UUniversity Reviews

9 Best Law Schools in Ohio | 2023 Ranking

  • February 21, 2023

Law is a profession that has endured for generations; people have always needed the services of the law, and justice has always been sought through any legal system. In Ohio, the demand for lawyers has increased over time, and it has fallen on the shoulders of the Best Law Schools in Ohio to design the best curriculum to fulfill this expanding demand.

Ohio, popularly known as the Buckeye State, has a thriving economy. The overall number of people employed in 2016 was 4,790,178, according to the US Census Bureau.

The total number of unique employer establishments was 252,201, and the state was ranked second in the country for best business climate by Site Selection magazine, based on a business-activity database.

There is no doubt that competent and smart lawyers will be needed to handle the large inflow of legal issues that have been rising due to the state’s economic growth.

The need for the best universities to generate the best lawyers is always a worry, but Ohio has not one, but nine exceptional institutions that are always competing to produce the best students, with many alumni working in very respected firms and government positions throughout the state and country.

With that knowledge, you can be confident that studying law at any of Ohio’s outstanding schools will put you on the right track for a successful legal career.

Table of contents

Why should you study law in Ohio?

Because Law is a competitive and renowned degree, it is critical that you prepare yourself before beginning your search for the correct institution so that you can compare apples to apples. The majority of prestigious law schools are extremely competitive and costly.

When you graduate from a prestigious law school, you will be highly sought after by employers at some of the country’s top law firms, which explains why law degrees in the United States are held to such high standards. But why study law in Ohio?

You have the option of choosing from nine accredited institutions in the state, providing a wide range of options and opportunities, as opposed to some states that only have two or one law school to choose from.

Career Outlook for Lawyers in Ohio

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunitie2022s for lawyers will expand by 6% by 2028. Individuals, organizations, and all levels of government will use legal services in a variety of areas, hence the demand for legal services is projected to persist.

However, with so many people graduating from law school looking for work, this number may not be large enough to accommodate everyone who wants to work in the industry.

Attorneys in Ohio earn an average of $111, 944 per year. Lawyers in the following cities in Ohio make the following salaries:

  • $137,520 in Cleveland-Elyria
  • $125,740 in Akron
  • $120,460 in Toledo
  • $117,380 in Canton-Massillon
  • $115,490 in Columbus
  • $109,210 Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA
  • $107,430 in Nonmetropolitan area of Southern Ohio
  • $106,290 in Dayton
  • $96,830 in Non-metro area of West Northwestern Ohio
  • $84,460 in Nonmetropolitan area of Eastern Ohio
  • $79,570 in Non-metropolitan area of North Northeastern Ohio
  • $73,320 in Mansfield
  • $67,600 in Lima

Accreditation

The American Bar Association (ABA) accredits law schools. The American Bar Association is a member of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) and the League of Ohio Law Schools.

How long does it take to fully become a lawyer, in Ohio?

In Ohio, a bachelor’s degree takes about four years to complete. After that, it will take you around three years to complete law school in Ohio (assuming full-time enrollment).

After that, you must take and pass the Ohio Bar Exam. Overall, becoming a lawyer in Ohio will take you a little over seven years.

Step-by-step Guidelines on how to apply to a Law School in Ohio

Submit your application by Thanksgiving

It cannot be emphasized how important it is to submit your full and finished applications to law school as soon as possible. The admissions procedure for law schools is on a rolling basis.

This means they accept students as applications come in throughout the year, from the fall through the early spring. In November, there are more spots (and scholarship money!) available than in late winter. 

Because the law school received the application in February, a student with an excellent GPA and LSAT score is frequently denied admission, whereas a student with inferior credentials who submitted early is admitted with scholarships.

By postponing, you are literally losing money. Plan on submitting your applications by the Friday following Thanksgiving. Most legal schools, of course, will accept applications until February or March. Early applications, on the other hand, ensure the best odds of acceptance.

