Drake Law School intellectual property law and legal writing programs nationally recognized
Drake Law School’s programs in intellectual property and legal writing are once again ranked among the top programs in the nation in the 2012 edition of “America’s Best Graduate Schools,” published recently by US News & World Report magazine. The magazine ranked Drake’s intellectual property program 24th in the nation, up one notch from its #25 spot last year, and promoted the legal writing program from 26th to 22nd among nearly 190 law schools fully accredited by the American Bar Association.
Intellectual Property Law Center earns consistent, high honors
The Drake Intellectual Property Law Center offers an innovative, globally oriented curriculum that provides students with a solid foundation in both the theoretical and practical aspects of intellectual property law. Since the center’s establishment in fall 2007, US News and World Report has consistently ranked it among the top 25 intellectual property law programs in the United States and one of the top five programs in the Midwest. The center was established by Peter K. Yu, the Kern Family chair in intellectual property law. He is a leading expert in international intellectual property and communications law. The center also features assistant professor Shontavia Johnson.
Legal writing program emphasizes ethics, professionalism
Drake Law School’s writing program includes a required first-year Legal Research and Writing course focused on ethics and professionalism. This focus across the curriculum earned the Law School a Gambrell Professionalism Award from the American Bar Association in 2008. Throughout the writing program, students are engaged in addressing ethical and professional issues in written communication. They are also regularly involved with members of the practicing bar, including the justices of the Iowa Supreme Court. Serving on Drake’s legal writing faculty are Lisa Penland, Danielle Shelton, and Melissa Weresh. “We are pleased that the intellectual property and writing programs have once again been recognized,” noted Drake Law Dean Allan Vestal, “Selection as one of the top programs is meaningful because the process is peer-based and not subject to methodological concerns associated with the general U.S. News & World Report rankings.” In the 2012 rankings Drake finished in the top tier of law schools.