Moritz College of Law

History

The board of trustee of the Ohio State University officially sanctioned a law school in June 1885 after approving a resolution introduced by trustee Peter H. Clark, an early African-American civil rights activist. However, it was not until October 1891 that the law school was formally opened to 33 students, including 1 woman, in the basement of the original Franklin County Courthouse. Marshall Jay Williams, a Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court served as the first dean of the law school and lectured for two years before resigning in 1893. In 1896, the University elevated the law school to its present-day College of Law status.

In 1903, the College of Law moved to Page Hall, its first permanent building on the main campus of the University (now home to the John Glenn College of Public Affairs), named in honor of Henry F. Page, a prominent Ohio attorney who had left his estate to the University. Over the next four decades, the College of Law experienced rapid growth under the successive leadership of deans William F. Hunter, Joseph H. Outhwaite, John Jay Adams and Herschel Arant. Today, the College of Law continues its growth in national stature under the successive leadership of deans Gregory H. Williams, Nancy H. Rogers and now Alan C. Michaels.

The modern day building that now houses the Moritz College of Law since 1958, Drinko Hall, is named after internationally known attorney and College of Law benefactor John Deaver Drinko, former Managing Partner of BakerHostetler in Cleveland, Ohio. Drinko received his law degree from the College of Law in 1944 and received a Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1991. In 2001, the College of Law received a $30 million donation from benefactor Michael E. Moritz, former partner of BakerHostetler in Columbus, Ohio. Moritz received his undergraduate degree from the Ohio State University Fisher College of Business in 1941 and law degree from the College of Law in 1944, where he graduated at the top of his class. At the time, it was the largest single gift to the Ohio State University (in 2011, the University received a $100 million gift from Les Wexner). The donation provided full tuition grants with stipends to 30 law students, 4 endowed faculty chairs, 3 service awards for students, and a fund for use by the dean. The College of Law completed a supplemental campaign to raise an additional $30 million to match Moritz's gift and make further improvements.

The Ohio State University continues to recognize the Moritz College of Law through its Selective Investment Grants as a unit worthy of funding for innovative programs and top faculty. Further, Moritz College of Law's faculty have been awarded University-wide teaching, diversity, and scholarship awards.

Academic reputation

The Moritz College of Law has experienced a significant increase in its academic reputation over the past decade and is now consistently ranked among the top 30 law schools in America. Above the Law ranked the Moritz College of Law as the 27th best law school in America in 2016. Business Insider ranked the Moritz College of Law as the 18th best law school in America and the 5th best public law school in America in 2016. U.S. News & World Report ranked the Moritz College of Law full-time Juris Doctor program the 30th best law school in America and 1st for dispute resolution in 2015.

Further adding to the growing national stature of the Moritz College of Law is the scholarly writings and activities of the Moritz faculty. According to professor Brian Leiter's "Scholarly Impact Score," the Moritz College of Law faculty ranks 19th amongst the top 40 law faculties in scholarly impact in 2015, as measured by the amount of law journal citations of Moritz faculty articles over the past five years. In particular, professors Michelle Alexander, noted civil rights activist, and Ruth Colker, the Distinguished University Professor and the Heck-Faust Memorial Chair in Constitutional Law, were amongst the most-cited critical theory law faculty between 2010 and 2014.

Journals

Students have the opportunity to write and edit works published in a variety of peer-reviewed journals, which are permanently archived and available online at the Ohio State University Knowledge Bank.

Program on Dispute Resolution

The nationally-recognized Program on Dispute Resolution at the Moritz College of Law is ranked the best dispute resolution program in the United States by U.S. News & World Report. The Program offers students many opportunities to learn and practice Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) techniques while earning a 15-credit Certificate in Dispute Resolution. Students can compete in the annual Lawrence Negotiation Competition, named in honor James K.L. Lawrence ’65, a former attorney at the National Labor Relations Board and noted mediator at Frost Brown Todd in Cincinnati, Ohio. Students can participate in the Mediation Clinic, which began in 1983 and is one of the oldest and most renowned law school clinics of its kind. Finally, student can join the student-initiated, student-run publication of Ohio State Journal of Dispute Resolution which is the official law journal of the American Bar Association’s Section on Dispute Resolution and is dedicated to the exploration of alternative forums for and methods of dispute resolution, such as negotiation, mediation, arbitration, summary jury trials, and mini-trials. Sarah Rudolph Cole is the John W. Bricker Professor of Law and current Director of the Program on Dispute Resolution.

Moot Court & Lawyering Skills Program

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.

Center for Interdisciplinary Law and Policy Studies

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:

Post-graduation employment

According to the College of Law's official 2015 ABA-required disclosures, 75% of the Class of 2015 obtained full-time, long-term, bar passage-required employment nine months after graduation, excluding solo-practitioners. Moritz College of Law ranked 28th out of 201 ABA-approved law schools in terms of the percentage of 2015 graduates with non-school-funded, full-time, long-term, bar passage required jobs nine months after graduation.

The College of Law's Law School Transparency under-employment score is 8.5%, indicating the percentage of the Class of 2015 unemployed, pursuing an additional degree, or working in a non-professional, short-term, or part-time job nine months after graduation. 97% of the Class of 2015 was employed in some capacity while 1% were pursuing graduate degrees and 2% were unemployed nine months graduation.

Ohio was the main employment destination for 2015 Moritz College of Law graduates, with 77% of employed 2015 graduates working in the state.

Costs

The total cost of attendance (indicating the cost of tuition, fees, and living expenses) at the College of Law for the 2014-2015 academic year is estimated at $49,496 for Ohio residents and $64,448 for non-residents. Moritz College of Law's in-state tuition and fees on average increased by 5.73% annually over the past five years while its non-resident tuition and fees on average increased by 3.55% over the past five years.

The Law School Transparency estimated debt-financed cost of attendance for three years is $185,780. The average indebtedness of the 87% of 2013 College of Law graduates who took out loans was $97,624.

Moritz Scholars

The Moritz Merit Scholarship Fund was established in 2001 by Michael E. Moritz ’61. The Scholarship is designed to attract and train a select group of students with outstanding academic and personal histories who are dedicated to improving the lives of their clients, their communities, and the profession of law. Moritz Scholars receive mentorship from nationally-recognized individuals chosen for their leadership in a wide variety of areas including academia, business, law, government, and public interest.

Barton Scholars

The Robert K. Barton Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in 1968 by golf legend and Ohio State University alumnus Jack Nicklaus. The Scholarship was established in memory of his good friend and Moritz College of Law alumnus Robert K. Barton ’62, one of central Ohio’s top amateur golfers and law partner of former Ohio Governor and fellow Moritz alumnus John W. Bricker. Barton, his wife Linda, and another couple were killed when their private plane crashed en route to watch Nicklaus play in the 1966 Masters Tournament.

Notable faculty

The Moritz College of Law has 80 faculty members. Notable current and former faculty members include:

Notable alumni

The Moritz College of Law has approximately 10,000 alumni across the United States. Selected notable alumni distinguishing themselves include: