Law Schools

The Ugliest Law Schools In America

Ugh! Which law schools earned a place in this undesirable ranking?

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‘Why is our law school so ugly?’

Is your law school a blight on the local landscape? For the amount of tuition that you pay, it really shouldn’t be, and yet, you continue to attend a law school that could best be described as hideous.

Some law schools, however, are worse than others. Avert your eyes, because some law schools have earned themselves a place in Architectural Digest’s list of the ugliest university buildings in America.

As politely noted by the online magazine, “[t]hough not reflective of the caliber of the schools that built them, these campus façades are undeniable eyesores.” Which law schools earned a place in this undesirable ranking?

University of Baltimore School of Law

The Lego Law School comes with a $119 million price tag, and Architectural Digest says that its “checkerboard design and Tetris-esque exterior” has earned the building a “prime spot” on its list.

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University of Iowa College of Law

According to Architectural Digest, Iowa’s law school late-modernist building brings to mind a familiar 1970s design: the Death Star. For what it’s worth, Iowa should probably be thinking about redesigning its school — after all, as Iowans learned from Field of Dreams, if you build it, they (i.e., students) will come.

University of Maine School of Law

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Writers at Architectural Digest say “[t]his university building may look like a futuristic version of the Roman Colosseum, but the only battles happening within these walls are with the bar exam.” Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Dmitry Bam doesn’t disagree: “I think everyone here has just sort of accepted it. It’s a joke but also a badge.” Assistant Dean for Finance & Administration Nicole Vinal called the building “rather unfortunate,” and says the administration has received hate mail over it.

To everyone who attends and works at the law schools mentioned above, we’re sorry. It must be terrible to have to look at these monstrosities each and every day.

Do you think your law school should have made Architectural Digest’s list of the ugliest schools in America? Please let us know via email (subject line: “Ugly Law School”), text (646-820-8477), or tweet (@atlblog). Thanks very much!

The 8 Ugliest University Buildings in America [Architectural Digest]
Architectural Digest throws the book at UMaine law school’s ‘rather unfortunate’ building [Portland Press Herald]

Staci ZaretskyStaci Zaretsky has been an editor at Above the Law since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.

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