LSAC registration is required

A non-profit association that serves more than 200 law schools around the United States, Canada, and Australia, is The Law School Admissions Council (LSAC).

Before you may take the LSAT, you must first register with the LSAC. You can schedule your LSAT administration once you’ve registered.

LSAC collects all of the resources you’ll need to apply to law schools, including your personal statement, transcripts, letters of recommendation, resume, and LSAT score. LSAC transmits them to the law schools you specify. For three years, an LSAC account is valid.

Ohio’s LSAT (Law School Admission Test)

The LSAT is the next stage on the path to law school once you have completed your bachelor’s degree (Law School Admission Test).

The standardized admission examination, which lasts six hours, is required for admission to any American Bar Association (ABA)-approved law school in the country.

The lowest possible score is 120, and the maximum possible score is 180. 

Transcripts for Undergraduates

All undergraduate transcripts are sent to LSAC, and your completed law school applications are sent to law schools. LSAC will review and analyze all curriculum, whether completed at Ohio University or elsewhere.

That example, if you retake a class at Ohio University and do better, you will usually obtain a higher mark. LSAC, on the other hand, takes both grades into account when calculating your GPA. As a result, your OHIO GPA and LSAC GPA may differ.

Recommendation Letters

Two to three letters of recommendation are required by law schools for each applicant. It’s critical to start thinking about who will write your letters well ahead of time.

If you are still in school or have recently graduated, at least two recommendations should come from faculty members who have seen and evaluated your work.

This makes writing the letter easier for the faculty member when the time comes. Someone other than professors can write the third letter.

Problem-solving skills, organizational skills, critical thinking capacity, ability to write clearly and coherently, oral communication skills, and research aptitude are all factors that law schools look for in applications.

Make certain that the letter writers you select are capable of advocating for you in these areas.

Application

Almost all law school applications are now submitted online. Many of them have the same structure. Some of them are distinctive. Some people ask some questions one way, while others ask them in a different way.

The language employed is crucial in law school and in legal practice. Please ask for an explanation if you don’t understand a question. Early in the application process, it’s a good idea to start evaluating some law school applications.

Law schools, on the other hand, will not examine any applications until all required information has been received, including the LSAT score, personal statement, transcript, and letters of recommendation.

Statement of Personal Interest

The personal statement is your chance to tell law school admissions officers a little bit about yourself. It should be unique to you. It should, albeit indirectly, argue for your admission to law school.

This is your chance to explain why you want to be a lawyer to admissions officers. Was there a specific event that inspired you to pursue a legal degree?

The personal statement should be between two and three pages in length. Some schools impose a word limit, others impose a page limit, and still, others provide no direction.

Some schools will assign a writing prompt to you. Some, though, will not. It is critical to pay close attention to the requirements of each school.

Workshops on writing a personal statement are held at the Center for Law, Justice, and Culture. Please attend one during your junior year and one during your senior year.

Resumes

Limit yourself to one page. Use traditional typefaces and colors whenever possible. You’re submitting an application to a professional school. Maintain a professional tone.

Make sure you use proper headings. 5 or 6 headings are a good rule of thumb. Make sure “objective” isn’t one of them. They are aware that you are applying to law school. This is merely a waste of space.

At the top, include your contact information, such as your name, address, phone number, and email address. Use a professional email account if possible. Education, experience, extracurricular activities, and honors/awards should all be included.

Make sure that everything you list in your law school application is correct, just like everything else. The last place you want to be is answering questions regarding flaws and omissions in your application in front of a committee of law school administrators, lawyers, or LSAC officials.

Workshops on résumé writing are held at the Center for Law, Justice, and Culture. Please attend one during your junior year and one during your senior year.

9 Best Law Schools in Ohio

1. Moritz College of Law – Ohio State University (Columbus, OH):

The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, which is ranked 38th nationally by US News, is the highest-ranked law school in Ohio in the U.S. News Law School Ranking.

This honor comes as no surprise, given Ohio State has frequently been ranked as Ohio’s top law school, Since it was founded in 1891, 120 years ago.

