Duke 1L, hanging out on the internet Forum

[BlakcMajikc]

Can you speak on diversity at Duke?

[Reedie]

I'm really warming to Duke, but coming for the west coast I have a lot of friends and family who really see it as kind of a 'white-elite' type of place where especially a non-urm minority like myself would really stick out. Basically I think their vision of Duke is rooted in the lacrosse scandal. I'm open minded enough to realize that this view is probably seriously misguided and biased but I wanted to ask the viewpoint of people who go there. I guess I dont have a specific question, but curious what you think of Duke's general rep.

All you have to do is look at the stats the ABA compiles and you can see that Berkeley, for example, has a much higher percentage of Asian students than Duke (just as an example, but for other URMs the numbers are similar). It's not all that difficult to explain this phenomenon just by virtue of where Berkeley and Duke are located. As to how much that matters, that probably varies by individual and I can't really comment on what it's like to be Indian or Chinese at Duke. With that said, it's not like Duke's ethnicity breakdown looks like the state of Vermont.

As to the "white privilege" issue, in all honesty you are going to find a great deal of privilege at any elite law school public or private. That's because, just by virtue of being here, we are all privileged. You aren't going to find a lot of people of average intelligence, with average work ethics, from disadvantaged backgrounds at top law schools. Whether by intelligence, work ethic, or background (or all of the above) everyone here is privileged, and I think the same would be true of most anywhere else.

But just because--for whatever reason--everyone here is lucky doesn't mean everyone is a snob. Personally, I haven't met many (if any?) snobs.

OTOH, we don't have enough toilets in the library. That annoys me.

[Reedie]

Can you speak on diversity at Duke?

Just to follow up what I posted before: coming from UCLA I really noticed that Duke is less ethnically diverse. Go to the ABA and look at the stats. It's not a huge issue for me, though it was a ton of fun doing things like TAing Latin American History with students from all over the place who could teach me a lot.

[beachbum]

Does it seem that most 1Ls have post-grad work experience and/or advanced degrees, or is there a good portion coming straight from undergrad? I ask because I looked into the 2014 FB group and it seems that almost everyone has pretty solid credentials. I'm coming straight out of (a non-Ivy) undergrad with relatively unimpressive work experience, and I'm wondering if this will put me at a disadvantage for OCI. Thanks a lot.

[prezidentv8]

I'm coming straight out of (a non-Ivy virtually unknown) undergrad with relatively unimpressive work experience, and I'm wondering if this will put me at a disadvantage for OCI. Thanks a lot.

FTFMe. I can tell you that my unimpressive jobs were still asked about. I think it's definitely one of those things that helps a lot, and helps establish the presumption that you can actually do things intelligently. If you don't have that experience the difference is that you're going to have to establish maturity and career direction through (perhaps unrelated) things that you have done. IMO, that's where the disadvantage, if any, lies.

[nancy_hk_sh]

Hi, I just got the chance to go to Duke for 1-year exchange! it is definitely excited for me. I come from HK, undertaking my LLB degree. I know that Duke is one of the best places for corporate, commercial and financial laws. What's your advice upon which courses I shall take. I have already found some interesting ones, such as corporate restricting, IP, and etc.

Thanks: )

[arism87]

Can people stay with students for Duke's ASW? I don't think I've seen anything about it, but want to make sure I'm not just missing it..

[beachbum]

This may seem kinda random, but I'm gonna be moving down to Durham in the summer (June-ish): will I be able to use the school gym, or how does that work? My apt has a small gym, but I need a real weight room if I'm gonna stay sane for those couple months.

[prezidentv8]

Hi, I just got the chance to go to Duke for 1-year exchange! it is definitely excited for me. I come from HK, undertaking my LLB degree. I know that Duke is one of the best places for corporate, commercial and financial laws. What's your advice upon which courses I shall take. I have already found some interesting ones, such as corporate restricting, IP, and etc.

Thanks: )

I'll be in corporate restructuring starting in a few weeks, so I can't speak on that quite yet, but I know the popular ones include Commercial Transactions, and some introduction to American law class. We have some great business, entrepreneurship, and IP faculty (really, a lot of great faculty in almost everything), so I would just think about whatever you're interested in and go for it.

[DallasCowboy]

Word on the street is that our gym is getting new equipment over the summer at some point (crossing fingers). If all else fails, ZX Fitness on Durham-Chapel Hill is 10 bucks per month.

[quakeroats]

If all else fails, ZX Fitness on Durham-Chapel Hill is 10 bucks per month.

I think their sign said you get one year free when you sign up for two. I suspect they're about six months from Chapter 7.

[beachbum]

If all else fails, ZX Fitness on Durham-Chapel Hill is 10 bucks per month.

I think their sign said you get one year free when you sign up for two. I suspect they're about six months from Chapter 7.

Haha, six months is all I need. I figure I'll try to get into Duke's gym ($45k in tuition should be good enough for early gym privileges, no?), but it's nice to have alternatives if that falls through. Thanks for the help.

[wiseowl]

that gym has averaged about 2 owners per year for the last 5 years or so.

[prezidentv8]

that gym has averaged about 2 owners per year for the last 5 years or so.

