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SKILL SHARPENER
Settlement Works: Clinical Program at the University of Iowa “Immeasurable” [by Anayat Durrani] You might say twenty-five-year-old Lindsey Malone was raised to be a lawyer. From a very early age her parents took special care to foster their daughter’s level of thought and problem solving allowing her to take those necessary first steps toward a promising future career in law.
“I was treated as an adult, and I was chal-
and much more extensive and intensive than
tion law requires developing the skills to
lenged to articulate my beliefs, my goals, and
other law schools and this also was very ap-
interpret very complex statutory language,
my arguments behind why I deserved certain
pealing to me,” said Ms. Malone.
and being able to understand the implica-
my parents encouraged me to analyze and
Currently a third year law student at the
on immigration law,” said Ms. Malone. “In
problem solve in a manner that has trans-
University of Iowa, she is enrolled in the
addition, immigration work requires exten-
lated very successfully into legal analysis
much heralded Clinical Law program. During
sive research into the conditions of other
and problem solving.”
her first semester she worked full time in the
countries throughout the world, and is a very
Criminal Defense and Immigration depart-
interesting foray into international law.”
tions many different areas of the law have
privileges,” Ms. Malone said. “To their credit,
A native Iowan, Ms. Malone said her choice to
ments and has nothing but praise for the
pursue studies at the University of Iowa can
program. “The clinical law program at Iowa
also be credited to her wise parents. Fans of
has offered immeasurable relevance and
tion case that she is preparing an application
the Hawkeye football and basketball teams,
legitimacy to my legal studies, and has also
for clemency for a client given life in prison
the Malone clan would frequently attend
given me an enormous sense of confidence in
for kidnap and rape. She said the case is
school games to root for the home team. So,
my skills as a future practitioner.”
ongoing and complex and requires her to be
the decision to attend the University of Iowa
Ms. Malone was also assigned to a commuta-
in contact with the prisoner and his family
was only natural. “It seemed to me that the
In the Criminal Defense area she was given
and friends. “I have had to research the Iowa
University had so much to offer; a beautiful
5-7 misdemeanor cases at a time, ranging
Code regarding executive clemency and will
campus, a large student body that is fairly
from identity theft, and aggravated felony, to
have to make many complex legal argu-
diverse, an eclectic and cultural small town,
possession of alcohol under the legal limit.
ments.”
and three graduate schools that are among
For each case, Ms. Malone conducted client
the best in the country.”
interviews, made court appearances on their
This semester Ms. Malone is taking another
behalf, discussed plea agreements with
three hours of credit to work in the clinic
Ms. Malone graduated from the University of
prosecutors, conducted legal research and
and has continued working on her commuta-
Iowa with a Bachelor of Arts with honors in
wrote legal letters, motions or memoranda.
tion case and working in the immigration
May 2002, majoring in English with a minor in
“In Iowa, the misdemeanor system works in
department. She will work another three
Spanish. She said she chose Iowa Law School
a very similar manner to the felony criminal
hours next semester as well. Regarding
because while an undergrad she took a com-
system, therefore, our exposure and knowl-
the clinical program, Ms. Malone said she
bined discipline legal/social studies class at
edge of the legal process in misdemeanor
greatly applauds the clinical advisors who
the law school and was so impressed by both
convictions is directly translatable to work
provide valuable “insight into the legal field
the accessibility of the law school faculty and
in felony cases upon graduation. This is very
and strike a fantastic balance of treating the
staff as well as the level of intellect demon-
valuable.”
clinical students as colleagues and as junior associates while still maintaining supervisory
strated in the classroom. She said she was also impressed with the national recognition
In the immigration department she was given
authority over our work.” She said because
Iowa has as a top-twenty law school and
3-4 cases dealing with immigration issues
of their mastery in their subject areas and
that being an in-state student had the added
such as asylum applications, withholding of
exceptional guidance she feels prepared and
bonus of enabling her to receive large tuition
removal, petitions for family members, and
confident for life in the real world.
benefits. “As an English major, I found the
routine filings for employment authorizations
writing program at Iowa Law to be unique
or address changes. “Practicing immigra-
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“I believe the clinic has been a means for me
continued on back