Areas of Study
International & Comparative Law
Prepare for a career in a global market
"Before arriving at Moritz I had already decided that I wanted to work in international law. In my 2L year, I took four international law classes and found them to be extremely useful and quite relevant in terms of the kind of work that I wanted to pursue after graduation. Two of the classes, International Business Transactions and International Intellectual Property, were taught by Professor Chow. The remaining two classes were both week-long courses taught by visiting practitioners as part of the Distinguished Practitioners in Residence Program in Business Law.
After my 2L year, I landed a position with an Australian law firm, working in their Ho Chi Minh City office in Vietnam. The knowledge that I gained in my international law classes proved invaluable.
After law school I hope to return to Asia and work as a corporate attorney for one of the many corporate law firms in the region. I'm confident that with the knowledge and experience I've gained at Moritz that I will achieve this goal."
Thy Nguyen
Class of 2010
Hometown: Jackson, N.J.
Summer Job: Allens Arthur Robinson, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Public international law includes the rules that govern the relations among states in order to create order, prevent war, and facilitate cooperation. It also covers the main organizations of the international community, especially the United Nations. The basic International Law course contains materials that are important for every lawyer no matter where he or she intends to practice and is recommended to all students, especially during the second year. For those with a deeper interest in international law, a wide variety of offerings are available annually. The International Law Seminar and Human Rights Law are recommended in the second or third year. Students can also pursue a Certificate in Legal Issues in International Trade and Development.
The College's international faculty have studied and practiced across countless borders, and are experts in a vast number of legal fields. Professor John Quigley, who was a research scholar at Moscow State University and a research associate in comparative law at Harvard Law School, teaches International Law and Comparative Law. His focus is international human rights. His seminar, Inter-Ethnic Conflict Resolution, examines dispute resolution issues in the context of ethnic conflicts. His numerous publications include books and articles on human rights, the United Nations, war and peace, east European law, African law, and the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Other offerings on comparative and foreign law include Professor Deason's Comparative Dispute Resolution and Professor Chow's seminar in Chinese Business Law. Students interested in practicing international business law will find there are multiple courses related to international business transactions, taxes, joint ventures, and mergers.
Professor Chow also was instrumental in launching Ohio State’s China Gateway in Shanghai. The Gateway is the result of the University’s global initiative to expand the reach and impact of its many resources with a physical presence in strategic areas of the world. Other Gateways are expected in India, Brazil, Turkey, sub-Saharan Africa, and Europe.
Moritz students also have a valuable opportunity to take several courses – whether related to international law or not – alongside international attorneys. Students in Moritz's LL.M. program, designed for foreign attorneys, take classes with juris doctor candidates. The learning environment allows Moritz students to hear and discuss the law with professionals from other countries.
Students can learn about international law as a member of the International Law Society, which strives to cultivate discussion and study of international and comparative law. Members of the International Law Society have worked across the globe, in places like England, Egypt, and Switzerland. Additionally, the organization provides global-thinking students with information about obtaining internships and careers with organizations like the United Nations and the World Bank.
Moritz offers two study abroad programs for law students. The Semester Program at Oxford runs for 15 weeks, from January to April. The University of Oxford-Ohio State University Summer Law Program is conducted at the University of Oxford from July through August.
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