Welcome from the Dean
The University of Tennessee College of Law is exceptional. We are grateful to have a talented faculty committed to an innovative curriculum that masterfully bridges the gap between theory and practice to promote professional excellence. We are able to attract a diverse group of exceptionally bright students committed to learning in a supportive, collaborative environment. I am very pleased you are considering joining us.
Many of our faculty bring to the classroom years of professional experience in a variety of settings - national and international law firms, state and federal courts, government agencies, legal service programs, and public interest groups. The faculty have a lot to share, and they do so eagerly both in and out of the classroom. Our clinical program, which enjoys a top twenty national reputation, provides students with the opportunity to interview, counsel, mediate, negotiate, and even try cases on behalf of actual clients that include children, small businesses, victims of domestic violence, citizens accused of crime, and families facing eviction. We have created two innovative centers, one for advocacy and one for business, designed to better prepare our graduates for the specific legal challenges they will face in practice.
We know what we are doing. The College of Law has been educating lawyers for more than 100 years. Our Legal Clinic is the oldest continuously operating law school clinical program in the nation. But we are constantly exploring better ways to help our students graduate as competent and ethical attorneys. Our goal is to produce lawyers who possess the skills and knowledge to become leaders in the profession and their communities. And we take that responsibility very seriously.
To that end, we have created a law school environment where students, faculty, and staff can engage with mutual respect in lively intellectual exchange and growth. We have consciously fostered a diverse community committed to the fair and just treatment of everyone. This is indeed a special place and special learning environment devoted to our students’ professional success.
If you have questions, call the Admissions Office. Better yet, come and visit. Talk with our students, faculty, and staff. We have an on-campus Student Host Program to help you experience first-hand the day- to-day life at the College of Law. Look at us closely. You will like what you see.
Douglas A. Blaze
Doug Blaze, the Art Stolnitz and Elvin E. Overton Distinguished Professor of Law, was named dean of the College of Law in August, 2008. After graduating summa cum laude from the Georgetown University Law Center, Professor Blaze practiced with the firm of Fennemore Craig in Phoenix, Arizona. He joined the faculty of the Arizona State College of Law in 1986 before coming to the UT College of Law in 1993 as Director of Clinical Programs. He has also served as Director of the Center for Advocacy and Dispute Resolution and Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.