Ohio Northern University

The University

Mike Okelloh (Kenya) Class of 2008

Founded in 1871, Ohio Northern University is a small, private institution located in the village of Ada in northwest Ohio. A private university offering a diverse, dynamic and unique learning community, the school provides rigorous professional programs in partnership with the arts and sciences. Its 3,500 students study for graduate and undergraduate degrees in five colleges: Arts and Sciences, Engineering, Business Administration, Pharmacy, and Law.

The Law School

Claude W. Pettit College of Law

The College of Law, established in 1885, is the second oldest law school in Ohio. It has enjoyed a rich and distinguished history, with many outstanding graduates achieving success as lawyers, judges, scholars, and public officials. The college consists of a diverse team of scholars, teachers, and administrators working together to enhance the students' education and transition into the profession through small classes and personal attention. Its long commitment to training lawyers for public service is being continued and expanded through its international LL.M. program.

The Program

Class of 2008 in Washington D.C.

The LL.M. in Democratic Governance and Rule of Law is a unique degree program designed for young lawyers from transitional democracies who have a commitment to public service. It is highly focused on providing the tools for building sustainable legal and democratic institutions, requiring the majority of its coursework, including the study of comparative constitutional and administrative law, the American legal system, and corruption and its effect on free markets and governance. Students are required to write a significant paper analyzing and proposing a solution to a governance problem in their home country as a capstone project.

The program seeks a small class of 12 to 16 students who are lawyers engaged in public service in their home countries. In its first two years 19 young lawyers from 13 different countries have participated in the program. From Africa to Eastern Europe and the states of the former Soviet Union and Asia, the students have brought their diverse backgrounds and experiences to Ohio to share and learn. With full financial support for most of the students, the program seeks to provide an opportunity for those not able to afford study abroad. In return, the program requires a two-year commitment to public service upon graduation.

Unlike many international LL.M. programs in the United States, students are required to successfully complete seven mandatory courses, including their capstone seminar course. These courses provide an integrated, rigorous approach to enhancing the skills necessary for promoting democratic governance and reinforcing the rule of law in transitional democracies.

Closely interwoven into the curriculum are specialized weekend programs with international experts and field study experiences at every level of government and courts, including in Washington, D.C. Highlighting the program are opportunities for extended private meetings and discussions with a range of senior judges, government officials, members of the media and NGO leaders. These activities all support the program’s goal of providing young reform-minded lawyers a new set of skills to continue their efforts when they return home with their LL.M. degree.

The Faculty

The faculty and administrators of the LL.M. program have outstanding academic credentials, teaching experience in a variety of cultures, and a range of experiences with democracy and governance programs in transitional democracies. Key figures in the program include:

Professor Howard N. Fenton is the Director of the LL.M. program. A graduate of the University of Texas School of Law, he has over 30 years of experience in administrative and legislative law, and public international and international trade law. For the past twelve years he has consulted on law reform in developing democracies, focusing on reforms in administrative law and procedure, the legislative process, and public participation and awareness. He has authored numerous materials on law reform and served as chief of party for the USAID funded Rule of Law Project in Tbilisi, Georgia from 2001-2002. Professor Fenton also teaches Comparative Administrative Law and the capstone Rule of Law Seminar to the LL.M. students.

Professor Maximilian B. Torres, Jr. received his J.D. from Harvard Law School and Ph.D. from IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain. He has taught business and ethics related courses in both Spain and the United States and has worked as a financial consultant and account executive. Professor Torres has published multiple articles and book chapters and has presented at conferences in Germany, Mexico, Italy, Spain, Finland, Portugal and the United States. He teaches Legal Context of American Business in the LL.M. program.

Professor Elena V. Helmer received her law degree with honors from Kazakh State University School of Law and an LL.M. from Yale University Law School. She has taught in law schools in Russia, Kazakhstan, and the United States. Her numerous presentations, articles and books, include International Commercial Arbitration (in Russian), written under an International Policy Fellowship from the Open Society Institute. Professor Helmer teaches the Introduction to the American Legal System and Competitiveness and Corruption courses in the LL.M. program.

