Summer Program in Columbus, Ohio: The Foundations of U.S. Law & Practice

The Program is taught by Moritz College of Law’s leading law professors, federal and state judges, and law firm practitioners. All sessions are delivered in the U.S. law school-style lectures, simulations, and interactive workshops. The sessions, including site visits, will be held between 9 a.m.-3:00 p.m. each day. Outings and social gatherings may take place in the evening.

Through approximately 22 hours of instruction each week, participants are enriched academically and culturally through three distinctive modules: Introduction to U.S. Legal Systems; Dispute Resolution; and Corporate and Business Law, supplemented with teaching Legal English each week. 

• Gain broad exposure to the basic legal principles of U.S. law, international law and transnational law, as well as to the U.S. legal profession within just 3 weeks.
• Earn a certificate: You will receive a certificate of completion for each week you attend to share with prospective employers and your professional network.
• Flexibility: You can choose to study for 1 week, 2 weeks, or all 3 weeks. In offering a flexible program, we cater to your interest in focusing on a specialized topic or in gaining knowledge in various topics at the same time.
• Set yourself up for success: With the knowledge and lawyering skills you gain from this program, you will be able to demonstrate to employers that you’re growth-driven, hardworking, and have valuable skills to offer.
• Gain hands-on experience: Throughout the program, you will develop insights into how to think and work like an American lawyer, by directly learning from and interacting with Moritz faculty experts, federal and state judges, and practicing attorneys at law firms in Columbus.

Registrations are accepted and considered on a rolling basis. Registration is open until May 1, 2024.

We reserve the right to cancel this program in compelling circumstances that prevent the program from being held. All fees will be immediately returned in the event of cancellation.

Registration Process:

• Complete a simple online registration form.
• A $200 deposit is required at the time of registration. The deposit will be applied towards the total program fee.
• Upload to the online registration form the following documents:
  • a Resume/CV (required)
  • Optional proof of English proficiency:
    • TOEFL Score (80)
    • IELTS Score (6.0)
    • Duolingo: 90-105

If you do not have an English score readily available at the time of applying or your English scores are lower than the suggested scores above, we can interview you to determine your English level. U.S permanent residents and citizens, or applicants whose first law degree or any other post-secondary degree was or is in English, are deemed to have sufficient level of English to participate in this program.

Dates: June 10-28, 2023

• Week 1: June 10-14 (Foundations of U.S. Law)
• Week 2: June 17-21 (Dispute Resolution)
• Week 3: June 24-28(Business and Corporate Law)

Participants may choose to register for all of three weeks or for an individual week.

Costs:

3-week option:

• Cost: $2100

1-week option:

• Cost: $1000 per week

The program fees include site visits, outings and transportation to these events as noted on the agenda. The program fees DO NOT include:

- Transportation (to and from Columbus; to and from airports; and transportation within the city with exception of program outings)
- Lodging and most meals
- Optional social activities recommended by International & Graduate Affairs staff
- Optional guest pass to use the recreational facilities at OSU

Payment Information

A $200 deposit is required at the time of registration. The deposit will be applied towards the total program fee. The balance of the program fee will be due by May 31. You also have the option of paying the full program fee at the time of registration.

Deposit or full program fee must be paid via credit card and is refundable only where the applicants are not accepted to the program or if the program is cancelled. The Moritz College of Law reserves the right to cancel this program in compelling circumstances that prevent the program from being held (such as low enrollment, or health and safety emergencies). In the event of cancellation, all fees will be immediately returned to the original method of payment.

