The Drake Legal Clinic is one reason for Drake's reputation for producing graduates who are experienced practitioners. The clinic offers free legal services and advice to low-income and elderly clients.
Clinic students practice law under the supervision of experienced faculty.
They handle all types of cases including domestic relations, bankruptcy, wills, guardianships, neighborhood disputes, property claims, Social Security issues and criminal misdemeanors. In one case noted in an article in The National Jurist, Drake student lawyers represented an elderly woman in small claims court. The students won a directed verdict in a jury trial. Facilities Students work in the Neal and Bea Smith Law Center, a fully computerized, functional law office with support staff and office space for up to 40 students. The addition contains a national training and resource center for Legal Services Corporation and public service attorneys.