• Connecting those passionate about justice, innovation and law

    Duke Law Tech Lab

  • From the Duke Law Tech Lab Community

    A message for law students

    Jim Wagner, Duke Law '93

    Vice President of Agreement Cloud Strategy at DocuSign

    Duke Law Tech Lab Advisory Board

    On the adoption of legal tech among lawyers

    Chris Martin

    Lead Innovation Attorney at Latham & Watkins

    Duke Law Tech Lab Advisory Board

    On the openness of courts and lawyers to remote technologies due to COVID-19

    Oliver Goodenough

    SkoposLabs, 2017 Duke Law Tech Lab

     

    On the lessons learned from the 2020 International Legal Tech Summit

    Andrea Rojas Rozo

    Fellow with the Duke Center on Law & Tech

     

  • Congratulations to our 2020 Cohort!

    Our 2020 Duke Law Tech Lab program culminated in Demo Day on Friday, September 25, 2020

    where we awarded the following prizes:

    JusticeText

    Grand Prize Winner & Audience Favorite

    Athena

    (formerly Don't Get Mad Get Paid)

    Second Prize Winner

  • Our Program

    We work with:

    • Early-stage companies in the legal tech space with a mission to increase access to legal services. 
       
    • Founders looking for a light touch, remote accelerator. Successful teams usually have a MVP built by the time they enter the program. 
    • Newly incorporated (or soon to be) for-profits, non-profits, or social enterprises operating in the United States.
    • Teams committed to giving 1 to 2 hours per week remotely throughout the program plus participation in Demo Day at the end of the program.  The rest of the time we expect you to be doing what's most important -- working on your company!
    Our 2020 program has ended - stay tuned for future application opportunities.
     

  • Timeline

    1

    Application Deadline

    Monday, June 1 at 5 pm Eastern

    2

    Application Review

    Early June 2020

    3

    Interviews

    Early to Mid June 2020

    4

    Notification

    Selected applicants notified in mid June

    5

    Program

    Starts Wednesday, June 17

    6

    Virtual! Fall 2020

  • Applications closed June 1, 2020

    Stay tuned for information about our 2020 cohort!

  • What We Do

    We accelerate the next generation of startups that will change the way legal services are delivered

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    Build

    We are building a community

    We are looking for hard-working, creative entrepreneurs who are passionate about changing the way legal services are delivered within the justice system, law firms, and the government.

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    Connect

    We connect you with valuable partners and mentors

    Our program involves 1-hour weekly virtual conferences with leading legal technology entrepreneurs, innovative law firms, industry consultants, court administrators, CTOs, angel investors and VCs committed to investing in early-stage tech products. We bring in thought-leaders from the legal profession and coaching experts to hone your pitch and enrich your understanding of the legal services ecosystem.

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    Grow

    We are here to support your growth

    Our mission is to strategically tailor resources to help your startup thrive, from access to highly intelligent interns through Duke University and leaders in legal tech fields, to showcasing your product at the Duke Law Tech Lab Demo Day.

  • By the Numbers

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    We've worked with 30 companies over 4 cohorts since the Duke Law Tech Lab started in fall 2016.

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    After the Duke Law Tech Lab, ten companies have been accepted into the

    LexisNexis Legal Tech Accelerator.

    $25k given away in prize money

    We've distributed over $35,000 total in prize money to the top companies since 2017. We don't take equity in any of the companies in our program.

    $10k+ given away in grant money

    We've given away $11,500 in grant money to the companies with a mission to increase access to legal services in our 2019 & 2020 cohorts.

    75+ judges reviewed applications over 4 cohorts

    Our extensive network of Duke Law faculty, alumni, current law students, staff and other legal tech leaders review applications to the Duke Law Tech Lab.

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    We are grateful to the many legal tech leaders, entrepreneurs, practicing attorneys, marketing experts, pitch coaches, angel investors, and other experts who provide content for our program. In 2019 & 2020, over 50 individuals provided unique content to the companies in the cohort.

  • Why work with us?

    We continue to evolve the Duke Law Tech Lab to help address the most pressing challenges facing early stage legal tech companies:

     

    • The vast majority of our Founders are lawyers or experienced as self-represented litigants - not serial entrepreneurs or MBAs - who have seen a gap or need in the legal profession and are developing a solution.

