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For Kerry Abrams the best part of being Duke Law’s fifteenth dean has always been summed up by a single word: community. 

“Duke Law School has a culture of teamwork and collaboration like no school I have ever seen,” Abrams said. 

Abrams became the James B. Duke and Benjamin N. Duke Dean of the School of Law and professor of law on July 1, 2018. She arrived from the University of Virginia where she had served as vice provost for faculty affairs and as a member of law faculty, where she taught courses and published articles on family and immigration law. 

“Kerry Abrams has been an exceptional dean, leading Duke Law School through a remarkable period of growth in faculty excellence, student success, philanthropic support, and alumni and community engagement,” said Provost Alec D. Gallimore. 

Abrams informed Provost Gallimore at the beginning of June 2026 that she’d step down in June of 2027, after which she will resume her work as a teacher and scholar on the Duke Law faculty. During this academic year, the University will conduct a national search for her successor. 

“When she let me know earlier this year that she wanted this coming academic year to be her last as dean and asked for my support, I felt mixed emotions knowing how much we will miss her steady, thoughtful, and compassionate leadership,” Gallimore said. “I am grateful for all she has done for the Duke Law community in her role as Dean and that she will continue as a distinguished member of the Law School faculty.”

“I believe our school is in the best position that we have been in in our history,” Abrams wrote in a message to the Duke Law community. “And it is therefore a perfect time to pass the baton and enable Provost Gallimore to begin the process of identifying a leader who can take us to even greater heights” 

One of Abrams’ greatest achievements has been in increasing philanthropy. Duke Law set a fundraising record in the most recent fiscal year, which exceeded the previous record by 39%, also set while Abrams was dean. Donor support for the school’s annual fund to address dean priorities has increased 34% during her deanship. The Law School’s financial aid endowment has gone up 82% since Abrams started. Law School Board of Visitors Chair Collin Cox says part of the reason the school has seen such a dramatic increase is because of Abrams’ ability to eloquently explain the need and the impact the donations make. 

“Kerry is a gifted communicator, and she explains how funding scholarships helps make an impact in specific lives, communities, and society as a whole.” Cox said. “But I think people also give because the Law School is on an upward trajectory. It’s always been an incredible place, but we are getting even stronger in reputation and the excellence of the faculty and graduates we produce.” 

By raising additional resources, Abrams has increased the public interest law footprint at Duke Law. Stella Boswell, the associate dean for public interest and pro bono, says that Abrams has expanded opportunities for students to provide free-of-charge legal services to people who couldn’t otherwise afford them. 

“What has meant just as much to me, though, is how Kerry shows up for students personally,” Boswell said, noting Abrams often attends events for students interested in pursuing public interest careers. She says Abrams also asked to be a faculty mentor to students pursuing the Public Interest and Public Service Law certificate. 

“Kerry demonstrates to public interest students that their work, their aspirations, and their experiences are truly valued by the Law School,” Boswell said. 

Abrams also established two new legal clinics, the Criminal Defense Clinic and the Immigrant Rights Clinic, bringing the total number of clinics at Duke Law School to 12. Duke Law School has a comprehensive program of clinical legal education where students learn the practice of lawyering by representing live clients with real-life problems. Seventy-five percent of Duke Law students now graduate with a clinic or externship experience. 

More experiential learning opportunities have created more teaching opportunities. Abrams has hired more than 40 new faculty members, and the school established eight endowed professorships since she became dean. 

Joseph Blocher, Lanty L. Smith ’67 Distinguished Professor of Law, served as the vice dean overseeing faculty affairs with Abrams. He witnessed firsthand Abrams’ approach to hiring and supporting faculty. 

“Kerry has led us through a period of major transformation as a faculty, including a remarkable run of hiring that has brought new voices and methods to the fore,” Blocher said. 

Abrams’ commitment to investing in the faculty has ensured the school stays relevant to the legal industry. Employment statistics continually demonstrate Duke Law graduates are in demand, with the most recent data available showing 99.6% of 2025 juris doctor graduates having jobs at the industry benchmark of 10 months after graduation, plus a first-time bar passage rate of 98.23%. 

“The academic rigor of Duke Law produces graduates who are gifted writers, problem solvers, and eager collaborators,” said Cox, the board chair and a partner at Gibson Dunn. “Kerry makes sure these skills remain foundational to a Duke Law education, but she also focuses on critical thinking as our students enter a world in which AI is changing the pace and tools of legal work.”

The advent of generative AI is just one of the shifts Abrams has been navigating at Duke Law. Her tenure has been marked by upheaval in the world and legal industry, including a shift to online learning in the pandemic, rebuilding Duke Law’s strong culture when the community returned in person to classrooms and offices, and navigating major and disruptive changes to law firm recruiting.

“I’ve had a front row seat to Kerry’s leadership, and I am always impressed with her ability to think deeply and really unpack the information she needs to make the best decision about how to move forward,” Blocher said. “Her North Star is always if we are doing the best job we could for our community, especially when it comes to the education of our students.” 

Dean Abrams also prioritizes forming relationships with students. She established an advisory council to seek input on ideas or regularly address any concerns. She teaches family law, holding regular office hours in Star Commons to make it easy for students to pop by to talk about her class or anything else. 

Perhaps one of Abrams’ most enduring legacies will be the focus she places on explaining the important role of lawyers in society. At the beginning of each academic year, Abrams speaks to incoming students about the responsibility and privilege of serving others, often when clients are at their most vulnerable state. She stresses that lawyers are active listeners, who can put their own opinions aside, to do what is in the best interest of their client or society. 

“Being a lawyer means being willing — even obligated — to be the person in the room who will stand up for process and fairness, even if that process doesn’t lead to your own preferred solution,” Abrams told first-year students. “You should all be proud to be entering a profession in which you can make an extraordinary contribution to the wellbeing of your communities, country, and world.” 

Now she is reflecting on what it has meant to be able to speak such words to students for almost a decade as dean.

“I hope I have been able to make an impact for the better,” Abrams said. “But I can assure you Duke Law has made an impact on me for the better. I’m so proud of all we have been able to accomplish together, and I look forward to this year and continuing to be part of Duke Law. Throughout my time as Dean, it has been our strong, vibrant, and supportive community that continues to make this place truly special."