Ami
Penquite

OVERVIEW

Discipline, clear communication, and preparation define Ami Penquite’s litigation practice. The skills first honed while competing in AAU basketball continue to guide her practice as a litigator. “Basketball shaped me tremendously,” Ami says. “It taught me discipline, sharpened my communication style, influenced how I connect with people, and instilled in me the value of time.”

In addition to athletics, Ami’s professional experiences inspired her pursuit of law and revealed the diverse opportunities a legal career offers.

As a judicial law clerk for Chief Justice Susan Christensen of the Iowa Supreme Court, Ami gained firsthand insight into the appellate process. “On appeal, there are only a few specific legal questions at issue,” she says. “You get to dive into these questions and argue about a new area of law.”

Working with the Chief Justice, Ami also got to work with the leader of Iowa’s judicial branch every day. “She is one of the best leaders I have ever had the privilege to work with,” Ami says. “She leads very openly and never shies away from tough questions.”

Ami carries these lessons into her own practice, building on a foundation of professional and academic experiences. Her interest in law began in high school as a page in the Iowa Senate, where she witnessed the legislative process from start to finish. “I saw how a bill becomes a law from its inception,” Ami says. “That experience sparked my desire to become a lawyer—to argue how laws should be interpreted and to help clients apply them in practice.”

Ami’s undergraduate degree in history, with a minor in religious studies, continues to shape the way she communicates. “Although it seems like our differences are vast, there is always a way to connect with somebody,” she says. For Ami, building genuine connections is at the heart of her work.

Her approach is deeply influenced by her family’s example. “My entire family works in service-based industries and has always worked with people and for people,” Ami says. Guided by that example, she strives to remain approachable and knowledgeable, encouraging clients to ask questions and fully understand the process. “I want clients to be fully open with me about their problems and feel like we are solving them together.”

In every matter, Ami returns to advice she received early in law school: “I was told the best attorney in the room is the most prepared attorney,” she says. “I try to apply that advice to my practice every single day.”

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS

Drake Law Review

• Editor in Chief
• Jeff Gilbert Memorial Writing Award (junior staff award)
• Morris A. Haft Award (Editorial Board award)

Order of the Coif

Iowa State Supreme Court Scholar

Dean’s List (all eligible semesters)

Iowa Supreme Court Scholar Research Opportunity Participant

Dean’s Scholarship & Leadership Award

Academic Achievement Awards, Top “A” in:

• Legal Research I
• Civil Procedure I
• Legal Research II
• Legal Writing II
• Civil Procedure II
• Constitutional Law
• Property
• Evidence
• Criminal Procedure Investigations
• Constitutional Controversies
• Modern Torts
• Administrative Law
• Wills & Trusts
• Introduction to Agricultural Law

PROFESSIONAL & COMMUNITY AFFILIATIONS

Iowa State Bar Association