The Ohio State University - Moritz College of Law

The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law is ranked in the top 15 public law schools in the United States. While The Ohio State University is the third largest university in the U.S., the Moritz College of Law is comparatively small. Our LL.M. program is limited to just 40 students. This setting offers you two sides of a very special coin. You can enjoy a feeling of closeness with your classmates, and receive the personal service and attention that a program of this size allows. You can also experience Ohio State's active, diverse campus life, along with 6,800 other international students who have chosen this place as their home away from home.

Our faculty members are accessible and approachable, and foster a collegial atmosphere that makes students feel at home. It is a learning environment second to none.

The year-long program integrates foreign LL.M. students into J.D. classes, providing them with more than 150 classes and seminars from which to craft the LL.M. that best suits their interests and career goals. Students are required to successfully complete 24 semester credits to earn the LL.M. degree.

There are three ways to structure one's LL.M. studies. First, an LL.M. student may choose to pursue a truly general LL.M. that provides the candidate with a broad understanding of the fundamentals of U.S. law, electing to take courses in torts, contracts, constitutional law, etc.

Alternatively, an LL.M. student may opt to focus on areas of particular interest or relevance to the his/her career, by selecting a wide variety of courses.

Or, a student may take 12 of the 24 required credits in a certain subject area to achieve a certificate in one of the six designated LL.M. concentrations:
Corporate Law
Criminal Law and Procedure
Dispute Resolution
Intellectual Property and Information Law
International Law, or
Labor and Employment Law

Regardless of the path chosen, LL.M. students will graduate from this program with new skills to further their careers, as well as with the tools needed to function effectively in an increasingly global economy.

For more information, please view our viewbook at: http://issuu.com/moritzlaw/docs/llm-viewbook-2014-final?e=4789123/9359694 or our brochure at http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/admissions/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2014/11/llm-informational-brochure.pdf

One of the largest universities in the U.S., Ohio State is ranked as one of the top 20 public universities by U.S. News & World Report, and has 13 graduate and professional programs ranked in the top 10.

The international student population at Ohio State has grown steadily since 2009 from 4,238 students to 6,800 and ranks 14th in the nation. The campus hosts nearly 1700 visiting scholars each year.

Ohio State's Global Gateways give the university a physical presence in key parts of the world. Gateway offices in Shanghai, China; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Mumbai, India enable the university to forge new partnerships, recruit international students, facilitate faculty research, provide new ways to partner with Ohio-based businesses, and reconnect with a growing international alumni base. Other offices are planned for Istanbul, Turkey, and Warsaw, Poland.

The Ohio State University received NAFSA's Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization in 2014, which recognizes institutions for overall excellence in internationalization efforts as evidenced through best practices in engagement, programming, curriculum/faculty development and outreach. The Simon Award is universally considered the most prestigious award for comprehensive internationalization in the U.S.

When you become an Ohio State student, you become connected to 64,000 students and over 500,000 living alumni. Around the world, we are known as Buckeyes. We know each other as friends.

Drinko Hall

The Moritz College of law is a diverse and dynamic community of students and scholars where you can expect to take classes from faculty known nationally for their scholarship and teaching. The faculty is equally dedicated to preparing students for the legal profession and to exploring the cutting edge of their disciplines. Many of the books used by law schools across America were written by Moritz professors. They publish dozens of scholarly papers each year, which influence judges, attorneys, and other scholars.

In addition to the moot court and clinical programs, many Moritz courses offer opportunities for experiential learning, incorporating client projects, simulations, and role play.

Judges, practitioners, politicians and other experts in the law frequently visit Moritz to share their thoughts. Viewing the law from a different perspective and watching public debate helps students obtain a clearer understanding of their coursework. Almost every day during the school year, there are extracurricular activities during the lunch hour and in the evening.

The Moritz College of Law is home to one of the nation's finest Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) programs, and offers many opportunities for students to learn and practice ADR techniques while in law school, culminating in the Certificate in Dispute Resolution.

Over 50 student groups give students the opportunity to hone their leadership skills and develop relationships. They are organized around law practice areas, public service, affinity and ethnicity--offering a place for everyone to get involved.

The Moritz College of Law proudly brings together students, faculty and staff from all backgrounds to learn, teach, challenge, collaborate and work together. As a result, members of our community are uniquely ready and able to address a wide spectrum of issues facing our diverse world.

