About the 2024 Future of Contracts Design Derby
Created for law students, the Future of Contracts Design Derby introduces law students to design thinking while exploring a problem that plagues transactional law: the tension between fair and efficient online terms of service.
Working in teams and with support and mentorship from practicing attorneys, design experts, and law professors, students engage in three steps–EXPLORATION, IMAGINATION, and CREATION–over the course of a few weeks.
The estimated time commitment for students is 8 hours. Completion of a 1L Contracts course is recommended, but all participants are certain already to have some personal experience with the many online terms to which they are asked to consent.
Centered around a fun, high-energy in-person design session aimed at rethinking legal practice for the better, students will imagine solutions to problems and share their ideas for a chance to win a cash prize.
The entire Derby, including in-person design sessions at designated sites and dates, will take place at times workable to your student participants during the weeks of February 16 – March 8, 2024.
Become a Site Leader!
Join us for the 2024 Future of Contracts Design Derby, and host the program at your law school!
We are seeking site leaders with interest and knowledge of contracts (specifically online terms of service) and design thinking to host a Design Derby at your institution in February-March 2024.
We welcome applications from site leaders (with or without co-leaders) who are able to:
- recruit participants
- support them in completing the Derby
- lead them through an in person design event
- support their final submission of their idea.
We’ll provide the program logistics and curriculum, from template communications to activities and content to implement, and an opportunity for your students to enter their idea for prize money. Read more below about what we provide.
We recommend having at least two teams (6 students minimum); there is no maximum number of participants as long as support can be given, including recruiting one mentor for every two teams participating. Connection to an academic course is encouraged but not required. Read more about logistics of the Program.
We understand not all institutions will have access to funds to support a new program like the Derby, so let us know on your application if an access grant would be critical to your success. We can help provide funds for space, materials, or food to make the Step 2 design session possible. We’ll provide the prize money for the winners, who may come from any site.
Applications are now closed.
More information
Our information sessions have passed, but we are happy to jump on Zoom to discuss with you.
Contact us at designderby@law.duke.edu with questions.
“I wish I’d been able to offer the Derby to my Tech in Law Practice class every year that I’ve taught it. I cover design thinking and process improvement as part of the course to help students consider how they can make improvements at their firm, so the Derby fit right in to our curriculum.”
–Kenton Brice, The University of Oklahoma College of Law, site leader for 2023 Future of Contracts Design Derby
Timeline for Implementation
October 2023 through January 17, 2024
We’ll accept rolling applications from now until Wednesday, January 17, 2024. We are also hosting information sessions as noted above for anyone who wants to learn more about the program.
Once we receive and review your application, we’ll be in touch with details of the curriculum and work with you on implementation of the below steps.
Please note that we may make minor adjustments to the curriculum over the fall semester – in fact, we appreciate your feedback and questions such that we can continue to improve the process for everyone!
If you apply and then are no longer able to host the Derby, please let us know. We understand that plans can change.
From Your Application’s Approval until February 12, 2024
In advance of the Derby, after your application is approved, and before February 12, site leaders commit to:
1) Review the provided Program materials and ask questions about implementation, including attending a virtual planning meeting.
2) Advertise the Derby to your students.
3) Receive law student applications electronically as they arrive until the deadline.
4) Approve law student applications for your site. Communicate final list of participants with the Duke team.
5) Coordinate logistics for the Step 2 – IMAGINATION in-person design session, including recruitment of mentors, reviewing and adapting curriculum, and attending a virtual planning meeting. Share the date(s) and location with the Duke team.
During the Derby: February 12, 2024 to March 8, 2024
6) Communicate the steps of the Derby to your site’s participants
7) Host an in-person Step 2 design session between February 16 and March 6
9) Provide support for completion of Step 3, due by March 8, 2024
Once we’ve received all submissions, we’ll coordinate the judging and communication with you and the winners.
After the Derby: March/April 2024
We will invite site leaders to:
10) Share feedback with the coordinating team about the Derby content and implementation to help us improve future iterations
11) Publicize your students’ participation in the Derby on social media and in university news. See this Duke Law news story about 2023’s Program as an example.
What We Provide to Site Leaders
Student Application Coordination
We’ve set up a participant application in Qualtrics that all students can use to apply. We’ll set it up so that you’ll receive a copy of applications via email as they come in, and a summary spreadsheet once applications close in February 2024.
We have a landing page that you can share with students that includes the application link.
Detailed Curriculum
We’ll provide a “Program in a Box” curriculum that includes the following materials to help you implement the Derby:
- Introductory information about design thinking and our approach to this process
- Sample syllabus language and ideas about how to incorporate the program into an academic course OR outside of an academic course
- Sample fundraising email you can adapt to send to potential sponsors
- Sample advertisement you can adapt/edit to recruit students if not included in an academic courseSample email to potential mentors to invite them to your Step 2 IMAGINATION Design Session
- Step 1 EXPLORATION instructions and information to send to your student participants
- Suggestions and details to consider for hosting the Step 2 IMAGINATION Design Session (food, materials, mentors, timing, etc)
- Instructions and a slide deck for Step 2 IMAGINATION for you to adapt to your session
- Step 3 CREATION instructions and information to send to your student participants
Consulting & Support
We’ll advise you and provide a virtual planning session with other site leaders to answer your questions about implementing the program contents listed above.
We’ll provide tips on using design-based pedagogy with law students based on our years of experience.
We’re here to troubleshoot any concerns and help you host a great program!
Media & Communications
We’ll post information on our website about the Derby that you can share with potential students, mentors, and media
We’ll coordinate the judging of the final submissions and award prize money to the student winners. In 2023, we awarded $250 per student in each of the top teams!
We’ll publish the winners through our media channels and on our website. (See example from last year!)
We’ll invite your feedback on this process to make improvements for our next Derby.
