Welcome
LAW JOURNALS l
Duke Law is home to seven student-edited law journals, including Law and Contemporary Problems , the first interdisciplinary law journal in the United States. Other journals include the Alaska Law Review , Duke Environmental Law & Policy Forum , Duke Journal of Comparative & International Law , Duke Journal of Constitutional Law & Public Policy , Duke Law & Technology Review , and the Duke Law Journal . All journals are published online and made freely accessible under the Law School’s open-access policy — Duke was the first law school in the nation to provide free electronic access to all its law journals and faculty scholarship.
FIRST FLOOR
ALUMNI AND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE l
Although they work in diverse fields and in cities throughout the world, Duke Law alumni are united by a common desire to support their Law School and fellow graduates. Many graduates return to campus each year for student leadership symposia, moot courts, reunions, conferences, and on-campus recruiting events. The Alumni and Development Office coordinates alumni activities and raises funds to support the Law School; it also works with students to develop alumni and law firm support for student programs.
From the alcoves of Star Commons to faculty offices situated near classrooms, Duke Law School’s facilities are designed to encourage collaboration and collegiality, support rigorous and interdisciplinary study, and create opportunities for hands-on learning.
LEGAL CLINICS l
Duke Law’s clinical wing is home to most of the school’s in-house clinical programs. Operating as a small public interest firm with 12 distinct practice areas, the Duke Legal Clinics share work, research, and meeting spaces that facilitate collaboration and welcome clients. Areas of focus include Appellate Litigation, Children’s Law, Civil Justice, Community Enterprise Clinic, Criminal Defense, Environmental Law and Policy, First Amendment, Health Justice, Immigrant Rights, International Human Rights, Start-Up Ventures, and Wrongful Convictions.
STUDENT AFFAIRS l
Duke Law has been recognized by the ABA as having the strongest student culture in the country, due in large part to the Duke Law Blueprint to LEAD. A set of principles that stress integrity, leadership, service, and meaningful engagement. Through more than 50 student organizations, journals, and service programs, Duke Law students develop lifelong leadership skills that strengthen our community and set students on a path for professional leadership and success. Student Affairs is also home to the Office of Diversity Initiatives, which serves as a hub for activities supporting inclusivity and diversity at the law school.
SECOND FLOOR
CAREER CENTER l
Duke Law students are among the most recruited in the nation, thanks to the school’s reputation for academic excellence and practical skills training. The Career and Professional Development Center offers broad resources to help students develop job opportunities in whichever field they choose. The leading markets for Duke Law graduates are New York and Washington, D.C., but Duke Law graduates work in every state and in many countries around the world. About 20 to 25 percent serve in a clerkship in the early years of their careers; more than 10 percent of Duke Law graduates now live and work overseas.
STAR COMMONS l
Star Commons offers a beautiful and comfortable space for relaxation, study, lunch with a friend, or coffee with a professor. The adjacent cafe serves a hearty breakfast and lunch menu that changes daily.
Elevator
Duke Law Journal
FACULTY OFFICES l
Duke Law faculty are top scholars whose deep practical experience in government, private practice, and public interest work informs and enhances their teaching and research. In addition to ambitious scholarly work, faculty often testify before Congress, argue cases before the Supreme Court and other courts, serve as leaders within the American Bar Association, or serve on the boards of legal and nonprofit organizations. They also are committed to student success. With offices just steps away from classrooms, faculty are accessible to students and eager to continue discussions long after class sessions end.
THIRD FLOOR
CLASSROOMS l
Every Duke Law classroom is designed to support collaborative, interactive learning. Many classrooms are seated “in the round,” and every room is equipped with state-of-the-art technology. Professors expect students to be engaged while in the classroom, and class enrollment is generally small to facilitate a high level of exchange as well as the professor’s ability to be accessible to students. First-year sections include approximately 35 students; classes rarely exceed 100 students.
PUBLIC INTEREST/PRO BONO OFFICE l
Over half of each class at Duke Law completes the Pro Bono Pledge, through which students pledge to perform 50 hours of pro bono work during their time in law school. Some of the largest groups include the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA), the Innocence Project, and the Guardian Ad Litem program. One of the newest student-initiated projects is the Eviction Advice Clinic. Dedicated career counselors help students plan careers in public interest law and assist with finding and funding summer employment.
