Joann Mulholland’s path to Iowa Law is deeply rooted in her desire to make a positive impact on communities. Hailing from Cedar Falls, Iowa, Joann holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) and a master’s in student affairs administration from Ball State University.
After several years as a Career Services Coordinator at UNI, Joann sought a new challenge that would allow her to make a broader impact. Through her research, she discovered that a legal education could provide the tools to create meaningful change in communities. Iowa Law quickly became her top choice, thanks to its close-knit, supportive environment—an ideal match for her goals and values. Here, her leadership skills and passion for advocacy have truly flourished.
Since beginning her law school journey in 2022, Joann has embraced various roles that allow her to support her peers and create meaningful impact. She has served as a peer writing tutor for the Writing & Academic Success Center and as a student lawyer in the Community Empowerment Law Program clinic. However, through her involvement with the Iowa Student Bar Association (ISBA), Joann has found a powerful platform to make a difference within the student community.
As a co-president of the ISBA during her 2L year, Joann had the opportunity to apply her leadership skills—honed during her years working in Higher Education—in a meaningful way. She describes her ISBA role as an outlet for building community and advocating for student needs, which aligns with her core values.
“I’m really community-focused,” Joann says. “I like to create a supportive environment where everyone feels like they belong and can be their best selves.” Through ISBA, she worked diligently to foster a welcoming and connected community at Iowa Law, whether planning social events like the Halloween Party or advocating for students in meetings with the administration. “It was a powerful way to serve students. Meeting with administration and having difficult but important conversations about student concerns—especially for those from underrepresented identities—was very meaningful,” she explains.
“I’m really community focused. I like to create a supportive environment where everyone feels like they belong and can be their best selves.”
- Joann Mulholland
Joann’s dedication to student well-being has even extended beyond leadership roles. With her strength in writing, she was able to make a lasting impact on the national stage by contributing to the conversation about law students’ mental health. Inspired by a seminar with Professor Daria Fisher Page, Joann wrote a paper on the challenges law students face, including high levels of stress, depression, and anxiety. “I found studies showing that law students have worse mental health than medical students, even though both fields are extremely demanding,” she says. In her paper, Joann advocates for structural changes in law schools, such as reforming grading practices and increasing assessments to alleviate students’ mental health challenges.
Iowa Law professor Daria Fisher Page recognized the importance of Joann’s message and encouraged her to share it with a larger audience. “As a writer and an advocate, Joann has a distinctive voice and can command an audience’s attention,” Fisher Page explains. “She approached her research on mental health in law school from different perspectives and was willing to ask the important question, ‘Why do we choose not to address the problem?’ Her voice and approach made me think that prospective law students, current faculty, and administrators would listen to what she had to say.”
With Professor Fisher Page’s encouragement, Joann submitted a revised version of her paper to the American Bar Association (ABA) Student Lawyer Magazine, where it was published. Her article resonated deeply, not only with her fellow law students across the country but also with members of the ABA. Now serving as editor-in-chief of the Student Lawyer Magazine, Joann credits Professor Fisher Page for inspiring her to pursue this opportunity. “Without her, I wouldn’t have written the article, let alone submitted it to the ABA,” she says.
Joann’s experiences at Iowa Law—whether advocating for student mental health through her writing or serving as co-president of the Iowa Student Bar Association—have shaped her into a confident leader, ready to step into her legal career. “I’ve learned how to navigate difficult conversations and represent diverse perspectives, whether with peers or faculty. These skills will be invaluable as I move forward in my legal career,” she says.
Beyond her leadership roles, one of the most rewarding aspects of Joann’s law school journey has been the meaningful relationships she’s built with mentors, peers, and local alumni. These connections have prepared her to excel in her field and made it possible for her to stay in the Iowa City area, a goal she’s had from the start.
“Professor Fisher Page’s guidance was instrumental in helping me stay in the area after graduation despite the challenges of a limited legal job market. She connected me with local alumni who became close friends and helped me secure job opportunities. One of them even helped me land my first summer position, which opened the door to further opportunities, including my post-graduation role at Simmons,” she says. “Thanks to Daria, I built a strong local network that made staying in the area possible.”
As she looks ahead to her post-graduation plans, Joann is excited to begin her role at Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman in Cedar Rapids, where she hopes to work in employment law—an area she’s passionate about. Her advice for incoming law students? “Don’t compare yourself to others. Law school can push you into that mindset, but remember why you’re here, focus on your goals, and ensure you have a life outside school. Balance is key.”