About the 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.
Centered around a fun, high-energy in-person design session (Step 2) 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 estimated time commitment for students is about 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.
Who am I to change the future of legal practice?
You’re exactly who we need. No experience with contract law? No problem—human-centered design privileges the “beginner’s mindset” and ensures that all have a chance to be valuable contributors. Even more, we’ve selected a narrow problem area where even novices can make a real difference. And, as a bonus, you’ll know a lot through the experience.
Why should I participate?
You’ll have fun!
You’ll learn widely applicable design thinking tools.
You’ll learn about contract law.
You’ll fire up your creativity.
You’ll connect with fellow law students and professional mentors.
You’ll add an important and interesting element to your resume.
Did we mention fun?
Oh, and prize $$$$$!
“The tools, methods, and mindsets of human-centered design give us superpowers we can use to solve the greatest challenges we face in the legal profession.”
– Prof. Cat Moon, Vanderbilt Law
How can I participate?
The application for 2024 is now closed.
If you have questions about the Derby, please contact Kelli Raker at designderby@law.duke.edu.
Intellectual Property Statement
The goal of the Future of Contracts Design Derby is to generate meaningful ideas and share them with the world. Toward this end, some students may produce a report, faculty and students may present about the Derby at conferences, and many ideas and summaries will be shared widely via social media and on our website. We hope that all participants—including the advisors from law firms and industry who will be part of the event—can share freely and connect openly during the event itself. Our intention is to be open-source and generative.
Therefore, if you have a pre-existing innovation or invention you plan to pursue that may be eligible for intellectual property protections, please know that this event will be public and could impact intellectual property rights, and you should seek advice of legal counsel before sharing these ideas as part of this event. Student participants should also be aware of the IP policies of their respective institutions.
We hope that all who participate will not only imagine new ways of doing things but also pursue these possibilities to make a better future for contracts practice based on the creativity of the Design Derby.