven ended up staying at the facility for fivemonths instead of his required three. His lifewas on a new path.It was at the facility that Symko met Sister Elvira,who encouraged him to move to Italy and helpmanage a clinic for heroin addicts. Symko workedwith addicts for nearly a year before Sister Elvirapresented him with the opportunity to moveto the Dominican Republic to help abandonedchildren at an orphanage. He was hesitant atfirst, but Sister Elvira convinced him to pull up hisstakes in Italy for this life-changing opportunity.Symko served on the island for four years,learning Spanish and living among orphans 24hours a day, showering with rain water, andlearning to live with only the bare essentials. Itwas also on the island that Symko met anothergreat mentor, attorney Joseph Klock, whothrough his pro bono work in the Miami-Dadearea, inspired Symko to study law and becomea lawyer.It was around this same time that Symko metBren Simon, a philanthropist from Indianawho visited the orphanage in the DominicanRepublic and saw the potential in Symko.She urged him to attend college, agreeing tofinance his entire undergraduate education atGrand Valley State University (Michigan) plusthree years at Cooley Law School.HEADED DOWN THE RIGHT PATHDuring his time at Grand Valley State University(GVSU), Symko became involved with SigmaDelta Pi, a National Spanish Honors Society,and the College of Liberal Arts and SciencesStudent Advisory Board. Symko served on theAssistant Dean of Students Search Committeeand the Pew Campus Teaching AwardCommittee. He graduated with a bachelor’sdegree in Spanish and a minor in philosophy,magnacumlaude.By the time Symko enrolled at Cooley, hehad a family to take care of and was unableto attend law school during the traditionaldaytime hours. Instead, he took classes atnight which allowed him to work during theday to support his family.“I had a wife and an infant at the time,” saidSymko. “Cooley was the perfect school forme because it allowed me to have a flexibleschedule.”Symko graduated from Cooley with highhonors and received certificates of merit inTrial Skills, Evidence, Criminal Practice inMichigan, and Civil Procedure.“I was amazed at how well Cooley preparedme for everything I faced after graduation,”said Symko. “Law school was challenging. I’vegone through a lot of hard things in my lifeand law school is definitely in the top three ofthose challenges. Cooley is a tough school, butif you’re dedicated, it really does pay off.”18 BENCHMARK FALL 2010 COOLEY.EDU
A BETTER LIFE.DOMiniCAn RePUBLiCSymko also had a great relationship withNelson Miller, associate dean of Cooley LawSchool’s Grand Rapids campus.“Dean Miller was a great mentor and rolemodel for me,” said Symko. “He is a greatexample of someone who has high ethicalstandards and is an example of what a lawyershould be, what a professor should be andwhat a dean should be. He really gave me allthe trust and confidence that anybody couldask for and, during my time in law school,I definitely needed that.”During law school, Symko clerked at theMichigan Migrant Legal Assistance Project, theKent County Office of the Defender (wherehe later practiced law as a public defender).Symko also interned at Epstein, Becker &Green in Miami, Florida, where he clerkedfor attorney Joseph Klock in 2007.“Ben has not let anyone down who has putany confidence in him,” said Klock in a 2010Grand Rapids Press interview. “He’s one ofa kind.”Since he began practicing law, Symko hascontinued to be involved with Cooley as a guestspeaker on topics about professionalism, ethics,candor, and reputation.Symko also is deeply committed to the communityand was recently recognized for hisdevotion and dedication to helping others.He was given the Michigan Jaycees OutstandingYoung Michigander award in 2009 as well asthe United States Junior Chamber TenOutstanding Young Americans Award in 2010.“It’s a great honor,” said Symko. “Gerald R.Ford is the only other Grand Rapidian(Grand Rapids, Michigan resident) to receivethis award.”LOOKING AHEADAs an attorney with Jensen & DeHaan, P.C.,in Grand Rapids, Symko specializes in criminaldefense, Social Security disability, and civil litigation,including personal injury, motor vehicleaccidents, and workers compensation cases.He has represented clients in more than 200felony matters.Symko also is in his second year of teachingat his almamater, GVSU.“Teaching is my passion. The professor learnsjust as much, if not more, from teaching aclass than the students do,” said Symko.Looking ahead to the next five years, Symkosaid that he can see himself still doing whathe does now.“I am extremely happy with where I am withJensen & DeHaan,” said Symko. “StephenDeHaan and Paul Jensen have been great mentorsto me. I would also still love to continue toteach whether it’s eventually at the law schoollevel or continuing to teach at GVSU. I continueto learn every day and that’s one of mygoals in life.”He also believes that his past has been agreat blessing.“My past has enabled me to relate on a certainlevel to some of the situations my clients getinto and why they get there. I was blessed tohave so many great mentors throughout myentire life and now it’s time for me to give back.I want to continue on the path to helpingpeople through private practice and speakingat youth classes and seminars.”NAME: Benjamin SymkoTITLE: AttorneyCOMPANY: Jensen & DeHaanAGE: 32FAMILY: Married (Jessica), onesix-year-old son, (Benny), one two-year-olddaughter, (Sofia)HOMETOwN: Grand Rapids, MichiganGRADUATED: 2008UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES:Grand Valley State UniversityBENCHMARK FALL 2010 COOLEY.EDU19
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