Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law

Overview ²

The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law is an integral part of one of the world’s great educational institutions. Founded in 1891 and consistently the top-ranked law school in the state of Ohio, the Moritz College of Law has grown into one of the nation’s pre-eminent public law schools and one of the most respected law schools in the world.

A collegial community of approximately 570 students and more than 50 faculty members, Moritz is known for its rigorous academic program, the pioneering research of its world-class faculty, a deep commitment to teaching and professional training, and the development of future leaders.

The college’s more than 10,000 alumni are central to its national reputation. Graduates include justices of the Supreme Court of Ohio, federal appeals and district court judges, U.S. senators, U.S. representatives, governors, managing partners in law firms of all sizes, chief executive officers of Fortune 500 corporations, professors at law schools across the country, and prominent attorneys in private practice, government service, and public interest law firms.

Our alumni are genuinely interested in engaging with and mentoring today’s students. They share a special connection and a desire to help fellow “Moritzers” find professional success.

Likewise, the administration at the Moritz College of Law is committed to advancing the quality and reputation of the college nationally and internationally through ongoing improvements to the academic program and student services.

Student-Faculty Ratio ³

10.3:1

Admission Criteria ⁴

	LSAT	GPA
25th-75th Percentile	156-161	3.43-3.79
Median*	159	3.61

The above LSAT and GPA data pertain to the 2016 entering class.

Director of admissions	Kathy S. Northern
Application deadline	March 31

Law School Admissions details based on 2016 data.

*Medians have been calculated by averaging the 25th- and 75th-percentile values released by the law schools and have been rounded up to the nearest whole number for LSAT scores and to the nearest one-hundredth for GPAs.

Admission Statistics ⁴

Approximate number of applications	1574
Number accepted	771
Percentage accepted	49.%

The above admission details are based on 2015 data.

Law School Cost ⁵

Expenses

Tuition and fees Full-time:	$29,668 per year (in-state) $44,620 per year (out-of-state)
Room and board	$13,000
Books	$2,400
Miscellaneous expenses	$5,486

Class Ranking and Grades ⁶

Grading Policy

What follows is the grading policy for JD students. LL.M. students should scroll down further for the grading policy for that program. Students receive both a letter and number grade – for example, 85B. Each number grade corresponds to a specific letter grade (i.e., numbers between 93 and 100 correspond to a letter grade of A.). Further, each letter grade has its own point value on a 4.0 scale.

Letter Grade	Numerical Grade	Grade Point Value (assigned to the letter grade)
A	93-100	4.0
A-	90-92	3.7
B+	87-89	3.3
B	83-86	3.0
B-	80-82	2.7
C+	77-79	2.3
C	70-76	2.0
D	65-69	1.0
E	60-64	0.0

The college uses the Grade Point Average (GPA) from the letter grades to ascertain Academic Standing, Dismissal, Probation and Readmission as detailed in Chapter 6 in the Faculty Rules. A student is in good standing if he or she has an average GPA of 2.0 or better.

Students also have a Numerical Average, which is calculated by averaging the Numerical Grade. For this average, first year courses are weighted at 50 percent compared to upper-level courses, regardless of when the courses are taken. This Numerical Average is used to establish class rankings. Class rankings are computed after the second semester ends and all grades are in. Individual class ranks are disclosed confidentially to the students in the top 5 percent of the class. The remainder of the class is not given individual class ranks. Instead, the college provides a class ranking information sheet for each class that shows the numerical grade average range for certain percentage ranges in the top half of the class. Class ranking information sheets are found here.

Grade Normalization (Curve)⁷

Grade Distribution Policy

In an effort to treat all students fairly, the Moritz College of Law has a long-standing grade distribution policy. The underlying reasons for the policy are to promote a common faculty-wide grading standard and to reduce instances in which different professors use different grading standards.

The college’s policy suggests the following grade distribution to the teachers of first-year courses:

A’s	30%
B’s	60%
C’s	10%
D, E	Not more than 4 percent with the direction that a D or E should be given only when inferior performance is clearly demonstrated

For second- and third-year courses, the grade distribution is based on the past average letter grade performance of the students as a whole who registered for a particular course. A professor receives a grade distribution for the students enrolled in his or her course that semester.

There are no names on the grade distribution, so the profile in no way focuses on an individual student. For example, an Evidence professor might receive a distribution stating that, based on past performance, 20 students would be expected to receive A’s; 30 students would be expected to receive B’s; and 15 students would be expected to receive C’s

Honors ⁸

Honor	% of Class Receiving
Order of the Coif	A national honorary scholastic society for lawyers.
summa cum laude	Signifies graduation within the upper 3% of the class.
magna cum laude	Signifies graduation within the upper 10% of the class.
cum laude	Signifies graduation within the upper 25% of the class.

