When Kayla Hruska, a 3L at Drake Law and president of the Student Bar Association, heard that PreLaw magazines recognized Drake Law as a Top School for Women in Leadership with an A- ranking and an A+ ranking in Human Rights Law, she felt a rush of pride in her law school.
“[Drake Law is] a very welcoming and supportive environment. Everyone here wants you to succeed, and there are so many resources where you can get help and advice,” Hruska said.
Hruska said Drake Law’s supportive faculty and amazing location in a capital city set it apart.
“We have access to the Supreme Court and Polk County Court. There’s so many opportunities for internships at great law firms in the city,” Hruska said. “Alumni are super supportive, and the faculty and staff are super supportive as well.”
Erin Lain, the law school’s associate dean, said Drake Law excels in these two areas and is fortunate to be recognized. The school has worked hard to have women serving in leadership positions and have “hard-hitting” international programs.
Drake Law previously had a majority male faculty; Lain said they strived to make strategic and intelligent hiring decisions, which has resulted in a much more gendered balance. Lain said that Drake Law’s faculty committee, the school’s highest honor committee, is composed entirely of women this year, the first time this has happened under Lain’s tenure.
Every semester, Lain said, Drake Law offers international law classes and also hosts international scholars. Both these programs work to teach students about critical global issues in the legal field.
Drake Law has also offered a summer in France program for around two decades. Lain said that Professor Ellen Yee, who runs the program, has worked to make it a powerful program where students can travel to France and compare and contrast the United States’ legal system with the legal systems of other countries.
“I think that it is just a nice recognition of the work we’ve been doing over the years to ensure that our students have the opportunity to have a global perspective,” Lain said.
Drake Law has also been ranked on the Princeton Best Value list for law schools for the last two years. Lain said that Drake Law’s commitment to keeping tuition reasonable and ensuring students pass the bar and find employment quickly after graduation contributes to that ranking.
“The Dean likes to say, ‘We’re the best-kept secret in legal education’ because I think people know about Drake, but they don’t know the quality of education that you might be getting at the law school for the cost and the cost of living and that type of thing, so it’s really nice to be recognized for that,” Lain said.
Lain said students are at the heart of every decision Drake Law makes. She explained that Drake Law tries to be responsive to students’ requests for different types of classes and that many of the international opportunities offered have come through student initiatives. The school always considers what is best for students and vets any changes through student feedback, having student representatives on almost all their committees and diving into all responses to the annual student survey.
“Students have been very instrumental in making sure that we have a high-quality program. Students are just central,” Lain said. “We have worked really hard on some key areas that are so important to students, and [it’s] always important to us to remember what students need. In a larger sense, people are starting to recognize what’s really important for students. It’s not necessarily some of the things that Ivy League schools are valuing, but the more practical experience that helps students be successful.”
Lain also believes all three awards recognize the school’s commitment to diversity. She said that they showcase how Drake Law is “making sure that women have a seat at the table,” providing students with diverse and international perspectives and making the law program affordable to increase the number of students from all socioeconomic backgrounds.
“We’ve thought about diversity, equity and inclusion in a very holistic way,” Lain said. “Diversity is a lot of different things; it is all of our different perspectives and making sure there’s representation.”
Looking forward, Lain said that this recognition can help recruit diverse students and faculty as it gets Drake Law’s name out there. She also said that Drake Law will continue to put students first and create forward-thinking programs, regardless of whether they get recognized for their efforts.
“[These awards are] just a motivator to make sure that we’re still doing what’s best for our students, keeping students front and center and knowing that these recognitions ebb and flow; some years will be recognized more than others, and that’s okay,” Lain said. “It’s nice when you’re recognized, but it doesn’t change the work we’re doing; we’ve always been doing the work. It’s just that someone else is noticing, which is nice.”
