Study

This seminar focuses on how to thrive as a lawyer in the next generation.  It is designed to foster the attitudes, aptitudes, abilities, and “agilities” needed to succeed in a new era of—often AI-facilitated—legal services, problem solving, and value creation. What distinguishes the future-ready lawyer is not whether they can code, but rather whether they can learn fast, pivot gracefully, collaborate across disciplines, design with empathy, and navigate complexity with clarity and creativity. This course is built for students who want to grow beyond narrow definitions of legal expertise. We will explore what it means to be T-shaped, X-shaped, or even π-shaped legal professionals—those who blend deep legal knowledge with technological fluency, design instincts, and ethical imagination. We will also confront enduring challenges—like the access to justice crisis—and explore how emerging technologies might help (or hinder) efforts to close the gap. Through immersive experiences, including a multi-institutional Design Derby, students will grapple with real-world challenges, build prototypes, and work across disciplinary boundaries. The course is hands-on, collaborative, and committed to shaping the next generation of lawyers as problem-solvers and changemakers.

Notes:

• This is a participation heavy class, and evaluation is on a Credit/No Credit basis.
• Students are not required but are encouraged to have taken or be taking Professional Responsibility.
• This course requires attendance until 8:00 pm on Monday 2 March for our Design Derby (see a past example of this event here: https://sites.law.duke.edu/futurecontracts/photo-gallery/)

Special Notes:

*New*

Spring 2026

Course Number	Course Credits	Evaluation Method	Instructor
524.01	2	Reflective Writing Group project(s) Class participation	Jeff Ward
Canvas site: https://canvas.duke.edu/courses/75584