MOOT COURTROOM l
Duke offers a wide range of opportunities for learning and developing advocacy skills. In addition to three Duke-sponsored Moot Court competitions, students may participate in moot court and mock trial teams that compete around the world. Duke’s curriculum also emphasizes practical skills training and
simulation courses that strengthen advocacy skills. In 2013, students from the Appellate Litigation Clinic argued two cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals in the Fourth Circuit and the U.S. Court of Appeals in the D.C. Circuit — on the same day.
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS l
Duke Law is home to one of the strongest international law programs in the country. Guided by the school’s international law faculty, the Center for International and Comparative Law sponsors a lecture series that welcomes academic luminaries from around the world. Duke’s LLM program brings more than 85 foreign lawyers and legal professionals to study alongside JD students, the school’s exchange program offers opportunities to study at 20 different overseas universities, and many students work in law firms, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations abroad during their summers.
GOODSON LAW LIBRARY
THIRD FLOOR
The library’s entrance on the Law School’s third floor leads to the main Reading Room, which houses frequently used resources and ample study and collaborative workspace. Students can get staff support for research and technology at the front service desk. This floor also holds a number of special collections, including the Cox Legal Fiction Collection and the Riddick Rare Book and Special Collections Room.
FIRST FLOOR
Compact shelving on the first floor contains most of the library’s books, including materials on foreign and international law, government documents, and an archive of historical Law School publications. More than 70 carrels offer opportunities for quiet study. Various law journal offices are located here.
SECOND FLOOR
This floor contains U.S. law materials, eight large group study rooms equipped with integrated videoconferencing and video recording capabilities, and the Fite Computer Instruction Room, which offers space for research instruction, meetings, and seminars. Individual carrels and study tables are available alongside windows overlooking campus.
FOURTH FLOOR
The fourth floor is home to the library’s journal collection, more large individual carrels, alcoves for student journals, and additional seating along windows.
The J. Michael Goodson Law Library is a second home to most Duke Law students. The space offers ample study seating, both private and communal, as well as top-notch help desk service from research librarians and technology staff.
A GREAT LAW SCHOOL AT A GREAT UNIVERSITY
Duke Law School is one of Duke University’s six professional schools; all are considered to be among the very best in their disciplines. The Law School is located on Duke’s main campus, next door to the public policy and business schools, making interdisciplinary interaction easy and frequent. Many of the Law School’s faculty have joint appointments with other schools, and a number of Duke Law students enroll in another Duke degree program.
Duke University Fast Facts
STUDENTS
6,789 Undergraduate students
9,991 Graduate and professional students
16,780 Total students
185,056 Alumni
DEGREES
52% Undergraduate
33% Professional
15% Graduate
FACULTY
1,650 Tenured or tenure-track
EMPLOYEES
7,618 Campus
10,866 Schools of Medicine, Nursing
20,036 Duke University Health System
38,520 Total employees
1 Duke Chapel , a symbol of the university, is at the center of the Gothic West Campus. Built in 1932, the chapel is dominated by a 210-foot tower housing a 50-bell carillon.
2 The Sarah P. Duke Gardens , 55 acres of landscaped and woodland gardens in the heart of Duke’s West Campus, was named one of the South’s top 10 public gardens by Southern Living magazine. Each year more than 300,000 visitors enjoy the gardens’ five miles of walkways and more than 2,000 species and varieties of plants.
Duke University Medical Center , established in 1930, comprises clinical, training, and research programs. The medical center has one of 51 federally funded comprehensive cancer centers.
3 The Duke Blue Devils compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and field teams in 27 NCAA Division 1 varsity sports. The men’s basketball team won the national championship in 1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, and 2015. The women’s basketball team has reached the Final Four in 1999, 2002, 2003, and 2006. Duke athletes also have won national and conference titles in golf, soccer, tennis, lacrosse, and field hockey.
4 The Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University opened its new building designed by architect Rafael Viñoly in 2005 and boasts a permanent collection that is strong in medieval and Renaissance art, African art, ancient American (pre-Columbian) art and Classical sculpture.
Duke University Press pu blishes about 120 new books each year, as well as more than 30 scholarly journals. The Press is especially noted for its publications in cultural studies and popular culture, Latin American and Asian studies, history, anthropology, gay and lesbian studies, and studies of globalization.
The Duke Forest , established in 1931, covers over 7,000 acres and serves as a natural outdoor laboratory for Duke and neighboring universities. The forest is managed for multiple uses, including education, recreation, research, protection of wildlife and rare plant species, and demonstration of timber management practices.
