Written by: Hannah Huston

For Lydia Lavrova (25JD), Iowa Law was a natural place to begin her journey in public defense. Raised in Iowa and eager to become a public defender, she knew she wanted hands-on, real-world experience and a strong support system close to home.

“I grew up in Iowa, and that’s where my family lives now. I knew I was interested in public defense, so I came to Iowa Law because of its proximity to my family and from what I had learned about Professor Guernsey’s Federal Criminal Defense Clinic,” she said. “I figured the clinic would be a great way to do what I wanted to do.”

That early interest in public defense has since become a career. Lavrova is now a public defender in Washington state, where she works with the Department of Public Defense serving King County. Her days are fast-paced and wide-ranging, which she says keeps her work engaging.

“Day to day, I am meeting with clients, talking with investigators and mitigation specialists, going to court, going to jails, and doing a lot of trial training. It’s a varied and interesting job,” said Lavrova. “There’s always something new I’m doing, which keeps it fun.”

Much of Lavrova’s confidence as a new attorney stems from her experience in Iowa Law’s Federal Criminal Defense Clinic led by Alison K. Guernsey, the Herschel G. Langdon Professor of Trial Advocacy. As a student, she represented clients in federal court, an opportunity she describes as invaluable.

“Clinic was by far the most meaningful and impactful thing I did in law school. I don't think there is any other way I would feel this comfortable as a new public defender working in a relatively high-volume job so soon after graduation,” said Lavrova. “We learned how to work with clients, we learned how to put in investigation requests, and we worked with experts. We basically did everything that I would have otherwise been figuring out for the first time now in my job.”

Lavrova credits the clinic not only with building technical skills, but also with Guernsey’s mentorship and preparing her for the realities of legal practice.

“I loved representing clients, and I loved learning from Professor Guernsey. It is a little terrifying doing federal work for the first time, specifically in the federal courts in Iowa, as they tend to be very strict. But Professor Guernsey is an amazing mentor to learn from, and it’s a great environment in which to have a strong mentor—that’s really the only way you can be successful in such a rule-based court.”

In addition to her clinic work, Lavrova was involved with Iowa Law’s National Moot Court Team, led by Mary Ksobiech, professor of legal analysis, writing and research, earning Best Brief honors at the Midwest Regional Competition during her 3L year.

“I’m grateful for all the work Professor Ksobiech puts into the Moot Court Program. I don’t think we would have done nearly as well in competitions or learned as much without her leadership,” said Lavrova. “The experiences and knowledge I gained have translated well into my career.”

Looking ahead, Lavrova hopes to remain in public defense for the long term, wherever that path may lead.

“My hope is to be a career public defender. It could be here, or it could be somewhere else,” she said. “I think the one thing that prevents people from becoming career public defenders is burnout, but I think I’m very fortunate to be in a workplace where they’re trying hard to keep the caseloads low and to make this work sustainable. Hopefully, I’ll be able to do this for a long time because I really love it.”

For current and prospective Iowa Law students interested in public defense or public interest law, Lavrova emphasizes the importance of taking advantage of experiential learning opportunities.

“Try to work in the clinic—it is truly life-changing. It will prepare you for working as a public defender and provide great hands-on mentorship,” she said. “You can make opportunities for yourself while you’re affiliated with an institution. So, whether that’s through clinics, conferences, or other experiential opportunities, you should take advantage, because you’re going to have a much richer law school experience.”

Visit Iowa Law’s experiential learning page to learn more about the opportunities available to students.