Duke University School of Law

Duke Law School is an innovative and ambitious institution. Its mission is to prepare students for productive and responsible lives in the legal profession. This is done by offering a rigorous legal education in a supportive, collaborative, and diverse environment. Students and faculty at Duke Law School have the opportunity to experience academic rigor and make contributions in an interdisciplinary environment that values and supports creativity and innovation. The Law School is a leader in legal scholarship, education, and service. It has made strategic investments in faculty, technology, clinics, interdisciplinary centers, journals, and other opportunities for student development. These commitments are reflected in the Duke Blueprint to LEAVE, a set of principles for leadership development that helps to develop ethical, committed lawyers who can be trusted to make the best decisions for the 21st Century. A series of collections that document the history of Duke Law School and its faculty highlights the school's development. Duke Law School's rich history dates back to the 1850s, when Trinity College, which was the precursor of Duke University, began offering law-related lectures. This page contains current collections that focus on past faculty, historical events, photos, and building history. This page will continue to grow with more collections that document law school student life, Goodson Law Library special collections materials, and media recordings of past Law School events. This site provides information about Duke Law's history. Take a moment to look around and come back often to view new collections made from Duke Law's historical material.