    • The market for legal tech products, both BTB and BTC, is unique and continually evolving as more individuals, governments, and companies embrace the use of technology in the legal and civic sectors.

    • While many startup founders in all industries feel it is a lonely road, legal tech entrepreneurs are in particular need of support from other legal tech leaders.

    The DLTL provides a platform for our teams to engage with legal tech leaders, law firms, justice system stakeholders, student interns, angel investors, venture capitalists, innovators, influencers, and others from Duke University's extensive network.

     

  • What do we mean by increasing access to legal services?

    We are seeking innovative companies who are working to expand market-based access to legal services for people in the middle - those who do not qualify for reduced fee or free legal services, nor those who are able to afford the traditional fee for services.

     

    We hope to help create viable markets for legal tech tools that close the access gap for this key constituency.

     

    Past companies include:

    • Courtroom5
    • Easy Expunctions
    • Hello Divorce
    • Smart Lien

    We also encourage companies to apply who are aiming to increase the efficiency or effectiveness of reduced fee legal services.

     

  • Who We Are

    We're an entrepreneurial team with experience in startups, law firms, investing, and academia

    Leadership

    DLTL is coordinated by faculty, staff, and students at Duke Law under the Duke Center on Law and Technology,

    led by Director Jeff Ward. We are supported by an advisory board (below) of legal tech leaders who help us strategize and provide feedback.

     

     

    Judges

    We recruit our application judges from Duke Law's network of legal tech leaders invested in supporting innovation in legal service delivery.

     

     

    Presenters & Mentors

    We connect our teams with experts, law firms, justice system stakeholders, student interns, angel investors, venture capitalists, innovators, pitch coaches, marketing experts, influencers, and others from Duke University's extensive network.

     

     

    Founders

    Duke Law Tech Lab was launched in 2017
    by Duke Law students, alumni, and faculty, and led by the efforts of Duke Law alum Bill Warren, who now serves on our advisory board.

     

     

  • Advisory Board

    Andrew Arruda

    ROSS Intelligence

    Bill Warren

    Peeps Democracy

    Co-Founder of the Duke Law Tech Lab
    @wswarren12

    Camille Stell

    Lawyer's Mutual Consulting

    Chris Martin

    Latham & Watkins

    Ed Walters

    Fastcase

    Elizabeth McMillan

    Smart Lien, LLC

    2018 Duke Law Tech Lab
    @smartlien_app

    Elizabeth Stone Gerding

    Skopos Labs

    2017 Duke Law Tech Lab

    Felicity Conrad

    Paladin

    Jeff Pfeifer

    LexisNexis

    Jim Wagner

    DocuSign

    Pete Sanborn

    Travelers

  • FAQs

    How many teams are chosen to join?

    While there is no set number, the Duke Law Tech Lab is likely to accept about 5 teams in 2018. We work one-on-one with each team, so the exact number will be determined in light of our commitment to provide resources to each team.

    Can international companies apply?

    The Duke Law Tech Lab is open to international applicants, and they are encouraged to apply. Shaping the next generation of legal practice is a global endeavor! Please note, though, that all instruction and resources will be in English, and there may be reasonable limitations on reimbursing travels for participation in the on-campus Big Ideas Demo Day where travel costs are high. International participants will be responsible for securing their own travel visas, as needed.

    Are there deliverables or milestone requirements?

    The Duke Law Tech Lab is intentionally a “light-touch” pre-accelerator. As such, we do not ask anything burdensome of participating teams. We will, however, ask teams to work on tasks that bolster company growth. Because the Duke Law Tech Lab also aims at early-stage teams with highly individualized needs, these specific tasks are likely to depend on the particular needs of your company in light of advice from you team mentors.

     

    The only common task for all teams is preparation for a company demo at the Big Ideas Demo Day.

    What happens at Demo Day?

    Demo Day will be on Friday, October 5, 2018 in Durham, NC.

     

    Demo Day is an exciting opportunity to showcase your product in front of other #legaltech. It is a celebration event involving other entrepreneurs, technologists, lawyers of all stripes, big law firm management, investor networks, and many more.