Students at Ohio State Law can pick from over 175 classes taught by over 50 faculty members. The school also has programs in Washington, D.C., and England, as well as one of the nation’s oldest criminal training programs, five scholarly publications, a moot court, and a lawyering skills program that consistently produces championship teams.

Budget for Students in 2022-2023
Direct Expenses (set costs over which you have no control as a student)
Annual Tuition for Ohio Residents $32,060
Annual Tuition for Non-Residents: $47,312

Indirect Expenses
Estimated Book and Supply Costs: $2,400
Housing and food costs estimates: $12,096
Sundry Expenses: $5,922
Health Insurance (OSU): $3,366

Visit https://moritzlaw.osu.edu for more information | Apply

2. School of Law at Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, OH)

Case Western Reserve University School of Law, which is located near downtown Cleveland, is ranked second among Ohio law schools in the U.S. News Law School Ranking.

In the U.S. News Law School Ranking, Case Western’s programs in health law, international law, and intellectual property law are all ranked among the top 40 in the country.

In addition, Case Western was rated one of the top 25 law schools in the US for public interest law opportunities by National Jurist magazine.

Case Western University’s curriculum includes practice opportunities. During their first year, all Case Western law students begin working with real clients, and in their third year, they participate in a semester-long, full-time, or a year-long, half-time practice experience.

Classes for the Summer

2022 Summer (per credit hour) 2023 Summer (pee credit hour)
$2,230.   $2,300
Master of Patent Practice
$2,230.   $2,300
Master in Financial Integrity
$1,800
Master in Risk Management and Compliance
N/A.    $2,300

Tuition Rates in the Fall and Spring
Fall (autumn) 2022 – Spring 2023 Fall (autumn) 2021 – Spring 2022
All participants – Per semester, up to 9 credit hours
Students who are beginning their studies (per credit hour)
$2,300 to $2,360

All participants will take 10 to 18 credit hours per semester.
Students who are new to the program 
$27,550 to $28,350 per semester.

All participants – Per semester, up to 9 credit hours
Students that are still enrolled / Continuing (per credit hour)
$2,300 to $2,360

All participants – Per semester, students take between 10 and 18 credit hours.
Students that are still enrolled / Continuing (per credit hour)
$27,550 per semester

Master in Patent Practice – Up to 9 semester credit hours
$2,300 per credit hour and $2,360 per credit hour
10 to 18 credit hours per semester for a Master in Patent Practice
$19,500 per semester and $19,500 per semester

Master in financial Integrity (per credit hour)
$1,800.     $1,800

Up to 9 credit hours per semester for the Master of Compliance and Risk Management 
N/A $2,360 per credit hour

10 to 18 credit hours per semester for a Master of Compliance and Risk Management
N/A.      $19,500 per semester

Fees
Fall (autumn) 2022 – Spring 2023 Fall (autumn) 2023 – Spring 2024
Fee for Medical Plan
$1,367 per semester and $1,596 per semester (subject to approval)

One-on-one training (Fitness)
$126 plus sales tax in the fall
$157 plus sales tax in the spring
$129 plus sales tax in the fall
$161 plus sales tax in the spring

Fee for Graduate Student Council
(Students starting in the Fall of 2015 and later)
$15 per semester $15 per semester

Fee for participation in an activity
$0 in the Fall of 2022
$37 in the Spring of 2023
$77 per semester

Transportation Fees for RTA
$47.50 per semester N/A 

Visit https://case.edu/law/ for more information | Apply

3. College of Law at the University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH)

The University of Cincinnati College of Law is ranked third among Ohio law schools in the U.S. News Law School Ranking. The Ohio Innocence Project at Cincinnati Law and the Urban Morgan Institute for Human Rights are two of the initiatives in which Cincinnati law students participate.

The Ohio Innocence Project at Cincinnati Law is dedicated to the release of all innocent people in Ohio who have been falsely convicted of a crime. The first endowed institute at a law school dedicated to international human rights law was the Urban Morgan Institute for Human Rights.

