Academics
Academics
Summer Con Law
Summer Con Law: jump start to first year
Law school is unlike any other learning experience. Drake makes the transition easier by offering its optional Summer Institute in Constitutional Law to incoming first-year students. The program includes a sequence of three two-week courses on constitutional law, as well as an introductory course on legal research and writing. Credits earned in the Summer Institute count toward the 90 credit hours needed for graduation. Past courses offered.
Summer Institute in Constitutional Law June 2 - July 23, 2009
The Elements of Law
This course explores the legal process, focusing on the interrelationships between the various legal institutions and sources of law. A typical legal case is first examined vertically — looking at how it began and how it developed to the point of a written court decision. The case is then analyzed horizontally — subjecting it to scrutiny using critical legal studies, comparative institutional analysis, and law and economics theories. Students prepare legal documents such as client advice letters and practice case analysis.
Professor Keith Miller, the Ellis and Nelle Levitt distinguished professor of law, received his BA and JD degrees from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and his masters of laws degree from the University of Michigan. He teaches in the areas of torts, products liability and constitutional law. In addition to being a contributing author to The Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court of the United States, he is author of numerous journal articles in the torts and products liability fields.
Death Penalty
The death penalty is one of the most controversial topics in American Society. The course examines the death penalty from a variety of perspectives, including historical, moral, constitutional, jurisprudential, criminological and practical.
Professor David McCord is a graduate of Harvard Law School, and has taught at Drake since 1984. He teaches courses in criminal law. He has taught the Death Penalty course many times, and has written several articles about the topic.
First Amendment Seminar
This course examines freedom of speech, press and association. First Amendment history, theory and current application are discussed in areas such as public forums, educational environments, obscenity, defamation, privacy and reputation, commercial speech and criminal trial publicity. United States Supreme Court decisions are emphasized, along with their current application in both state and lower federal courts. Selected procedural concepts and judicial doctrines are considered.
Professor Robert Hunter received his BA from the University of Pittsburgh and his JD from Duke University. He has taught at Drake since 1971 in the areas of constitutional law, federal jurisdiction and education law.
Introduction to Legal Writing
Professor Lisa Penland teaches in the areas of legal writing, appellate advocacy, contract drafting, civil litigation, ethics and professional responsibility, and social security disability.
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More Information
Enrollment forms for the Summer Institute in Constitutional Law are sent to all admitted students. For further information contact the Drake Law School Office of Admission and Financial Aid, 2507 University Ave., Des Moines, IA 50311; 1-800-44-DRAKE, x2782. Locally and outside the United States, call 515-271-2782. E-mail: lawadmit@drake.edu.
Constitutional Law Center
Opperman Consitutional Law Lecture
