| The Ohio State University Mortiz College of Law |
|
| Established | 1891[1] |
|---|---|
| School type | Public university |
| Dean | Alan C. Michaels |
| Location | Columbus, Ohio, United States |
| Enrollment | 723[2] |
| Faculty | 53 professors
35 adjunct faculty[1] |
| USNWR ranking | 34[3] |
| Bar pass rate | 93% in OH |
| Annual tuition | $24,324 for Ohio residents (2010–2011)[4] |
| Homepage | http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/ |
The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law is a public law school and charter member of the Association of American Law Schools. According to the 2010 U.S. News & World Report rankings, the Moritz College of Law is 35th in the nation overall and is in the top ten among public law schools. The specialty program in dispute resolution is ranked 5th in the nation. Founded in 1891 and elevated to college status in 1896,[5] the College of Law has produced approximately 9,000 graduates.[6]
The university has recognized the College of Law through its Selective Investment Grants as a unit worthy of funding for innovative programs and top faculty.[7] Moritz's faculty have been awarded University-wide teaching, diversity, and scholarship awards.[8][9][10]
Traditional fields, such a criminal law, employment law, labor law, commercial law, and international law are available, as well as emerging areas, such as alternative dispute resolution and cyberlaw/intellectual property. The Moritz College of Law offers the fifth ranked alternative dispute resolution program,[11] as well as an array of clinical programs. Dual degrees are sought by a number of students in the more than 100 master's programs and 90 Ph.D's offered by the university.[12] Certificate programs are available to practicing attorneys and current students in international development and trade, dispute resolution, and children studies.[13]
Students are encouraged to engage in public service through a number of activities, like Street Law, an educational program for children; Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, a tax preparation clinic for the poor;[14] and Pro Bono Research Group, a student led and staffed research program that aids legal aid and pro bono attorneys throughout Ohio.[15] Financial assistance is available to reduce the strain of entering public service law through the Public Interest Law Foundation's Fellows Program.[16] During the summer, the Moritz College offers internships and classes in Washington, D.C., Columbus, and classes at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
Students can take advantage of over 40 student organizations. National figures routinely appear at the College through a number of lecture series and a variety of conferences and workshops. Leading scholars from around the world routinely converge on the College for conferences and symposia.
In 2001, the College of Law received a $30 million donation from Michael E. Moritz, a graduate of the Ohio State University and its law school. This remains the largest single gift to the university (not counting the $100 million donation from Les Wexner in 2011). It provides full tuitions and stipends to 30 law students, 4 endowed faculty chairs, 3 service awards for students, and a fund for use by the dean.[17] The law school is currently campaigning to raise an additional $30 million to match Moritz's gift and make further improvements.[18]
The College of Law is located in Drinko Hall at the corner of 12th Avenue and High Street at the South-East corner of the Columbus campus. It is the only college at The Ohio State University to operate on semesters (until June 2012).
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Students have the opportunity to write and edit works published in a variety of peer-reviewed journals:
The Moot Court & Lawyering Skills Program at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law includes intramural competitions and inter-scholastic teams covering various areas of the law. The Moot Court and Lawyering Skills Governing Board is responsible for organizing and administering four intramural competitions: the Herman Moot Court Competition, Colley Trial Practice Competition, the Representation in Mediation Competition, and the Lawrence Negotiations Competition.
The Moot Court Board also oversees the 15 Moot Court teams that compete nationally against other schools, and assists them in their preparation for competition. The teams include: Two teams who compete in the ABA Moot Court Competition, Two teams who compete in the Nationals Moot Court Competition, Two Civil Rights teams, a team who competes in the Jessup International Law competition, and teams in Corporate Law, Constitutional Law, Criminal Procedure, Evidence, Juvenile Law and Labor Law. In addition, the winners from the Lawrence Negotiations and Representation in Mediation intramural competitions move on to an inter-scholastic regional round.
The Moot Court and Lawyering Skills Governing Board consists of a Chief Justice, four Executive Justices and seven Associate Justices, all of whom are second- and third-year students. The Board has established standing committees to oversee each major competition, and every Associate Justice is assigned as chairperson of a standing committee.[21]
The library at the Moritz College houses the 14th largest law school library collection in the United States[1] and is part of the College's new wireless network. A donation in 1891 started the collection which has grown to 750,000 volumes today. The library is a member of OhioLINK and has access to LexisNexis, WestLaw, and HeinOnline, among others. The public is welcome to use the library as it is the largest law library in the state of Ohio.[22]
Moritz houses several legal clinics and centers that focus on a variety of legal, business, and political issues.
The Center for Interdisciplinary Law and Policy Studies offers students the opportunity to work closely with faculty members from both the College of Law and other disciplines on research dealing with critical contemporary policy issues. Three areas are of particular interest:
The I/S: A Journal of Law and Policy for the Information Society is a publication of the Center for Interdisciplinary Law and Policy Studies.
Ensuring that children and their rights are taken seriously, the Justice for Children Practicum provides students with the opportunity to represent children in a variety of legal proceedings. The cases may include abuse and neglect, delinquency, status offense, custody, and termination of parental rights cases pending in various courts
Student Housing Legal Clinic (SHLC) was established in 1999 to provide free legal advice and representation to OSU students with landlord-tenant concerns.
The Clinic, an academic partnership between the Office of Student Affairs and the Moritz College of Law, recognizes that housing issues can affect the academic success, wellness, retention, and recruitment of students, as well as the relationship of the University to the community.
The purpose of the Clinic is to work with students, landlords, community organizations, and city officials to improve housing conditions and safety in the University District and surrounding areas, while providing a unique educational opportunity for law students to gain practical experience.
The Clinic offers the full continuum of legal services ranging from counsel and advice to long-term representation.
The Moritz Legislation Clinic provides a front-row view of the legislative process in the Buckeye State as students work directly with legislative leaders and their staffs on matters pending or anticipated to arise before the Ohio House and Senate.
Team-taught by two members of the clinic faculty, the course meets twice a week. The classroom component focuses on the Ohio legislative process and on state constitutional law as it affects the relationship between Ohio courts and the legislature.
Clinical placements (as well as class sessions) teach students how to research and analyze current and potential legislative issues, expose them to the challenges of information sharing in a partisan context, and develop their negotiation and consensus building skills.
Some of the college's notable alumni include: