“Drake Law School’s Law Opportunity Leadership Program provides internships, mentorship, and leadership training for up to five qualified students from underrepresented groups each year.
Leadership Program
Students selected to the Law Opportunity Leadership Program will participate in a special mentorship program throughout their first year of law school.
Students will also attend weekly leadership training sessions during the summer after their first year. Each student will receive one hour of ungraded credit for the sessions.
Guaranteed Paid Internships
Each student will participate in two five-week internships with Des Moines-based sponsor employers (one company and one law firm) during the summer after their first year. These are paid positions.
The internships will provide students the opportunity to gain legal experience and an understanding of the employer’s culture. Drake Law School will attempt to match each student with a company and law firm that most align with his or her interests.
Eligibility
The program will be offered to students whose enrollment will significantly contribute to the diversity of the Drake Law School student body or to those who have overcome economic, educational, or other significant disadvantage. Drake broadly defines diversity to include race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disability, or LGBT status.
Students must achieve at least a B- grade in both Legal Research and Legal Writing in the first semester of law school to be eligible for the internship portion of the program.
Apply
Drake Law School will select up to five students from underrepresented groups for the program. Students will be chosen by the Law School’s Admissions Committee based on superior academic credentials, information contained in their Drake Law J.D. application and diversity statement, and a personal interview (to be conducted on campus or remotely).
To apply, follow the steps to complete the Drake Law J.D. application on the Application Instructions webpage.
As part of the application, students must also submit a diversity statement. Instructions can be found on the Drake Law J.D. application under “Diversity or Disadvantage.”
The application deadline is April 1.”