Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law (LMU Law) announces the hiring of Joseph A. Figueroa and Courtney Panter as assistant professors of law beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.
“Professor Figueroa and Professor Panter each have a strong background in practice and in teaching law students, both in the in-person and online environments,” said Dean Matt Lyon. “Our LMU Law community is enhanced greatly with the addition of their legal and teaching expertise and their commitment to positive outcomes for our students.”
Figueroa joins LMU Law faculty from practicing law in Virginia and the District of Columbia, first in private practice and then as a trial attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). In practice, Figueroa litigated various civil disputes, from construction and business cases in private practice to eminent domain cases at DOJ brought by the United States under the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Figueroa earned a B.A. with distinction from the University of Virginia, where he was an Echols Scholar, and his J.D. cum laude from the William & Mary School of Law, where he served as executive articles editor on the William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal, a law journal focused on constitutional law issues.
Figueroa’s scholarship on civil procedure matters focuses on making the litigation process fairer—and cheaper—for litigants through a better articulation of governing rules, statutes, and processes.
“I am excited to join the faculty at LMU and bring a practical perspective on the connectivity between first-year building blocks and the practice of law,” said Figueroa.
Panter joins LMU Law after eight years as lead editor for a federal training and technical assistance program on a national child welfare project. She also taught as an adjunct professor in the University of Tennessee’s Master of Legal Studies program.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2010 and her J.D. from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 2013. While in law school, she served as a student materials editor and later articles editor for the Tennessee Law Review, was a staff member of the Tennessee Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice, and was a member of Law Women.
“Strong communication and writing skills are foundational to any practice of law, regardless of subject matter. I’m excited to join LMU to help prepare students to be competent, confident practitioners,” said Panter.
The Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law is in Knoxville’s Historic Old City Hall Building. LMU Law is an integral part of LMU’s values-based learning community and is dedicated to preparing the next generation of lawyers to provide sound legal service in the region of Appalachia and beyond.
