One of the oldest continually-running Midwestern law schools, the University of Iowa College of Law houses the second-largest law library in the country. The school takes advantage of its many resources to offer a number of strong academic programs. In 2008, National Jurist magazine ranked the school No. 13 on its list of the 25 best public interest law schools. Iowa Law also has a specialized Innovation, Business, and Law program, which combines corporate law studies with intellectual property law.

Like at most law schools, the first year of Iowa Law's curriculum is prescribed, followed by two years of electives. According to Vault's surveys, the workload is heaviest in the first year and diminishes afterward. Students also note that professors tend not to stick to a strict Socratic method approach, opting instead for a part-lecture, part-questions session. This choice reflects a school-wide mission to encourage collaboration and student interaction. Similarly, the school doesn't public class rankings under the top 25 students in an effort to diminish law school's academic competition.

Iowa City has all the amenities of a classic college town (namely, cheap beer and easy access to football) as well as a laid-back, community feeling and inexpensive cost of living. Employment prospects-wise, the Iowa name is particularly strong in Minneapolis, Kansas City, St Louis and Chicago. For positions at East and West Coast firms, graduates have to work a little harder (which is the case at many Midwestern schools).