Duke University School of Law

Addenda

Optional

If there is anything you want us to consider that will not be obvious from the rest of your application (an explanation of time off from school, your grade trends, etc.) you may also submit an addendum to include this information.

Source: Duke University School of Law — JD application instructions

Personal Statement (required)

3 pages

The personal statement is your opportunity to introduce yourself to the admissions committee and should include what you think have been your most significant personal experiences beyond what may be reflected in your academic transcripts and on your resume. You might choose to address your interest in legal studies and a career as a lawyer here, or you might do so in the optional Duke Essay #1. Please use 2-3 pages, double-spaced, for your personal statement.

Source: Duke Law — Juris Doctor Application Information

Short Answer Essay (Required)

about 250 to 500 words

Applicants are required to submit one essay and may submit up to two essays from the list below. Please clearly label the prompt(s) you are responding to and combine all responses into a single attachment. Each essay should be approximately 250–500 words

Answer 1 to 2 of these 6.

• What does the rule of law mean to you, and what special background or experience do you have that may help you contribute to its advancement or that underscores its importance to you personally?

  500 words

• The promise of equal justice is fundamental to our legal system. Why is equal justice important to you personally, and what personal experiences or knowledge do you have that may help you become an effective advocate for equal justice under law?

  500 words

• Exposure to a diversity of perspectives and experiences can enhance one's ability to deliver effective professional services. Please describe any opportunities you have had to serve clients or your community, either through work or on a volunteer basis, and how your own exposure to different perspectives and experiences helped you.

  500 words

• Lawyers are members of a learned profession, and are often called to serve the public in a variety of ways. Please describe your interest in public service and any experience that you have had to prepare you for a life of service in the public interest.

  500 words

• Please describe your interest in learning the law in an open, rigorous, and collaborative environment. Why is a commitment to the free expression of ideas so important in the learning process?

  500 words

• What does ethical leadership mean to you? Please provide examples of how you have prepared yourself to become an ethical leader.

  500 words

Source: Duke Law — Juris Doctor Application Information

Duke Essay #1 (optional)

2 pages

You may submit an essay providing additional information about why you have chosen to apply to law school in general and Duke in particular. We are interested in the factors that have prompted your interest in a legal career and the ways in which you think Duke can further that interest. If you have already addressed the reasons for your general interest in legal studies in your personal statement, it is not necessary to repeat that here; you may concentrate on the specific opportunities at Duke related to that interest. Please use 1-2 pages, double-spaced, for this optional essay.

Source: Duke Law — Juris Doctor Application Information

Duke Essay #2 (optional)

1 page

Our application process is designed to learn about you from multiple perspectives to better understand the unique and distinctive qualities you would bring to our community. Ideally, we would conduct personal interviews with each candidate to probe these questions. Since we are unable to offer interviews due to the large application volume, you are invited to write a short essay that tells us what you would hope to share if you were meeting with us on campus that we have not already learned elsewhere in your application. Please use one page, double-spaced, for this optional essay.

Source: Duke Law — Juris Doctor Application Information