Drake University Law School
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| Drake University Law School | |
|---|---|
| Name | Drake University Law School |
| Established | 1865 |
| Type | Private |
| Parent | Drake University |
| Location | Des Moines, Iowa, United States |
| Dean | TBD |
| Students | TBD |
| Faculty | TBD |
Drake University Law School is a professional legal institution located in Des Moines, Iowa, affiliated with Drake University. Founded in the 19th century, the school has played a central role in training attorneys who serve in state and federal roles across the United States. It maintains connections with regional courts such as the Iowa Supreme Court, federal entities like the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, and national organizations such as the American Bar Association and the Association of American Law Schools.
History
The law school traces roots to the post-Civil War period, contemporaneous with institutions such as Harvard Law School and Columbia Law School expanding legal education in America. Throughout the Progressive Era it engaged with legal reform movements connected to figures like Theodore Roosevelt and legal developments following the 14th Amendment and Civil Rights Act. In the 20th century the school interacted with regional judicial milestones including cases before the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals and produced graduates who served in offices such as the Iowa Governor's office, the United States Senate, and the United States House of Representatives. During World War II and the postwar period alumni appeared in tribunals influenced by precedents set at the Nuremberg Trials and domestic jurisprudence shaped by the Warren Court. More recent decades have seen engagement with federal regulatory topics arising from legislation like the Affordable Care Act and landmark Supreme Court decisions such as Brown v. Board of Education and Roe v. Wade (before its alteration).
Campus and Facilities
The law school is situated on the central campus of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, near civic institutions such as the Iowa State Capitol and the Des Moines Register headquarters. Facilities include moot courtrooms modeled after tribunals like the United States Supreme Court, law libraries housing collections that complement holdings of repositories such as the Library of Congress, and classrooms configured for seminars resembling those at Yale Law School and Stanford Law School. The proximity to the Polk County Courthouse and the United States Courthouse (Des Moines) facilitates externships with entities like the Iowa Department of Justice, state public defender offices, and private firms linked to the American Civil Liberties Union and the Federal Trade Commission.
Academics and Programs
Academic offerings include the Juris Doctor program, dual degrees paralleling combinations found at institutions like Boston University School of Law and University of Iowa College of Law, and certificate programs covering areas similar to curricula at Georgetown University Law Center and NYU School of Law. Courses address topics informed by statutes such as the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and precedents like Marbury v. Madison, and electives include subjects frequently litigated before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. The curriculum emphasizes practical skills—moot court competitions resembling the Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition and negotiation simulations akin to programs at Pepperdine University School of Law—and offers study of regulatory frameworks influenced by agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Admissions and Student Body
Admission criteria align with standards used by the American Bar Association and metrics comparable to those of peer schools like the University of Iowa College of Law and Creighton University School of Law. Applicants submit credentials including LSAT or GRE scores, following testing programs administered by the Law School Admission Council, and materials referencing extracurricular engagement with organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and internships with offices like the United States Attorney's office. The student body includes individuals who later clerk for judges on the Iowa Supreme Court, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, and district courts, and graduates frequently pursue careers at firms appearing before the Iowa Supreme Court and federal tribunals including the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Clinical Programs and Centers
Clinical offerings place students in practice settings akin to clinics found at Michigan Law and Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, with experiential placements in public defender clinics, civil litigation clinics, and transactional law clinics. Centers and institutes partner with entities such as the Iowa Legal Aid, the Federal Public Defender, and the Securities and Exchange Commission for externships, and collaborate on policy work referencing statutes like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency. Clinics prepare students for advocacy before administrative forums such as the Social Security Administration and for appellate work before courts including the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Student Life and Organizations
Student organizations mirror those at national law schools, encompassing chapters of groups like the American Bar Association Student Division, the Federalist Society, the National Lawyers Guild, and competitive teams for contests such as the National Moot Court Competition and the American Bar Association Negotiation Competition. Journals publish scholarship in areas akin to topics covered by Harvard Law Review and specialized reviews discussing matters involving the Fourth Amendment, federal statutes like the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and administrative law tied to the Federal Communications Commission. Pro bono initiatives partner with nonprofits including Legal Aid Society affiliates and community programs resembling Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts.
Notable Alumni and Faculty
Alumni have held offices such as seats in the Iowa Supreme Court, the United States Congress, and executive posts within state agencies like the Iowa Department of Public Health. Graduates have served as federal judges on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa and the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, practiced at firms litigating before the United States Supreme Court, and held leadership roles in organizations including the American Bar Association and the Iowa State Bar Association. Faculty and visiting lecturers have included scholars who contributed to debates surrounding landmark cases like Brown v. Board of Education and statutory interpretation exemplified by litigation under the Administrative Procedure Act.