Rigorous instruction in a small-school setting.
For first-year students, faculty-student interaction is especially intense and students tend to form close, collaborative bonds. Only a handful of classes number more than 100 students, and the majority of second- and third-year classes enroll fewer than 25 students.
Unparalleled faculty/student collaboration.
Our faculty members have developed special excellence in areas crucial for preparing our graduates for future careers. To this end, students help prepare testimony for Congressional hearings, participate in appellate litigation, community development projects, and child advocacy work with their faculty mentors.
Incredible support for student-initiated endeavors.
Students initiate the majority of speakers, debates, panels and conferences that create a community of constant intellectual engagement. A new journal of Constitutional Law and Public Policy, a Hot Topics conference in intellectual property and the winning team for the national moot court competition are just a few examples of what our students make happen.
“The strongest professionalism program in the country.”— American Bar Association
Through a set of principles we call The Duke Blueprint to LEAD (Lawyer Education and Development), students learn that many of the skills necessary to be a leading lawyer come from engagement in the community and by taking advantage of the many opportunities found at Duke for leadership, collaboration, debate, and the pursuit of common interests.
Strong international character.
In addition to one of the largest and most diverse international faculty in the country, Duke Law School’s LL.M. program in International and Comparative Law and the LL.M. program in American Law brings 75 lawyers from all over the world to the School to study. Some 10 percent of Duke Law School graduates have their principal place of business overseas.
Significant number of joint degree students.
Including those enrolled in its own LL.M. program in International and Comparative Law, many Duke law students see their futures requiring complementary expertise in a technical, scientific and/or policy field. Duke offers more than 18 academic degree programs and five professional degree programs.
An active public interest and pro bono program.
Within the Law School itself, public interest work is a student-driven enterprise with dozens of guest speakers throughout the year. The annual leadership retreat draws together interested students to rejuvenate and connect with one another. Duke also offers the services of a career advisor dedicated to students interested in public interest.
Commitment to emerging issues.
Duke has a particularly strong cluster of faculty in international and comparative law and national security and terrorism issues – no other top program offers substantive depth of knowledge in a wider range of subject areas.
100% job placement rate for graduates.
Most students accept their first jobs in major metropolitan areas in the U.S. Beyond its success in placing students in the best jobs in the country, however, Duke has a unique approach to career services that emphasizes life-long professional development and job satisfaction and helps Duke graduates align their long-term career paths with their personal values.
Extraordinary alumni network.
Beyond the professional opportunities created by such an active network, alumni stay involved in the life of the School. They come to campus to speak at programs for students, lecture in some classes, participate in alumni leadership groups, and stay in touch through various Law School publications and its Web site, through which they can access (often in real time) academic conferences and other public events on campus.
Durham, NC: Beautiful location and moderate climate.
The Law School benefits greatly from the fact that the Research Triangle region of North Carolina (encompassing Durham, Chapel Hill, and Raleigh) is undergoing steady economic progress and rapid cultural growth while maintaining a relatively low cost of living. The area offers eclectic restaurants, concerts, opera, theater, museums, and a full range of recreational activities. The Duke Center for Life (state-of-the-art fitness center) and the 7,025 acre Duke Forest are within easy walking distance of the Law School.
Clinic Opportunities
Community Enterprise Clinic
Children's Education Law Clinic
Guantanamo Defense Clinic
AIDS Legal Project
Low-income Tax Clinic
Death Penalty Clinic
Animal Law Clinic
Environmental Law and Policy Clinic
18 Exchange Programs with other law schools
Australia
China
Japan
France
Denmark
Mexico
Great Britain
South Africa, and many other countries
Joint Degrees with other Duke Professional Schools
Fuqua School of Business
Sanford Institute of Public Policy
Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences
Duke Medical School
Pratt School of Engineering
Graduate Departments such as economics, political science, english, and cultural anthropology