Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law (LMU Law) has promoted Assistant Professor of Law Kayla Swiney to director of bar success. In this role, she will oversee bar preparation initiatives and provide support to students and graduates throughout the bar exam and admissions process. Swiney’s leadership will be central as the law school transitions to preparing students for the NextGen Uniform Bar Exam being developed by the National Conference of Bar Examiners. The NextGen UBE has been adopted in 42 states and the District of Columbia and will be administered for the first time in Tennessee and Kentucky in July 2027.
“I am so excited to take on the role of director of bar success and to assist our students from their first day of law school through the final stages of bar preparation,” Swiney said. “The implementation of the NextGen bar exam will allow me the unprecedented opportunity to work side by side with our graduates to ensure they feel supported, confident and ready to succeed on this new exam.”
Swiney has been a full-time faculty member at LMU Law since summer 2023. During that time, she has been part of the academic and bar success team that oversaw a 21% increase in the school’s first-time bar passage rate in two years. LMU Law’s May 2025 graduates recorded an 80% pass rate on the July 2025 bar exam, including a first-time pass rate of nearly 75% in Tennessee and more than 91% in other jurisdictions.
Before joining LMU Law full time, Swiney served as an adjunct professor at both LMU Law and South College, teaching legal writing and other law courses. Her professional background includes several years in private practice, with experience in federal employment law, family law and criminal defense. She later served as a law clerk for four judges on the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, most recently with Presiding Judge Curwood Witt Jr. in Knoxville.
A two-time LMU graduate, Swiney earned her undergraduate degree from the university in 2013. She worked for Knox County Schools before earning her J.D., cum laude, from LMU Law in 2017. During law school, she served as symposium editor for the LMU Law Review and president of Mock Trial.
“I have worked closely with Prof. Swiney over the past two years to help support our graduates as they prepare for the bar exam. I have seen firsthand that she is a gifted teacher, skilled administrator and supportive colleague,” LMU Law Dean Matt Lyon said. “Even more importantly, she builds strong personal relationships with our students and graduates. They trust her and rely on her guidance as they navigate the bar exam and admissions process. She also has the complete trust of our faculty and staff. We are fortunate to have Kayla as a colleague, and we are committed to supporting her in the essential role of director of bar success at LMU Law.”
The Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law is located in Knoxville’s historic Old City Hall Building. LMU Law is part of LMU’s values-based learning community and is dedicated to preparing future lawyers to provide legal service in Appalachia and beyond.