     

    The Duke Law Tech Lab will pay for hotel and air travel for at least one representative of your team to attend the Big Ideas Demo Day. We’ll coordinate travel information with you over the summer, but expect to spend one day and one or two nights here on campus. You’ll also be invited to various celebratory events and meals while on campus. It’s fun!

    Does the DLTL require an equity stake in the companies who participate?

    No. As a light-touch accelerator, we do not require any future equity in your company.

    What have previous participants said about Duke Law Tech Lab?

    "Skopos Labs was at a critical early stage of development and the content and delivery DLTL provided was on target and of immense value… All of us at Skopos Labs are grateful for the chance to work with DLTL and we'd recommend any legal tech startup apply!"

    *****

    "The Duke Law Tech Lab did more that just help our [vTestify's] business, it helped to develop and nurture our team. Meeting with industry leaders, discussing sales/marketing strategies, and building on our skill sets helped to enrich not only our company but also every member of our group. These are skills that will be invaluable long after the intensive work of nurturing a startup fades."

    *****

    "We took great pride in being selected as one of the participants in the Duke Law Tech Lab (‘DLTL’). Duke has an unbelievable reputation, and this experience was a jolt of energy and confidence that has helped us double down our efforts in making TrustBooks successful."

  • What is Demo Day?

    1

    Pitches

    Duke Law Tech Lab teams pitch their business to the audience and judges.

    2

    Judging

    The audience votes for their favorites, and judges give feedback and rankings.

    3

    Networking

    Audience members will be invited to connect with each other and the startups.

    4

    Awards

    Monetary prizes are given to the audience favorite and the judges' top ranked teams.

  • Thanks for attending our 2020 Demo Day!

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    At Demo Day, Duke Law Tech Lab's startups shared their business with the audience and judges. The audience voted for their favorite, and judges asked questions and awarded prize money to the first and second place.

     

    Thank you for celebrating with us! We hope you enjoyed learning about the next generation of legal technologies.

     

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    Don't Get Mad Get Paid changed their name to Athena in October 2020 after the Duke Law Tech Lab program ended.

  • FAQs

    When does the next application open?

    Our 2020 program is complete, and we'll post information here when we're accepting applications for our next cohort.

     

    Email us at info@dukelawtechlab.com or fill out the Contact Us form below to let us know you'd like to be notified about future program offerings. Follow the Duke Center on Law & Tech on Twitter or LinkedIn for the latest updates!

    What is required on the application?

    We don't want the application process to be burdensome, as we consider this program "light-touch." Generally, our application requires the following minimum information:

    • Contact information for team members who plan to participate in the program, including a team leader and up to two additional team members. We also as for a brief bio of your team leader. 
    • Company basic description and information, including links to any social media accounts or websites, the amount of funding you have raised so far, and how your company is legally structured under state law in the United States, if applicable
    • A slide deck or business plan which includes information about your product, market potential and traction, and team members. Usually 10-15 slides in a .ppt, .pdf, or .key file will suffice.

    Are there deliverables or milestone requirements?

    The Duke Law Tech Lab is intentionally a “light-touch” pre-accelerator. As such, we do not ask anything burdensome of participating teams. We will, however, ask teams to work on tasks that bolster company growth and prepare to present at Demo Day at the end of the program. Because the Duke Law Tech Lab also aims at early-stage teams with highly individualized needs, these specific tasks are likely to depend on the particular needs of your company in light of advice from your team mentors.

    Does the DLTL require an equity stake in the companies who participate?

    No. As a light-touch accelerator, we do not require any future equity in your company.

    Do you accept companies outside the US?

    In order to provide the best support to our participants possible, we only accept US-based companies for our Duke Law Tech Lab program.

     

    If your company is based outside of the United States, we would still love to connect with you! We love finding opportunities to highlight international companies with our students and sponsors.

    What is Demo Day?

    Demo Day is an exciting opportunity to showcase new and innovative legal tech products in front of other #legaltech leaders. It is a celebration event involving other entrepreneurs, technologists, lawyers of all stripes, big law firm management, investor networks, and many more. Our 2020 event was virtual.

     

    Learn more about our past Demo Day events.

    What is the Duke Law Tech Lab's impact?

