The magazine acknowledged Iowa’s well-known reputation of being the “Writing Law School” and explained how the first-year writing courses are structured to deepen students’ understanding of law and develop the tools needed to be an effective legal communicator.

This fall, Iowa Law welcomed the Class of 2025—going head-to-head with last year’s class as the most academically qualified first-year students in school history. The class of 2024 had higher scores on the LSAT and GPA than any other entering class in the history of Iowa Law with a median LSAT score of 163 and a median undergraduate GPA of 3.69. This year’s class of 2025 is strikingly similar, sharing a median LSAT score of 163 and a median undergraduate GPA of 3.66.

Iowa Law welcomes new professors Diane Lourdes Dick, Alicia Solow-Niederman, and Andrew Jordan to the Boyd Law building this fall.

Anya Prince, professor of law at the University of Iowa, along with a multidisciplinary team of researchers from across the country, was recently awarded a R01 grant from the National Human Genome Research Institute at NIH titled, “Beyond the Medical: The ELSI of Polygenic Scores for Social Traits.”

Iowa Law received a $5 million gift to establish the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative (HELI) with a goal of generating opportunities for Iowa Law to deepen and broaden its engagement with environmental issues in Iowa and beyond.

This past year was yet another one of listening and learning in our efforts to improve diversity and inclusion at Iowa Law. Tactics included launching new programs and courses and celebrating and recognizing our students, faculty, and staff.

Blake Rupe joins the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative from the University of Iowa Office of Sustainability and the Environment, where she served as sustainability program manager. There she worked to connect students and faculty with classes, research, and organizations to help advance the mission of sustainability in Iowa.

Lea VanderVelde, professor of law and the Josephine R. Witte Chair, has been named a recipient of the 2022 University of Iowa Distinguished Chair. The award is one of the highest bestowed on Iowa faculty. It recognizes tenured scholars of national and international distinction who are making a significant positive impact within the university, state of Iowa, and beyond.

The University of Iowa College of Law is pleased to announce the inaugural Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Award recipients. The award winners were nominated and selected based on their contributions to building and supporting an inclusive and diverse community at the law school.

With a passion for the law and a determined spirit, Wiah is well on her way to making an impact on the legal profession. After she graduated from Temple University, she had two years left on her military contract. Wiah decided to finish out the military and then go to law school.