About | Ohio Northern University

SMALL SIZE, BIG OPPORTUNITY

Each student at ONU Law is a valued member of our tight-knit community, enjoying individual attention and small class sizes. They also benefit from unrivaled access to professional networks, experiential learning and life-changing opportunities.

ONU LAW AT A GLANCE

One of five colleges at Ohio Northern University, the Pettit College of Law enjoys a rich history and distinguished academic reputation.

2ND Oldest law school in Ohio
178 Students representing 95 undergraduate institutions
20 Full-time law faculty
5,300+ Alumni

Founded in 1885, ONU Law is the second oldest of nine Ohio law schools. Throughout our long history, we’ve been affiliated with the United Methodist Church and have embraced church-related values. We welcome persons of all faiths to our community and provide a supportive environment for moral and spiritual growth.
ONU Law's mission is to provide an education that will allow students to become competent, ethical, and professional practitioners able to apply their skills and talents across a range of practice environments. The educational program is designed to provide students with a substantial opportunity to regularly interact with faculty, to gain professional skills, and to research a topic of personal interest within a critical yet collegial environment.
ONU Law has been fully accredited by the American Bar Association since 1948 and a member of the Association of American Law Schools since 1965. Fully accredited law schools are subject to comprehensive periodic site visits every ten years. Questions regarding accreditation may be directed to the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, American Bar Association, 321 North Clark Street, 21st Floor, Chicago, IL 60654, 312-988-6738.
At ONU Law, we define our value by our community--professors are mentors, upperclassmen are coaches, and classmates are cheerleaders for each other. When students graduate, they become part of a dedicated and loyal ONU Law alumni network that spans all 50 states and abroad.
Our innovative curriculum emphasizes practical training, academic support, and bar exam preparation. As a result, our students experience incredible success on the bar exam, oftentimes ranking in the top three in the state for first-time pass rates and securing rates consistently above the national averages. We also pack a mighty punch when it comes to job placement, again placing above both state and national averages.

“I was able to gain experience here that I simply would not have gotten at a larger school. I went from having zero public speaking experience to being named top attorney at a regional trial competition against large schools like Michigan and Ohio State."

Shayne Wilson, JD '20

Discover Quality of Life

ONU Law offers a quality of life not found at most larger universities. Discover peace and quiet, professors and classmates who know you by name, a safe campus, low cost of living, and a village that’s centrally located to Ohio’s major cities.

A Message from the Dean

ONU Law is a place where students, world-class faculty and staff work together to create a phenomenal learning experience. Here, you can create your professional identity, develop your legal acumen and discover your future – all in a place that feels like home.

There is transformative magic in the process of becoming a lawyer. The administrative staff, faculty and leadership team of ONU Law are here for you in every step of your journey from law student to practicing member of the legal profession.

I invite you to explore the rest of our website and visit our campus if you haven't already. We would love to greet you personally.

Meet ONU Law Administration and Faculty

Recognition of Excellence

ONU Law has been most recently recognized for our outstanding bar passage rates and for being the most affordable private law school in the Great Lakes Region.

81% First-time bar passage rate in Ohio following a two year pandemic
12:1 Student-to-faculty ratio, one of the lowest in the nation
NO. 38 For “Trial Advocacy” according to U.S. News and World Report (2022)
No. 8 In the nation, “Most Competitive Students” - The Princeton Review (2019)

HERE’S WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING

ONU Law has been lauded for providing law students with incredible value

Lowest private law school tuition in the Great Lakes Region

Ranked one of the lowest on the list for total debt upon graduation among private law schools – Law School Transparency

Designated among Best Law Schools in the 2023 edition of the Princeton Review

Named a "Best Value Law School" by PreLaw magazine (2021), meaning graduates have excellent chances of passing the bar exam and getting a legal job without taking on large amounts of debt

One of the “Best Schools for Public Service,” specifically in the government category - PreLaw magazine (2020)

No. 8 in the nation, “Most Competitive Students” - The Princeton Review (2019)

“Military Friendly School” by G.I. Jobs magazine, placing us among the top 15% of schools that are doing the most to embrace military students and ensure their success on campus

Promoting scholarship through endowed lectures

Every year ONU Law welcomes to campus some of the best legal minds in the country to share insights into the legal issues and challenges of our times. Our four endowed lecture series, made possible by generous donations from alumni and friends, enhances our intellectual environment and leads to lively debate and discussions among students, faculty and guests.

Lecture Series

Center for Democratic Governance and Rule of Law

ONU Law is committed to promoting democratic governance and rule of law throughout the world. We established a campus-based center in 2014 to achieve that end. Not just a research institution, the center and its people are engaged directly in rule of law development projects across the globe.

Learn More