Drake University Law School earned an A ranking for child and family law in preLaw magazine, placing Drake among the top 21 law schools in the nation for this field. This is the seventh year in a row that Drake Law received recognition for excellence in child and family law.

The publication based the rankings on the law schools’ offerings in family law, including clinical programs, certificates, externships, and courses. The results are reported in preLaw’s Back to School 2024 issue.

For two decades, the Joan & Lyle Middleton Center for Children’s Rights has stood as the foundation of Drake University’s esteemed children’s rights program. It has consistently taken the lead at local, statewide, and national levels in enhancing child welfare and juvenile justice systems through its commitment to training, advocacy, and litigation. Within the Middleton Center for Children’s Rights, the Children’s Rights Clinic (CRC) plays a pivotal role, equipping law students with the skills and knowledge necessary for fulfilling and prosperous careers in child advocacy.

Earlier this year, two student attorneys from the Drake Children’s Rights Clinic, Payton Kitterman, LW’24, and Taylor Thomas, LW’24, argued a case centered on a child’s right to meaningful access to expert assistance at State expense when defending against waiver to adult court before the Iowa Supreme Court.

Supervised by Professor Nickole Miller, Director of Drake’s Middleton Center for Children’s Rights, Payton and Taylor spent a combined 695 hours over the course of three semesters working on this case from the initial Writ of Certiorari petition all the way to argument before the Iowa Supreme Court.

The Iowa Supreme Court issued a ruling in favor of the argument presented by the CRC student attorneys. Their hard work and dedication established a precedent for cases involving expert witness fees in the future and makes an important improvement to juvenile justice in Iowa.

“Drake Law is great place for students interested in juvenile or family law practice to get the mentorship and practical training they need to hit the ground running upon graduation,” Professor Nickole Miller said. “I am proud of the work student attorneys in the Children’s Rights Clinic are doing to protect and expand the rights of children and youth through direct legal representation in court and administrative proceedings, systemic advocacy work, and community education projects.”

Read the full issue online (for family law rankings, see page 41).

— Taylor Johnson, Law School