Beginning in the fall of 2021, Drake Law School will offer a certificate in Social Justice and Public Interest Lawyering. The certificate, which includes a new core course in Law and Social Change, will prepare Drake Law students for careers as lawyers for underrepresented and underserved clients and communities. “This certificate aligns perfectly with our...
Drake Law School recognized two outstanding faculty members for their contributions to the Law School’s teaching, scholarship and research during the 2020-2021 academic year. Melissa Weresh, Dwight D. Opperman Distinguished Professor of Law and director of Legal Writing, was recognized as the 2021 Stevens Faculty Scholar of the Year. The Stevens Faculty Scholar of the...
Drake Law School earned a place on PreLaw Magazine’s list of “Best Law Schools for Practical Training.” Law schools were graded based on key offerings such as clinics, externships, simulation courses, and moot court participation. The annual rankings were featured in the Spring 2021 issue of the magazine. Practical training is key to ensuring that...
The Drake Constitutional Law Center will host the 2021 Constitutional Law Symposium on Saturday, April 17, from 8:40 a.m. – noon. The program will be delivered virtually via Zoom. This year, speakers will examine pragmatism as a method of constitutional interpretation. Pragmatism is considered the most significant contribution by the United States to global philosophy....
Drake University Law School has been named among the best legal writing programs in the country in U.S. News and World Report’s 2022 rankings of accredited law schools. This year, Drake’s legal writing program is ranked ninth in the nation and tied with the University of Michigan for best in the Midwest. The Law School...
Journalists from around the country covered the trial of Des Moines Register reporter Andrea Sahouri, who was charged with failure to disperse and interference with official acts in connection with her presence in May at a George Floyd demonstration. The prosecution of a reporter covering a protest raised important issues regarding the First Amendment and...
Drake University Law School announces the outstanding recipients of this year’s alumni awards. Joe P. Crookham, LW’68, and Jeffrey Goodman, LW’85, were each recognized as Alumni of the Year; Lieutenant Governor Adam C. Gregg, LW’09, was named 2021 Recent Alumnus of the Year; and Janet Phipps Burkhead, LW’05, received the Distinguished Public Service Award. The...
Professor Erika George will present “Rethinking Rights to Protect Democracy in the Digital Age: Reflections on Incitement and Inequality” as part of the Congressionally endowed Drake University Constitutional Law Center’s Distinguished Lecture Series. The event will be delivered virtually on Thursday, Mar. 25 at 3 p.m. CST. The lecture is free and open to the...
“Current Topics in Race and the Law,” a new course at Drake Law School, was introduced during the January interim semester, in response to strong student interest in further exploration of racial justice issues. The class explores how race intersects with various aspects of the law. Topics included why race matters, implicit bias, access to...
Drake University Law School is pleased to announce that Andrew Jurs, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, the Clemens J. Smith Faculty Research Scholar, and a Professor of Law, has been elected as a member of the prestigious American Law Institute (ALI). The Institute’s members consist of judges, professors, and lawyers, who are elected based...