Please read this guide carefully before planning an activity on behalf of a Duke Law department or student group. Should questions about the planning process arise contact Karyn Ridder, Director of Student Activities (ridder@law.duke.edu, Room 2013, 613-7159) or Linda Tucker, Special Events Coordinator (tucker@law.duke.edu, Room 2012, 613-8548). Use this guide along with the Event Planning Checklist.

Seven steps to a successful event:

1) Develop your idea and gather information
2) Plan a budget and determine funding sources
3) Choose a date and space
4) Submit the event notice form
5) Publicize your event
6) Arrange catering and/or request special services and equipment
7) Finalize all details and execute your plan

1) Develop your idea and gather information

This is the first and most critical step when planning an event. Some things to consider during this part of the process:

What type of event do you want to do?
What is the purpose of your event?
Who is the intended audience?
Who will present the program portion of the event (if applicable)?
When and where is the event to be held?
If funding is required, what are the potential sources for funds?

2) Plan a budget and determine funding sources

Before arranging for travel, catering, printing, and other expenses, it is wise to write an event budget that includes all anticipated expenditures. Make two versions of the budget, one ideal and one that reflects the bare minimum that could be spent. Present the ideal budget to the sponsoring departments, and if the sponsors deem it to be too high, present the lower budget. Determining a range of prices for each expense in advance will help you to do the most with the funds you have and avoid miscommunication with sponsors.

If you are a student group, please refer to the General Accounting Information for Student Groups

Main budget items include:

Travel (airfare, hotel, meals, mileage, etc.): When communicating with visiting speakers or participants about travel expenses, please be very clear about who will make reservations and which expenses are covered under University policy. For international travel, specific federal and University rules apply to international guests, especially in cases where an honorarium is offered. Please consult with the Associate Dean of Administrative Services, Gael Hallenbeck, at least six months in advance of the visit to determine travel preparations and University policies. For student organization trips, please review the rules concerning travel expenses before you leave.

Publicity (posters, flyers, brochures, programs, printing and mailing invitations): Publicity prices can vary drastically; determine your needs while keeping cost in mind. Publicity printed in black & white is the most cost effective but for larger events publicity printed in color may be more appropriate.

Catering Costs (food, drink, bartenders, linens, paper products or china rental): Food costs can be one of the most expensive parts of an event and it is often difficult to figure out pricing. Of course all of these depend on the vendor and the menu you chose as well as service, rental, and disposables costs, but these are some general cost breakdowns to use in figuring your budget:

Breakfast – (assorted pastries, juice, coffee) $3/ person
Lunch – (individual wraps, sandwiches, pizza or burritos without beverage) $3-$4/person
Lunch – (boxed) $5-$8/person
Receptions—(no alcohol, hot appetizers, etc.) - $15-18/person
Receptions—(wine & beer, hot appetizers, etc.) - $ 18-25/person
Reception –(desserts only) - $10-12/person
Dinner—(plated) - $30-35/ person
Dinner—(buffet) - $20-35/person

Funding Sources

Duke Bar Association Funding: (for student organizations) Please see the DBA site for more details on how to request funding from the DBA.

Office of Alumni and Development: The Office of Alumni and Development administers a Distinguished Speaker Fund. If your group would like to invite a major speaker to the school, contact Alumni and Development (613-7214, Room 1001) at least six months in advance of the event. This fund is intended to be used primarily to defray travel costs rather than to fund honoraria.

Co-Sponsoring Events: Co-sponsoring with other groups is encouraged, because it increases the number of interested students, heightens awareness, and decreases the cost to each organization. You may wish to contact another group at the Law School, elsewhere at Duke, or even in the Triangle community. Groups that are  part of national organizations, like the Black Law Students’ Association and the Federalist Society, may be able to obtain funds from the national group.

3) Choose a date and space

Choosing a date: It is important to avoid conflicts when scheduling events. Please consult the Law School Master Calendar and select several potential dates for your event. Check other calendars as well, since religious holidays may not always appear on the Law School Calendar.

Choosing a space: Decide how many people you think will attend the event. Visit the classrooms page to learn how many people a room will hold as well as images, detailed floor plans, and the audio-visual setup. You can then reserve the desired room using GroupWise.

For the Nasher Conference Room in the Dean’s Office, contact Genevra Alberti

For spaces in the Annex, contact Catherine Hall.

Large amounts of food (for example, more than pizza or chips) should be served on a loggia or in the courtyard. Kegs may be tapped only on the second-floor loggia, in the vending area.

