The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law

The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
Name	Moritz College of Law
Established	1891
Type	Public law school
Parent	The Ohio State University
City	Columbus
State	Ohio
Country	United States
Dean	C. William O'Neill
Students	650 (approx.)
Faculty	70 (approx.)

The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law is a public law school located in Columbus, Ohio that is a constituent college of The Ohio State University. Founded in 1891, the college offers professional legal education including the Juris Doctor and advanced law degrees, and maintains programs in legal research, clinical practice, and public service. The institution interacts with regional institutions such as the Ohio General Assembly, Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, and national organizations including the American Bar Association, Association of American Law Schools, and various federal agencies.

History

The college was established in 1891 amid late 19th-century expansion of professional schools in the United States, contemporaneous with institutions like Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, and Columbia Law School. Early decades involved engagement with Ohio legal institutions such as the Ohio Supreme Court and leading figures like Rutherford B. Hayes-era jurists and state legislators. In the 20th century the college expanded its curriculum and facilities alongside national developments including the New Deal era legal reforms and post-World War II legal education growth influenced by the G.I. Bill. During the Civil Rights Movement the school adjusted admissions and clinical offerings in step with cases before the United States Supreme Court and regional civil rights litigation. Recent decades have featured curricular reforms reflecting rulings and trends associated with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and jurisprudential debates involving the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Campus and Facilities

The college's primary facility sits on the Ohio State University campus in Columbus, Ohio, near landmarks such as Ohio Stadium, the Wexner Center for the Arts, and the Ohio Statehouse. The law complex includes moot courtrooms modeled on facilities used in arguments before courts like the United States Supreme Court and appellate courts including the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Library resources are aligned with collections like those at the Library of Congress and regional repositories such as the State Library of Ohio, and the building houses research centers that collaborate with entities such as the Federal Communications Commission and state regulatory bodies. Student organizations meet in spaces used for programs involving the American Constitution Society, the Federalist Society, and clinical advocacy events linked to courts like the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Academics and Programs

The curriculum awards the Juris Doctor and advanced degrees with concentrations comparable to programs at Georgetown University Law Center, New York University School of Law, and University of Pennsylvania Law School in areas like trial advocacy, transactional law, and public interest law. Course offerings address subject matter connected to statutes and decisions such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Clean Air Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and Supreme Court precedents from cases like Marbury v. Madison and Brown v. Board of Education. Specialized programs include joint degrees with schools such as the Fisher College of Business and interdisciplinary initiatives involving the Moritz College of Law's partnerships with agencies like the Department of Justice and nonprofits like the American Civil Liberties Union. The college hosts competitions modeled after national contests such as the National Moot Court Competition and collaborates with legal journals that mirror publications like the Harvard Law Review and the Yale Law Journal.

Admissions and Student Body

Admissions standards align with peer public law schools including University of Michigan Law School, University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, and University of Virginia School of Law, emphasizing standardized tests such as the Law School Admission Test and undergraduate records from institutions like The Ohio State University, Columbus State Community College, and other public and private colleges. The student body participates in student governance and activities similar to those at Duke University School of Law and engages with externships at placements like the Franklin County Prosecutor's Office, the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, and firms modeled on regional firms such as Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP.

Faculty and Administration

Faculty include scholars whose work interacts with research hubs such as the Brookings Institution, the American Enterprise Institute, and academic presses like those of Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press. The administration coordinates accreditation and policy with organizations such as the American Bar Association and the Association of American Law Schools, and the dean's office liaises with university leadership at Ohio State University Board of Trustees and statewide legal stakeholders including the Ohio Attorney General.

Clinical Programs and Centers

Clinical offerings provide practical training through clinics similar to those at Georgetown University Law Center and Stanford Law School, placing students with courts and agencies such as the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, the Ohio Department of Health, and nonprofit partners like the Legal Aid Society. Research centers at the college engage topics overlapping with institutes such as the Brennan Center for Justice, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and the Institute for Justice, focusing on areas including appellate advocacy, regulatory policy, and civic engagement.

Notable Alumni and Impact

Alumni have served in roles across branches and levels, including positions in the United States Senate, the United States House of Representatives, state judiciaries like the Ohio Supreme Court, executive posts such as the United States Attorney General-level offices, and leadership in firms comparable to Jones Day and BakerHostetler. Graduates have also become scholars at institutions such as Harvard Law School and Yale Law School, and practitioners in organizations like the Federal Trade Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission. The college's alumni influence includes participation in landmark litigation before the United States Supreme Court and service in public offices including gubernatorial and legislative roles in Ohio.

Category:Law schools in Ohio