Duke 1L (soon to be 2L) taking questions Forum

[Slimz89]

Anyone here take Zelenak for basic income tax? How is his teaching style? He is coming to Northwestern next semester...thanx in advance

[prezidentv8]

i did in ~2011. hes good, kind of a funny dude too. Would take class again. Semi-related note: my favorite case from his class:

http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-9th-circuit/1120717.html

See also:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Geary_ ... ax_lawsuit
http://www.nytimes.com/1993/10/30/us/du ... ffice.html

[prezidentv8]

eta: good list tho. what/where is Broken Egg tho? must be newish.

It's a breakfast/lunch-only place tucked away in the same complex on Erwin as Chipotle, Smashburger, Firehouse Subs, etc. Looks like it's only 2-2.5 years old. Apparently there are also locations in Raleigh and Morrisville. I've only been there once, but it was pretty good.

come to think of it, i may have actually been there.

[Slimz89]

i did in ~2011. hes good, kind of a funny dude too. Would take class again. Semi-related note: my favorite case from his class:

http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-9th-circuit/1120717.html

See also:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Geary_ ... ax_lawsuit
http://www.nytimes.com/1993/10/30/us/du ... ffice.html

What was his teaching style? did you have to learn from his books or his lecture taught you what you needed? also do you have an outline for his class?

[prezidentv8]

i did in ~2011. hes good, kind of a funny dude too. Would take class again. Semi-related note: my favorite case from his class:

http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-9th-circuit/1120717.html

See also:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Geary_ ... ax_lawsuit
http://www.nytimes.com/1993/10/30/us/du ... ffice.html

What was his teaching style? did you have to learn from his books or his lecture taught you what you needed? also do you have an outline for his class?

Balance between book and lecture if I recall. Don't think I have an outline....I think I used other people's outlines to study.

[Ex Cearulo]

Hi, everyone. Happy New Year!

Wondering if any Duke students can provide insight on the school's placement strength in Florida. Thanks!

[CFC1524]

Hey guys and gals! Does anyone have experience with the Environmental Law and Policy Clinic? If so, what was it like? Are people actually pursuing careers in environmental law afterwards, or is this more of a "for-show" clinic?

[SplitMyPants]

Hi, everyone. Happy New Year!

Wondering if any Duke students can provide insight on the school's placement strength in Florida. Thanks!

Are you from Florida?

[d cooper]

.

[secadc11]

Hey, thanks to everyone for the information provided here thus far.

As a recent applicant with Duke very high on my list, I have a few questions:

1) What apartments/areas would you recommend for an engaged/married couple? We also have a 60 lb dog that fits many apartments "breed restrictions" list, unfortunately.

2) Do any of you know students who have done 1L/2L summers and/or ultimately worked in the Twin Cities (Minnesota)? It seems the common markets Duke students target are NYC/DC/LA/SF and I'm wondering what sort of success I might have targeting a much smaller secondary market like the Twin Cities.

[jimmymac]

Any thoughts on the mordecai? Anyone know anything about it other than the monetary award?

Thanks!

[AT9]

Potential transfer here...

If you had a choice between top 5-10% at Wake/UNC (with $$$) or somewhere around average at Duke, what would you choose?
*Goal of practicing in the South with ties to the Southeast generally, but not limited there
**Goal is private practice in real estate, land use, or environmental

[Merylian]

Hey, thanks to everyone for the information provided here thus far.

As a recent applicant with Duke very high on my list, I have a few questions:

1) What apartments/areas would you recommend for an engaged/married couple? We also have a 60 lb dog that fits many apartments "breed restrictions" list, unfortunately.

2) Do any of you know students who have done 1L/2L summers and/or ultimately worked in the Twin Cities (Minnesota)? It seems the common markets Duke students target are NYC/DC/LA/SF and I'm wondering what sort of success I might have targeting a much smaller secondary market like the Twin Cities.

1) Pinnacle Ridge is pretty good for couples. It doesn't have a college-student vibe, and while there are a ton of law students, there are also plenty of families and married couples with zero connection to the school. They're pretty generous about the weight restriction on dogs, too - it's officially 60, but you see a lot of people walking their dogs that are clearly much bigger than that.

2) I don't know anyone specifically headed for Minnesota, but I do know people who have targeted and succeeded in smaller markets. It seems to very much depend on your ties - everyone I know who is headed to a smaller city is from the area, or at the very least the state. If you've never lived in Minnesota before or don't have solid reasons for wanting it, it might be tougher.

[secadc11]

Hey, thanks to everyone for the information provided here thus far.

As a recent applicant with Duke very high on my list, I have a few questions:

1) What apartments/areas would you recommend for an engaged/married couple? We also have a 60 lb dog that fits many apartments "breed restrictions" list, unfortunately.

2) Do any of you know students who have done 1L/2L summers and/or ultimately worked in the Twin Cities (Minnesota)? It seems the common markets Duke students target are NYC/DC/LA/SF and I'm wondering what sort of success I might have targeting a much smaller secondary market like the Twin Cities.

