Drake University
First Year Program
Drake University Law School's required first-year legal research and writing course contributes to the focus on ethics and professionalism that helped Drake earn a 2008 Gambrell Professionalism Award from the American Bar Association. The first year program includes a five-credit, two semester, legal research and writing curriculum. In the fall, students have 2 hours of writing instruction, provided by full-time faculty members with clinical tenure status. The fall writing course focuses on predictive legal analysis and memo writing. Students also receive 1 credit hour of research instruction, which is coordinated by a full-time, tenured faculty member and six to seven teaching assistants. In the spring semester, students take a 2 credit hour course in legal research, writing, and appellate advocacy. This course provides instruction on appellate briefs, as well as practice documents including demand letters, petitions, answers, motions, and drafted documents.
Upper Level Programs and Courses
There are a variety of upper level writing offerings, but none are associated with the first year research and writing course, although some are taught by members of the writing faculty.
Faculty
Melissa H. Weresh, Professor of Law and Director of Legal Writing (clinical tenured), currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Legal Writing Institute and on the Editorial Board for the Journal of the Association of Legal Writing Directors.
John D. Edwards, Associate Dean for Information Resources and Technology and Professor of Law (tenured), started teaching Legal Research and Writing 30 years ago and has developed
programs at two law schools.
Lisa Penland, Associate Professor of Law (clinical tenure track), practiced law in Iowa, Nebraska, and Indiana. She developed the curriculum for a Contract Drafting course that she teaches during the summer session.
Danielle M. Shelton, Associate Professor of Law (clinical tenure track), clerked for the Honorable Ed Carnes of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. She has extensive trial and appellate law experience, which she brings to her teaching by focusing on practical and client-centered legal writing.
Web Links
http://www.law.drake.edu/
Contacts
Melissa H. Weresh
Professor of Law
Director of Legal Writing
Drake University Law School
Des Moines, Iowa 50311-4545
Voice: 515-271-3926 Fax: 515-271-2530
melissa.weresh@drake.edu