"I really felt an affinity for Professor Robertson, as you could see him trying to feel his way in this heavy duty academic environment."
Dan Bowling '80 remembers Professor Horace Robertson and their similarities, both starting at Duke Law in 1980.
The Duke Law Oral History Project is an ongoing project designed to collect and archive memories from alumni and faculty throughout the history of the Duke Law School.
"[A civil-rights era lawyer was] a bit of a hero, to those of us in the South, at the time, for some of the things they did."
Dan Bowling '80 remembers his admiration of civil rights lawyers leading him to Duke Law.
The Duke Law Oral History Project is an ongoing project designed to collect and archive memories from alumni and faculty throughout the history of the Duke Law School.
"Elvis died, and I didn't know it... for two weeks."
Bill Brown recalls how involved his first few weeks were at law school.
The Duke Law Oral History Project is an ongoing project designed to collect and archive memories from alumni and faculty throughout the history of the Duke Law School.
The Duke Law Oral History Project is an ongoing project designed to collect and archive memories from alumni and faculty throughout the history of the Duke Law School.
"They opened up the library doors and they removed them from their hinges."
Bill Brown recalls law students' reaction to closing the library at night
The Duke Law Oral History Project is an ongoing project designed to collect and archive memories from alumni and faculty throughout the history of the Duke Law School.
The Duke Law Oral History Project is an ongoing project designed to collect and archive memories from alumni and faculty throughout the history of the Duke Law School.
The Duke Law Oral History Project is an ongoing project designed to collect and archive memories from alumni and faculty throughout the history of the Duke Law School.
The Duke Law Oral History Project is an ongoing project designed to collect and archive memories from alumni and faculty throughout the history of the Duke Law School.
The Duke Law Oral History Project is an ongoing project designed to collect and archive memories from alumni and faculty throughout the history of the Duke Law School.
"As he turned around to go the other direction, you could see all the chalk rubbed off on his jacket."
Bill Brown recalls times with Professor George Christie in the classroom.
The Duke Law Oral History Project is an ongoing project designed to collect and archive memories from alumni and faculty throughout the history of the Duke Law School.
The Duke Law Oral History Project is an ongoing project designed to collect and archive memories from alumni and faculty throughout the history of the Duke Law School.
The Duke Law Oral History Project is an ongoing project designed to collect and archive memories from alumni and faculty throughout the history of the Duke Law School.
"Back then professors didn't get reviewed."
Bill Brown recounts a memory of a "crusty" property professor.
The Duke Law Oral History Project is an ongoing project designed to collect and archive memories from alumni and faculty throughout the history of the Duke Law School.
"It was sort of a change your life, set of really random circumstances."
Bill Brown '80 tells of chance decisions that shaped his life, like a video-taped interview and a securities law course.
The Duke Law Oral History Project is an ongoing project designed to collect and archive memories from alumni and faculty throughout the history of the Duke Law School.
The Duke Law Oral History Project is an ongoing project designed to collect and archive memories from alumni and faculty throughout the history of the Duke Law School.
"The camaraderie that you build up going to law school here is just phenomenal."
Bill Brown '80 talks about small classes and the closeness amongst students that having a small class builds.
The Duke Law Oral History Project is an ongoing project designed to collect and archive memories from alumni and faculty throughout the history of the Duke Law School.
"Wherever you went in the United States, everybody knew Duke."
Don Ray Billings '63 relates his experience of finding out Duke's renown outside of North Carolina. He now finds the halls filled with photos of his professors and remembers his law school experience of excellent faculty and a talented class.
The Duke Law Oral History Project is an ongoing project designed to collect and archive memories from alumni and faculty throughout the history of the Duke Law School.
"[Duke Law] is now no longer that small, but it is still intimate even though it's global."
Duke Law graduate Ken Starr describes his continuing enjoyment of the intimate environment of Duke Law, and relates memories of professors in his first year where students were encouraged to develop friendships with faculty as well as with fellow students.
The Duke Law Oral History Project is an ongoing project designed to collect and archive memories from alumni and faculty throughout the history of the Duke Law School.
"I was then told that the class would wait while I read the 40-page case."
Alan Levine '88 recounts a story of his Law School days in which he came to class unprepared. The situation was defused, and he was saved, when Neil Clarke '88 took the question himself.
The Duke Law Oral History Project is an ongoing project designed to collect and archive memories from alumni and faculty throughout the history of the Duke Law School.
"The thing about Duke is, you know everyone in your class. Absolutely everyone."
Neil Clarke describes the advantages of Duke Law's size as compared to other larger law schools. Alan Levine recounts a story of meeting a former classmate in professional life and immediately being able to reconnect because of Duke Law's intimacy.
The Duke Law Oral History Project is an ongoing project designed to collect and archive memories from alumni and faculty throughout the history of the Duke Law School.
"I do think that Duke students are quite loyal to each other."
Neil Clarke and Alan Levine tell of how Duke Law alumni remain loyal and connected after law school. They describe situations in which they are eager to find, hire, and get recommendations from former Duke Law classmates and alumni.
The Duke Law Oral History Project is an ongoing project designed to collect and archive memories from alumni and faculty throughout the history of the Duke Law School.
"He wanted to know if I wanted [a scholarship to Duke Law]. I said, 'I sure do.'"
Bill McGuire tells of his easy decision to come to Duke Law during the Depression, when presented with a yearly scholarship. He continues on to tell of his job during law school and decision to pursue a career in law in Charlotte.
The Duke Law Oral History Project is an ongoing project designed to collect and archive memories from alumni and faculty throughout the history of the Duke Law School.
"I thought I might be a patent lawyer or do something to use my engineering background."
James Berry '74 talks about why he left a career in engineering to come to Law School.
The Duke Law Oral History Project is an ongoing project designed to collect and archive memories from alumni and faculty throughout the history of the Duke Law School.
"He got through Vietnam and moot court could have killed him."
Joan Erwin and Lynn McLain remember how a Vietnam veteran classmate fainted after his first question in Moot Court.
The Duke Law Oral History Project is an ongoing project designed to collect and archive memories from alumni and faculty throughout the history of the Duke Law School.
"He said, 'You know, sometimes in life, you realize what the right thing to do is and the smart thing to do is to do it right then.'"
Lynn Hogue recalls asking then, Dean A Kenneth Pye, for help to pay for a trip to Chicago where he was to read an academic paper at a conference.
The Duke Law Oral History Project is an ongoing project designed to collect and archive memories from alumni and faculty throughout the history of the Duke Law School.