FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 11, 2001 CONTACT: Lisa Lacher, (515) 271-3119 DRAKE LAW SCHOOL'S CLINICAL PROGRAM RANKED IN TOP 20 BY U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT MAGAZINE The Clinical Program at Drake Law School is listed in a recent U.S. News & World Report study as being among the top 20 in the nation. This is the first time Drake Law School has been ranked among the top 20 clinical programs by U.S. News & World Report. "Our long history of commitment to clinical education is consistent with our mission of preparing our students for entry into the legal profession," said C. Peter Goplerud III, dean of Drake Law School. "It is obviously pleasing to be recognized for this commitment. We have long believed that we have one of the strongest clinical programs in the country and intend to continue efforts to make it even stronger." Suzanne Levitt, director of the Drake Legal Clinic, said she believes the ranking reflects growing recognition of Drake's successful Trial Practicum, the establishment of the Joan and Lyle Middleton Center for Children's Rights and the strength of Drake's clinical programs in criminal and civil law and elder law. Drake is the only law school in the country that holds a Trial Practicum. During it, Drake Law School cancels a full week of classes for first-year students so that they can observe — from start to finish — an actual criminal or civil trial. During this Trial Practicum, students join professors, judges and veteran attorneys in discussion sessions that focus on evidence, litigation practice, professionalism and procedure — as well as the law involved in the case. At the conclusion of the case, they also get the opportunity to debrief participating attorneys as well as jurors and the judge who tried the case. Last summer Joan and Lyle Middleton, who hold a combined total of four Drake degrees, made a $1 million gift to endow the Center for Children's Rights at the Drake Legal Clinic. The center, which will open next fall, also has received $50,000 in seed money from the Iowa Court Improvement Project. Ten law students already have registered for the year-long Children's Rights Clinic, Levitt said. Under faculty supervision, they will represent children and, occasionally parents, in cases of child abuse and neglect. The program will be a multi-disciplinary one, involving sociology and social work students, in addition to graduate students from the School of Education. The center also will provide resources as well as train lawyers, social workers and others in various aspects of children's rights law.