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Brilliant scholars and devoted teachers, our professors are passionate about making lasting contributions in their fields of expertise and in the lives of their students.

Dean: Alan E. Michaels, Dean and Cooperman Professor of Law, Dean Michaels became Dean in November 2008. Dean Michaels clerked for Cheif Judge Wilfred Feinberg of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and then Associate Justice Harry A. Blackmun of the U.S. Supreme Court following law school graduation. Dean Michaels also spent three years in private practice representing the Major League Baseball Players Association, and then served four years as a prosecutor in New York County before joining Ohio State in 1995. From 2001 to 2003, he served Moritz as Associate Dean for Faculty and has also been a Visiting Professor at the University of Michigan.

Assistant Dean of International and Graduate Affairs, Laura Fernandez
Prior to joining The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law in 2013, Laura Fernandez worked in public international law and held various positions at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) both in Austria and Croatia. Before working for the OSCE, she held short posts at the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague, the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights, and Human Rights Watch in Washington, D.C.

As assistant dean for international and graduate affairs, she is responsible for all aspects of the LL.M., M.S.L., and Visiting Research Scholars Programs at Moritz and also administers the Moritz study abroad programs at University of Oxford. She may be contacted at MoritzLLM@osu.edu or via phone at 614-292-1241.

The LL.M. program is limited to students who have:

obtained an LL.B. from a foreign country; or
completed in a foreign country the university-based legal education required to take the equivalent of the bar examination in that foreign country; or
qualified to practice law in a foreign country; or
the equivalent thereof as determined by the LL.M. Admissions Committee.

In admitting students, the LL.M. Admissions Committee will consider, among other things, outstanding academic performance, professional experience, and quality of the degree-granting institution.

Full instructions for applying can be found on our website at http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/admissions/llm/application-process/

The application is available beginning September 15; final deadline is April 15. We encourage applying early, as decisions are made on a rolling basis. Candidates who send COMPLETE applications to us by November 1 will have their applications reviewed and decisions sent out by December 1.

The following materials are required:
Application form
Application fee ($50 for international students; $40 for U.S. permanent residents)
Resume or CV
Personal statement
Official transcript with translation
Three letters of recommendation

Students must also submit recent scores for English proficiency. Minimum scores are:
TOEFL: 80 internet-based; 550 paper-based; 213 computer-based
IELTS: 6.5

Nonresident annual tuition and fees: $44,640.80
Estimated expense for books & supplies: $2,400
Health Insurance (single-student coverage for two semesters): $2,754
Estimated housing and meals: $12,142
Estimated miscellaneous expenses: $2,652
TOTAL: $64.588.80

Students determined to be Ohio residents will pay $29,688.80 in tuition and fees.

All applications completed and received by February 1 will receive priority consideration for scholarship awards. (There is no separate scholarship essay required.) All applicants will be automatically considered for all applicable scholarships. Applications received between February 1 and April 15 will be considered if funding allows.

Moritz LL.M. Scholarship
The Moritz LL.M. Scholarship is awarded to outstanding LL.M. applicants who will contribute to the intellectual diversity and strength of the LL.M. program. All applicants, regardless of citizenship, or country where their LL.B. was earned, are eligible for this scholarship. Awards range in value from $3,000 to $10,000.

Scholarship for the Americas
Lawyers who have obtained their LL.B degree in law from Central or South America will be automatically considered. The Scholarship for the Americas is merit-based and offers two (2) 40% tuition waivers per year. We are looking for candidates who demonstrate strong academic aptitude, work experience, and who will contribute to the intellectual diversity and strength of the LL.M program.

Scholarship for Africa
Lawyers who have obtained their LL.B degree in law from African countries will be automatically considered. The Scholarship for Africa is merit-based and offers two (2) 40% tuition waivers per year. We are looking for candidates who demonstrate strong academic aptitude, work experience, and who will contribute to the intellectual diversity and strength of the LL.M program.

Scholarship for Europe
Lawyers who have obtained their LL.B degree in law from European countries will be automatically considered. The Scholarship for Europe is merit-based and offers two (2) 40% tuition waivers per year. We are looking for candidates who demonstrate strong academic aptitude, work experience, and who will contribute to the intellectual diversity and strength of the LL.M program.

