Drake University Law School is partnering with Des Moines-area employers to establish the Law Opportunity Leadership Program. The program provides internships, mentorship, and leadership training for five qualified Drake Law students from underrepresented groups.

Drake University Law School’s Neal and Bea Smith Legal Clinic has received a $500,000 grant to provide free legal services to current and aspiring entrepreneurs in low-income neighborhoods. The clinic aims to spur community revitalization by removing or reducing legal challenges that impede the success of new businesses and nonprofit groups.

The program, offered through Drake Law School and Drake’s College of Business and Public Administration, includes a professional certificate, a Master of Jurisprudence (MJ) degree, and a Master of Laws (LLM) degree.

As a California native, Torii Millet never pictured herself in Des Moines, Iowa. But when her husband was relocated to Iowa for his job, Millet turned to Drake Law School to achieve her dream of becoming a lawyer.

When Shannon Bogolin was 16 years old, she became a Child In Need of Assistance (CINA) and was placed in independent living in Des Moines. Now more than two decades later, she earned her law degree to become an advocate for juveniles.