Law student clerks for State Representative

My name is Keaton Newgren, and I am Rep. [Judd] Lawler’s clerk. I grew up in La Porte City and graduated from Union High School.

After high school, I attended the University of Nebraska-Kearney where I played football for four years and earned my Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science.

I am currently in my last year of law school at Drake University and plan to graduate this May. After graduation, I will spend my summer studying for the Bar exam, so your prayers are welcomed to help me get through that.

This is my first time clerking in the Iowa House of Representatives. But it is not my first time working in a public office, as I have previous experience interning for Sen. Joni Ernst’s Cedar Rapids office in the summer of 2021.

I am excited to assist Rep. Lawler with his first session here in the House because the decisions made here directly impact every Iowan.

Outside of clerking for Rep. Lawler, I spend the rest of my time at Drake, either attending class or studying. I am a member of the Editorial Board of Drake’s Journal of Agricultural Law where I serve as an article editor.

It is rewarding to be on Drake’s Ag Journal, as it is the only Ag Law Journal in the country. With agriculture being vital to Iowa, it is important to stay up to date on the legal issues surrounding our state’s ag land.

I am honored to be published in the online Green Issue on the topic of the benefits and consequences of nuclear energy for our farmland. I would be more than happy to talk about it with anyone that is interested in the topic.

I am excited to be working with Rep. Lawler as I can see he has a positive vision for District 91 and the state of Iowa. We have hit the ground running with committee assignments, subcommittee bills and the first floor debate of the year.

If you are visiting the Capitol, do not be afraid to stop by and say hello. I would be more than happy to help you set up a tour of the Capitol.