Angela Drake
2024 Inspirational Leader of the Year
Professor Angela Drake practiced law for more than 25 years in in the areas of complex and class action litigation and insurance coverage and defense. She was a shareholder in the firm of Niewald, Waldeck and Brown in Kansas City, where she practiced for 18 years. She then became a member of Lowther Johnson, LLC, located in Springfield, Mo. In the course of her practice, Professor Drake represented individual and corporate clients in jury trials, bench trials and appellate proceedings in both federal and state court.
After practicing complex and class action litigation, as well as insurance coverage and defense, Drake followed her passion for public service by serving as The Veterans Clinic’s first Supervising Attorney. As an Army Brat herself, she found special joy in working with students to serve veterans and their family members seeking benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Under Professor Drake’s 10 years of leadership, the Veterans Clinic has assisted over 1,000 veterans and their family members with discharge upgrades and disability compensation claims, free of charge, and secured over $10 million in federal compensation benefits for those they represent. In addition, and in her individual capacity as Director of the Clinic, she enjoyed participating in amicus curiae briefing in cases that impact veterans often writing for the National Law School Veterans Clinic Consortium. The Clinic also hosts an annual symposium on Veterans Day, addressing timely issues such as Post Traumatic Stress, Military Sexual Trauma and Traumatic Brain Injury.
Professor Drake received her bachelor’s degree from the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn., in 1982 and her JD from the University of Minnesota in 1985. Professor Drake was the recipient of the Mizzou Alumni Association 63rd Annual Distinguished Faculty Award. She retired from Mizzou earlier this year and since then has enjoyed extensive travel, continued advocacy, and special time with family and friends.