Jazmine C. Polk - Brochure
 

Education

J.D. (High Honors), Drake University Law School, 2022
B.S., University of Kansas, Journalism, 2016

  

Practice Groups

  • Collective Bargaining/Labor Law
  • Employment & Labor Law
  • Higher Education
  • Litigation
  • Student Issues

Overview

Jazmine joined the firm in 2022 as a member of the Education Law Practice Area.  With both parents as lawyers and a grandmother who was an educator, she developed a deep appreciation for both the educational and legal environments early on. She knew immediately when clerking at Ahlers & Cooney that she wanted to practice law in the Education Law Practice Area at the firm.

Jazmine works with K-12 school districts, Area Education Agencies, and public colleges on a variety of issues, including those related to accessibility, accommodations, student programming, student discipline, procedural rights, and representation in special education or other student issues. Jazmine’s practice also includes drafting and negotiating contracts, policies, and procedures to assist clients with maintaining legal compliance in their day-to-day operations.

As a member of the firm’s Employment Law Practice Group, she works with education clients on various human resources and other employment law matters, including employee discipline and terminations, employment contracts, drafting and revising employment policies, and investigations related to employment.

During law school, Jazmine served as a law clerk for Ahlers & Cooney during the summers of 2020 and 2021. Prior to law school, Jazmine worked for Time Inc. in New York City as an Editorial Intern for PEOPLE Magazine and Health Magazine. 

Bar Admissions

Iowa, 2022

Court Admissions

All Iowa Courts

Memberships

American Bar Association
Iowa State Bar Association
Polk County Bar Association
Iowa National Bar Association

Recognitions

Drake University Law School, Black Law Student Association’s Award of Excellence: Alumni of the Year (2025), in recognition of dedication and impact on BLSA students

Drake University Law School, CALI Excellence Award – Civil Procedure II (highest scoring student in this law class)

Speaking/Presentations

Iowa Association of School Boards, Annual Convention, "Legal Considerations Board Members Need to Know about Bullying & Harassment," with Brett Nitzschke, November 2025

Ahlers & Cooney, P.C., Webinar, "Mandatory Training Available on Open Meetings and Open Records," with Kristine Stone, October 2025

Iowa Association of School Business Officials, Fall Conference, "Personnel Files Do's & Don't's," with Miriam Van Heukelem, October 2025

Iowa Association of School Business Officials, Payroll Conference, "Leaves & Absences," with Emily Ellingson, July 2025

Ahlers & Cooney, P.C., Client Webinar, 2024-2025 Year in Review:  Significant New Laws and Court Rulings Impacting K-12 Education, with Brett Nitzschke and Miriam Van Heukelem, June 2025

Iowa Association of School Personnel Administrators (IASPA), Spring Meeting, "Employment Law and Hiring Updates," with Danielle Haindfield and Kristy Latta, April 2025

Ahlers & Cooney, P.C., Webinar, "The Stop Campus Hazing Act: What to Know," with Rebecca Reif, January 2025

Iowa Superintendents Finance & Leadership Consortium (ISFLC), December Conference, "Employee Investigations," with Kate Beenken, December 2024

Ahlers & Cooney, P.C., Employment Law Seminar, "Beginner Employee Pay/FLSA," with Elizabeth Heffernan and "Top 10:  Hot Topics + Case Law Update Panel," with Katherine Beenken, Brett Nitzschke and Lindsay Vaught, November 2024

Ahlers & Cooney, P.C., Title IX Seminar, "Title IX Coordinator Training," with Rebecca Reif and "Overview of New Rules Relating to Pregnancy and Related Conditions and Gender Identity," with Kristy Latta, June 2024

School Administrators of Iowa, School Law Conference, "Open Enrollment, Residency and Transportation," with Carrie Weber, February, 2024

Ahlers & Cooney, P.C., Employment Law Client Seminar, "Focus on ADA," with Elizabeth Heffernan and Rebecca Reif, April 2023

Published Articles & Books

Home of the Brave: Can Amateur Athletes Be Punished for Kneeling During the National Anthem? 70 Drake L. Rev. 273 (2022)

Professional, Community and Civic Leadership

Drake University Law School, Adjunct Professor, Legal Writing I & II (2024-2025) 

Polk County Women Attorneys - Board Member (2023 - present)

Drake Black Law Student Association Mentor (2022 - present)

Iowa Legal Aid Expungement Clinic (January 2024)

Drake University Law School, Legal Research and Writing Teaching Assistant (2020-2022)

Black Law Student Association (2019-2022)

  
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