Duke University School of Law

What Duke University School of Law does

Duke University School of Law is a private law school and constituent academic unit of Duke University, located at 210 Science Drive in Durham, North Carolina. Founded in 1868, the school delivers graduate-level legal education through multiple degree pathways: the three-year Juris Doctor (JD), an international Master of Laws (LLM) for foreign-trained lawyers, the Master of Judicial Studies for sitting judges, the Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) for advanced legal scholarship, and several dual-degree combinations. Teaching is organized across multiple legal disciplines with noted faculty expertise in environmental law, financial law, and constitutional rights, and supported by the Goodson Law Library.

The school's pedagogical model emphasizes hands-on practice through an extensive clinical program — including the Environmental Law and Policy Clinic (jointly enrolling students from Duke's Nicholas School of the Environment), the Appellate Litigation Clinic, the Children's Law Clinic, and others — supplemented by externships and a substantial pro bono program. During the 2025–2026 academic year, 291 students logged nearly 6,850 pro bono hours and produced measurable community outcomes (603 criminal record expungements, 65 restored driver's licenses, nearly 1,070 hours of free legal services to approximately 100 immigrants). Duke Law has also become the first law school to join the DOJ's Backpage Survivor Remission Network, partnering with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and other organizations to provide pro bono representation to sex trafficking survivors.

Duke Law operates as a non-profit academic unit of Duke University rather than a freestanding revenue-generating enterprise; its funding flows through tuition, endowment draw, gifts, and broader university support. Outreach is conducted via the school's official website (law.duke.edu), LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, faculty-authored Legal Brief content, and traditional law-school admissions channels targeting prospective JD, LLM, SJD, and dual-degree applicants globally. No technology products, software platforms, APIs, or AI-driven offerings are part of the school's service portfolio.

Name

Duke University School of Law

Legal name

Duke University School of Law

Website

https://law.duke.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1868

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Duke University School of Law is a private law school in Durham, NC offering JD, International LLM, SJD, Master of Judicial Studies, and dual-degree programs. It serves prospective lawyers, international law graduates, and sitting judges through rigorous coursework, clinical training, and an extensive pro bono partnership network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

ABA-Accredited JD-Granting Law Schools (EDAHAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

LLM & Post-JD Graduate Law Programs (EDAHAIAC), Law School Research Centers & Institutes (e.g., Law & Economics, Human Rights) (EDAHAIAJ)

Keywords

• Legal education programs
• Juris doctor degree
• Master of laws
• Law school clinics
• Legal research scholarship

Headquarters

HQ city

Durham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Duke University School of Law is an educational institution providing legal education and professional training. It offers the Juris Doctor (JD), International Master of Laws (LLM), Master of Judicial Studies, SJD, and dual degree programs, complemented by clinical programs, externships, pro bono opportunities, and faculty research and scholarship.

Product overview

Duke University School of Law is an educational institution offering legal degree programs and professional training. It does not offer a technology product or software platform. The institution provides traditional law school educational services including Juris Doctor (JD), Master of Laws (LLM), Master of Judicial Studies, and SJD programs, along with clinical programs and pro bono opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Juris Doctor (JD) Program Rigorous, innovative, and globally respected three-year law degree designed to develop leaders with hands-on practice skills for success in the law and beyond. For prospective JD students.
• International Master of Laws (LLM) Program Designed for international law graduates seeking to bridge global and American legal practice while expanding career opportunities.
• Master of Judicial Studies Intensive curriculum analyzing judicial institutions, decision-making, and emerging challenges facing today's courts, designed for serving judges seeking professional development.
• SJD Program Doctoral program for candidates pursuing advanced legal research and scholarship.
• Dual Degree Programs Combined degree pathways allowing students to earn credentials in law together with another graduate discipline.
• Law School Clinics and Externships Clinical programs (Environmental Law and Policy Clinic, Appellate Litigation Clinic, Children's Law Clinic, and others) plus externships that give students hands-on experience on real cases and legal challenges.
• Public Interest and Pro Bono Program Structured pro bono and public interest program placing students with non-profits, government agencies, and private firms; partners include TROSA, NCMEC, Legal Aid of North Carolina, and the Backpage Survivor Remission Network.
• Goodson Law Library Extensive legal research resources and services supporting Duke Law students and faculty.
• Summer Institutes Short, focused summer programs offered by Duke Law for targeted legal study.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Backpage Survivor Remission NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Duke Law became the first law school in the country to join the Backpage Survivor Remission Network, a DOJ initiative to connect sex trafficking survivors with pro bono legal representation. The network assists survivors in filing petitions for compensation from a $200 million fund established from seized Backpage.com assets.
• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with DOJ and NCMEC to assist survivors of sex trafficking in the Backpage Survivor Remission Network, helping clients establish proof of trafficking and detail financial losses tied to their exploitation.
• Legal Aid of North CarolinacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Legal Aid of North Carolina for criminal record expunction clinics and the Lawyer on the Line (LOTL) program providing advice to low-income clients.
• Durham Expunction & Restoration Program (DEAR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with DEAR for the Duke Fair Chance Project helping North Carolinians with criminal record expunction.
• TROSA (Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual criminal record expunction clinic serving TROSA residents and graduates, resulting in 603 expunged records.
• Safe AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Charlotte-based domestic violence agency for Survivor Advocacy Project, assisting victims with protective order complaints.
• Pisgah Legal ServicesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnered for driver's license restoration clinics at correctional facilities serving justice-involved individuals.
• North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (DAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with DAC for driver's license restoration clinics and the Know Your Rights video series for reentry resources accessible to incarcerated individuals.
• Vermont Law and Graduate SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTerrence Neal joined Duke from Vermont Law and Graduate School where he was a fellow in its Environmental Law Center and Environmental Justice Clinic.
• International Organization for Migration (IOM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDuke partnership with the UN Migration Agency supporting Bass Connections research projects for students studying in Oaxaca, Mexico.
• Duke Nicholas School of the EnvironmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Environmental Law and Policy Clinic enrolls graduate students from Duke's Nicholas School of the Environment as well as the Law School, combining expertise for interdisciplinary environmental advocacy.
• North Carolina Central University School of LawminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDuke Law students joined counterparts from North Carolina Central University School of Law for monthly end-of-life document preparation clinics at the Durham Center for Senior Life.
• Goodson Law LibrarycoreOthersThe Goodson Law Library provides extensive legal research resources and services to Duke Law students and faculty.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/dukelaw
• Facebookfacebook.com/dukelawschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/duke-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/dukelaw
• Xx.com/DukeLaw

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Duke University School of Law