    By harnessing our entrepreneurial ecosystem in legal tech, we help founders learn from each other, legal tech leaders, subject-matter experts, and key industry players.

     

    Past teams from our first two cohorts have seen success such as:

    • increased users,
    • acceptance into a residential accelerator,
    • substantial start-up funding from third-party investors,
    • the founding of advisory boards, and
    • beta tests of their products in new markets.

    What have previous participants said about Duke Law Tech Lab?

    “Participating in Duke Law Tech Lab allowed me to connect with mentors, researchers, and fellow entrepreneurs who are similarly motivated to expand access to justice in light of the stark inequities in our civil and criminal legal system today." - Devshi Mehrotra of JusticeText (2020)

    *****

    "Every early-stage legaltech startup deserves a Duke Law Tech Lab experience. Our win is a result of everything the program poured into us." - Sonja Ebron of Courtroom5 (2019)

    *****

     

    "We are so grateful for the Duke Law Tech Lab for putting together an informative and engaging 13-week program that introduced us to industry leaders who have experience building successful legal tech companies." - Yousef Kassim of Easy Expunctions (2019)

     

    *****

     

    "Participating in the Duke Law Tech Lab was a boost for our new company, and it came at the perfect time. We learned a lot about how to grow and improve our services, and made many good connections. Above all though, the program provided us with invaluable validation and legitimacy. Thanks DTLT!" - Brandt McMillan of Smart Lien, LLC (2018)

     

    *****

     

    "Having the opportunity to meaningfully connect with likeminded individuals and teams doing innovative work in the legal space was one of my favorite aspects of the accelerator. The weekly informative but casual meetings kept me focused on business strategy, growth, marketing and overall presentation of myself and our company. ... What has surprised me the most is how willing the speakers and advisors are to connect and mentor. I expected maybe a 20-30 minute chat with key players in the industry and instead, I’ve been able to grow my advisory board and start executing on expansion plans." - Erin Levine, Hello Divorce (2018)

     

    *****

     

    "Skopos Labs was at a critical early stage of development and the content and delivery DLTL provided was on target and of immense value… All of us at Skopos Labs are grateful for the chance to work with DLTL and we'd recommend any legal tech startup apply!" (2017)

     

    *****

     

    "The Duke Law Tech Lab did more that just help our [vTestify's] business, it helped to develop and nurture our team. Meeting with industry leaders, discussing sales/marketing strategies, and building on our skill sets helped to enrich not only our company but also every member of our group. These are skills that will be invaluable long after the intensive work of nurturing a startup fades." (2017)

     

    *****

     

    "We took great pride in being selected as one of the participants in the Duke Law Tech Lab (‘DLTL’). Duke has an unbelievable reputation, and this experience was a jolt of energy and confidence that has helped us double down our efforts in making TrustBooks successful." (2017)

  • You should apply if...

    • Your product aims to impact legal or regulatory practice or law-adjacent civic services.

    • You have or will have a minimum viable product (MVP) by the middle of June 2020.

    • You have had a few users test out your product and provide positive feedback, and you are looking to expand your access to the market.

    • You have received little or no seed or series funding but have mainly relied on sweat equity, family/friends investments, and small grants or loans.

    • You are committed to building collaborative relationships and increasing your knowledge and skills.

    • You are currently spending a minimum of 10 hours/week on your company on average.

    • You are interested in earned media and publicity from the Duke Center on Law & Tech on Twitter, LinkedIn, and our websites.

    • You are ready to learn from legal tech leaders and are interested in connecting with program sponsors.

  • 2020

    Don't Get Mad Get Paid

     

    JusticeText
    People Clerk
    YoTengo Bot

     

     

  • 2019

    Civvis
    Courtroom5

     

     

    DataNovo
    DueCourse
    Easy Expunctions
    FastVisa
    FirmVO
    LegalMaps
    Patent Bots
    Princeton Gavel
    Suprabook
    Text A Lawyer
  • 2018

    CivicPro
    Disputly
    Hello Divorce
    HUGO Analytics, LLC
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  • 2017

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    2019 Duke Law Tech Lab Participants with the Duke Center on Law & Tech

  • Photos by Colin Huth of HuthPhoto

     

    Looking for 2017 & 2018 Demo Day photos? Click here.