Awards ⁹

Name of Award	Awarded for/to
Distinguished Alumna/us Award	Given annually to a Moritz Law graduate for exceptional achievement or outstanding service to the college or community.
Outstanding Recent Alumna/us Award	Granted to an individual who has graduated from Moritz Law within the past 10 years whose accomplishments exemplify outstanding professionalism or loyalty to the college community.
William K. Thomas Distinguished Jurist Award	Awarded to a current or former judge who has graduated from the college and whose personal integrity and commitment to fairness, freedom, and equality exemplify the highest ideals of the judicial system.
Community Service Award	Presented to the Moritz Law graduate who has volunteered significant and sustained time and expertise to assist a local, state, national, or international humanitarian organization.
Public Service Award	Awarded to an alumna/us whose public interest career exemplifies a commitment to promote and provide access to the legal system.
Alumni Medalist Award	Presented to alumni who have gained distinction as outstanding exponents of a chosen field or profession and who have brought extraordinary credit to the university and significant benefit to mankind.
Professional Achievement Award	Awarded to alumni who have superb records of distinguished career accomplishments and who have made outstanding contributions to their professions.
Ralph Davenport Mershon Award	Presented to alumni who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and service to The Ohio State University.
William Oxley Thompson Award	Presented to young alumni who have demonstrated distinctive achievement in a career, civic involvement, or both.
Robert M. Duncan Alumni Citizenship Award	Presented to alumni who have distinguished themselves in service to humanity and who have best exemplified the University’s motto, “Education for Citizenship,” by having performed significant voluntary service to their community beyond the call of business or professional duty.
Dan L. Heinlen Award	Presented to those who have realized outstanding achievements in advocating the interests of the university with one or more of its important publics.
Josephine Sitterle Failer Award	Presented to those whose voluntary personal involvement has enhanced the quality of student life at the university.
Diversity Champion Award (new, 2015)	The award honors alumni who have made a significant and sustained contribution that fosters diversity and inclusion in their broader community and/or organization; recognizing and respecting the value of individual differences such as race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran or military service status, gender identity, economic status, political belief, marital status or social background.
University Distinguished Service Award	The University Distinguished Award, which began in 1952, is awarded to people who have provided a broad spectrum of services to the University in both official and unofficial capacities.

Journals ¹⁰

Working on a law review is often a rite of passage for many law students. Five legal journals are published by The Ohio State Moritz College of Law. These leading publications publish innovative and relevant scholarly articles by law professors and legal scholars from across the country and around the world as well as student written notes and comments of professional interest to lawyers and policy makers.

The Ohio State Law Journal is a generalist law review publishing legal scholarship in all areas. The journal, which started publication in 1935, is edited by students and publishes eight issues each year. In April 2012, OSLJ launched Furthermore, an online supplement to the print version.

The Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution. Founded in 1985, the Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution (JDR) is a student-edited publication dedicated to the exploration of alternative methods of dispute resolution, such as negotiation, mediation, arbitration, summary jury trials, and mini-trials.

The Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law is a peer-evaluated, faculty-student cooperative venture. Published semiannually, it provides useful, interesting, and provocative commentary on critical issues of interest to the national, and even international, criminal justice community.

I/S: A Journal of Law and Policy for the Information Society is an interdisciplinary journal of research and commentary concentrating on the intersection of law, policy, and information technology. Published semiannually, it is faculty-edited in collaboration with student editors.

The Ohio State Entrepreneurial Business Law Journal (OSEBLJ) is nationally renowned for its intersection of business and the law. Created and managed by students, this semi-annual journal explores the legal issues facing entrepreneurs, small business owners, and venture capitalists.

Moot Court ¹¹

Students at Moritz can gain experience in a variety of lawyering skills by competing in the intramural and interscholastic competitions administered by the Moot Court and Lawyering Skills Program. The Program’s Director, Elizabeth Sherowski, is assisted by the Moot Court and Lawyering Skills Governing Board, which consists of a Chief Justice, seven Executive Justices, and nine Associate Justices.

The Moot Court & Lawyering Skills Governing Board is responsible for the following intramural competitions at Moritz:

• James K.L. Lawrence Negotiations Competition (open to all 2Ls & 3Ls)
• Appellate Advocacy Performance Arguments (open to 2Ls)
• Moritz Representation in Mediation Competition (open to all 2Ls & 3Ls)
• Herman Moot Court Competition (open to all 2Ls)*
• 1L Moot Court Competition (open to all 1Ls)
• Michael F. Colley Trial Competition (open to all 2Ls & 3Ls who have taken or are currently taking Evidence)

*Represents one of two opportunities for 2Ls to earn a slot on one of twelve travel teams for the following academic year.

The Governing Board also assists the Director in supervising the Travel Team Program, where second- and third-year law students represent Moritz at moot court and lawyering skills competitions across the country. Recent Travel Team Program successes include:

• 2013 National Champions, Sutherland Cup Moot Court Competition
• 2013 Best National Advocate, ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition
• 2013 National Semifinalists, ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition
• 2013 Best Mediator, Great Lakes Mediation Tournament
• 2012 Regional Champions, National Moot Court Competition
• 2012 Regional Champions, ABA Negotiation Competition

Clinical Programs ¹²

The clinical programs at Moritz provide an approach to clinical education that is distinctive among American law schools. With origins dating back to 1935, Ohio State was an early pioneer in clinical legal education. As a result, faculty members of the College have long recognized that problem-solving, factual investigation, counseling, negotiation, and litigation skills are best learned by combining the actual practice of law with classroom education. J.D. students are able to take responsibility for their own cases, with an intensive academic experience in the classroom.

