The only public law school in Utah, the S.J. Quinney School of Law specializes in environmental law, which should come as no surprise given some of the most acclaimed natural wonders in the U.S. are right nearby. The school's Wallace Stegner Center administers a JD certification program and an LLM in environmental and natural resources law. The center also offers electives like water law and oil and gas law for students who don't want to pursue a certificate. Other academic strengths at Utah Law include family law--the school publishes the Journal of Law and Family Studies--and criminal law.

Before launching into a standard first year of foundational requirements, students go through a four-day introduction to legal studies to acclimate them to Utah Law's environment. In our surveys, students underscore the accessibility of professors and the relatively small class sizes (the school splits students into sections for one of their core courses). Ambitious students can earn an MBA, MPA or MPP concurrently with their JD.

Utah Law is a commuter campus, but housing in Salt Lake City is reportedly easy to find and reasonably priced. Because the student population skews older--the median age in 2008 was 28--and many have family obligations, Utah Law's social scene isn't particularly rowdy. There's plenty of access to skiing and winter sports, and the school plans several student body-wide events every month.