Nov 21, 2024  
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog

College of Law


Lonnie T. Brown, Jr., Dean
Michael J. Higdon, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs 
Zack Buck, Associate Dean for Faculty Development
Briana Rosenbaum, Associate Dean for Diversity, Inclusion and Community Engagement
Brad Morgan, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs

Scott Childs, Associate Dean for Library and Technology Services 

College of Law website

Professors
Areheart, B.A., JD – Texas
Bach, WA., JD – New York
Barton, B.H., JD – Michigan
Baxter, T.D., JD – Duke
Blake, V., JD – Pittsburgh
Blitt, R.C., LLM – University of Toronto
Brown, L.T., JD – Vanderbilt
Buck, I.D., JD – Pennsylvania
Childs, S., JD – Alabama
Cornett, J.M., JD – Tennessee
Heminway, J.M., JD – New York
Higdon, M.J., JD – Nevada (Las Vegas)
Jacobs, B.L., JD – Georgia
Jewel, L.A., JD – Tulane
Kwon, M.M., JD – Texas Tech
Long, A.B., JD – William & Mary
Reynolds, G.H., JD – Yale
Schaefer, P., JD – Missouri
Stucke, M., JD – Georgetown
Vojdik, V.K., JD – New York

Associate Professors
Aarons, D., JD – California (Los Angeles)
Amarante, E.F, JD – Cornell
Boles, E.E., JD – Tennessee
Krumm, B., JD – Tennessee
Marshall, S.D., JD – Loyola
Preuss, N.A., JD – Wyoming
Pulsinelli, G.A., JD – California (Boalt Hall)
Radice, J., JD – Harvard
Rosenbaum, B., JD – California (San Francisco)

Assistant Professors
Cruz, S.E., JD – Boston
Finney, B., JD – Tennessee
Kersey, K., JD – Georgetown 
Kite, R., JD – Tennessee
McLaughlin, P., JD – Valparaiso
Nugent, N., JD – Vanderbilt 
Stein, T., JD – Texas 

Distinguished Lecturer
Mercer, W.D., JD – Stetson

Lecturer
Eshbaugh, R., JD – New York
Heath, C., JD – Yale
Heck, H., JD – Mercer
West, R., JD – DePaul
Yunsan, C, JD – Tennessee 
 

Major, Degrees
Law, JD   
  Advocacy and Dispute Resolution Concentration
  Business Transactions Concentration
Law, MLSD  
Law (Dual Degree Programs)
  Dual JD-MA Program, Law - Philosophy   
  Dual JD-MBA Program, Law - Business Administration   
  Dual JD-MPA Program, Law - Public Administration   
  Dual JD-MPP Program, Law - Public Policy  
  Dual JD-MSSW Program, Law - Social Work  
  Dual MLSD-MSSW Program, Legal Studies - Social Work  
Graduate Certificate
  Law and Social Welfare Graduate Certificate  
  Legal Studies Graduate Certificate  

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, College of Law, commenced operation in 1890 and has continuously sought to provide high quality legal education in a university community.

The principal objective of the college is to prepare students for the practice of law. The college teaches the analytical skills needed to interpret cases and statutes, the ability to communicate effectively, an awareness of the historical growth of the law, a knowledgeable appreciation of the interrelationship of law and society, and the ability to use law as an implement of social change and development. Students are thus equipped to serve their communities not only as advocates and counselors, but as policy makers and active, responsible citizens.

The program of the college has three dimensions – teaching and learning, research into and appraisal of our legal systems and institutions, and service to the community. Each plays a significant role in the college as a modern law center.

The teaching and learning element of legal education at the college involves co-operative classroom interaction between faculty and students in the analytical study of a host of questions and problems found in today’s legal profession. These involve decisional law, statutory interpretation, administrative regulation, techniques of trial and appellate advocacy and dispute resolution, and the roles and responsibilities of the lawyer in advising and representing clients.

The college is also directly involved in providing service to the community. A major element of public service is centered in the Legal Clinic, where students, under the guidance of skilled and experienced licensed practitioners, provide legal services to clients. Additionally, through research, consultation, and other services to legal institutions and groups within the state, the college seeks to participate in the development and improvement of the society in which its students may eventually practice law.

In combination, the direction and objectives of the college lead to the development not of a narrow technician, but of a student of the law with the perspective, breadth, and understanding necessary to accomplish the many tasks assigned by society to the legal profession.

Graduate Programs

The College of Law offers the Doctor of Jurisprudence degree, the Master of Legal Studies degree, and dual degrees with the following colleges

  • College of Arts and Sciences: dual JD-MA (with Department of Philosophy, Philosophy major, MA degree) and dual JD-MPPA (with Department of Political Science, Public Policy and Administration major, MPPA degree).
  • College of Business Administration: dual JD-MBA (Business Administration major, MBA degree).
  • College of Social Work: dual JD-MSSW and dual MLS-MSSW (both Social Work majors, with MSSW degree)

In addition graduate students may be eligible to take a limited number of law courses to count toward a graduate degree.

Current information regarding admission, financial aid, course requirements, academic policies, extracurricular activities, and student services is available from the Admissions Office, The University of Tennessee College of Law, 1505 West Cumberland Avenue, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-1810 and at the college’s webpage. Completed applications should be received before February 1 of the year of requested admission.

Policy for Graduate Students Taking Law Courses

Graduate students pursuing the Graduate Certificate in Legal Studies and the Master of Legal Studies degree are subject to the grading policies and course registration procedures detailed for those programs in the Graduate Catalog.

Students pursuing a graduate degree in another college may, upon approval of the College of Law and the major chairperson, take up to 6 credit hours of law courses and receive credit toward the graduate degree. The graduate student must register for the law course during regular registration at the College of Law requesting an S/NC grade only. If a C or above is earned in a law course, an S will be recorded on the transcript. If a student earns below a C, an NC will be recorded, and the course cannot be used toward meeting degree requirements. Grades for law courses will not be reflected in the cumulative average. Law courses may be taken for credit only by students enrolled in a graduate degree program.

Different rules apply to the student enrolled in the Dual JD-Masters Programs. Grades must be earned according to the grading system of the respective college, e.g. numerical grades for law courses, letter grades for graduate courses. Refer to section on Grades for the grading scale acceptable toward meeting degree requirements. Cumulative GPA for law courses only will be carried until graduation, at which time both the graduate and the law cumulatives will be shown on the permanent record.