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Duncan School of Law

Welcome to the Duncan School of Law at Lincoln Memorial University in Knoxville, Tennessee!  In the spring of 2008, Lincoln Memorial University announced plans to seek approval to offer legal education leading to the Juris Doctor degree.  The law school will be located in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee.  Mirroring the values established by the University, the Duncan School of Law will be committed to teaching, research and service while supporting Appalachia and the people of East Tennessee.

Lincoln Memorial University grew out of love and respect for Abraham Lincoln, himself a lawyer. The law school will continue honoring his memory while providing a unique education experience using the latest in technology and instructional methods for legal education. Faculty will be drawn from a variety of backgrounds and will teach with an emphasis on effective communication, problem-solving and real world applications of legal context.

In April 2008, LMU notified the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools-Commission on Colleges (SACS-COC) and the Tennessee Board of Law Examiners (TBLE) of its intent to open a law school in Knoxville, Tennessee, for the fall of 2009, and will be working with both organizations, as well as the American Bar Association to pursue approval and accreditation.

Sydney A. Beckman began his duties as dean of the Duncan School of Law on August 1, 2008.  Beckman came to LMU with proven experience in opening a law school.  He was involved in the formation of the Charleston School of Law (CSOL) in Charleston, S.C., which opened its doors in 2004.  As a member of the faculty at CSOL, Beckman taught Evidence, Domestic Relations and Technology and the Law.  He also served on the Dean’s Advisory Council and on a number of committees including faculty recruitment, technology, admissions and student affairs.

On August 28, 2008, LMU convened the first meeting of the Advisory Board for the Duncan School of Law.  The Advisory Board is a Who’s Who in Knoxville-area law, and includes Congressman John J. Duncan (2nd district Tennessee), Judge Wheeler A. Rosenbalm (Knox County Circuit Court), Judge John D. McAfee (Claiborne County Circuit Judge 8th district), Attorney General Randy Nichols, Assistant District Attorney Ta Kisha Monette Fitzgerald, attorneys Patti Jane Lay, J. Douglas Overbey, Sam Anderson, Mary Ann Stackhouse, Daniel H. Rader, David Yoder, Mark A. Brown, Debra Thompson, Denise Stapleton, Robert Watson and Hulet Chaney. LMU trustee Gary Burchett also serves on the advisory board. Watson, a partner with Watson, Roach, Batson, Rowell and Lauderback in Knoxville, will chair the board.

We’re getting ready!

The pieces are falling into place as LMU pursues accreditation for the school of law. LMU took the over the lease on the Old City Hall Building in downtown Knoxville earlier this year. The classroom and office space in the building complex will house the School of Law as well as other University programs. In preparation for the accreditation process, University officials have visited the American Bar Association.

The Dean is fully informed as to the Standards and Rules of Procedure for the Approval of Law Schools by the American Bar Association. The Administration and the Dean are determined to devote all necessary resources and in other respects to take all necessary steps to present a program of legal education that will qualify for approval by the American Bar Association. The Law School makes no representation to any applicant that it will be approved by the American Bar Association prior to the graduation of any matriculating student.

The first class of law students at Lincoln Memorial University will be part-time students.  This will enable working adults to pursue their lifetime dream of becoming a lawyer and practicing attorney in the state of Tennessee.

Again, welcome!  We look forward to working with you in the near future on your educational goals.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at any time. 

Lincoln Memorial University is a values-based learning community dedicated to providing educational experiences in the liberal arts and professional studies.  The main campus is located in Harrogate, Tennessee.