The Lincoln Memorial University-Duncan School of Law (LMU Law) will host Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Dwight E. Tarwater as its Commencement speaker at for the LMU Law Class of 2025 on Thursday, May 8 at 4:00 p.m. at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium. Justice Tarwater is the first sitting Tennessee Supreme Court justice to speak at LMU Law’s Commencement.
“We are honored to have Justice Tarwater speak to our graduates and their families at our upcoming Commencement exercises,” said LMU Law Vice President and Dean Matt Lyon. “I know that he will bring a thoughtful and memorable message to them as they celebrate the tremendous achievement of earning their J.D. degrees.”
Born and raised in Knoxville, Justice Tarwater joined the Tennessee Supreme Court in September 2023 following his nomination by Gov. Bill Lee and confirmation by the Tennessee General Assembly.
Tarwater began his legal career as a judicial clerk for Judge Houston M. Goddard of the Tennessee Court of Appeals. He later joined the Knoxville law firm Egerton, McAfee, Armistead & Davis, where he quickly rose to partner. Four years later, Tarwater co-founded the firm Paine Tarwater Bickers LLP, where he became known nationally for handling complex litigation across state and federal courts in more than 20 states.
Tarwater was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers in 2006 and has been repeatedly named among the Best Lawyers in America.
From 2014 to 2019, he served as general counsel to Gov. Bill Haslam, advising on a wide range of legal and policy matters. He has remained committed to public service through pro bono cases from Legal Aid of East Tennessee.
The thirteenth graduating class of LMU Law is the largest in the law school’s history. The University will confer Doctor of Jurisprudence degrees on 99 graduates. Nine of those graduates will also be receiving masters’ degrees, having completed one of LMU’s three available dual degree programs for students enrolled in the J.D. program. Outgoing Student Bar Association President Spencer Powell of Winston-Salem, North Carolina has been selected by his classmates to be the Class of 2025 Graduate Speaker.
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.
