Duke Law School was established as a graduate and professional school in 1930. Its mission is to prepare students for responsible and productive lives in the legal profession. As a community of scholars, the Law School also provides leadership at the national and international levels in efforts to improve the law and legal institutions through teaching, research, and other forms of public service.

Although Duke University is young by comparison to other major American universities, its academic programs and professional schools together have attained an international stature and a reputation for quality and innovation that few universities can match. Among the Law School's unique strengths are an extensive network of interdisciplinary collaboration across the Duke campus and an emphasis in teaching and research initiatives addressing global and international issues.