Jens David Ohlin
Allan R. Tessler Dean and Professor of Law
Jens David Ohlin is the Allan R. Tessler Dean and Professor of Law at Cornell Law School, having served as dean since July 2021. Trained as both a lawyer and a philosopher at Columbia University, his research spans criminal law, international law, the laws of war, and emerging technology in armed conflict. He has authored multiple casebooks and monographs, including works on election interference and autonomous weapons published by Cambridge and Oxford University Press. Before joining the Cornell faculty, he clerked for Judge Jon O. Newman of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.
Teaching Style
Dean Ohlin brings a philosopher's precision to his criminal law and international law courses, frequently using the Socratic method to probe the moral and theoretical foundations of legal doctrines. He cold-calls regularly and expects students to engage with both the doctrinal rules and the philosophical underpinnings of criminal liability. His classes move briskly and he often draws connections between domestic criminal law and international humanitarian law.
Cold Call Tips
- 1Master the elements of each crime and be prepared to apply them to novel fact patterns
- 2Understand the philosophical justifications for punishment theories, as he will ask you to defend your position
- 3Read the assigned casebook sections carefully since his own casebook structures the analysis he expects
- 4Be ready to discuss current events related to international law and armed conflict
Areas of Expertise
Education
- J.D., Columbia Law School
- Ph.D., Columbia University
- M.Phil., Columbia University
- B.A., Skidmore College
Notable Publications
- Criminal Law: Doctrine, Application, and Practice (casebook)
- Election Interference: International Law and the Future of Democracy (Cambridge University Press)
- Defending Democracies: Combating Foreign Election Interference in a Digital Age (Oxford University Press)
Research Interests
More Professors at Cornell Law School
Constitutional Law, Federal Courts, Constitutional Interpretation
Constitutional Law, First Amendment, Law and Religion
International Economic Law, Law and Development, International Trade, Immigration Law
Law and Technology, Health Law, Information Privacy, Administrative Law
Administrative Law, Constitutional Law, Legislation and Regulation, Law and Political Economy