The Drake Legal Clinic and ALL Iowa are proud to welcome John Danos as the newest Staff Legal Fellow. Danos brings with them a deep commitment to immigrant communities, shaped by hands-on legal advocacy during law school.

When Danos began law school at Drake University in the fall of 2022, they wasted no time turning their passion into practice. By pure coincidence, their first semester aligned with the launch of pro se clinics for Afghan Temporary Protected Status (TPS), co-hosted by Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice (Iowa MMJ) and Drake University.

“I started volunteering as soon as I got to law school in the fall of 2022, and as a matter of pure luck, it just so happened that that coincided with when Iowa MMJ and Drake were putting on their pro se clinics for Afghan TPS,” Danos said.

Throughout their time at Drake, Danos remained an active volunteer with the Refugee Clinic, offering direct representation through pro se clinics and building strong, lasting relationships with Afghan clients. Their dedication culminated in April 2025, when Danos represented a client in the Omaha Immigration Court and secured a favorable outcome—an experience that underscored the impact of student advocacy.

“As soon as I could sign up for the Drake Legal Clinic, I did, and I continued working in the clinic through the rest of my time at the law school, ending with a win in immigration court,” they explained.

The Drake Legal Clinic provides students with real-world legal experience, giving them responsibility for real cases and clients and preparing them to practice law beyond the classroom. Allison McCarthy, Director of the Refugee Clinic and an ALL Iowa partner, supervised Danos during this period.

Danos’s journey with ALL Iowa began in 2023, the summer after their 1L year, when they interned with Iowa MMJ. The following summer, they returned to immigration work as a full-time intern at the Drake Legal Clinic, assisting Afghan and Ukrainian clients.

Now, as a Staff Legal Fellow, Danos is excited to continue serving Iowa’s immigrant and refugee communities.

“I love getting to work with clients and am excited to get to continue to help these communities that I think make Iowa a better place,” Danos said.

ALL Iowa is thrilled to welcome Danos to the team and looks forward to the knowledge, energy, and compassion they bring to the project.