Entry Requirements

Ohio Northern is seeking highly qualified lawyers from across the globe with a strong commitment to advancing democratic principles and rule of law to share in our LL.M. experience. While our focus is on lawyers from transitional democracies, we also welcome lawyers from developed democracies who share the commitment to the rule of law and would like to advance their understanding and qualifications for international democracy and governance reform.

Admission is open to lawyers with two to five years experience in the public or non-profit (NGO) sectors, working on governance and rule of law issues. For those applicants who are not native English speakers, or who have not received a significant portion of their education in English, a PBT TOEFL score of 600 or higher, a CBT TOEFL score of 250 or higher or a IBT TOEFL of 100 or higher is required. An IELTS score of 6 or higher is also acceptable.

Additional criteria include a recognized law degree, admission to the bar, and recommendations (including those from employers, and U.S. foreign aid offices and contractors). The personal statement from the applicant will also be weighed heavily. A personal interview, either in person with one of our faculty and staff, or by telephone, is also required.

Application Procedure

To begin the application process, interested lawyers should send a current CV to llm@onu.edu with a brief statement of interest. We will review your CV and indicate whether or not you are competitive for the program. If you are, we will ask you to begin the formal application process. All of those forms and detailed requirements can be found on our website. llm.onu.edu Here is a list of the steps you will need to complete:

1. Application form.

2. An official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score from The Educational Testing Service, sent directly to Ohio Northern University College of Law.

3. A 300 word essay describing your interest in public service, rule of law and democratic governance.

4. 3 Letters of Recommendation

5. An Employer Statement

6. Personal or telephone interview

Tuition and Fees

The following numbers are projected costs for the 2008-2009 school year. Please see the “Financial Aid” section below, since the majority of our international students receive significant financial support.

Tuition and technology fees: $34,725.00

Housing : $5,880.00
(two-bedroom campus apartment, double occupancy)

Meal Plan: $1,800.00

Books: $1,800.00

Financial Aid

The University recognizes that lawyers committed to public service most often lack the financial resources for advanced international study. We are committed to providing as much financial support as possible for our most qualified students.

Full financial support

Highly qualified international attorneys whose experience demonstrates a commitment to public service who are accepted to the LL.M. program will be fully supported during their studies. Tuition and fees, books, room and board, travel, and a monthly stipend are all provided. Each year there are 8 to 12 fully funded positions available. These are highly competitive and require a well-documented record of public service.

Partial tuition scholarships

There are a limited number of half-tuition scholarships available for international attorneys who are not accepted with full financial support. The program encourages these applicants to seek financial support from their governments and other organizations with available resources.

American and developed democracy students

The program is open to a limited number of young lawyers from the United States and other developed democracies to study and live with the international students. These positions do not include financial support from the university, although the program will facilitate financial aid from other sources.

Location

Ada, Ohio is a quaint Midwestern town of 5,582 residents. With a coffee shop on the corner across from the local pharmacy, a college pizza parlor, a boutique next to the Mexican restaurant and a movie theatre charging only $3.50 per ticket, Ada captures the spirit of small town America. The grain elevators and the railroad running through the center of town speak of one dimension, the university with its five colleges and new facilities make a strong statement about another aspect of the American heartland. Studying in an international program in this small town setting allows a focus and interaction with faculty and fellow students that builds an educational foundation unmatched in urban environments.

Accommodation

The LL.M students will reside in campus apartments. Two LL.M students will share a fully furnished, air conditioned, two bedroom apartment with a shared bathroom, living room and fully equipped kitchen. The apartments also include a desktop computer for each student, Internet service, cable television, and local telephone service. All of these services, and the rest of their utilities, are provided through the university. University facilities include a number of dining venues and a state of the art fitness and sports facility available to the students. The park-like campus includes a 2.5 mile (4 km) running path and numerous playing fields.

Student Life

The university and law school are the focus of student activity at Ohio Northern. International peer advisors for the LL.M. students, consisting of second and third year J.D. students with an international orientation help facilitate the transition to life at the university. Numerous student organizations both at the law school and university level offer many opportunities for meeting and engaging with students and faculty. These include a range of multi-cultural and religious organizations. The many musical, literary and cultural events sponsored by the university provide a range of stimulating activities. Regularly scheduled trips to surrounding larger communities offer opportunities for shopping and socializing as well.