TITCR

[R.R. Raskolnikov]

Just got accepted last night.

How do Duke grads fair in the DC market, and what class ranking (top quarter? third? half? etc.) would you likely need to have a good chance at biglaw or federal gov't work there?

Also, has anyone here done the Duke in DC semester program or know anyone who has? Thoughts?

Thanks.

[lolschool2011]

Ask me questions about Duke, and I might answer!

Are you a "bro?"

J/k - good luck in the tournament.

[mikey101]

Can any current Duke students speak to the gay community at Duke Law, at Duke in general, or even in the area. What is the attitude of the general student body toward GLBT?

[Reedie]

Can any current Duke students speak to the gay community at Duke Law, at Duke in general, or even in the area. What is the attitude of the general student body toward GLBT?

I can speak to the general attitude question: you aren't going to find a lot of to law schools where the general attitude is hostility to GLBT students, and Duke is no exception. Partially this is just an age thing, people in their 20s are much much less likely to support things like bans on gay marriage. As a concerete example the federalist society (the main conservative organization in American law schools) invited a speaker on campus to discuss the Hastings supreme court case. When he suggested that one could be hostile only to "homosexual behavior" without hostility to homosexuals, the atmosphere turned palpably hostile. It was probably the most I've seen a room turn against a guest speaker at Duke, and this was the federalist society (though many people there were, like me, not members and just wanting to see what he was going to say).

[prezidentv8]

Ask me questions about Duke, and I might answer!

Are you a "bro?"

Totally not.

[wiseowl]

Just got accepted last night.

How do Duke grads fair in the DC market, and what class ranking (top quarter? third? half? etc.) would you likely need to have a good chance at biglaw or federal gov't work there?

Also, has anyone here done the Duke in DC semester program or know anyone who has? Thoughts?

Thanks.

It's tough to say re: DC. I know some people with market-paying firm jobs in top half, but you probably would want to be top-third to be safe. Certainly tougher than NY.

I don't know enough people doing fed govt jobs to say on that question.

I have some friends doing Duke in DC this semester and they seem to be enjoying it. It really is growing quickly in size. It was never on my radar, but for government-related stuff and nonprofits in that area it seems to be a great experience.

[beachbum]

How difficult is it to get BigLaw in Charlotte? I noticed that Duke places a fair amount of grads in NC; do these grads tend to have strong (pre-existing) NC connections? I ask because my girlfriend (who will probably be fiance in the next year or so) REALLY wants to stay in NC, and Charlotte seems like a place I would really enjoy, too. We're moving in together (she's gonna be working), and she's going to become an NC resident. Her sister (along with husband and kids) lives in Greensboro.

I know very little of the Charlotte market (beyond the beating it took in the recession). But how is it for Duke grads? And will my "connections" be good enough to at least get a look from Charlotte firms? Thanks a lot.

[wiseowl]

How difficult is it to get BigLaw in Charlotte? I noticed that Duke places a fair amount of grads in NC; do these grads tend to have strong (pre-existing) NC connections? I ask because my girlfriend (who will probably be fiance in the next year or so) REALLY wants to stay in NC, and Charlotte seems like a place I would really enjoy, too. We're moving in together (she's gonna be working), and she's going to become an NC resident. Her sister (along with husband and kids) lives in Greensboro.

I know very little of the Charlotte market (beyond the beating it took in the recession). But how is it for Duke grads? And will my "connections" be good enough to at least get a look from Charlotte firms? Thanks a lot.

I probably don't have to tell you that Charlotte was pretty hard hit by ITE - it's even more banking/finance-focused than NYC with far less else to fall back on when that sector collapses.

Simply put, NC biglaw is very, very tough. I had firm after firm tell me that they wanted to hire me but simply didn't have space or money. Maybe by the time you hit OCI things will be riper for you.

[beachbum]

How difficult is it to get BigLaw in Charlotte? I noticed that Duke places a fair amount of grads in NC; do these grads tend to have strong (pre-existing) NC connections? I ask because my girlfriend (who will probably be fiance in the next year or so) REALLY wants to stay in NC, and Charlotte seems like a place I would really enjoy, too. We're moving in together (she's gonna be working), and she's going to become an NC resident. Her sister (along with husband and kids) lives in Greensboro.

I know very little of the Charlotte market (beyond the beating it took in the recession). But how is it for Duke grads? And will my "connections" be good enough to at least get a look from Charlotte firms? Thanks a lot.

I probably don't have to tell you that Charlotte was pretty hard hit by ITE - it's even more banking/finance-focused than NYC with far less else to fall back on when that sector collapses.

Simply put, NC biglaw is very, very tough. I had firm after firm tell me that they wanted to hire me but simply didn't have space or money. Maybe by the time you hit OCI things will be riper for you.

Yeah, I figured about as much. Hopefully it'll be in better shape by the time I do OCI, but I won't count on it. Thanks for the heads-up.

[Ludacrispat26]

.

[los blancos]

Yeah, I figured about as much. Hopefully it'll be in better shape by the time I do OCI, but I won't count on it. Thanks for the heads-up.

From what I've heard, it's significantly easier if you're from NC; especially if you were a Carolina undergrad.