The journal publishes general-interest articles and student notes in eight issues each year.

In 1969, the journal published its inaugural Administrative Law Symposium issue, a tradition that continues today.

[3] The journal selects approximately 40 second-year law students for membership.

Of the group that submitted notes, the Duke Law Journal then selects one third of its members from those who have the highest first-year grade point average, one third whose GPA and note score were highest in combination, and the final third based on the remaining highest note scores.

Students who wish to join the Duke Law Journal after the casenote competition (i.e., in their third year) may do so by writing a note of publishable quality and submitting it through the "note-on" process.