Scholarship for Southeast Asia
Lawyers who have obtained their LL.B degree in law from Southeast Asian countries will be automatically considered. The Scholarship for Southeast Asia is merit-based and offers two (2) 40% tuition waivers per year. We are looking for candidates who demonstrate strong academic aptitude, work experience, and who will contribute to the intellectual diversity and strength of the LL.M program.

China Excellence Scholarship
Lawyers who have obtained their LL.B. degree in law from China will be automatically considered. The China Excellence Scholarship is merit-based and offers two (2) 50% tuition waiver per year. The scholarship seeks to support students who show promise through a record of community service, academic or professional achievement, leadership and/or overcoming hardship.

COLFUTURO Grants
The Moritz College of Law offers half tuition waivers to COLFUTURO award winners from Colombia. Applicants must apply directly to the Moritz LL.M. program. COLFUTURO award recipients must provide proof of their award to the Moritz College to be awarded the tuition waiver. This award is limited to four applicants per application cycle. For full details, visit the COLFUTURO website at http://www.colfuturo.org/.

Fulbright Grants
The Moritz College of Law offers partial tuition waivers to Fulbright award winners, effectively lowering the tuition amount to Ohio resident rates. Applicants must apply through the Fulbright program in their home countries. Often applications must be received one year in advance of planned matriculation. For full details, visit the U.S. State Department's Fulbright Program for Foreign Students website at http://foreign.fulbrightonline.org/.

Columbus is the 15th largest city in the United States, with approximately 1.9 million people in the metropolitan area. Hundreds of companies are headquartered here, including retail giants The L Brands and Abercrombie & Fitch, as well as several pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, national restaurants, publishers, banks and insurance companies. Columbus is also home to the Ohio General Assembly, our state legislature. Many Moritz alumni live and work in Columbus at law firms, as in-house counsel for corporations, and for federal, state and local government.

People from nearly 100 countries call Columbus their home. Nearly every type of food can be found here, in our excellent family-owned restaurants and in international grocery stores that feature African, Asian, Halal, Latino, and South Asian products. We are home to synagogues and churches, mosques and temples.

The city cheers the swift play of its professional soccer team, the Columbus Crew, and feats on ice from its professional hockey team, the Columbus Blue Jackets. For more serene leisure activities, Columbus and surrounding areas offer miles of trails and gorges to hike, as well as rivers upon which to canoe and kayak.

Compared to other American cities, Columbus is very affordable, and boasts rental homes and apartment complexes in a variety of costs and amenities. The city has an extensive bus system that is free for Ohio State students. Columbus is within a one-day drive or a one-hour flight from 60 percent of the U.S. population.

While Columbus affords all the advantages of a major metropolitan city, it still maintains the charm and friendliness for which the Midwest is famous. It's a great place to study--and to call home.

Most graduate students opt to live in nearby apartment complexes. There are two graduate housing units on campus, each within walking distance of the Moritz College. Students can learn more about their options at https://housing.osu.edu/living-on-campus/graduate-professional-and-non-traditional-housing/.

We understand the deep commitment necessary to leave your home country and family to spend a year in unfamiliar circumstances, while doing the hardest work of your life. Having a stimulating--yet supportive--atmosphere makes a big difference in managing stress, and in being successful.

From airport pickup to graduation parties, the LL.M. Program staff are an integral part of the student experience. Our commitment: to help each student be successful during this challenging year of U.S. law study.

This assistance comes first in the form of formal counseling--on course selection, preparing for job opportunities, and cultural integration. It begins with a week-long, comprehensive orientation to law school life, and life in the United States, and continues during our lunchtime information sessions and in one-on-one meetings throughout the year.

It's not all business. By hosting parties in our homes, and trips to area attractions, we offer you a chance to get to know your fellow classmates in a more casual setting. Holiday dinners, barbeques, apple picking, trips to Amish Country--these are just a few of the events planned each year. These special times together create a bond between students--and staff--that lasts a lifetime.

The American Law and Language Program is a non-credit, non-degree program designed to provide individuals who have studied, or are currently studying, law outside of the U.S. with a broad exposure to major concepts in U.S. law and American legal training. This program is a wonderful resource for incoming Moritz LL.M. students to gain hands-on preparation for their master's studies, as well as practicing attorneys, judges, business law professionals, and those preparing to join any LL.M. program in a U.S. law school.

The American Law and Language Program is a full-time, three-week intensive program. Registrants will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the program; no academic credit toward any degree will be assigned.

For more information, please visit: http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/admissions/llm/american-law-language-program/