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As a prospective student, Whitney Judkins, LW’09, chose to attend Drake Law because of its reputation for providing a practical law education. And that practical education has already proven invaluable to Judkins.
In February, Judkins, associate attorney for Fiedler & Timmer, P.L.C. in Des Moines, went to trial for the first time. Since this was her first trial, her firm asked the judge to allow her more time to prepare. The request was denied, but unnecessary as she received a $2.5 million jury verdict for her client in an employment discrimination case.
“I had heard Drake Law was good at not just theoretical law but at getting you good practice at what you would be doing after you pass the bar,” she said. Judkins now credits her Drake education and its focus on practical application with preparing her to go to trial.
“As much as legal research and writing was a demanding class, it did help me know how to write briefs and do all of the things I needed to do to prepare for trial,” she says.
Drake Law also helped Judkins hone in on her interest in civil rights through her participation in the ACLU Drake Law chapter, where she served as treasurer.
When she started clerking at Fiedler & Timmer after her first year of Law School, she discovered how to turn that passion into a career. The firm practices in the areas of discrimination, sexual harassment and civil rights law.
“When I started clerking here, I absolutely fell in love with it,” she says. “I get to help people every day. It’s very gratifying.”