Home » Law Schools » Rankings and Profiles »
Duke Law School
Duke Law is a Private law school in Durham, NC. It is currently ranked #11 in the country, according to the 2023 US News & World Report rankings of the best law schools in the US. The Law School is a highly respected and innovative institution whose mission is to prepare students for successful and productive careers in the legal profession. The school provides a rigorous legal education within a supportive and diverse environment, equipping students with the skills and knowledge they need to be influential lawyers. Duke Law School is an excellent choice for those pursuing a career in law.
Contents
History
Law School History
Duke Law's History is a set of collections that each focus on a different aspect of the school's development. This can include things like Trinity College offering law lectures back in the 1850s, all the way to modern-day events, faculty, buildings, and more. There are also plans to add even more collections in the future that will show things like student life, recordings of past events, and more. This is an excellent way for people to learn about Duke Law's past, and there's something here for everyone. So take some time to check it out and see what you can learn.
Admissions
Admissions at Duke are highly selective. Duke Law School is an institution that is constantly innovating and looking to the future. They prepare their students for successful and productive lives in the legal profession. The community of scholars at Duke Law School also provides leadership on a national and international level to help improve the law and legal institutions. This is done through teaching, research, and other forms of public service.
Statistics
| Admissions Stats | ||
| Class of: | 2020-2021 | 2021-2022 |
| 25th - 50th - 75th percentile LSAT | 167 - 169 - 169 | 167 - 170 - 172 |
| 25th - 50th - 75th percentile GPA | 3.7 - 3.8 - 3.89 | 3.7 - 3.82 - 3.91 |
| Acceptance rate | 22.3% | 14.4% |
| Applications received | 4983 | 7255 |
| Acceptances | 1113 | 1048 |
| Matriculants | 2278 | 1821 |
Duke University School of Law is one of the most highly respected law schools in the United States. The class of 2024 had a median LSAT score of 170 and a median undergraduate GPA of 3.82. This means that the majority of students who were accepted into Duke had high grades and test scores. If your grades and test scores are within the same range as the majority of accepted students, your chances of getting into Duke are excellent.
Acceptance Rate
Duke University School of Law is the most competitive law school in the country, with an acceptance rate of 14.45%. In 2021, 7255 students applied for admission to the class of 2024. Of those 7255 applicants, 1048 (14.45%) received offers of admission, ultimately yielding a 1L class with 282 students. Duke Law is known for its rigorous curriculum and world-renowned faculty, making it one of the most sought-after law schools in the country. If you're looking to pursue a career in law, Duke University School of Law should be at the top of your list.
Application Deadline
They encourage you to submit your application and support material as early as possible. They begin accepting applications on September 1, 2022.
- Early Decision: The ED application deadlines are November 4, 2022 (Round I) and January 6, 2023 (Round II).
- Regular Decision: The deadline to apply is February 15, 2023. Applications may be submitted after the deadline if space is available.
How to Apply
Review the application checklist and instructions available through LSAC (LSAC.org) and our website (law.duke.edu/apply/jd). To be eligible for admission, you must receive a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution before enrollment at the Law School, register with LSAC CAS, and take the LSAT or GRE.
Application Fee
Duke Law School has an $80 non-refundable application processing fee - submit electronically with the application. To read more about how to obtain a fee waiver, click here.
Transferring
Unfortunately, Duke Law cannot accept transfer student or visitor applications for the 2022-2023 academic year.
Duke LLM students may contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@law.duke.edu.
Duke University School of Law enrolls several students each year who have completed their first year at another law school. The number of students varies but has ranged between 12 and 20 recently. An initial file review may be conducted once the letter of good standing, class rank (if available), and law transcript from the fall semester are received. Admission decisions are generally made in time for transfer students to participate in most of the On-Campus Interview process for second-year students. In addition, Duke Law journals conduct a write-on competition to allow transfer students to earn staff positions.
