Founded as part of the YMCA's national program to provide an accessible legal education to working professionals, the Capital University Law School, originally the Columbus Law School, became affiliated with Capital University in 1966. Capital Law maintains a commitment to flexibility today, operating both part-time day and evening programs in addition to its full-time curriculum. In addition, the school recently adapted its system to offer shorter classes more frequently. Capital Law's academic strengths include its dispute resolution program, which offers a certificate of concentration through the Center for Dispute Resolution, and family law, which is augmented by the school's research center on adoption policy.

Other concentrations at Capital Law include governmental affairs, labor and employment law, and environmental law. There are seven other graduate degrees JD students can complete concurrently, such as an LLM in taxation or business law and a JD/MBA. The first-year curriculum consists of typical, theoretical classes followed by practical skills-oriented upper-level courses.

Employment prospects for Capital Law students are good in Ohio, though jobs in Columbus are competitive due to an annual influx of neighboring law school graduates. The law school is separate from Capital's main campus, and students live off campus around the Columbus metropolitan area. Most social activities are not school-based, as is the case with many urban campuses.