  • Register to attend

    Registration for this event has closed. Additional registration is available at the door on a first-come, first-served basis and may be dependent on space. Contact Kelli Raker with questions.

    Parking & Transportation

    Please note that Morris Street is closed directly in front of 215 Morris Street, but the sidewalk into the building is accessible, as is the parking garage on the corner of Morgan Street and Morris Street. You may go past the "Road Closed to Thru Traffic" sign to turn right into the parking garage.

     

    Parking is available nearby at the Durham Centre Garage (0.1 mile away), 300 W Morgan St, Durham, NC for $1.25 per hour. For more information on parking in garages in downtown Durham, please visit: http://www.parkdurham.org/Off-Street-Parking

     

    Parking is also available nearby in metered spots for $1.50 per hour, enforced Monday-Friday from 8 am - 7 pm. After 7 pm, parking in metered spots is free. For more information on parking in metered spots in downtown Durham, please visit: http://www.parkdurham.org/On-Street-Metered-Parking.

     

    Plan your trip via bus on the GoDurham website: https://godurhamtransit.org/trip-planner

     

    From campus: Take the Duke Downtown shuttle to get to The Bullpen/Imperial Building

  • News & Updates

    The latest news about the Duke Law Tech Lab

    Duke Law Tech Lab Demo Day grand prize goes to public defense video transcription service

    Duke Law

    September 29, 2020

    JusticeText was awarded both the $5,000 grand prize and another $1,000 as audience favorite at Duke Law Tech Lab’s annual Demo Day pitch competition. Read more.

    Duke Law Tech Lab nurtures four early-stage companies, each with a mission of improving access to justice

    Duke Law

    August 13, 2020

    As the nation reckons with inequities in its social and justice systems, the Duke Center on Law & Technology is nurturing four young companies working to expand access to legal services. All are participants in the Duke Law Tech Lab, the center’s summer pre-accelerator program for early-stage legal tech companies. Read more.

    4 startups selected for Duke Law Tech Lab’s pre accelerator program

    WRAL Techwire

    July 9, 2020

    Four early-stage legal technology companies with a core mission of expanding access to legal services have been selected to participate in Duke Law Tech Lab‘s summer 2020 pre-accelerator program. Read more.

    Legal Innovators: Duke Law Tech Lab

    Attorney at Law Magazine

    October 1, 2019

    Durham-based start-up Courtroom5 won the $ 5,000 grand prize at Duke Law Tech Lab’s third annual Demo Day on Sept. 20. It was the culmination of a three-month pre-accelerator program for promising early-stage legal technology companies. Read more.

    Online platform for pro se litigants wins grand prize at Duke Law Tech Lab Demo Day

    Duke Law

    September 23, 2019

    A Durham-based start-up offering tools and resources for pro se litigants took the grand prize at Duke Law Tech Lab’s third annual Demo Day, the culmination of a pre-accelerator program for promising early-stage legal technology companies. Read more.

    5 startups to pitch their legal platforms at Duke Law Tech Lab demo day

    WRAL Tech Wire

    September 19, 2019

    Duke University’s Law Tech Lab is graduating its latest class of startups this Friday at a demo day event. Read more.

    LexisNexis Legal Tech Accelerator picks 2 Triangle firms

    WRAL Tech Wire

    September 11, 2019

    Two emerging startups from the Triangle are among the nine firms selected for the fourth cohort of the LexisNexis Legal Tech Accelerator. Read more.

    Duke Center on Law & Technology selects 12 early-stage companies for pre-accelerator program

    Duke Law

    June 25, 2019

    Twelve early-stage legal technology companies, including five with a core mission of expanding access to legal services, are participating this summer in the Duke Center on Law & Technology’s online pre-accelerator program, Duke Law Tech Lab. Read more.

    Duke Law Wants to Help Early-Stage Startups Weather Legal Tech Challenges

    Legal Tech News powered by Law.com

    June 21, 2019

    The third-year pre-accelerator program not only helps budding companies through general startup challenges, but also through roadblocks specific to a legal industry sometimes resistant to change. Read more.