Human Rights Quarterly, the world’s leading human rights academic periodical, employs Urban Morgan students as editors.

Cincinnati is spending $45.6 million to renovate a new building for its law school, which is expected to be completed in August 2022.

Tuition and Fees for Full-Time Students (JD & LLM)
Residency Estimate
Tuition for Ohio residents $24,010
Tuition for non-residents and LLM $29,010
Kentucky metro $24,610
Indiana Reciprocity $24,010

Visit https://law.uc.edu for more information | Apply

4. Cleveland-Marshall College of Law (Cleveland, OH)

According to the U.S. News Law School Ranking, Cleveland State University Marshall College of Law is ranked fourth among Ohio law schools. Cleveland improved by 24 points from its previous U.S. News Law School Ranking, the second-largest gain among law schools.

Cleveland State University’s P. Kelly Tompkins Leadership in Law Program was one of the first in the country to teach core leadership training to law students. Cleveland State University’s “pop-up practicums” provide students with short-term, practice-based experiences on contemporary legal issues.

The Center for Cybersecurity and Privacy Protection, the Center for Health Law and Policy, and the Global Space Law Center at Cleveland State University provide opportunities for law students to study emerging businesses.

TUITION

Resident of Ohio Non-Ohio Residents
Per-credit tuition
$1,083.15 – $1087.00
Fees in General
$55.40 – $55.40
Fees for Technology
$6.50
Total

$1145.05 – $1148.90

Visit https://www.law.csuohio.edu for more information | Apply

5. Toledo College of Law, University of Toledo (Toledo, OH)

The University of Toledo College of Law is the fifth-best law school in Ohio according to the U.S. News Law School Rating.

The flexibility of Toledo’s law school program is emphasized. It provides full-time and part-time alternatives, as well as certificates of concentration in a variety of legal topics, with start dates in January or August (Criminal law, environmental law, intellectual property law, international law, and labor and employment law, for example).

Toledo also emphasizes the need of gaining real-world experience for legal students. At Toledo, every legal student takes part in a clinic, externship, or simulation.

Tuition
Tuition for a full-time student is $10,772.16 per semester.
Tuition for part-time students is $897.68 per credit hour.

Fees that are paid only once
Registration Fee for New Students: $30
Fee for a Rocket ID Card is $35.

Fees for the semester
General Fee: $52.11 per credit hour (maximum of $625.32 each semester, capped at 12 credit hours)
Service Fee: $27.11 per credit hour (maximum of $325.32 per semester, capped at 12 credit hours)
The cost of a distance learning course is $25.
Non-Ohio residents will be charged a $10 out-of-state surcharge.
Green Fund Fee for Students (waivable): $5
Fee for Legal Services (waivable): $10 in the fall, $20 in the spring and summer
The fee for a parking permit is $125.
Fee for Bar Preparation (waivable for the first five semesters of enrollment): $480
Health Plan Fee (waivable): $911 in the fall / $1,413 in the spring and summer

Visit https://www.utoledo.edu/law/ for more information | Apply

 6. Akron University School of Law (Akron, OH)

According to the US News Law School Ranking, the University of Akron School of Law is placed sixth among Ohio law schools.

In comparison to other law schools, Akron advertises its affordability, offering yearly tuition and fees of less than $25,000. Although the University of Akron School of Law is not as well-known as the T14 law schools, it has a nearly identical employment rate: 94% of 2019 Akron graduates found work within 10 months of graduation.

Akron’s intellectual property law, trial advocacy, and part-time studies programs have all been placed in the top 50 in the country during the last year.

For students interested in intellectual property law, Akron has just created an externship program in Washington, D.C. In Washington, students can work for a court, the government, a public interest organization, or another connected body in this field of law.

