News & Events

New Student Commons Announced

August 17, 2011

Contact: Barbara Peck, (614) 292-0283

The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law is proud to announce the development of the Dinsmore & Shohl Student Commons, a construction project that will include a transformation of its student space/ locker area. The Student Commons is made possible thanks to the generosity of Moritz alumni at Dinsmore & Shohl LLP along with a matching gift from the firm. The successful fundraising initiative was led by Frank C. Woodside III '69 and Donald B. Leach '82, who secured contributions from their fellow Moritz alumni who range from Classes 1966 through 2009.

Originally built in 1959, the student locker area is the last remaining part of the original building to be remodeled. The project will include new lockers, flooring, ceilings, utilities, mailboxes, furniture, and more.

"I am picturing an area that is comfortable, practical and fun – a place for students to gather, interact, blow off a little steam periodically," said Leach. "It should be a setting, hopefully, that builds the camaraderie. I know I really enjoyed the social aspects and personal relationships at the law school. Part of that was hanging around the lockers. If we can facilitate that, it would be a great success."

The area is used by students multiple times a day and also includes information on student organizations and upcoming events. The corridor leading to the student journal suites also will be remodeled.

"There has not been a lot of change to this area since we were in school," Woodside said. "Don and I talked and decided sometimes it’s better to just do things for the students, and that’s how we ended up where we are. When we looked at it, not only had we become one of the top 10 law offices in Columbus, but firm-wide, we had a lot of Ohio State graduates. We thought there were enough people who should be able to come up with the funds to tackle the project."

The Dinsmore & Shohl Student Commons will be designed by M + A Architects. A committee comprised of Moritz faculty, staff, and students will be working with the architect throughout the 2011-12 school year on renderings, design, and key features. Construction is scheduled to begin in May 2012 and should be completed by the start of classes in August 2012.

“The firm and alumni at Dinsmore have been extremely generous, and there is no other project that will impact almost every student every day,” said Alan C. Michaels, dean and Edwin M. Cooperman Professor of Law. “This project clearly demonstrates the Buckeye spirit and pride that is passed from one generation of students to the next.”

A major expansion to Drinko Hall and the Moritz Law Library was completed in 1992-93. Other recent major renovation projects include the development of the Barrister Club, the addition of Lou's Cafe, the creation of the Frank C. Woodside III Moot Courtroom, remodeling of the classroom corridors, and the addition of smart technology to all classrooms.

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