Roxanne B. Conlin in Des Moines, IA | Drake University - Drake University Law School

Roxanne B. Conlin

Female, 75 years old

Roxanne Conlin is a strong leader who is not afraid to take on tough fights. Whether it was battling organized crime, corruption, or giant corporations, Roxanne Conlin has spent her life standing up to special interests to help Iowa families hurt by powerful forces. Roxanne has taken on city halls, public officials, and national and international companies to protect the rights of average Iowans. She has been threatened and harassed but she continues to stand up for all Iowans whether in the courtroom or in the court of public opinion. Roxanne Conlin is dedicated to representing everyday people who do not have a voice. She has never worked for a big corporate interest or insurance company. Instead, Roxanne has chosen to fight for family farmers squeezed by big banks, police officers wronged by their own departments, workers hurt by large companies, and rape victims who were victimized again by the system. She fought to change laws and attitudes, seeking the kind of real change Iowans need. At the age of 14, Roxanne went to work in a soda fountain in Des Moines to help her parents make ends meet. At 16, she enrolled in Drake University - taking on extra classes while holding down several jobs at the same time. She finished in just 3 years and by 21 she had earned her law degree from Drake University. During this time she decided to devote her career to giving a voice to those without one. As an Assistant Attorney General for Iowa, Roxanne fought public corruption and wrote the first law of its kind protecting rape victims. When an Iowa teacher was fired for being pregnant, Roxanne took this case to the state's Supreme Court and made the practice of firing pregnant women illegal. Then, as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, she worked hand in hand with law enforcement, staring down death threats, leading major drug busts and cracking down on violent crime. For more than 25 years, Roxanne has owned and managed a small law firm in Iowa. A successful small business, Roxanne Conlin & Associates was recently cited by a national magazine as one of the best firms to work for because of its family-friendly practices, welcoming the children of staff into the workplace. With each new milestone - serving as United States Attorney in Iowa, earning the Democratic nomination for Governor of Iowa, being elected as the first woman President of the American Association for Justice, and selected as one of the first women in the Inner Circle of Advocates - Roxanne leaves behind a trail of shattered glass. Through it all, she still sees the world through the eyes of the courageous, everyday Iowan who refuses to give up in the face of overwhelming odds. Roxanne lives in Des Moines with her husband of 46 years, James. They are most proud of their four adult children and five grandchildren. read more ...