Most successful transfer applicants have a law school record that puts them at least in the top third of their class. We are particularly interested in admitting applicants who have specific reasons for wanting to be at Duke Law and seem likely to be active members of our community. Transfer applicants must complete the entire first year of legal study at an ABA-approved law school with membership in the Association of American Law Schools and complete at least two years of study at Duke Law School. If you're unsure about applying to law school or just beginning the application process, please take the time to read some of the excellent pre-law articles found here.
Tuition and Expenses
The cost of attendance at Duke University School of Law is quite high, with tuition costing over $71,100 per year. When you factor in other necessary expenses like food and housing, the total cost of attendance comes to over $99,679 annually. This makes Duke one of the more expensive law schools to attend. However, it is important to note that attendance costs vary from student to student, depending on their individual needs and circumstances. Therefore, it is best to speak with a financial aid advisor to get a more accurate estimate of the cost of attending Duke University School of Law.
Financial Aid for JD students
You invest in your future when you attend Duke University School of Law. The school offers many benefits to its students, including career options, earning potential, leadership development, and the chance to join an active and extensive alum network. However, many applicants cannot fund a legal education independently. For that reason, Duke Law devotes significant resources to scholarship funding to support applicants who demonstrate exceptional merit and financial need. These awards help to offset the cost of your legal education while making a wide array of legal jobs possible.
With scholarships, federal loans, and our Loan Repayment Program (LRAP), the Research Triangle's low cost of living makes it possible to minimize the cost of your legal education. This is important to consider when comparing law schools. While others may also offer aid, few can offer the combination of scholarship funding and low costs available at Duke Law.
This makes Duke University School of Law an excellent choice for those looking to get the most out of their legal education.
- OFFICE OF FINANCIAL AID *
Duke University School of Law
210 Science Drive
Duke Box 90363
Durham NC 27708-0363
Phone: 919-613-7025
Fax: 919-613-9402
Email: financialaid@law.duke.edu
Scholarships
Duke Law offers scholarships to students based on their merit. This includes academic excellence, personal accomplishments, and experiences. The Mordecai Scholarship program provides annual full-tuition, merit-based scholarships to between three and six students. Neither the Mordecai Scholarship nor named scholarships require a separate application - all admitted students are considered for them during the scholarship review process.
Loan Repayment Assistance Program
The Loan Repayment Assistance Program at Duke University School of Law is designed to help graduates who enter public service careers. Under the plan, graduates who earn $65,000 or less per year could have all loan payments covered by LRAP during the ten years necessary to qualify for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. Graduates making between $65,000 and $90,000 per year are also eligible for LRAP assistance on a sliding scale. This program greatly reduces the degree to which financing the cost of a legal education limits career options and opens the door to public service careers.
Employment Prospects
Duke University School of Law graduates earn a median salary of $190,000 if they enter the private sector upon graduation. However, if they choose to work in the public sector, they can expect to earn $65,000. The majority of Duke University law graduates, 74.6%, go straight into working for law firms. 13.4% of graduates become clerks for judges, and 5.7% of them go into public interest. Lastly, 97.5% of Duke University law school graduates pass the bar exam on their first try. Therefore, Duke University is an excellent choice for people pursuing a career in law.
Employment opportunities available to graduates of Duke Law School consistently rank among the nation’s best and most prestigious. Duke University School of Law produces graduates that go on to work for a variety of organizations both in the United States and internationally. These positions include working for law firms, businesses, government agencies, and non-profit organizations, as well as having judicial clerkships and academic employment.
According to data from March 15, 2022, 98% of the Class of 2021 employed had long-term full-time positions that required bar passage or were "J.D. Advantage." Out of this 98%, four of the positions were school funded. Suppose you are thinking about attending law school. In that case, it is encouraged that you use the available data to compare institutions and ask questions that will help you make the best decision based on your future goals and aspirations.
Judicial Clerkships
Clerking for a judge is a unique legal experience. It offers an insider’s view of the judicial process, including how judges make decisions and interpret the law.
