The School of Law dates its origins as far back as 1850. The school experienced many organizational changes and several temporary closures in its early years before re-establishing itself as the School of Law in 1904. This collection includes papers of deans of the law school in 1930 and continuing forward. Also included are materials related to the law school's publications, the Duke Bar Association, legal research centers, the law library, Richard Nixon's time as a student at the law school and general administrative files dating back to 1914.
Charles L.B. Lowndes was a professor at Duke Law School while Richard Nixon was a student in the 1930s. The collection consists of three letters sent to and from Richard Nixon regarding a 1954 controversy over the possible awarding of an honorary degree to Nixon.