• Cericola, Kessia: U.S./Brazil Business Attorney
  • Expertise: Business transactions, entity formation, contract negotiation, licenses & regulation.
• Chow, Daniel: Frank E. and Virginia H. Bazler Chair in Business Law
  • Expertise: International trade law, international business transactions, international intellectual property, and Chinese law.
• Cole, Sarah: Professor of Law, Michael E. Moritz Chair in Alternative Dispute Resolution, Moritz College of Law
  • Expertise: Alternative dispute resolution, arbitration, clinical education, labor and employment, mediation
• Deason, Ellen: Professor Emeritus in Law
  • Expertise: Alternative dispute resolution, civil procedure, clinical education, litigation and courts, mediation
• Froehlich, William: Langdon Fellow in Dispute Resolution
  • Expertise: Nonprofit law, business responsibility, dispute resolution
• Garvin, Larry: Lawrence D. Stanley Professor of Law
  • Expertise: commercial law, contracts, law & economics, small business finance.
• Geigel, Henrique: Associate, Vorys, Columbus office
  • Expertise: Commercial litigation; general business and product liability litigation.
• Lewis, James; Attorney; former Co-Chair of the Moritz International & Graduate Affairs Advisory Council
• O’Connell, Caroline, Adjunct Professor; Moritz College of Law
• Oles, Kevin, Senior Managing Associate, Thompson Hine
  • Expertise: Business litigation, construction, international trade, international arbitration
• Pham, Tra: Doctor of Laws; Assistant Dean for Graduate and International Affairs, Moritz College of Law
  • Expertise: International investment law and arbitration
• Quigley, John: President’s Club Professor Emeritus of Law
  • Expertise: International public law; human rights; international dispute resolution
• Rose, Paul: Robert J. Watkins/Procter & Gamble Professor of Law; Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives; Director, Law, Finance & Governance
  • Expertise: Corporate finance, corporate governance, corporate law, foreign trade and investment, hedge funds, mergers & acquisitions, private equity funds, securities law, venture capital.
• Schmitz, Amy: Professor, John Deaver Drinko-Baker & Hostetler Chair in Law
  • Expertise: AI/Data analytics and the law, alternative dispute resolution, arbitration, consumer law, contracts, legal tech, online dispute resolution
• Settineri, Colleen: Assistant Clinical Professor
  • Expertise: Legal writing & research
• Simmons, Ric: Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer Professor for the Administration of Justice and Rule of Law
  • Expertise: Administrative law, criminal law & procedure, evidence.
• The Honorable Judge Edmund A. Sargus: U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Ohio
• Vasquez, Liliana: Law Clerk, Simakovsky Law
  • Expertise: Dispute resolution, immigration law
• Wilson, Paige: Assistant Clinical Professor of Law
  • Expertise: Business law, corporate law, venture capital, entrepreneurship
• Ziegler, Stephanie: Reference Librarian, Moritz College of Law
  • Expertise: Legal analysis & writing, legal research

Learn more about our instructors: Faculty biographies

Visa Information

Participants in this Program can enter the U.S. on a visitor visa (B-1 for tourism or B-2 for business.) The Moritz College of Law can provide the participants with an invitation letter upon their request for the purpose of applying for the B-1 or B-2 visa.

Students coming to the U.S. in the Fall to study in an LLM program at Moritz or other U.S. schools may enter the U.S. with their I-20s thirty (30) days before the first day of their LLM program (date marked on their I-20).

Housing Information

1. We have on-campus housing options for summer program participants:

• Single rooms or shared flats (you will have your own rooms but share living and kitchen space) cost $62/night plus tax.
• If you are not interested in sharing a space, you can pay for the whole apartment at the cost of $124/night plus tax.
• You will have full access to a shared fully equipped kitchen where you can cook, wash dishes and utensils, and store food.
• View details about on campus housing and how to book a room here.

2. We also arrange to get special hotel rates at:

• Hyatt House. We will provide the booking information in our admission letters to the program's participants. ($139/night for king rooms (sleep up to 2 people) or $149/night for studio king suites with kitchenettes; sleep up to 4 people), plus tax.
• Fairfield Inn & Suites Columbus OSU: 109$/night plus tax, for a standard king room that can accommodate 2 people.

Please contact moritzfoundations@osu.edu if you want to book a room in one of these hotels.

Participants may also consider Airbnb or the Wayfaring Buckeye Hostel.

Health Insurance

It is recommended that all Foundations participants purchase international travel/health insurance to cover any possible medical expenses they may incur while there are in the U.S. Incoming Fall semester LLM students at Moritz College of Law who arrive in the U.S. early to participate in Foundations are eligible to purchase OSU Student Insurance to cover them during the program (Note: OSU Student Insurance normally begins coverage in mid-August). More information can be found on the OSU Student Insurance page (contact information is at the bottom of the page).

