“Attending Duke Law’s LLM in Law and Entrepreneurship Program enabled me to propel my legal career forward over the course of relatively brief period of time.

My initial goals for attending the program were to expand my knowledge of entrepreneurial law, and to broaden the scope of my legal knowledge. I received much more; an immersive experience which not only offered exceptional legal and business courses, but which developed other invaluable professional skills. Getting involved in the rapidly developing Research Triangle business community and generating a local professional network has proven to be an invaluable learning experience.

The program stands out because it offers both a substantive legal education and a “real world” education, and allows students to tailor the program to fit their individual career goals. My goal was to secure an in-house counsel position. Through the Practicum Program I was able to serve as in-house counsel at a Durham based start-up. That opportunity has served me well in my current position as in-house counsel for a Durham based publicly traded company.

The LLM in Law and Entrepreneurship Program has been an exceptionally rewarding experience for me both professionally and personally, and I recommend it wholeheartedly.”

– Jean Michel LLMLE'14

Duke LLMLE students are provided services through the dedicated staff in the Career Center, whose mission is for every graduate to launch his or her career with the right job - not just any job. Almost all of our graduates are typically engaged in careers of their choosing when they graduate or shortly thereafter and we have one of the strongest employment records among U.S. law schools. There is also a helpful handbook for LLMLE students seeking employment.

Duke LLMLE graduates have found employment with startups, law firms, in-house counsel, venture capital firms, and other businesses. 

• LLMLE employers include

• Alston Bird: A leading national and international law firm experienced in IP, complex litigation, corporate and tax, with clients who conduct business all over the world.
• Athletic Lab: Coaching, sports training programs, and technical advice rooted in evidence-based practice.
• Bowles Rice: Law firm specializing in energy law, banking law, litigation, employers’ liability law, construction law, and education law.
• Clinipace: A global digital contract research organization (dCRO), serving venture-backed, mid-tier, and strategic pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device firms.
• Cree, Inc.: Multinational manufacturer of semiconductor light-emitting diode materials and devices, with its headquarters in Durham, NC.
• Dental One Partners: Managerial and marketing firm for more than 150 dental practices across 14 states.
• DiscoverReady: Startup centered on creating and implementing the highest-quality, most efficient, and least costly document review processes possible.
• DLA Piper: Global law firm with lawyers located in more than 30 countries, positioned to help companies with their legal needs anywhere in the world..
• 8 Rivers Capital: Technology financing and commercialization firm that brings new ideas to market.
• ESO Solutions: Company providing electronic patient care reporting (ePCR) and other software solutions designed to improve patient care.
• Goldberg Kohn: Chicago based counsel to clients ranging from private to Fortune 100 companies located throughout the U.S and the world.
• Halliburton: Corporation offering a broad array of oilfield services and products to upstream oil and gas customers worldwide.
• Haynes Boone: Global law firm among the largest firms based in the US, with more than 550 lawyers in 13 offices and 30 major legal practices. The firm serves clients globally on sophisticated legal matters while maintaining a special culture founded on teamwork, a healthy work environment, and a strong work ethic.
• Hellman Yates: Law firm specializing in corporate and commercial law, real estate development and leasing, mergers and acquisitions, zoning, land use law, and telecommunications.
• Impulsonic: Acoustic software development startup. Acquired by Valve in 2017.
• LeClairRyan: Entrepreneurial law firm that provides business counsel and client representation in matters of corporate law and high-stakes litigation.
• LikeCharity: Mobile platform designed to help charities raise funds using mobile and social media technology.
• Lowenstein Sandler: Law firm representing public and private companies, financial institutions, investors, entrepreneurs, universities, and private clients in corporate and litigation matters.
• L Star Ventures: Real estate investment firm.
• McGlinchey Stafford: Law firm counseling businesses, corporations and institutions in business, consumer finance, government and public policy, healthcare, labor and employment, litigation, and public finance.
• Moore & VanAllen: Business law firm for blue-chip clients including large national banks, successful international manufacturers, growing healthcare and technology companies, noted retailers, and more.
• Morgan Lewis: Law partnership including lawyers, patent agents, benefits advisers, regulatory scientists, and other specialists.
• Morningstar Law Group: Business law firm that offers a suite of practices, including corporate, securities, employment, real estate, land use, litigation, and intellectual property.
• NCSU Office of Technology Transfer: With more than 100 startups and 400 commercialized products, NC State brings real-world solutions to the marketplace. The Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) plays a crucial role in this mission by protecting and promoting University research discoveries and intellectual property, working with and guiding industry partners, and promoting the acceleration of startups.
• Oliff: Firm specializing in intellectual property legal services.
• Parsons Behle & Latimer: Law Firm with expertise in providing services to the natural resources industry, including multi-billion dollar companies, start-up companies, and individuals.
• Proskauer Rose: Law firm with wide experience in all areas of practice important to businesses, including corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, real estate transactions, bankruptcy and reorganizations, taxation, litigation, trusts and estates, intellectual property, and labor and employment law.
• Red Hat: Multinational software company providing open-source software products.
• ReverbNation: Provides music industry professionals, artists, managers, labels, venues, festivals/events with powerful, easy-to-use technology to promote and prosper online.
• Rock Creek Capital: Venture capital firm.
• RocketBolt: Startup designed to increase internet hits and activity for customers.  Member of The Startup Factory's fall 2013 cohort.
• Seward & Kissel: Law firm with practice focus on corporate and litigation work for clients seeking legal expertise in the financial services, corporate finance, and capital markets areas. 
• Smith Anderson: Largest business and litigation law firm headquartered in the Research Triangle area and one of the largest in North Carolina.
• Smith Moore Leatherwood: Law firm with expertise in a wide range of substantive areas.
• Pyne & Prather: Formerly Snell, Wylie & Tibbals, PC. Law firm handling traditional and innovative real estate, corporate, partnership acquisition, complex business litigation, and financing projects for large business organizations, small entrepreneurial startups, and individuals.
• Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati: Law firm representing technology, life sciences, and other growth enterprise companies at every stage of development, from entrepreneurial start-ups to multibillion-dollar global corporations, as well as the venture firms, private equity firms, and investment banks that finance and advise them.
• Winstead: Law firm focusing on business, transactions, litigation, and dispute resolution, serving real estate, financial services, and corporate clients.
• Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton: Entrepreneurial law firm with a focus on growth-oriented businesses.