Social Justice and Public Interest Lawyering Certificate

To complete the Social Justice and Public Interest Lawyering Certificate, students must take at least 14 hours from the courses below.  In addition to the coursework set forth below, students must also complete the Public Service Certificate.

Download the Social Justice and Public Interest Lawyering Certificate Checklist

See Social Justice and Public Interest Lawyering Certificate Learning Outcomes.

Required Course 

Students must take minimum of 1 course from the following:

Comparative Constitutional Law (2-3 credits)
Comparative Race and the Law (1 credit)
Current Topics in Race and the Law (1 credit)
Domestic Violence (3 credits)
International Human Rights (3 credits
Race and the American Law (2-3 credits)
Race and the Constitution (2 credits)
Race, Law and History in Iowa (3 credits)
Race, Law and Social Change (2 credits)
Race, Law and Social Science (3 credits)
Women and the Law (2 credits)

Skills and Advocacy Requirement

Students must take 2 courses from different categories: Advocacy Skills, Clinics, or Internships

Advocacy Skills Courses

Appellate Advocacy (2 credits)
Mediation (1-2 credits)
Negotiations (2 credits)
Trial Advocacy (3 credits)

Clinic Courses

Children Rights Clinic (2-4 credits)
Criminal Defense Clinic (4-6 credits)
General Civil Practice Clinic (4-6 credits)
Refugee Clinic (4-6 credits)
Wrongful Convictions Clinic (4-6 credits)

Internship Courses

Animal Law Internship (1-3 credits)
Children’s Rights Center Internship (1-3 credits)
Disability Rights Iowa (2-3 credits)
Immigration Law Internship (3 credits)
Independent internship (with program director approval) (1-3 credits)
Iowa Civil Rights Commission Internship (2-3 credits)
Iowa Legal Aid internship (1-3 credits)
Juvenile Law Appellate Internship (1-3 credits)
Juvenile Law Internship (1-3 credits)
Kids First Internship (2-3 credits)
Legislative Internship (2 credits)
Legislative Practice Internship (2-3 credits)
State Public Defender Appellate Internship (3 credits)
State Public Defender Internship (3 credits)

Optional Electives

Students must take at least 3 courses from the Optional Electives list.

Applied Immigration Law and Policy (2 credits)
Children and the Law (2-3 credits)
Constitutional Controversies (1 credit)
Constitutional Litigation (2-3 credits)
Election Law (2-3 credits)
Employment Discrimination (2 credits)
Environmental Law (3 credits)
European Migration Law (2 credit)
Family Law (3 credits)
Federal Courts and Jurisdiction (3 credits)
First Amendment Seminar (3 credits)
Global Issues in Criminal Law (1 credit)
Immigration Law (3 credits)
International Human Rights (3 credits)
Issues in Cannabis Law (1 credit)
Justice Reform and Innovation (2 credits)
Legislation (2 credits)
Legislative Practice (2 credits)
Psychiatry and the Law (2-3 credits)
State Constitutional Law (3 credits)
State and Local Government Law (3 credits)

Advanced Writing

Students must fulfill their Advanced Writing Requirement (AWR) through one of the following course options:

AWR of a Perspectives Course
AWR of an Individual Research - subject to approval by program director

For more information, see Drake Law School's course descriptions.

Program Director:

Liz Battles, Assistant Dean
515-271-2948 liz.battles@drake.edu

Certificate Notification Form