Ohio Northern University—Claude W. Pettit College of Law

Introduction

Founded in 1885, the Ohio Northern University Pettit College of Law is the second oldest of the nine Ohio law schools. The college was accredited by the American Bar Association in 1948 and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools. Annually, the college enrolls more than 310 students from more than 40 states in its full-time Juris Doctor degree and concurrent JD/LLM and JD/MPPA programs. Dedicated to the rigorous pursuits of teaching and practicing law, the college's esteemed faculty is committed to fostering an open-door policy and a strong mentoring program to students with a passion for legal scholastic excellence. The College's goal is not only to educate, but also to ensure the development of practical skills, morals, and leadership needed to be successful in the practice of law. ONU Law is located in Ada, Ohio, with an off-campus legal clinic in Lima, Ohio.

The College and the University

The Claude W. Pettit College of Law is centered in Tilton Hall, a modern building that houses all law classes, two moot court rooms, and the Taggart Law Library.

The College of Law lies at the center of the 342-acre tree-lined campus. The university's facilities are readily available to all law students and are located only steps away from the law building. These facilities include walking and biking trails, a sports center, and the Freed Center for the Performing Arts. Law students may bowl, swim, and play handball, racquet sports, and basketball all year round in indoor and outdoor facilities. The sports center houses a wide variety of modern fitness machines and one of the best indoor tracks in the Midwest.

Student Life

Community is part of your law school experience.

Your involvement in cocurricular activities plays an important role in your law school experience. By participating in any of more than 20 different student organizations, you'll build long-lasting relationships with peers and faculty. Law student organizations are active in bringing speakers to campus, coordinating Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs, organizing networking events, promoting philanthropy, and doing community service.

Improve your oral advocacy and brief writing skills by participating in moot court. The Ohio Northern University Law Review, a highly respected law journal of the College of Law, is edited and published by students three times a year.

While taking a break from studying, you'll discover the cultural side of the university. Theatre, dance, music, and other programs are hosted regularly at the acclaimed Freed Center for the Performing Arts. Permanent and provisional art collections are on display at the Elzay Gallery of Art. If sports are more your interest, you can attend a game at Dial-Roberson Stadium or participate in a number of intramural sports activities at King-Horn Sports Center. You can also watch Ohio Northern athletes compete in 21 varsity sports.

Faculty

With a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio, our professors and staff will know you by name and interact with you on a personal level.

From the moment you arrive on campus, you will notice something different about our faculty. They are engaged in your education and truly interested in seeing you succeed. This is individualized attention you won't encounter at a larger school. Our professors have studied at some of the most prestigious schools in the United States—including Harvard, Columbia, Yale, and Duke—and practiced at some of the largest firms in the country. More than 50 percent of the faculty holds a PhD or LLM degree in addition to their JD degree.

Curriculum

Ohio Northern takes learning beyond traditional theory and brings the practice of law to life in the classroom.

During your first year, your studies will focus on the foundations of the law. The school's innovative first-year curriculum, however, will also introduce you to modern practice. During the first-year January term, practicing lawyers will demonstrate how legal theory shapes what they do in courtrooms and boardrooms. A court of appeals will actually hear cases in the law building during the term, giving you a chance to interact with the judges and lawyers. In the second and third years of study, students have the opportunity to take a wide array of electives.

CONCURRENT JD AND LLM: Our concurrent JD and LLM in Democratic Governance and Rule of Law degree is designed for students who have a passion for bringing democracy and law reform to developing countries. You will build valuable international relationships through domestic and overseas externships and by studying with the international LLM students. You will graduate in three years with both your Juris Doctor and LLM degrees.

INTERNATIONAL LLM: Our one-year International LLM in Democratic Governance and Rule of Law provides an opportunity for young lawyers from transitional democracies to study democracy and law at Ohio Northern.

CONCURRENT JD/MPPA: Students with an interest in taxation can earn both their law degree and a Masters of Professional Practice in Accounting within three calendar years. As a JD/MPPA student, you will take courses in the summer following your first year and be placed in an externship that will offer a valuable field experience in tax accounting following your second year.

CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS: The achievements of students who have focused their studies and excelled in areas of corporate law, bankruptcy and commercial law, criminal law, international law, public law and policy, civil litigation, taxation, and real property law will be recognized upon graduation with Certificates of Achievement.

