Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law (LMU Law) announces the promotions of Chantel Matikke to Public Services Librarian and Assistant Professor of Law, Dr. Joseph “Jody” Prestia to Assistant Professor of Law, Vonda Laughlin to Professor of Law, and Stevie Swanson to Professor of Law with tenure.
“These four faculty colleagues are valued members of our LMU Law community, and already have been serving our mission and students,” said Vice President and Dean Matt Lyon. “We congratulate them on these well-earned promotions and are excited to see what they achieve in these new and enhanced roles.”
Chantel Matikke
Matikke has been promoted to Public Services Librarian and Assistant Professor of Law. She began her professional journey at LMU Law in 2023 as its first Law Library Fellow, and she is eager to move into a faculty role. Prior to joining LMU Law, Matikke worked with a local small business owner to provide project management, legal counsel, and administrative support. Her experience also includes serving as the resident director of a non-profit, project management for a systems design company, and course design, development, and instruction for programs of higher education in Tennessee. Matikke enjoys providing pro bono legal assistance at a local expungement clinic, participating in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee’s Justice For All Program, and using her legal training and professional experience to serve her community.
Matikke holds a J.D. from LMU Law (’21) and a B.A. from the University of Tennessee, where she is also completing a Master of Science in Information Sciences degree program. While a student at LMU Law, Matikke worked as a legal research assistant, deepening her interest in legal research while also gaining exposure to law librarianship. Matikke served in numerous leadership capacities while in law school such as the Symposium Editor for the LMU Law Review and a student member of the Library Committee. Additionally, she served on the Equal Justice Works National Advisory Committee and was LMU Law's first law clerk with the non-profit think tank Think Tennessee.
“Knowledge is a powerful tool in the pursuit of justice, equity, and truth. Library science helps to provide the infrastructure to make knowledge more accessible in the legal field and beyond. As an LMU Law graduate, I believe in the mission to produce practice-ready graduates who advocate with compassion, serve their communities, and adhere to strong ethical and professional standards. I hope to continue to contribute to this rich mission while serving as Public Services Librarian and Assistant Professor of Law,” said Matikke.
Joseph “Jody” Prestia
Prestia has been promoted to Assistant Professor of Law. He joined LMU Law in 2019, serving as an adjunct professor for both the law school and the political science program. He first became a full-time member of the LMU Law faculty in 2023 as a Visiting Assistant Professor. Prestia brings significant professional experience in legal practice and risk management, which complements his academic roles. His experience includes serving as an attorney advisor for the Small Business Administration and working as a solo practitioner assisting clients in cybersecurity, data privacy, and e-commerce matters.
Prestia holds a Ph.D. in Modern European History from Indiana University and a J.D. from the University of Tennessee College of Law. His scholarly work includes publications and presentations about domestic and international cybersecurity and data privacy law, public international law, and contemporary and historical international relations. Prestia teaches courses in national security, legal writing, international law, and constitutional law. He currently serves on the Tennessee Bar Association’s Artificial Intelligence Task Force and is a Senior Advisor to the National Security Committee in the American Bar Association’s International Law Section.
“I am very happy to remain part of LMU Law in this new capacity and look forward to continuing to advance its mission of providing legal-educational opportunities to the students it serves,” said Prestia.
Vonda Laughlin
Laughlin has been promoted to Professor of Law. She also serves as the Associate Dean for the Part-Time Hybrid Program at LMU Law and teaches several courses, including Secured Transactions, Contracts & Sales, and Insurance Law. Her scholarship is focused primarily in the area of contracts and insurance law, and she has published a number of articles including articles in the Drake Law Review, the Baylor Law Review, the Connecticut Insurance Law Journal, the Capital University Law Review, and American Law Reports.
Laughlin earned a J.D. from the University of Tennessee College of Law, graduating with highest honors and receiving multiple awards for academic excellence. She later earned an LL.M. degree in Insurance Law from the University of Connecticut School of Law, where she was awarded the LL.M. Prize, the highest honor in the program.
Laughlin served as a judicial clerk to U.S. District Court Judge Thomas G. Hull and was later engaged in private practice with firms including the New York based firm of Milberg, Coleman, Bryson, Phillips, and Grossman. She also served as in-house counsel for Permanent General Insurance Company. Prior to joining LMU Law full-time in 2017, she taught business law at Carson-Newman University and King University.
“I am very pleased to be part of LMU because of its commitment to the people of Appalachia. This commitment is evidenced by LMU Law's status as a pioneer in the area of distance education. The law school's Part-Time Hybrid Program provides opportunities to many people in Appalachia and beyond who would otherwise be unable to obtain a law degree,” said Laughlin.
Stevie Swanson
Swanson has been promoted to Professor of Law with tenure. She joined LMU Law as an Associate Professor of Law in 2021, but she has been a law professor for twenty-two years. She has a rich teaching history at several universities, including Mitchell Hamline School of Law, Cooley Law School, and the University of Michigan Law School. Thus far, Swanson has received six teaching awards, including Professor of the Year from LMU Law in 2022. She has also received six awards for service to the community and the profession including the Equal Access to Justice Award (twice). She served as the keynote speaker for both the Black History Month Celebration and the Juneteenth Celebration at LMU Law this year, demonstrating a strong commitment to student development and institutional service.
Swanson earned a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School, where she was an Associate Editor on the Michigan Journal of Race & Law and a B.A. from Yale University, where she graduated with Distinction in the Major for African and African American Studies.
Swanson’s recent articles The Metamorphoses of Racial Discrimination in American Real Estate (2024) and Indignity Perpetuated: Race-based Housing Post-Reconstruction to the Fair Housing Act’s Impact on the Digital Age: Where Do We Go from Here? (2023) both have been accepted for publication in top ten specialty journals in the Civil Rights and Social Justice and Minority, Race, and Ethnic Issues in Law fields. Swanson teaches Property, Secured Transactions, and Real Estate Discrimination, covering a wide array of topics from adverse possession to regulatory takings.
“I am honored to join the tenured faculty at LMU Law and am excited to continue serving our students, the University, and the community,” said Swanson.
The Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law is located in Knoxville’s Historic Old City Hall Building. LMU Law is an integral part of LMU’s value-based learning community and is dedicated to preparing the next generation of lawyers to provide sound legal service in the often-underserved region of Appalachia and beyond. For more information about LMU Law, call 865.545.5303 or visit us online at Law.LMUnet.edu.
