"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.
"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.
"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.
"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.
"We really needed each other to be able to get through."
The Honorable Evelyn Cannon tells about the companionship of the three black women in her Law School class and how they helped each other through their first year.
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 they did take secrecy in a grand jury seriously."
Joan Erwin '74 recalls doing grand jury work for the Spiro Agnew case.
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.
"We were told to wear coats and ties."
Joan Erwin '74 and Lynn McLain '74 remember their mandatory first-year moot court experience.
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.
"It is a tremendous bonding experience."
Lynn McLain talks about the stress of final exams when they were given as one comprehensive test at the end of 1L year.
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 think that kind of faculty investment is what really made this a different place."
Lynn Hogue talks about his relationship with Professor Robinson O. Everett.
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.
"Nixon's picture used to hang in the courtroom and was stolen several times."
The Honorable Evelyn Cannon talks about shenanigans in the Law School during the time of the Watergate scandal.
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 I was walking back to my seat, I could hear Property coming out of my ears like a balloon bursting."
The Honorable Charles L. Becton talks about his first Law School exam in Professor Bertel Sparks' Property 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.
"[It] opened up so many ways of thinking for me. It was an absolutely marvelous experience."
Joan Erwin remembers getting to know University President Terry Sanford while she was at Duke Law School and describes the "smorgasbord of different opinions" she found in the professors here.
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.
"All of us were looking awful in our blue jeans and scraggly stuff, because we had been studying."
Joan Erwin tells about when Richard Nixon's daughter, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, and her husband, David Eisenhower, came to visit 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.
"He just turned to them and said, 'I didn't have to. She went to Duke.'"
Joan Erwin '74 talks about arguing a death penalty case in the North Carolina State Supreme Court and Professor Van Alstyne's response to accusations that he had helped her write her brief.
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.
"[We had] just a wonderful bunch of professors my first year."
The Honorable Charles L. Becton remembers a number of professors from his first-year Law School classes.
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'm not sure I would go to any of my classmates for legal work, because you know them foibles and all."
Joan Erwin and Lynn McLain joke about their classmates' antics in Law School and discuss some of the differences in the Law School building.
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 worst thing about Duke Law School was its building."
Lynn Hogue remembers what the Duke Law building looked like when he was in school and reflects on the transformation from the most recent construction.
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.
"Every time the issue of jurisdiction arises, as a judge, I think, 'If I don't have jurisdiction, I have no power.'"
The Honorable Evelyn Cannon remembers Professor Francis Paschal's Civil Procedure 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.
"I found it incredibly discouraging. The implication there is that we should be studying 24 hours a day."
Lynn McLain remembers when the library changed its hours to be open for 24 hours a day.
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.