A tradition going back almost 100 years, Iowa Supreme Court Day is the culmination of course work, moot court competitions and hard work. “I remember watching Supreme Court Day as a 1L, two years ago on Zoom, and thinking that would be the most exciting thing I could do,” says Iowa Law student Jamie McCarthy.

With the launch of the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative (HELI) in 2022, the College of Law has continued to build upon its solid reputation for teaching and scholarship in environmental law. The initiative has engaged students, practitioners, and scholars this past year in ways that contribute actionable solutions to some of today's most pressing environmental issues.

Rising third-year law student Claire Eichhorn improved her legal research and writing skills and gained invaluable mentorship while working as a research assistant for Dean Adrien Wing. 

Gokare discovered her passion for corporate law after being approached by two childhood friends who had founded an e-commerce clothing company. Despite facing financial constraints, the friends sought Gokare’s legal assistance, which not only kindled her interest in corporate law but also highlighted her proficiency in the field.

Barbara (Barbi) Rodriguez (22JD) has been awarded the 2023 “Law360 Distinguished Legal Writing Award" by the Burton Awards for her note published in the Iowa Law Review titled, “In the Interest of Justice: Presuming Prejudice When the Right to Counsel in Removal Proceedings Is Denied.”

Growing up, Tatiana (Tia) Smith was exposed to the many social and economic challenges common in underprivileged communities. As she got older, she became increasingly aware of the discrimination and injustice experienced by her friends and neighbors, which motivated her to pursue a career in human rights. 

Iowa Law alum Tim Semelroth (97JD) has always had a passion for mock trial. As a coach, Tim has helped students examine legal processes and current legal issues as well as develop important critical-thinking, fundamental research, preparation, and presentation skills.

Through his joint relationships with the College of Law and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dan Matheson has developed a national interdisciplinary student sports law competition that stands out as the first of its kind.

There is always something to love in the Law Library! This Valentine’s Day, come fall in love with some of the fabulous volumes we hold in our collection.

At Iowa Law, students in the clinical education program receive real-world training while providing much-needed service to the community. Consisting of six clinics, each dedicated to a distinct practice area, the Law Clinic program gives students the opportunity to represent clients (under the supervision of licensed attorneys) at all stages of the legal process. Read on for a look at how the clinics continue to raise the bar for experiential education—despite the many challenges posed by COVID. 

Read about third-year law student Nick Goodenow and his long track record of serving others. His commitment to service began when he was young, continued throughout college, and will carry on through his new job as a public defender for the state of Colorado next year.

Iowa Law students have partnered with the Estate Planning Clinic. In addition to representing real clients, students partnered with Iowa’s top ranked nursing program to learn how their professions can work together to solve problems in the health care system

The London Law Program at Iowa Law will resume this winter after being postponed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program is open to law students who are in good standing at ABA accredited schools and who have completed their first year, with preference given Iowa Law students.

Carol Havemann-Lynch was recently recognized with the College of Law’s Alumni Achievement Award for significant accomplishments in her legal career and service to the law school, including as former president of the Iowa Law School Foundation. Now retired from a 38-year career with Exxon Mobil Corporation, Havemann-Lynch brought her thoughtfulness, analytical skills, and natural concern for colleagues to a series of impressive positions with the company as well as leadership in the Iowa Law alumni community.

The Iowa Law Review Board recognized Iowa Law alum, Sharon Soorholtz Greer (82JD), for its Alumni Achievement Award. As a law student in the early 1980s, Soorholtz Greer frequently organized social activities among classmates. Her service-minded nature now extends to her work on the court, where she says she writes opinions so the litigants will be able to truly understand the reasoning behind the court’s decisions.

Iowa Law alum, Rita Garman (68JD), was recently awarded the University of Iowa College of Law’s Alumni Service Award. The longest-serving judge in Illinois at the time she retired in 2022, Garman’s story is one of tenacity and seizing opportunities that weren’t readily available for women.

Iowa Law Alum, Ozan Varol (07JD), is the winner of Iowa Law’s 2022 Emerging Leader Award. A rocket scientist (really), attorney, professor, and – most recently – author, Varol has taken steps on his career path that are both conventional and unconventional. He recently finished writing his second book, “Awaken Your Genius: Escape Conformity, Ignite Creativity and Become Extraordinary,” and is gearing up for promotion and marketing in preparation for its release in April 2023.

The University of Iowa College of Law has been named a “Best Value” law school for the 9th year in a row by the National Jurist's PreLaw Magazine.

Professor Derek T. Muller is the Ben V. Willie Professor in Excellence and Professor in Law at the University of Iowa College of Law. As a nationally-recognized election law scholar, Professor Muller recently filed an amicus brief in Moore v. Harper, a case about partisan gerrymandering in North Carolina.

The College of Law has a longstanding tradition of producing excellent legal writers, and Dean Kevin Washburn has made it a priority to continue to invest in and expand on programming that supports the development of this pivotal skill for our graduates.

Iowa Law launched the alumni awards program to recognize alumni who have made significant achievements in their careers and in their service to the College of Law. This year's recipients are...

Recent Iowa Law graduate Jake Bergman (22JD) shares his experience managing law school during a global pandemic and his gratitude for the professor and mentors who helped him along the way. Jake is currently in Minneapolis working as a SALT Consultant at Wipfli and earning an Executive LLM in Taxation at New York University.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for Veteran Claims recently traveled to Iowa City to host live oral arguments at the University of Iowa College of Law and provide programming to students, alumni, and faculty. Their visit was an incredible opportunity for the law community to see the court in action and for students to learn more about the many and varied careers in veterans law to serve those who have served our country.

This October, the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative at the College of Law held a series of panel discussions between policy experts, researchers, industry members, public employees, and nonprofit organization representatives focusing on solar policies and practices across the state of Iowa.

Second year and first-generation law student, Eyasu Yirdaw, shares how forming meaningful relationships with professors, mentors, and friends has helped him succeed in legal education.