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Darbi Spellman and Colegrove Withers – Fighting for Justice with the Drake Wrongful Convictions Clinic

Darbi Spellman’s first week interning with the Drake Wrongful Convictions Clinic (WCC) didn’t start with paperwork or orientation—it began with a high-stakes courtroom observation. She watched as Erica Nichols Cook, director of the Wrongful Conviction Unit for the Iowa State Public Defender’s Office and WCC supervisor, argued for a new trial in the case of...

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2L Eric Wendel Lee II Selected for Baker McKenzie’s National Black Law Student Association Tax Mentor Program

Drake second-year student Eric Wendel Lee II is spending the spring semester as one of 30 mentees in Baker McKenzie’s 2024 National Black Law Student Association (NBLSA) Tax Mentor Program. This competitive program is designed to educate interested NBLSA members about careers in tax law. Eric learned of this opportunity through his active involvement with...

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Drake Law Faculty Attend 2024 AALS Meeting

Several Drake Law faculty members attended this year’s Association of American Law Schools (AALS) annual meeting in Washington, D.C. Many presented on topics within their specialties and were appointed to leadership positions. Here are some highlights: Professor Jeremy Kidd was elected to the Executive Board of the Business Associations Section and reelected to the Executive...

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Drake Law Student Named a 2023 Real Pork Scholar

Drake Law second-year student Beth Stevermer is among the nine students named to the 2023 Real Pork Scholars cohort by the National Pork Board. This two-year program is designed to offer professional mentorship and build a strong peer-to-peer network and professional training to help communicate technical information in the agricultural community. Beth discovered the opportunity...

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Student attorneys in the Drake Refugee Clinic assist Afghan refugees through the immigration and family reunification processes

Over the last year, student attorneys with the Drake Refugee Clinic helped numerous Afghan nationals navigate the complexities of the immigration process through the Clinic’s collaboration with the Afghan Legal League of Iowa (ALL Iowa).* They provided direct representation before immigration agencies, and helped develop pro se materials, intake processes, and conducted needs assessments to...

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Drake’s Criminal Law Clinic provides tremendous public service through the Iowa Sentencing Project

Students in the Criminal Law Clinic, under the supervision of the clinic’s director Robert Rigg, participate in the Iowa Sentencing Project, researching and publishing annual updates to the Iowa Criminal Statues Summary Chart (Chart). This sentencing “bible” is used by every criminal defense lawyer, prosecutor, and judge across the state and helps ensure the efficient,...

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Children’s Rights Clinic Case Involving Expert Witness Fees Goes to the Iowa Supreme Court

A Children’s Rights Center (CRC) case involving the recovery of expert witness fees is under review by the Iowa Supreme Court. Expert witnesses provide specialized knowledge and opinions that are essential for a fair and informed legal process. Recovering witness fees from the courts ensures that individuals, particularly those with limited resources, can access the...