Mackenzie Roberts is a rising third-year law student at Drake Law School. She was a student attorney in the Children’s Rights Clinic during the Spring 2025 semester where she represented children in juvenile delinquency, child welfare, minor guardianship, and immigration matters before the Polk County Juvenile Court and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. After my...
Author: Taylor Johnson (Taylor Johnson)
Drake Law Establishes Sabrina Ray Endowed Fund to Advance Children’s Rights Advocacy
Drake University Law School has received a $300,000 gift from the Sease & Wadding Law Firm to support the Children’s Rights Clinic, in memory of Sabrina Ray, a 16-year-old whose death in 2017 reinforced the need for continued evaluation and improvement of Iowa’s child welfare system. The donation is part of a $4.175 million settlement...
Drake Law Alumni Excel in Judicial Clerkship Opportunities
Judicial clerkships provide invaluable, behind-the-scenes insight into how judges think, write, and decide cases – an experience that has proven pivotal for several recent Drake Law graduates. As some alumni reflect on how these roles have shaped their legal careers, the newest graduates are eagerly preparing to begin clerkships of their own. Conner Greene, JD’24,...
Drake University Law School Announces New Faculty Members for Fall
Drake University Law School is pleased to announce the arrival of two outstanding new faculty members for the coming school year, Dean Strang and Kristi Harshbarger. Assistant Professor of Law and Director of the Entrepreneurial and Transactional Legal Clinic, Kristi Harshbarger, will play a key role in advancing the law school’s clinical education in transactional...
Spotlight on APALSA: Creating Community and Connections at Drake Law
The Asian Pacific American Law Student Association (APALSA) at Drake Law School has been a powerful source of community and connection for its members. Under the leadership of 3L student, Terumi Wayne, APALSA was revived several years ago with the goal of providing a space for Asian American law students to bond, collaborate, and network....
Drake Law Professor Christoph Henkel Named Richard M. and Anita Calkins Distinguished Professor of Law
Drake University Law School is proud to announce that Professor Christoph Henkel has been appointed as the Richard M. and Anita Calkins Distinguished Professor of Law, recognizing his outstanding scholarship and expertise in international law, commercial arbitration, and financial regulation. A scholar and respected voice in international legal circles, Professor Henkel has published more than...
Drake Law School Launches New Artificial Intelligence Law Certificate Program
Drake University Law School is proud to announce its new Artificial Intelligence (AI) Law Certificate Program. From day one at Drake, Dean Jones has made AI a top priority, starting with his AI Task Force. “Thanks to Dean Jones’ leadership, we are able to offer this unique opportunity to Drake Law students,” according to AI...
2025 Distinguished Lecture Series: Justice Leondra Kruger
The Constitutional Law Center’s Distinguished Lecture Series brings to campus the nation’s leading constitutional scholars to engage students and faculty on the important issues of the day. Speakers deliver a formal lecture, teach a class, and meet with students in informal settings. This year, we are pleased to welcome Associate Justice Leondra Kruger of the...
U.S. News & World Report Ranks Drake Law School #84 in Best Law School Rankings
Drake University Law School was ranked among the top law schools in the nation in the newly released U.S. News & World Report 2025 Best Law School rankings. The latest ranking at #84 marks the third year in a row of ranking within the top 100 schools in the country. The annual rankings evaluate institutions on...
Drake Law 1Ls Step Into the Courtroom: Experiential Learning Through the First-Year Trial Practicum
Each year, first-year law students at Drake Law School step out of the classroom and into the courtroom through the First-Year Trial Practicum (FYTP) at the Drake Legal Clinic. This unique program immerses students in a real-life trial, allowing them to observe the legal process from voir dire to final conviction. Classes pause for the...