Practical Skills

Get involved, apply your learning in a real-life scenario, and compete on a national stage.

CLINIC: By participating in a clinic, you can enhance your writing, analytical, and communication skills and garner valuable courtroom and client experience. Nearly 70 percent of ONU students choose to take advantage of this unique opportunity and participate in a clinic study before they graduate.

SKILLS COURSES: Each student must complete at least 10 hours of instruction in one of the many courses designated as skills courses. These classes will allow you to acquire actual skills you will be able to apply as a practicing attorney, such as drafting real estate closing documents, planning an estate, and writing a judicial opinion.

Career Services

Of those reporting (82 percent of the graduating class of 2010), and in accordance with NALP placement reporting standards, ONU has exceeded the national placement rate for the past nine years. Ninety-six percent of the class of 2010 was employed or enrolled in an LLM program within nine months of graduation.

We realize legal training is only part of the equation; your ultimate goal is to find a job. Our skilled staff in the Office of Career Services is here to help. We provide workshops and coordinate individual meetings to help you with résumé preparation, interviewing skills, professional image, and other career-development techniques. We also tap into our more than 5,000 distinguished alumni worldwide to offer networking options and further strengthen our recruiting channels across the country and around the globe.

Each year employers look to ONU for assistance in hiring law clerks, summer associates, and attorneys. Whether you want to pursue a career in private practice, government, business, or judicial clerkships, ONU will prepare you for a successful career and work with you to find the right job.

Admission and Financial Aid

Ohio Northern University is committed to a culturally and socially diverse student body. While Ohio Northern gives significant weight to the LSAT and undergraduate GPA, the Admissions Committee may consider other factors such as candidates' undergraduate programs, grade trends, completion of other graduate degrees, professional accomplishments, and socioeconomic or cultural barriers faced by the applicant. Although letters of recommendation are not required, letters from persons who have a basis to assess the candidate's intellectual ability and potential for success in law school, such as former professors or employers, are strongly recommended.

The Summer Starter Program is an opportunity for students whose outstanding undergraduate performance indicates probable academic success in law school, despite disproportionate LSAT scores. Candidates who qualify for the program, based on their application, will be invited to interview for the program on campus.

The College of Law also provides scholarship awards for students whose undergraduate records demonstrate academic excellence. Scholarship amounts range from $5,000 to $33,000 and are renewable provided the student maintains a 3.0 cumulative GPA at the end of the first year. Additionally, substantial scholarships may be awarded to students who excel in their first year of law school. In order to foster diversity in the student body and the legal profession, the university awards grants-in-aid to eligible students. The college generally awards approximately $4 million of institutional aid annually to all three classes.

Students are encouraged to schedule a campus visit where they can sit in on a class, meet with a financial aid counselor, tour the facilities, and talk with current students. Contact lawadmissions@onu.edu to make arrangements.

Facilities and Technology

The college contains state-of-the-art facilities, including two moot courtrooms (used as both moot courtrooms and classrooms), a technology classroom, wireless capabilities throughout the building, and classrooms equipped with plasma televisions and SMART Board technology. The college recently dedicated its Alumni Moot Courtroom, which boasts the latest technology found in courthouses around the country.

The Taggart Law Library features an outstanding collection of federal, state, and international legal materials. In addition, the technology research center is available for research, training, and printing. The library is open seven days a week and provides seating for up to 304 students. The reading rooms of the library offer ideal locations for both quiet and group study.

Applicant Profile

Ohio Northern University—Claude W. Pettit College of Law

This grid includes only applicants who earned 120–180 LSAT scores under standard administrations.

	GPA
LSAT Score	3.75+	3.50–3.74	3.25–3.49	3.00–3.24	2.75–2.99	2.50–2.74	2.25–2.49	2.00–2.24	Below 2.00
LSAT score 175–180	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Unlikely
LSAT score 170–174	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Unlikely
LSAT score 165–169	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Unlikely
LSAT score 160–164	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Unlikely
LSAT score 155–159	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 150–154	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 145–149	Possible	Possible	Possible	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 140–144	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 135–139	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 130–134	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 125–129	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 120–124	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely

Good  = Good Possibility

Possible  = Possible

Unlikely  = Unlikely