    Duke Law ‘Pre-Accelerator’ Picks 12 Startups, Links to LexisNexis Accelerator

    Artificial Lawyer

    June 18, 2019

    The Duke Law Tech Lab, run by Duke Law school, has launched its latest legal tech incubator with 12 companies. This is the third year the programme has run, which they describe as a ‘pre-accelerator’. The project will potentially then feed some of the top cohort members into the LexisNexis legal tech accelerator, also in the US. Read more.

    Future Law School. What does it look like?

    Forbes

    February 12, 2019

    Crises in the justice systems across the world leave a huge imprint on the legal education system, which already has enough internal and external problems. Even reputable universities in the world are now actively seeking innovative solutions and people who are able to provide them with a qualitative push in the direction of improving the efficiency of educational services. Read more.

     

    Startup Competition Guide: Accelerators targeting legal tech companies

    Vator

    December 20, 2018

    Accelerators targeting legal tech companies include Tech Lawyer Accelerator, Duke Law Tech Lab and LexisNexis Legal Tech Accelerator. Read more.

  • Follow Us

  • Gold Sponsors

    Latham & Watkins LLP
    LexisNexis
    Travelers
  • NC Community Sponsors

    Latham & Watkins LLP
    LexisNexis
  • Contact Us

    Don't be afraid to reach out. You + us = awesome.

  • News Archive

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    Event Spotlight: Hello Divorce Wins at Duke Law Tech Lab

    Attorney At Law Magazine, NC Triangle Edition, Vol. 6 No. 6

    December 2018

    Read the article.

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    Duke Law Tech Lab caps three days of legal technology events with Demo Day

    Duke Law

    October 23, 2018

    A start-up offering a do-it-yourself divorce platform won the grand prize in Duke Law Tech Lab’s second annual Big Ideas Demo Day competition, capping three days of events devoted to showcasing emerging legal technologies and innovative companies and entrepreneurs leading them. Read more.

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    Evolve the Law Podcast: Jeff Ward

    Evolve the Law Podcast

    October 19, 2018

    Jeff Ward is the Director of the Duke Center on Law & Technology, which coordinates Duke’s leadership at the intersection of law and technology with programs like the Duke Law Tech Lab, a pre-accelerator for legal technology companies, and the Access Tech Tools Initiative, employing human-centered design thinking and available technologies to create tools to enhance access to legal services.

    Read more.

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    Seal Software and the Duke Law AI Showdown – #TheRealThing

    Artificial Lawyer

    October 11, 2018

    At the invitation of Duke Law professor, Jeff Ward, last week Steve Harber and I, along with our Seal Software colleagues, Scott Ripps and Ian Walker, had the pleasure of collaborating with the Duke Center on Law and Technology, and law school students from Duke, UNC and Wake Forest, to test just how effective real AI can be for the analysis of thousands of corporate contracts in just a few hours. Here’s what we did. Read more.

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    Why more law schools are prioritizing technology integration

    EdTech Magazine

    August 23, 2018

    Universities are investing in video conferencing, artificial intelligence and more to ensure future lawyers remain competitive and prepared. Read more. Or, read it in French.

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    Duke Law Tech Lab teams will present innovative ideas at Oct. 5 Demo Day

    Duke Law

    August 22, 2018

    Seven teams have been chosen to participate in the Duke Law Tech Lab, a 10-week accelerator program for legal and civic service start-ups. Read more.

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    Fastcase 50

    Fastcase

    Jeff Ward recognized as one of Fastcase 50's 2018 honorees. Read more.

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    Duke Law's lab could make Durham a legal tech hub

    WRAL Tech Wire

    April 14, 2017

    While last week’s Duke Law Tech Lab Demo Day was the first in the nascent Duke-based accelerator’s history, it signaled the start of an effort grand in both ambition and scope. Read more.

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    Duke Law's lab could make Durham a legal tech hub

    WRAL Tech Wire

    April 14, 2017

    While last week’s Duke Law Tech Lab Demo Day was the first in the nascent Duke-based accelerator’s history, it signaled the start of an effort grand in both ambition and scope. Read more.

  • Demo Day 2018

    Video

    2018 Video by Growler Productions

    2018 & 2019 Photos by Colin Huth