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| Kim Stamatelos, LW’81 2015 Alumna of the Year |
Drake Law is pleased to announce that this year’s 2015 Alumna of the Year Award will go to Kimberly Stamatelos, a 1981 graduate. She will be honored at the Supreme Court Banquet and 150th Anniversary Kickoff on Saturday, March 28.
Stamatelos is a lawyer and mediator operating in West Des Moines, Iowa. Her approach is to represent clients in a compassionate way that maintains the dignity of her clients and those with whom they are in conflict.
She is the author of The Compassionate Lawyer, published in 2014, and truly believes lawyers can be great when they operate as a peacemaker and from a base of compassion.
The Drake Law Alumnus/a of the Year award is given to the graduate who has demonstrated outstanding service to the legal profession, to his or her community, and to the Law School.
Stamatelos attended Drake University for her undergraduate degree, finishing in 1978. Through the advice from some unexpected mentors, who happened to be lawyers, Kim found herself taking the LSAT and applying to Drake Law. She completed her law degree in 1981 and started her career.
A native Iowan, Stamatelos has practiced in the field of conflict resolution throughout the country. She developed a mediation firm in five states in the Midwest during the late 1980′s, and also worked as Vice President of a national mediation firm based in Irvine, California. She won an award for her contribution to alternative dispute resolution in the state of Arizona, living there for ten years before returning home to Iowa. Stamatelos has been recognized as a “pioneer” bringing mediation to the state of Iowa, after returning from living in Dallas, Texas where she discovered the concept of mediation in her legal practice there. Her practice as a mediator is still national in scope.
Although she may be hesitant to recite a list of accomplishments, her impact on the law school has been a big one. Kim is a former member of the Drake Law Board of Counselors and has served as an adjunct instructor for the law school and the Drake Legal Clinic with both mediation and negotiation. She continues to mentor law students, including invitations to observe mediations in her office. Her extensive resume includes running a workshop for Drake Law faculty on the mentoring and coaching of law students and has been an advisor to the Drake Law Resolution Society. In an effort to build stronger community, Kim has also facilitated “Talking Circles” with law students to discuss various issues and build a strong community.
The Alumnus/a of the Year award dates back to 1984, with previous honorees including Chief Justice Mark Cady, Roxanne Conlin, Robert D. Ray, Sheila Tipton, and many more.
For a complete list of honorees, visit www.law.drake.edu/alumni/?pageID=alumniAwards.
This year marks the 150th anniversary of Drake Law, and the Supreme Court Banquet will be the kickoff event. Visit the Drake Law website for a complete list of events.