1) Pinnacle Ridge is pretty good for couples. It doesn't have a college-student vibe, and while there are a ton of law students, there are also plenty of families and married couples with zero connection to the school. They're pretty generous about the weight restriction on dogs, too - it's officially 60, but you see a lot of people walking their dogs that are clearly much bigger than that.

2) I don't know anyone specifically headed for Minnesota, but I do know people who have targeted and succeeded in smaller markets. It seems to very much depend on your ties - everyone I know who is headed to a smaller city is from the area, or at the very least the state. If you've never lived in Minnesota before or don't have solid reasons for wanting it, it might be tougher.

Thanks so much for the informative response!

I am from Minnesota, grew up there, have worked there post-grad, etc -- lots of ties. I am assuming there are no Minnesota firms showing up at OCI, so I'm wondering how students targeting secondary markets not represented at OCI tend to go about their job search. Does anyone have any insight?

[SplitMyPants]

.

[secadc11]

.

Thank you!

[Serett]

Potential transfer here...

If you had a choice between top 5-10% at Wake/UNC (with $$$) or somewhere around average at Duke, what would you choose?
*Goal of practicing in the South with ties to the Southeast generally, but not limited there
**Goal is private practice in real estate, land use, or environmental

I chose Duke (but with $$) over a full scholarship at Big Ten state schools similar enough to UNC/Wake, but that was when those class positions wouldn't have been guaranteed by any means. I adore Duke, but if, right now, someone yanked my scholarship and told me I was at median, but alternatively, I could switch to UNC in the top 5-10% with a substantial scholarship (something that wouldn't happen but is roughly the reverse of your situation), I'd take UNC.

It depends on your goals, but if you're happy with general (NC) biglaw or anything less competitive than that, I'd stay in those shoes. Cheaper, already there, and well within the percentage of its class that gets good results. If the choice were Wake Forest, that's more questionable, but if I thought I'd still be 5-10% after next semester, I'd still stay. It's still within the good outcome range.

Essentially, I wouldn't have chosen T14 sticker over full/mostly full scholarships elsewhere, and that's even more true if I'm guaranteed a 5-10% vs. Median trade-off.

[Slimz89]

a

[AT9]

Potential transfer here...

If you had a choice between top 5-10% at Wake/UNC (with $$$) or somewhere around average at Duke, what would you choose?
*Goal of practicing in the South with ties to the Southeast generally, but not limited there
**Goal is private practice in real estate, land use, or environmental

I chose Duke (but with $$) over a full scholarship at Big Ten state schools similar enough to UNC/Wake, but that was when those class positions wouldn't have been guaranteed by any means. I adore Duke, but if, right now, someone yanked my scholarship and told me I was at median, but alternatively, I could switch to UNC in the top 5-10% with a substantial scholarship (something that wouldn't happen but is roughly the reverse of your situation), I'd take UNC.

It depends on your goals, but if you're happy with general (NC) biglaw or anything less competitive than that, I'd stay in those shoes. Cheaper, already there, and well within the percentage of its class that gets good results. If the choice were Wake Forest, that's more questionable, but if I thought I'd still be 5-10% after next semester, I'd still stay. It's still within the good outcome range.

Essentially, I wouldn't have chosen T14 sticker over full/mostly full scholarships elsewhere, and that's even more true if I'm guaranteed a 5-10% vs. Median trade-off.

Thanks for the input! I would be happy here (as opposed to biglaw in NYC or something) so I am leaning towards staying. Talking to other 2L/3L students here at Wake who did well, I feel confident about staying near the top 5/10% next semester.

[SplitMyPants]

When are we able to get Chem Lot passes?

[secadc11]

What's the reason for the limited Duke current students/Duke alumni contingency on this board?

More normal/less crazy? That's what I'm hoping.

[FluffMonster]

When are we able to get Chem Lot passes?

Q of the day

[intlsplitr]

When are we able to get Chem Lot passes?

2L. Parking signups are over the summer (mid-July if I remember correctly).

[Serett]

What's the reason for the limited Duke current students/Duke alumni contingency on this board?

More normal/less crazy? That's what I'm hoping.

I'm sure part of it is just size, but that doesn't really distinguish this thread from, say, the 200+ page Cornell thread in this same sub-forum. I've never been a huge subscriber to the "populations at peer law schools have measurable, significant personality differences as a whole" assertion, but I really don't have a better explanation to offer. For what it's worth, I think almost everyone I've met here has seemed generally normalish/centered, not that I have a frame of reference concerning what other schools are like. Boalt's thread in this sub-forum has also gone through only ~15 pages since May 2012. Must be the weather

When are we able to get Chem Lot passes?

Q of the day

+1000

[SplitMyPants]

When are we able to get Chem Lot passes?

2L. Parking signups are over the summer (mid-July if I remember correctly).

Is it competitive? Or is basically anyone who is willing to pay able to get one?