Non-OSU participants in Foundations are not eligible to purchase OSU Student Insurance.

Guest Pass for Recreational Facilities

The Ohio State University is home to one of the nation's largest campus recreational facilities, the Recreation and Physical Activities Center (RPAC) as well nine other recreational facilities. The RPAC is a multi-purpose facility complex that combines innovative fitness spaces, versatile event areas and an active atmosphere, located in the heart of campus, southeast of Ohio Stadium. Foundations program participants have the option of purchasing a guest pass that allows access to all OSU recreational facilities at the following rates:

7 days - $35 each

14 days - $50 each

30 days - $65 each

Participants wanting to purchase guest passes for the recreational facilities should email the following information to MoritzFoundations@osu.edu by Monday, June 27, 2022: Name, date of birth, gender and desired pass duration (7 days, 14 days, 30 days). Payment for guest passes can be made in cash or check upon arrival to Moritz College of Law.

The in-person Foundations program takes place at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law located on the campus of The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio – the nation’s 14th largest city and 3rd largest capital city. Drinko Hall houses a three-floor law library that provides ample room for individual and group study. The entire campus of The Ohio State University is fully equipped with wireless internet access and is conveniently located near many of Columbus’ key attractions including the Ohio Statehouse, the Short North Arts District, the Arena District, Huntington Park, and the Franklin Park Conservatory. Being the 3rd largest university in the United States, Ohio State boasts state-of-the-art facilities and outstanding resources that make the institution stand out from its national peers.

Participants in the in-person summer program have the option of taking additional online modules to supplement your learning. The online modules do not overlap with the curriculum of the in-person Foundations program and is a great tool to deepen your knowledge in major legal practice areas. The online modules are also available as a stand-alone program option for those unable to attend the in-person program.

The online modules include: “Corporate Law and Practice”, “International Business Law”, “Intellectual Property Law” and “Dispute Resolution.” These are self-paced, asynchronous modules and you can enroll in any of the modules at any time. Each module includes approximately 4-4.5 hours of faculty lectures. 

Cost: $150 per module or $500 for all four modules.

Visit the Online Foundations Program page for more information.

The LLM program at Ohio State Moritz College of Law draws upon the excellence in teaching and research at the best law school in Ohio and one of the best public law schools in the U.S. The LLM program is designed for foreign law graduates and foreign lawyers who wish to advance their legal education and careers in a stimulating academic environment.

The LLM program features a career-oriented curriculum with offerings of doctrinal courses in major legal practice areas and experiential learning courses. The program equips LLM candidates with essential lawyering skills and real-life work experience to meet the demand of the global legal market. LLM students also have the opportunity to sharpen their legal analysis, research, and writing skills through a broad array of seminar courses and participation in a number of journals.

A flexible degree, the LLM program allows students to design their curriculum that best suits their career goals. Students may select from over 100 courses in different areas of U.S., transnational and international law, and pursue a general curriculum or a specialized curriculum in six academic concentrations. The LLM program also offers courses that foreign-trained lawyers are required to take to qualify to sit for the bar exams in the U.S., such as Ohio, New York, California, and Washington D.C.

We invite you to explore the LLM experience at Moritz and the excellence of our faculty.

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. The Moritz College of Law is also home to one of the nation's best Alternative Dispute Resolution programs (currently ranked #2 in the U.S.), and offers many opportunities for students to learn and practice ADR techniques while in law school, culminating in the Certificate in Dispute Resolution.

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 11,000 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.

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. It has 13 graduate and professional programs ranked in the top 10. The Ohio State University is also ranked among the top 100+ universities by the QS World University Rankings and listed in the Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities.

The international student population at Ohio State has grown steadily since 2009 from 4,238 students to 7,000 students 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 essential 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 plan for Istanbul, Turkey, and Warsaw, Poland. 

The Ohio State University received NAFSA's Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization in 2014, recognizing institutions for overall excellence in internationalization efforts as evidenced by 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.

Watch the exciting campus life at The Ohio State University.

Columbus is the 14th 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 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. In addition, 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. In addition, 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 famous charm and friendliness of the Midwest. As a result, it’s a great place to study--and to call home. Watch this video to learn more about our lively and growing city.