By Michele Lynn
Theodore L. Leonhardt’s list of accolades and accomplishments is long, especially for someone who received his Duke bachelor’s degree, with a double major in history and political science, just ten years ago. Currently an associate focusing on bankruptcy and restructuring at New York law firm Cleary Gottlieb, Leonhardt T’15, L’20 is a civic leader whose activities also include serving as a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a Next-Gen Leader on the White House Historical Association.
Prior to joining the law firm, he worked for former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger during 2022 and 2023, helping with his writings, speeches, press appearances, trips, and meetings—an opportunity that arose thanks to a Duke friend and professors. Leonhardt said that in this role, whether he was working on a speech or developing an historical essay, he drew upon the research and writing skills and intellectual rigor he learned at Duke.
“What I love about Duke as a university is that it brings together a mix of people devoted to intellect, energy, and also personal warmth, three facets that are key in the professional world,” he said. “The Libraries represent the essence of what it means to be a university—there is a universe of knowledge in the books and an openness and availability of them.”
Leonhardt believes that the Libraries physically epitomize the different aspects of Duke. “There are quiet spaces for reflection and writing, collaborative spaces like The Link and the von der Heyden coffee area, and the personal warmth of the librarians who help guide students,” he said.
One of those librarians is Carson Holloway, whose expertise includes British history, a perfect fit for Leonhardt, whose undergraduate research with Professors Philip Stern and Peter Feaver often explored the history of the British Empire. Holloway remembers Leonhardt as an impressive student who was “beautifully prepared.” Holloway said, “I watched Ted develop as an intellectual throughout his years at Duke.”
Leonhardt likens Holloway and his librarian peers to navigators on a ship. “The collections in the Libraries are so vast that when I was a young undergraduate, they could feel a bit daunting, especially in the early years,” said Leonhardt. “As a scholar, I was steering the direction of my research, but Carson played the role of navigator who, on a ship, is oftentimes more experienced and senior. Carson helped me find resources that I didn’t know about and wouldn’t have been able to locate without him.”
In 2013, Leonhardt’s paper about Britain and the Falklands war was honored by the Libraries with the Lowell Aptman Prize. This award recognizes undergraduates’ “excellence in research, including their analysis, evaluation and synthesis of sources, and encourages students to make use of the general library collections and services at Duke University.”
“Winning that prize was very meaningful and gave me confidence and energy as I proceeded as a historian,” said Leonhardt. “The fact that Mr. Aptman has devoted his philanthropy to the Libraries is a big part of inspiring my own gifts to the Libraries every year.”
Leonhardt said that when he looks back on his time at Duke, both for his undergraduate and law school studies, the Libraries are a constant. “The Libraries mean so much to me, in terms of where I spent my time physically, the relationships I formed there, and the intellectual growth that I experienced there,” he said. “Duke University and the Libraries provided an intellectual map for me, which is why the Libraries have always felt like home and why I’m always excited to visit them and to support them.”