Why Duke University?

Class profile

US News rank

#7

Median GPA

3.91

25th–75th: 3.83–3.96

Median LSAT

170

25th–75th: 168–171

Acceptance rate

10.7%

Class size (FT 1L)

227

Transfers admitted (2025)

0

ABA 2025 reporting cycle

Top employment markets

1. 1New York
2. 2Washington, DC
3. 3California

Where the most recent graduating class concentrated employment, per the school's ABA 509 employment summary. Use this as a signal of where the alumni network and OCI recruiting pipeline are strongest.

Signature clinics

Clinical programs that define Duke University's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why Duke University" essay where they align with your interests.

• Civil Justice Clinic
  Students represent low-income clients in cases involving housing, benefits, and protection from domestic violence, in partnership with Legal Aid of North Carolina.
• Children's Law Clinic
  Provides free legal advice, advocacy, and representation to low-income children in special education, school discipline, and disability benefits cases.
• Criminal Defense Clinic
  Empowers students to provide representation to clients facing criminal prosecution and pursue equal justice through systemic and courtroom advocacy.
• Health Justice Clinic
  Trains students to serve the unmet needs of low-income people facing serious illness, offering direct representation under faculty supervision.
• Start-Up Ventures Clinic
  Counsels entrepreneurs on legal issues involved in moving ideas to the marketplace.
• Wrongful Convictions Clinic
  Teaches students to pursue justice for individuals who have been wrongly convicted.

Notable journals

Student-edited publications you could write for or cite as a research interest.

• Duke Law Journal— General legal scholarship, publishes eight issues annually, including an Administrative Law Symposium issue.
• Law and Contemporary Problems— Each issue is devoted to papers on a particular topic of contemporary interest, often with an interdisciplinary perspective.
• Alaska Law Review— Examines legal issues affecting the state of Alaska, particularly in natural resources, environmental law, and Native American rights.
• Duke Journal of Comparative & International Law— Features articles from international scholars and practitioners focusing on comparative and international law.
• Duke Environmental Law & Policy Forum— Examines environmental issues from legal, scientific, economic, and public policy perspectives.
• Duke Law & Technology Review— An online publication devoted to examining the evolving intersection of law and technology, publishing short, accessible 'iBriefs'.
• Duke Journal of Constitutional Law & Public Policy— Examines legal issues at the intersection of constitutional litigation and public policy.

Faculty highlights

Well-known faculty grouped by primary specialty. If a professor's scholarship aligns with your interests, name them in your essay and reference a specific paper or course.

• Nita A. Farahany
  Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications of Emerging Technologies, Artificial Intelligence, Cognitive Liberty
• James E. Coleman, Jr.
  Criminal Law, Legal Ethics, Negotiation and Mediation, Capital Punishment, Wrongful Convictions
• Rachel Brewster
  International Economic Law, International Relations Theory
• Laurence R. Helfer
  International Law and Institutions, Human Rights, International Intellectual Property Law
• Timothy Meyer
  International Trade, Investment and Environmental Law, U.S. Foreign Relations Law
• Arti K. Rai
  Innovation Policy, Intellectual Property Law, Administrative Law
• Deborah A. DeMott
  Art Law, Agency and Partnership, Corporate Governance
• Brandon L. Garrett
  Criminal Justice, Due Process, Artificial Intelligence and Law
• Steven L. Schwarcz
  Secured Transactions, Bankruptcy, Financial Regulation
• Kerry Abrams
  Family Law, Immigration Law, Legal History

What makes Duke University distinctive

Programs, history, or institutional features that set this school apart beyond rank.

• ·Offers a wide array of dual-degree programs, including JD/LLM in International & Comparative Law, JD/LLM in Law & Entrepreneurship, and JD/MA in Applied Ethics & Policy, as well as joint degrees with other Duke graduate schools.
• ·The 'Duke Way' emphasizes intellectual engagement, extraordinary collaboration and collegiality, and a commitment to serving the common good.
• ·Strong focus on interdisciplinary study, with faculty holding joint appointments and collaborating across Duke University's schools and departments.
• ·The Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing Program is taught by dedicated writing faculty with substantial past law practice, rather than upper-class students or adjuncts.
• ·Hosts the Center for Innovation Policy, the Center on Law & Technology, and the Center for the Study of the Public Domain, fostering research and programs at the intersection of law, science, and technology.

Frequently asked about Duke University

Schools similar to Duke University

Other schools at a comparable rank tier — useful for building a transfer list, balanced 0L application list, or essay-research shortlist.