The Boston University School of Law was initially formed as an alternative to Harvard Law School's case method approach. It was the second school founded as part of Boston University, only three years after the School of Theology. Today, the school's academic specialties are health law, tax law and intellectual property law; the departments were ranked No. 7, No. 8, and No. 9, respectively, by the U.S. News & World Report's 2009 assessments. BU Law is particularly known for investing heavily in quality faculty members and recruits aggressively from across the country.

BU Law's curriculum adheres to the classic law school model--a year of required foundation classes followed by a mostly elective year two and three. Students can concentrate in five areas, including health law and finance law. They can also participate in one of many dual degree programs, which span across BU's other schools and include a JD/MPH and JD/MBA. The school has strong ties to the Boston legal community; but, as at most schools, the top third of the class has the best shot at big firm jobs. Students in Vault's surveys give mixed reviews to career development, and note that the facilities at the law tower could stand to be updated.

The nature of BC Law's urban campus, blending in with downtown buildings, makes the student community less cohesive than at college town-based law schools. Students live off campus, and social life revolves around the activities of the city itself, rather than student organizations.