Duncan School of Law

In accordance with its mission to serve the underserved of Appalachia by providing educational opportunities, Lincoln Memorial University announced plans to pursue a Doctor of Jurisprudence program when it acquired the lease on Knoxville’s historic “Old City Hall Building” in February 2008. Since then LMU hired Sydney A. Beckman to lead the program as dean and Gordon Russell to help lay the foundation as Associate dean and director of the Law Library. Fast forward to March 2009 and the fledgling program had already achieved Tennessee Board of Law Examiner’s approval to open and had begun accepting its inaugural class. By the end of that month, the LMU-John J. Duncan, Jr., School of Law, or LMU-Duncan School of Law (LMU-DSOL) for short, was building a name for itself by recruiting some of the brightest legal minds from all over the country to fill-out the faculty. In August the first wave of renovations were complete and LMU-DSOL opened its doors to a highly qualified inaugural class. In the fall of 2010, LMU-DSOL will take another step in its journey as it initiates a full-time day program to accompany the part-time evening program and begin the accreditation process with the American Bar Association.

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Mission

The Lincoln Memorial University-Duncan School of Law builds upon a foundation that upholds the principles of Abraham Lincoln’s life: a dedication to individual liberty, responsibility, and improvement; a respect for citizenship; recognition of the intrinsic value of high moral and ethical standards; and a belief in a personal God. Through teaching, research and service, the Lincoln Memorial University-Duncan School of Law will prepare graduates:

• who are committed to the premise that the cornerstone of meaningful existence is service to humanity;
• who understand their professional responsibilities as representatives of clients, officers of the courts, and public citizens responsible for the quality and availability of justice under the law; and
• who have an understanding of the fundamental principles of public and private law, an understanding of the nature, basis and role of the law and its institutions, and the skills of legal analysis and writing, issue recognition, reasoning, problem solving, organization, and oral and written communication necessary to participate effectively in the legal profession.

The Lincoln Memorial University-Duncan School of Law will:

• graduate Doctors of Jurisprudence;
• provide a values-based learning community as the context for teaching, research, and service, that supports student achievement;
• provide an educational program that prepares graduates for admission to the bar, and for effective and responsible participation in the legal profession; and
• enhance access to quality legal counsel for the underserved rural communities of Appalachia.