As one of the largest and oldest law schools in the U.S., the University of Michigan Law School takes pride in its history. Michigan Law was the first public law school to admit a woman, as well as the second law school to matriculate an African,American student.

Though most graduates go pursue a corporate law career, Michigan Law has strong ties to public interest law. Student Funded Fellowships, a student organization, provides grants to students that take low,paying public interest internships, and the school one of the highest placement rates for Supreme Court clerkships--25 since 1991. Michigan Law is also committed to international law: one of its graduation requirements is a course on transnational law, and it has established programs on Japanese, Chinese and European legal studies. As part of its interdisciplinary approach, the school offers a number of dual degree programs, including an option to design your own. Respondents of Vault's Buzz Book survey say that Michigan Law's grading often leans towards the harsher side, but all the hard work pays off--over 99 percent of students have jobs by graduation.