Please refer to the classroom etiquette guide.

4) Submit the event notice form

The Event Notice Form is designed as tool to help gather all the information about your event, communicate your event planning needs, and post your event to the Master Calendar and Duke Law Daily. You must book your space before completing an Event Notice Form. This form should be submitted at least 5 days before your event.

5) Publicize your event

It is important to publicize your event through several channels. The following are effective publicity outlets:

Calendar and Duke Law Daily: To submit to both the Calendar and Daily, submit the Event Notice Form. Calendar items are automatically added to the Duke Law Daily and appear starting two days before the event. The Daily is sent every morning classes are in session to all Law School students, faculty, and staff.

Flyers/Posters: You may post flyers and posters on your group’s bulletin board and on other open bulletin boards around the school. Please refer to the posting notices guidelines. If you have a larger poster, you may post using an easel on the 2nd or 3rd Floor Loggia. Easels may be borrowedfrom the Office of Student Affairs.

E-mail Lists: You should send an invitation/notifications of your event to your group’s listserv. Most student organizations have a list, which is moderated by a student moderator. Instructions for List Moderators are available at: http://www.law.duke.edu/computing/groupwise/listmoderator. Do not send mass emails to all students, faculty, or staff. The Duke Law Daily is designed to notify the Duke Law community of all events and announcements, and to avoid excessive mass emails.

Tabling: For the 2007-2008 academic year, students can table at the Annex or inside the Law School.

Tabling at the Law Annex

• Students are responsible for getting tables and chairs and putting them back.  
• Tables and chairs are stored in the closet listed as room 109.
• Only the 4 foot tables may be used.
• Set-ups are only allowed in the 103COR Lobby. (Tables are not allowed in front of the library because of the lack of space.)

Tabling at the Law School

• Tables and chairs must be requested through a housekeeping request form, submitted at least two days in advance of the tabling.
• Tabling may be done near the benches next to the construction wall on the 3rd floor, which is to the left of Room 3041. On the 2nd floor, tabling can be done near the trophy lounge.

Media Coverage: To arrange for media coverage, contact Francis Presma. The Law School sends out a monthly e-news summary to all alumni publicizing Law School events.

Additional invitations: If you are planning a major event and would like to invite alumni, contact Susan McLean.

6. Arrange for catering and/or request special services and equipment

Catering: Here is a list of vendors for your food service needs. You should contact the caterer a week in advance:

Breakfast Items/Coffee Service

Saladelia - 489- 5776 http://www.saladelia.com/home/
Foster’s Market - 489-4114 http://www.fostersmarket.com/
Alpine Catering - 660-3909 http://www.alpinecatering.info/pages/3/index.htm
Blue Express / Three Seasons Catering – 660-3971 http://www.threeseasonscatering.com/
Nosh - 383-4747 http://www.noshfood.com/
Piper’s - 572-9767 http://pipersrtp.com/
Picnic Basket - 572-9908 http://picnicstick.com/
Whole Foods - 286-2290 http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/catering/DRH.html
Panera Bread - 419-6300 http://www.panerabread.com/menu/
The Nantucket Café - 968-8900 http://www.nantucketcafeandgrill.com/
Classic Food Service - 800-222-4369 http://www.classicfoodservicesinc.com/
Ninth Street Bakery - 286-0303 http://www.ninthstbakery.com/
Mad Hatter’s Bake Shop - 286-1987 http://www.hatterscafe.com/catering.html

Sandwiches/Subs/Boxed Lunches

Quizno's - 403-8154 http://www.quiznos.com/menu.asp
Jimmy John's - 286-5383 http://www.jimmyjohns.com/
Subway - 286-9681 http://subway.com/subwayroot/index.aspx
Jason's Deli - 493-3350 http://www.jasonsdeli.com/
Saladelia - 489- 5776 http://www.saladelia.com/home/
Nosh - 383-4747 http://www.noshfood.com/
Whole Foods - 286-2290 http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/catering/DRH.html
Panera Bread - 419-6300 http://www.panerabread.com/menu/
Piper’s - 572-9767 http://pipersrtp.com/
Picnic Basket - 490-5796 www.thepicnicbasket.net
The Nantucket Café - 968-8900 http://www.nantucketcafeandgrill.com/
Heavenly Ham - 489-3710 www.heavenlyham.com
Ninth Street Bakery - 286-0303 http://www.ninthstbakery.com/

