Leslie Griffith

Leslie Griffith serves as a Senior Lecturing Fellow at Duke University School of Law, where she is a core member of the Legal Writing Faculty and holds an adjunct appointment. Her primary teaching responsibility includes the course 'Legal Analysis, Research and Writing for International Students' (Course 300), specifically designed to develop essential legal research and writing competencies for non-native English speakers navigating the U.S. legal education system.

Professor Griffith's academic foundation includes:

• Undergraduate degree earned summa cum laude from Duke University
• Juris Doctor cum laude from Harvard Law School, where she served as Notes Editor of the Harvard Law Review
• Judicial clerkship with Judge Judith W. Rogers of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit

Her professional expertise spans constitutional challenges, environmental advocacy, and voting rights litigation. Prior to academia, she represented the state of Washington as Deputy Solicitor General in complex civil cases across all divisions of the Attorney General's office, and spent six years litigating for nonprofit organizations at the Southern Environmental Law Center. This extensive courtroom experience directly informs her teaching of legal analysis and persuasive writing.

Professor Griffith's mentorship emphasizes practical skill development rather than theoretical research. She focuses on building students' abilities in legal argumentation, brief drafting, and cross-cultural communication, drawing from her background representing diverse clients in high-stakes appellate matters. Her approach particularly benefits international students adapting to American legal writing conventions.