As well as thinking ahead, Duke Law also thinks abroad. Duke Law students and faculty are involved in academic, professional and intellectual pursuits across the globe.

Duke was the first law school in the country to offer American students the opportunity to pursue a joint degree in international and comparative law  in three years by starting their studies in the summer before their first year. The Law School also runs a very successful one-year LLM program in American law  for students who have earned law degrees in other countries. These programs have become models for other top law schools, and remain unique in fully integrating international students into the academic and social life of the Law School community.

An international perspective pervades the curriculum of Duke Law School education. Students examine international and comparative dimensions of the law not only in specialized courses, but also in mainstream classes in commercial and corporate law, family law, environmental law, criminal law, intellectual property law, sports law, and other fields.

Outside the classroom, Duke students share their diverse perspectives and experiences through a myriad of extra-curricular activities, symposia, and special events examining international issues or featuring international leaders. A popular tradition in the fall is International Week, which features a full schedule of intellectual and cultural events.The Law School attracts students from more than 35 countries and its faculty advise around the world – on issues as diverse as the scientific standards for global environmental regulation, Russian tax reform, constitution-building in Afghanistan, business development in Vietnam, a new national stock exchange in Saudi Arabia, and issues of global capital markets in China.

Summer institutes in transnational law in Geneva and Hong Kong that are unmatched in their scope and quality, and by exchange programs and externships with 14 foreign universities in, among other locations, Australia, China, England, France, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Mexico, and South Africa. More than ten percent of Duke Law School alumni live and practice abroad, providing Duke students with an extensive international network of professional contacts and career opportunities.