Academic Calendar | Duke University School of Law

Holding court

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg reflected on Court collegiality, and dysfunction in confirmation process during her annual Duke Law conversation with Professor Neil Siegel.
Summer studies

Duke Summer Institute on Law, Language, and Culture offers engaging introduction to U.S. legal system and law school for international attorneys
Coleman urges Duke grad students "to be part of the struggle"

At Convocation, Coleman describes using professional skills to help people in need - including clients wrongfully convicted of crimes - as "Atticus Finch moments."

Academic Calendar

Summer Term 2019

JD/LLM-LE Summer Immersion (for 2L JD-LLM-LE students only)

Monday, May 13 - Friday, May 31	Durham, North Carolina
Monday, June 3 - Friday, June 7	Silicon Valley, California

Master’s Program in Judicial Studies (for MJS students only)

Monday, May 20	First Day of Class
Friday, June 14	Last Day of Class

Leiden Summer Institute

Sunday, June 16	Orientation
Monday, June 17	First Day of Class, Term I
Friday, June 28	Last Day of Class, Term I
Monday, July 1	First Day of Class, Term II
Friday, July 12	Last Day of Class, Term II
Monday, July 15 - Weds, July 17	Reading and Examination Period

Summer Institute on Law, Language & Culture (for International LLM students only)

Friday, July 19	Orientation
Monday, July 22	First Day of Class
Wednesday, August 14	Last Day of Class

Fall Term 2019

Career Development (Upper Level JD Students)

July 29 - August 1

Monday-Thursday

On-Campus Interviewing

LEAD Week / Orientation (incoming students)

August 19–23	Monday-Friday	International LLM Students
August 20-23	Tuesday-Friday	1L JD Students
August 21	Wednesday	LARW classes begin (times and rooms TBA) Distinctive Aspects of US Law begins
August 22	Thursday	LARWINT classes begin (times and rooms TBA)
August 23	Friday	1 year LLM-LE students

Regular Semester

August 26	Monday	1L Classes begin and Upper Level classes begin
September 2	Monday	Labor Day (no classes)
September 5	Thursday	Drop Add ends at 5:00 pm
September 6	Friday	Clinic Intensive Training
September 20	Friday	Designated make-up day
October 7-11	Monday-Friday	Fall Break
October 18	Friday	Designated make-up day
October 21	Monday	End of 7^th week of classes
October 25 (Tentative)	Friday	1L Midterms
November 8	Friday	Designated make-up day
November 26	Tuesday	Friday classes meet
Nov. 27 - Nov. 29	Wednesday - Friday	Thanksgiving Break
December 5	Thursday	Last day of classes
December 9	Monday	Examination Period Begins
December 20	Friday	Examination Period Ends

Wintersession Term 2020

Saturday-Wednesday, January 4-8, 2020

Spring Term 2020

January 6 and January 8	Monday and Wednesday	LARW Writing Classes Meet
January 9	Thursday	First Day of Classes
January 17	Friday	Drop Add period ends at 5:00 pm
January 16-20	Thursday-Sunday	Intensive Trial Practice Weekend
January 20	Monday	Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday (no classes)
January 24	Friday	Clinic Intensive
January 31	Friday	Designated make-up day (ends by 4:00 p.m.)
February 21	Friday	Designated make-up day
February 27	Thursday	End of 7^th Week of classes
March 9 - March 13	Monday - Friday	Spring Break (no classes)
March 20	Friday	Designated make-up day
April 16	Thursday	Last day of class (Monday classes meet)
April 17	Friday	Reading and Examination period begins
May 1	Friday	Reading and Examination period ends
May 5	Tuesday	Graduating students clearing deadline at Noon
May 9	Saturday	Law School Convocation, diploma distribution
May 10	Sunday	University Commencement