Judge Alice Batchelder is a graduate of the University of Akron School of Law and currently serves on the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

2021-2022 (fall and spring combined)
Residents of Ohio
Full-time/Part-time
Tuition: $21,376 – $12,826
Fees: $2,838 – $1,993
Total: $24,214 – $14,819

Non-resident
Full-time/Part-time
Tuition: $21,376 – $12,826
Fees: $2,938 – $2,093
Total: $24,314 – $14,919

Visit https://www.uakron.edu/law/ for more information | Apply

7. Dayton University School of Law (Dayton, OH)

The University of Dayton School of Law is ranked seventh among Ohio law schools in the U.S. News Law School Ranking. Dayton law students have three degree options: a traditional J.D. program, a two-year J.D. program (with summer classes), and an online hybrid J.D. plan of action (including live online classes, interactive online coursework, and 10 campus visits over four years).

In 2019, Dayton law school graduates placed third in Ohio for bar passage, with the highest improvement rate in the region (first-time bar exam takers). Patent law, copyright and trademark law, intellectual property law, computer/cyberspace law, and entertainment law are all covered in Dayton’s Law and Technology program.

BUDGET FOR STUDENTS IN FALL 2021 AND SPRING 2022
Tutoring (based on 31 semester hours)
$1,237 ($38,347) per credit hour
The university charges $260.
Charges for health, counseling, and other services $158
Books and materials $1,500
Estimated cost of living and personal expenses $17,000
Total: $57,265

Visit https://udayton.edu/law/ for more information | Apply

8. Capital University Law School (Columbus, OH)

Capital University Law School, which is located in downtown Columbus, Ohio’s capital and the country’s 15th-largest metropolitan area, is tied for eighth place among Ohio law schools in the U.S. News Law School Ranking with Ohio Northern University Pettit College of Law.

Capital’s location allows it to provide a wide range of experiential learning opportunities to its students, including in-house legal clinics, more than 150 externship sites, and other extracurricular activities.

Furthermore, Capital’s location allows students quick access to a variety of job and marketing possibilities at law firms, federal, state, and local government organizations, and Fortune 500 companies.

The Family and Teens Law Center at Capital assists children, youth, and families with legal difficulties through collaboration with the child welfare, adoption, and juvenile justice systems.

CAPITAL LAW SCHOOL COST BEFORE AID 2021-2022
JD Concentrations at Capital Law School
LL.M., Capital Law School $1,367 X credit hour
Master of Taxation from Capital Law School $710 X credit hour
Master of Legal Studies from Capital Law School $710 X credit hour
Evening Paralegal Course $412 X credit hour
Summer Paralegal Immersion Program $412 X credit hour
$412 x credit hour Life Care Planner

Visit https://law.capital.edu for more information | Apply

9. Pettit College of Law at Ohio Northern University (Ada, OH):

In the U.S. News Law School Ranking, Ohio Northern University Pettit College of Law is tied for eighth place with Capital University Law School among Ohio law schools.

Ohio Northern University is located in Ada, Ohio, in the state of Ohio’s northwestern region. PreLaw magazine rated Ohio Northern one of the “Best Schools for Public Service” in 2020.

Among private law schools in the Great Lakes region, Ohio Northern offers the lowest tuition. PreLaw magazine awarded Ohio Northern a “Best Value” law school in 2020.

In 2019, Ohio Northern was the only law school in Ohio to have a 100% bar passage percentage among first-time takers of the Ohio bar. Furthermore, Ohio Northern’s law school has a good student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1.

First-year legal studies (L-1) (including the January semester)
2021-2022 / 2022-2023
$30,130 / $30,950 
Continuing Legal Education 
$30,130 / $30,950
FEES IN GENERAL
Fees for Students (all students)
$970 / $990 
Fees for the College of Engineering (freshman, sophomore, and junior engineering students)
$700 – $700
Fee for First-Year Students
$200

Visit https://law.onu.edu for more information | Apply

Conclusion

With Ohio law schools ranking among the top in the country, there’s no limit to what you can achieve if you choose to attend one of them.

REFERENCES

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