Pizza/Burritos/& Other

Domino's - 682-3030 http://www.dominos.com/home/index.jsp
Papa John's - 682-7272 http://www.papajohns.com/
Amante Gourmet Pizza - 572-2345 http://www.amantepizza.com/ Offers 10% Duke Law Discount
Cosmic Cantina - 730-4873 ask for Lee Allison (Orders need to be called in at least 2 days in advance.)
Rudino’s Pizza & Grinders - 220-2002 http://www.rudinos.com/
Q Shack - 832-4227 http://www.theqshack.com/
George’s Garage - 286-4131 www.georgesgarage.com
Spartacus Restaurant - 949-9138 or 491-6526 http://spartacusrestaurant.com/catering.php
Maggiano’s Little Italy - 572-0070 http://www.maggianos.com/foodbeverage
Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream- 417-8931 http://www.benjerry.com/durham/catering/offers.cfm

Caterers

Blue Express / Three Seasons Catering - 660-3971 http://www.threeseasonscatering.com/
Deb McCarty - 247-6536
Savory Fare - 683-2185 http://www.savoryfarecatering.com/
Sage & Swift - 489-0642 http://www.sageandswift.com/
Durham Catering Company - 489-9535 http://www.durhamcateringco.com/
The Catering Company - 929-4775 http://www.thecateringcompanych.com/
Bon Vivant Catering - 490-7979 http://www.bonvivantcatering.com
Duke University Catering - 660-1792 events.duke.edu/catering
Alpine Catering - 660-3909 http://www.alpinecatering.info/pages/3/index.htm
Classic Food Service - 800-222-4369 http://www.classicfoodservicesinc.com/
Thrills From the Grill - 220-5787 http://www.thrillsfromthegrill.com/
Picnic Basket - 490-5796 www.thepicnicbasket.net

Kegs, Bartenders

Sam's Quick Shop - 286-4110
Raleigh's Bartending School - 676-0774
* Student Events at which alcohol will be served must be approved in advance by the Office of Student Affairs

Rentals - linens, tables, etc.

American Party Rentals - 544-1555 http://www.americanpartyrentals.com/
Best Rent-All - 286-3708

Facilities Items: If your event will require facilities items such as trash cans, tables, extra seating or Law School entrances or classrooms to be unlocked before or after normal business hours you will need to fill out a Special Housekeeping Request. This form should be completed, and four copies should be given to Catherine Hall in Room 3038. You should retain the original for your records. Forms must be submitted at least 3 business days prior to your event, although a week or more is recommended.

Event Recycling: Whenever possible, please utilize the Law School's event recycling carts. These carts are stored on the building loading dock (reached by going down the hallway across from the Register's Office on the second floor). The loading dock doors are open until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. It is the responsibility of each club or journal to retrieve these carts before an event, and to return them to the loading dock afterward. Glass, aluminum, and plastic (numbers 1 and 2 only) may all be mixed/recycled in these carts.

Parking: Parking passes for your speakers may be requested through Nanika Rhodes.
If there are a large number of off-campus attendees, you may need to make a special event parking request. Visit Duke’s Parking and Transportation website for more information.

Media Equipment & Services: To request media equipment or services, send an e-mail to Media Services or call Media Services at 613-7219. Requests for a podium or microphone may be placed a minimum of one week prior to the event; requests for recording or web casting should be placed six weeks in advance, to allow coordination with other media projects. If your event is scheduled outside of business hours, Media Services staff may set up equipment in advance and leave you operational instructions. For more information about Media Services, see their web site. Please note, if an event is recorded, the speakers needs to fill out a Speaker Copyright Release Form, available on the above website.

Additional equipment: If your event requires additional tables, chairs, audiovisual, etc. equipment that can not be provided by the Law School, contact Duke Event Management.

CLE Credit:  If you think your event might qualify for Continuing Legal Education credit, please contact Sarah Wood. Forms and instructions for accreditation in North Carolina are available at www.nccle.org. CLE credit can be given to attendees at a live presentation as well as to viewers of a live web cast. Allow at least 30 days for accreditation. North Carolina requires written materials to be provided to all attendees, so be sure to obtain outlines, papers, or other materials from all panelists in advance of the event.

7.  Finalize all the details and execute your plan

The final step is critical and must not be skipped even though the finish line is in sight. Double check, double check, double check! In the days before your event continue to review your checklist and make sure all items have been completed, all details have been confirmed, and that everyone involved has a clear idea of what they are expected to do, where they are supposed to be, and what time they need to be there.

Best of luck!