Director of Bar Passage at Lincoln Memorial

Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law (“LMU Law”) in Knoxville, Tennessee seeks

to hire a Director of Bar Success to begin no later than July 1, 2024. LMU Law’s Academic and

Bar Success Program is designed to benefit all students by enabling them to succeed

throughout law school, preparing them to pass the bar exam, and equipping them to practice

law at the highest levels. As one of five full-time faculty members in the department, the faculty

member will teach courses designed to introduce, reinforce, and develop skills to enable

students to be successful on the bar exam. The Director will also coordinate LMU Law’s

supplemental bar preparation programming for its graduates; work collaboratively with other

faculty; work with students one-on-one to provide individualized instruction and coaching; and

mentor students and graduates.

This is a non-tenure-track faculty appointment with a presumptively renewable twelve-month

contract. Because the Director will coordinate LMU Law’s supplemental program for the July

bar exam each year, he or she is eligible to receive course release in the fall or spring semester

every other year. The position includes future eligibility to apply for a long-term contract and

governance rights as to all matters except hiring and promotion of tenured and tenure-track

faculty. For a lateral candidate who has already established a strong record of scholarship, a

tenure-track appointment may be an option.

LMU Law has an institutional partnership with a national bar preparation company and

otherwise provides significant resources for academic and bar success. The faculty and

administration welcome innovative and data-based approaches to bar preparation. The

Director will join a collaborative faculty that values the contributions of Academic and Bar

Success faculty members. The faculty have already made curricular changes in anticipation of

changes in the bar exam and anticipate working with the Director to improve student learning

and performance.

Requirements for the position include a J.D. degree; prior experience teaching in a law school

bar preparation program or working with law school graduates to improve their bar exam

performance; bar membership in any U.S. jurisdiction (can be inactive); demonstrated ability to

devise, coordinate, and implement innovative programming; effective presentation skills in

both small-group and large-class settings; knowledge of learning and teaching strategies for law

students; experience working with, and demonstrated commitment to supporting, diverse

populations; and commitment to LMU Law’s mission. The preferred candidate will have prior

experience coordinating a law school’s bar preparation program; practical legal experience; a

personal record of strong academic achievement; experience preparing students and graduates

for the Uniform Bar Exam; and/or experience or demonstrated interest in data collection, data

management, and basic statistics.

LMU Law is fully accredited by the ABA and has both full-time residential and part-time/hybrid

programs. We are a student-centered institution with the mission of improving access to the

legal profession and legal services in Southern Appalachia and other underserved regions. LMU

Law has a rigorous, practice-focused curriculum that is designed to emphasize student learning

outcomes and ensure that students have the knowledge and skills needed to make positive

contributions to their communities as lawyers and leaders.

In line with our commitment to diversity, we strongly encourage applications from people of

color, women, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, veterans, and others who can

enhance our faculty, curricular, and program diversity through unique life experiences,

viewpoints, or philosophies.

Our law school is located in the heart of Knoxville, Tennessee, a city that offers a fusion of

vibrant city life, stunning natural beauty, and a rich historical and cultural scene, complemented

by the backdrop of the Great Smoky Mountains.

Interested applicants should contact Professor Syd Beckman, Chair of the Faculty Recruitment

Committee, at [email protected]. For more information about LMU Law, see

https://www.lmunet.edu/duncan-school-of-law/index.php.