History

Duke Law History is documented in a series of collections highlighting the development of the law school and its faculty. Duke Law School has a rich history spanning from the 1850s when Trinity College, the precursor to Duke University, offered law-themed lectures. The current collections on this page show parts of the Duke Law’s history focusing on historical events, past faculty, photographs, and building history. Over time more collections will be added to this page documenting law school student life, Goodson Law Library special collection materials, and media recordings from Law School-hosted past events. This site is a resource for learning more about Duke Law’s past. Please take a few moments to explore and return frequently to see new collections created from Duke Law’s historical materials.