The Palace of Westminster, viewed from the Thames. The London Law Program comprises 10 days of coursework and tours of important British law locations such as Parliament and the United Kingdom Supreme Court. Photo by AYLA87, courtesy of RGBStock.
By Lee Hermiston, Iowa Now
Parliament. The United Kingdom Supreme Court. The Inns of Court.
When Iowa Law students traveled overseas for 14 days this winter break to study British law, they didn’t just learn about the differences between the legal systems in the United States and United Kingdom, they got at a first-hand look at some of the most important legal institutions in Britain.
That valuable learning, coupled with a shorter time commitment than a semester-long study abroad program, are two of the reasons why the University of Iowa’s London Law Program is so popular—more than 100 students vied for spots in the most recent session. With space for 60, the program is the largest of its kind at an American university, according to Iowa Law Professor Stella Elias, director of the program.
The winter term version of the program—a semester-long version previously existed—began with only 28 students in 2016–17. In its second year, 44 enrolled. The program has grown every year since.
“We’ve learned how to effectively run the program so we can scale it up without compromising on quality,” Elias says. “It’s very clear there is a tremendous appetite for our program.”