The Constitution of the United States of America

Law, Justice and Society

Program Overview
Courses

Now more than ever, there is a need for professionals who are just, wherever they may be. We know you want to change the world. So we've created a program to help you build a foundation in justice so you can do exactly that. We know legal change is one of the best ways to effect social change, so we'll make sure you gain a strong understanding of America's legal system. Learn from Fred Gray, a prominent civil rights attorney in Tuskegee, Alabama, and broaden your network and experience across the city, country, and world.

Program Foundations

Concentrations

Capstone Projects

Each senior student has a senior research project that dives deeper into topics relevant to the Law, Justice and Society curriculum. Students will present their research results in the form of a final course presentation and/or the annual Student Scholars Symposium.

Capstone projects are in the form of semester-long research culminating in a written research paper as well as a 15-30 minute presentation on the subject matter at the end of the course and at the annual Student Scholars Symposium.

Required independent research topics have included:

Family experiences with case taken to U.S. Supreme Court
Physical, mental, and sexual abuse found in college sports
How food preferences correlate with voting habits
The harmful language surrounding drug addictions

Internships

Lipscomb Law, Justice and Society students have explored a breadth of competitive internship locations across the country and city. As part of graduation requirements, we believe that internships provide excellent growth, networking opportunities, and exploration of future careers.

Since 20XX, LJS students have interned with:

TN Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence
Tennessee Appellate Courts Clerk's Office
21st District Recovery Court
Lanier Law Firm
Danbury Superior Court
Bass, Berry & Sims Law Firm
Holland & Knight LLP
603 Forward
Center for Justice Innovation

Post-Graduate Success

We are focused on the success of our students. Whether they choose to attend law school, go straight into the workplace, or pursue other graduate degree paths. Our faculty work to provide students the proper opportunities to explore their interests to be successful when they graduate.
Our alumni and senior-level students are competitive applicants for law school and other graduate school admissions. Lipscomb’s law, justice and society program prepares students for roles such as paralegal, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), or non-profit organization workers.
An LSAT preparation course is strategically built into the LJS curriculum. Students go on to enter law school the fall following graduation, or take a gap year to continue growing before entering a J.D. program.
Law, Justice and Society alumni have attended over 30 law schools and 25 graduate programs across the country.

Map of the United States showing locations of 30+ law schools and 25+ graduate programs attended by Lipscomb LJS alumni

Alumni Stories

Bethany Eldridge ('12)

After graduating from Lipscomb with a Fulbright award, Bethany went on to earn a master's from the University of Cambridge in education globalization and international development. She is currently completing her doctorate at the University of Michigan, with dissertation research focused on expanding access to education for vulnerable students in Lebanon. Her career has taken her from Bangladesh to Idaho, all in pursuit of quality education for all.

Janeyah Anderson ('25)

Janeyah helped establish and lead Lipscomb’s first mock trial team, served the student body as SGA President for two terms, and landed competitive internships with the District Attorney’s Office, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the Tennessee General Assembly. Since graduation, Janeyah has worked in the legal field with the intention of attending law school to pursue a judiciary-based political career.

Mason Borneman ('19)

“From the very beginning of the major, I was going out into the community, establishing connections with other professionals on top of learning inside the classroom. My career success is a product of great professors and a great program.”

Regardless of what work environment Borneman has been placed in, “the skills of building community, utilizing advocacy and persuasion techniques, clearly communicating a mission and garnering public support has made me a more confident and effective leader.”

Courses

Law, Justice and Society, B.A., B.S.

Law, Justice and Society Minor

Contact Information

Institute for Law, Justice and Society

Kimberly Mccall
Associate Dean of Academics and Director of Fred D. Gray Institute for Law, Justice & Society
(615) 966-2503
kimberly.mccall@lipscomb.edu

Expert faculty, small class sizes

Learn from award-winning, experienced faculty who actually care about you. Our small class sizes allow us to get to know you personally. We lead an approachable community within our respective programs. Our faculty connections are the experts on their subject matter, too.

Internship

Become more competitive in the job market with an internship related to your interests. You’ll gain experience and boost your exposure. Located in Nashville, students have placed internships at the Tennessee State Capitol and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

Study Abroad

Domestic and international travel is incorporated into the curriculum to explore places such as Europe and Washington, D.C. Students experience the legal system firsthand and widen their perspective of law in the global community.

Our Faculty

Kimberly Mccall

Associate Dean of Academics and Director of Fred D. Gray Institute for Law, Justice & Society

Kimberly L. McCall was named the Academic Director for the Fred D. Gray Institute for Law, Justice and Society effective January 1, 2021. In March 2023, McCall was named Associate...
Meet Kimberly Mccall
Scott Bledsoe

Assistant Professor

Scott Bledsoe, a 2014 graduate from Lipscomb University, is currently completing his PhD in political science from George Mason University in Arlington, Virginia. After graduating from Lipscomb University, Scott moved to New York City, where he received an MA in comparative politics from NYU and worked as an editorial assistant at Oxford University Press. While at George Mason University, Scott served as a research assistant for the "Closing the Gap Project" at the United States Institute of Peace in conjunction with USAID, which explored the role of religious freedom in global socioeconomic development. Scott’s research interests include the role of religiosity in motivating behavioral polarization, religious identity in the United States, and early American political thought.
Meet Scott Bledsoe
Laurie Kubicek, J.D.

Visiting Professor for Fred D. Gray Institute for Law, Justice & Society

Meet Laurie Kubicek, J.D.
David French

Turner Family Distinguished Visiting Prof of Public Policy

David French is a columnist for The New York Times. A graduate of Harvard Law School, David was previously a senior editor at The Dispatch and a contributing writer at...
Meet David French

Career Paths

Lawyers

Lawyers advise and represent individuals, businesses and government agencies on legal issues and disputes.

Legislators

Working as an elected official, develop, introduce or enact laws and statutes at the local, tribal, state or federal level.

Financial Examiners

Financial examiners ensure compliance with laws governing financial institutions and transactions. They review balance sheets, evaluate the risk level of loans, and assess bank management.