In the clinics, students work closely with expert faculty to provide essential representation to real clients. Many of the clinics are taught by two-person faculty teams. The faculty both provide expertise in the theory and doctrine of a particular area of law and help students develop hands-on legal experience. Under the guidance and mentoring of faculty, law students get a taste of the satisfactions and challenges of a legal career. In addition, students benefit from an average ratio of one faculty member to eight students, offering a level of learning possible only through such close supervision.

The law school offers the following clinical programs:

• Civil Law Clinic
• Criminal Defense Clinic
• Entrepreneurial Business Law Clinic
• Criminal Prosecution Clinic
• Mediation Clinic
• Justice For Children Clinic
• Legislation Clinic

Placement Facts ¹³

Starting Salaries (2015 Graduates Employed Full-Time)

Private sector (25th-75th percentile)	$ 59,000 - $105,000
Median in the private sector	$75,000
Median in public service	$50,000

Employment Details

Graduates known to be employed at graduation	55.7%
Graduates known to be employed ten months after graduation	85.8%

Areas of Legal Practice

Graduates Employed In	Percentage
Law Firms	42.1%
Business and Industry	27.5%
Government	18.1%
Judicial Clerkships	5.3%
Public Interest Organizations	4.1%
Academia	2.9%
Unknown	0%

Externships/Internships ^14-15

Externships

Students may choose between two externship programs: the Judicial Externship Program and the Public Interest/Governmental Externship Program. The goal of both programs is to provide students with valuable, practical experience in an academic setting that monitors the quality of their placements and asks students to reflect critically upon their experiences.

Approximately 30 students per semester work as judicial externs in a number of courts in Central Ohio, including the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio, the Ohio Supreme Court, the Ohio Court of Appeals for the Tenth Appellate District, and the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, General, Domestic Relations and Juvenile Divisions.

In addition, the Public Interest Externship Program places approximately 30 students per semester in state and federal governmental agencies and with non-profit organizations.

Students interested in Spring 2017 externships may submit an application, a resume, and a 5-page writing sample to Monte Smith by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. Submissions may be made by email (smith.747@osu.edu) or by delivering a hard copy to Room 104.

Internships

Washington, DC, Summer Program

Each summer, approximately 20 students have the opportunity to take part in the Washington, D.C., Summer Program. Students work in substantive externships in D.C., accompanied by a high-quality academic program and a summer in the nation’s capital. The externship lasts at least seven weeks and students work at least 20 hours per week, in conjunction with taking classes. Students are paired with a supervisor at their externship, and the supervisor ensures that at least 80 percent of the student’s time is substantive work.

Student Organizations ¹⁶

• Advocates for Children
• American Civil Liberties Union
• American Constitution Society
• Asian/Pacific American Law Students Association
• Black Law Students Association
• Beyond the Law
• Business Law Society
• Christian Legal Society *
• Criminal Law Society
• Dispute Resolution and Youth
• Environmental Law Association
• Federalist Society
• Health Law Society
• I/S: A Journal of Law and Policy for the Information Society
• Immigration Law Society
• Intellectual Property Law Society
• Inter-Professional Council
• International Justice Mission
• International Law Society
• J. Reuben Clark Law Society
• Jewish Law Students Association
• Labor & Employment Law Association
• Latino Law Students Association
• Law School Democrats
• Law School Republicans
• LL.M.-JD Connections
• Mentoring Collaborative Student Association
• Middle Eastern Law Students Association
• Military Law Students Association
• Moot Court and Lawyering Skills Governing Board
• Moritz Community Outreach Project
• Moritz Education Law Society
• Ohio State Business Law Journal
• Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law
• Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution
• Ohio State Law Journal
• OutLaws
• Pro Bono Research Group
• Public Interest Law Foundation
• Real Estate Law Association
• SPEAK
• Sports and Entertainment Law Association
• Street Law
• Student Animal Legal Defense Fund (SALDF)
• Student Bar Association
• Truancy Mediation Project
• Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)
• Women’s Legal Society

References

1. http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/about/about-moritz/departmental-directory/
2. http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/about/
3. https://premium.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/ohio-state-university-moritz-03126
4. https://premium.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/ohio-state-university-moritz-03126/admissions
5. https://premium.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/ohio-state-university-moritz-03126/cost
6. https://moritzlaw.osu.edu/registrar/academic-information/grading-policy/
7. https://moritzlaw.osu.edu/registrar/academic-information/grading-policy
8. https://moritzlaw.osu.edu/registrar/academic-information/
9. https://moritzlaw.osu.edu/alumni/alumni-awards/past-winners/
10. http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/academics/law-journals/
11. http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/students/groups/moot-court/about/
12. http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/clinics/
13. https://premium.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/ohio-state-university-moritz-03126/career-prospects
14. http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/externships/
15. http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/washington-dc-summer-program/
16. http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/campus-life/student-groups/