Home Law School News Drake Law School hosts 77th Annual Supreme Court Celebration

Drake Law School hosts 77th Annual Supreme Court Celebration

During Supreme Court Celebration week at the Drake University Law School, law students had the opportunity to celebrate the Iowa Supreme Court as well as become more familiar with appellate court procedure and arguments through the Supreme Court Competition.

This year’s participants were assigned Hershel Farm Co. v. Woodbury Transport Services, Inc., a case regarding whether an indemnity agreement violates public policy or Minnesota law. The top four students moved on in the competition, presenting their final arguments to the Iowa Supreme Court.

The four finalists were Lori Bullock, Austin Mouw, David Ranscht, and Kevin Rutan. Bullock earned best oralist, landing her the Rodney L. Hudson Appellate Advocacy Award, the top award given at the competition.

The Supreme Court Celebration concluded on Saturday, April 5, with a banquet. The banquet began in Kern Commons with a reception, and continued in Parents Hall. The following individuals received awards at the banquet:

    Lori Bullock, The Rodney L. Hudson Appellate Advocacy Award
    Nicholas Hodne, Elizabeth Burns-Thompson, Patrick Tickner, Student Bar Association (SBA) President’s Student Service Award
    Samuel Huff IV, SBA Executive Board’s Outstanding Student Leader Award
    John Edwards, SBA Executive Board’s Dean Service Award
    Jennifer Zwagerman, Shawn Madsen, SBA Executive Board’s Staff Service Award
    Andrew Jurs, The Leland Forrest Outstanding Professor Award
    Tom and Lori Bullock, SBA Shane Sweeney Supportive Spouse Award
    Mara Jones, Jeffrey and Elizabeth Goodman Distinguished Advocate Award
    Cole Mayer, International Academy of Trial Lawyers Award
    Ashley Sparks, The Robert J. Kromminga Award
    Jacob Lantry, Kyle Mendenhall, The Timothy N. Carlucci Award
    Sharon Wegner, The Ferguson Prize – Gold Award
    Amber Rivera, The Ferguson Prize – Silver Award
    Joshua Strief, The Martin Tollefson Award
    Lori Bullock, The Justice David and Madonna Harris Award (Formerly known as the William and Ellen Cooney Hoye Award)
    Robert Evans, The K.M. Waggoner Peer Mentoring Award
    Tayler Haggerty, The Drake University Law School Diversity Award
    Amber Rivera, The Marsha Ternus Outstanding Child Advocate Award
    Meredith Cooney, Dominic Anania, The Drake University Law School Prosecution Excellence Award

Special guests included Judge Larry Eisenhauer, LW’75, the 2014 Alumnus of the Year, and Guy Cook, LW’81, president of the Iowa State Bar Association, who served as the keynote speaker.

Cook is a graduate of the University of Iowa and the Drake University Law School. He has served as counsel in over 1000 litigated matters and has tried more than 200 jury trials. He’s also been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America publication as well as on the ”Iowa Super Lawyers” list.

Other Supreme Court Celebration events included the Drake Journal of Agricultural Law Dinner, the Drake Law Review Dinner, and the Drake Moot Court luncheon.

For a complete list of awards, visit http://www.law.drake.edu/alumni/?pageID=awardsRecognition.

For more information, contact Terri Howard at theresa.howard@drake.edu or 515-271-3985.