Clerking for a judge, it is a great way to learn about the inner workings of the judicial process. As a clerk, you will read briefs, attend arguments, write memoranda, and offer case recommendations. This experience will give you valuable insight into the law and legal procedures. You will also work closely with experienced judges and lawyers and gain skills that employers highly value. Duke Law is committed to helping students and graduates who want to clerk. The school has an excellent record of placing students in clerkships at all levels. Duke Law is a great place to start your career if you are interested in clerking.
Curriculum
First-year students focus on core classes, including constitutional law, civil procedure, contracts, criminal law, property, torts, and yearlong legal research and writing courses. Classes are kept relatively small, rarely exceeding 90 students. Students are encouraged to choose from various electives, seminars, and clinical programs in the second and third years. Upperclassmen are required to complete a substantial writing project, an ethics course, and a professional skills requirement. Clinical programs include topics on children's education, community enterprise, wrongful convictions, Guantanamo defense, and startup ventures.
The Duke Law School curriculum allows students to pursue a field of interest. Strong programs include corporate and commercial law, public policy and public interest law. Recent faculty hires have bolstered the academic standings of the intellectual property law, international and comparative law, and tax law departments.
In addition to encouraging international diversity on campus, Duke Law School also encourages students to gain international experience. Duke participates in summer institutes hosted in Geneva and Asia and offers exchange programs with several foreign universities. Students pursuing a joint degree in international and comparative law can start their studies the summer before their first-year matriculation.
Quality of Life
Student life at Duke Law School is centered on the shared enterprise of becoming lawyers and professionals.
Duke University School of Law strives to provide its students with the best possible education and career opportunities. It offers a variety of programs to help students choose courses, find jobs and externships, serve the community, and connect with student organizations that will further their personal and professional goals. The Law School also has a strong network of alumni and friends that can support and guide a student's career.
In their free time, Duke Law students have many extracurricular activities from which to choose, including moot court competitions, student government, volunteer work, and nine academics journals. Students can also attend any of the numerous lectures, seminars, and series hosted by the law school and by Duke University.
The Duke Law School contains multiple lounge areas and an outdoor courtyard. Duke University has two fully equipped gyms for student use, swimming pools, student unions, cafes, restaurants, and even a movie theater on campus. The Duke Gardens are located in the center of the university's campus, providing an ideal venue for sunbathing, strolling, or stopping to smell the roses. If students prefer a more untamed outdoors, the university is surrounded by miles of Duke Forest, where they can hike, bike, run, or visit the Primate Center.
Located in Durham, N.C., Duke University boasts a gorgeous campus with its own stunning chapel. The weather is temperate and pleasant for most of the year, and sunny weather is the typical forecast in all seasons. Adjacent to Duke's campus are several small streets containing restaurants, bars, and shops. Adventurous students can explore the city of Durham and discover much more beyond the campus confines. A 10-minute drive to Chapel Hill, home to the University of North Carolina, offers an even greater array of social things.
Contact Information
Duke University School of Law
OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS
210 Science Drive
Duke Box 90393
Durham NC 27708-0393
Phone: 919-613-7020
Fax: 919-613-7257
Email: admissions@law.duke.edu
Summary
| Established | 1868 |
| Location | Durham, NC |
| Dean | Kerry Abrams |
| 2022 US News Ranking | 11th |
| LSAT Median Score | 170 |
| GPA Median Score | 3.82 |
| Bar Passage Rate | 98% (2022) |
| Employment Rate | 87% (2022) |
| Cost | $71,100 |
| Average Debt | $138,376 |
| Application Deadline | February 15, 2023 |
Forum and Discussion
Duke Law School Discussions
Law School Admissions Forums
Law Student Forums
Law School Class Forums
Reference
https://law.duke.edu/
LSD Law
BCG Attorney's Advice for Associates
Ranked #11
Guide to Fee Waivers
LSAC Guide
How to Learn to Do Well on a Law School Exam
Success in Law School - A Unique Perspective
The Guide to Law School Loans
Forum: Duke 1L (soon to be 2L) taking questions
News: Above the Law
