College of Law Administration

Jeff Kinsler, JD, LLM

Dean of the College of Law

Prior to joining Belmont University College of Law as the Founding Dean, Jeffrey Kinsler was a Professor of Law and Senior Scholar at Elon University.  Prior thereto, he was Dean of Appalachian School of Law, which he led to full ABA approval during his tenure.

The winner of nine teaching awards, Dean Kinsler has taught at several law schools in the United States and Australia.  He also has served as a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Queensland in Australia.  Dean Kinsler was a partner with Katten, Muchin & Zavis in Chicago, “of counsel” and associate at Mayer, Brown & Platt in Chicago and, more recently, “of counsel” at the Kingsport, Tennessee law firm of Hunter, Smith & Davis. 

A member of the Tennessee, Virginia, Illinois and Wisconsin bars, he has co-authored ten books and has published numerous law review articles in journals at law schools such as the University of North Carolina, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University. 

He obtained his undergraduate degree with honors from Ball State University, graduated first in his class at Valparaiso University School of Law, and obtained a master of laws degree from Yale Law School.  In 2006, he was named a “Virginia Leader in the Law” by Virginia Lawyers Weekly, and he was elected to the American Law Institute in 2009.

Tracey Carter, JD, MPA, EdD

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

Prior to joining Belmont University College of Law as the Director of Academic Success and as an Assistant Professor of Law, Dr. Tracey Carter was the Director of Tennessee State University’s (TSU) Office of Equity, Diversity, and Compliance, where she served as TSU’s Chief Diversity Officer, Affirmative Action Officer, Diversity Contact to the Tennessee Board of Regents, Title VI Coordinator, Title IX Coordinator, and Section 504 Co-Coordinator. In addition, Dr. Carter served as the Director of TSU’s President’s Fellowship Program and as a member of TSU’s President’s Fellowship Program Advisory Committee.

Dr. Carter has extensive legal experience as a paralegal and as an attorney. She was a Litigation Paralegal for the law firm of Penn, Stuart, Eskridge & Jones in Abingdon, Virginia as well as a Paralegal Specialist with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C. Dr. Carter also served as a Law Clerk for the General Civil Division of the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee as well as a Summer Associate for the law firms of Neal & Harwell in Nashville, Tennessee and Baker, Donelson, Bearman & Caldwell in Knoxville, Tennessee. Immediately following law school, Dr. Carter was a Judicial Law Clerk for the Honorable Marietta Shipley (Retired Judge) in the Davidson County Second Circuit Court in Nashville, Tennessee. Following her judicial clerkship and immediately prior to working at TSU, Dr. Carter was an Assistant Attorney General for the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office.

Dr. Carter received her Bachelor of Arts degree summa cum laude in Paralegal Studies with a minor in Business Administration from Virginia Intermont College, where she graduated as Valedictorian of her class. She received her Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law, where she made Dean’s List four out of six semesters and served on the Moot Court Board as well as a National Moot Court Team member. She also exhibited superior academic excellence at TSU, where she received her Master of Public Administration degree and her Doctor of Education degree in Administration and Supervision with a concentration in Higher Education Administration. Her published dissertation is entitled “Ascension to the American College Presidency: A Study of Female Presidents of Public Universities and Community Colleges in Select Southern States.” Dr. Carter is also a Harry S. Truman National Scholar for the State of Virginia.

Dr. Carter is a member of the Tennessee bar, is a member of the Napier Looby Bar Association, is a Rule 31 Tennessee Supreme Court Listed General Civil Mediator, and has served in the past as a certified Adjunct Graduate Faculty member at TSU where she taught Educational Law to graduate students.

 

Mitch Counts, JD, MLS

Associate Dean for Information Services

Mitch Counts has previously built two academic law libraries from inception, Ave Maria School of Law in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Elon University School of Law in Greensboro, North Carolina.  Both schools achieved ABA accreditation in the shortest possible period of time.  Belmont University College of Law’s library will be the third law school library to be created under the watchful eye of Dean Counts.

Dean Counts has been an Associate Dean, Director, or Acting Director at academic law libraries for the last fourteen years and has been working in increasingly responsible positions in these libraries for the last twenty-two years.  He has also helped design and plan the physical space for five academic law libraries during his professional career, including the law libraries at Baylor, Elon, Drexel, Ave Maria-Michigan, and Ave Maria-Florida.  In addition to his library director responsibilities, Dean Counts has been responsible for the information technology function in academic law libraries for the last fourteen years.

With over seven years of teaching experience, Dean Counts has taught Legal Research, Legal Writing, and Education Law.  His teaching interests include Legal Research, Advanced Legal Research, Higher Education Law, and Education Law.  He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, his Juris Doctor degree from South Texas College of Law in Houston, Texas, and his Master of Library Science degree from Indiana University in Bloomington.

Charles Trost, JD, LLM (In Taxation)

Associate Dean for External Relations

Prior to joining Belmont University College of Law, Dean Trost served as the Commissioner of Revenue for the State of Tennessee.  Prior to his appointment as Commissioner, he was a partner with the Nashville law firm of Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLP, where his practice focused on state tax litigation.  He continues his affiliation with Waller Lansden as Senior Counsel in the Tax Group.

Before joining Waller Lansden, Dean Trost was Professor of Law at the University of Alabama School of Law where he taught several tax courses, Business Organizations, Wills and Trusts, Law and Medicine, and Legal Ethics.  He has also taught as a member of the adjunct faculty of the University of Tennessee College of Law and Vanderbilt Law School.  Before entering teaching he practiced in Columbia, Tennessee, with Courtney, Trost, Leech & Hardin.  After graduating from law school he served as law clerk to U. S. District Judge William Miller of the Middle District of Tennessee.

Dean Trost is a member of the Alabama and Tennessee Bars and has been a Tennessee Uniform Law Commissioner since 1997.  He serves the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws as its Treasurer and as a member of its Executive Committee.  He is a coauthor of Hartman & Trost, Federal Limitations on State and Federal Taxation, 2d (Thomson West).  Dean Trost received his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University, his J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law, and his LL.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law.  He is a Trustee of the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and serves as a member of the Board of The Land Trust for Tennessee.

Andy Matthews, JD

Assistant Dean for Student Services

Andy Matthews is the assistant dean for student services at Belmont University College of Law where he oversees the admissions office and career services office.  Additionally, Dean Matthews implements the College of Law’s debt counseling program and scholarship program.  He previously served as assistant dean for students services at Faulkner University’s Thomas Goode Jones School of Law in Montgomery, Alabama.

Dean Matthews is a member of the Alabama State Bar.  Prior to his career in legal education, he practiced law in Birmingham and Montgomery.  He received his B.S. degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and his J.D. cum laude from Faulkner University’s Thomas Goode Jones School of Law.  While in law school, Dean Matthews served as Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review and represented his class as an honor court justice.

A primary emphasis for Dean Matthews is to counsel law students on professionalism and sound financial practices.  He enjoys meeting prospective students and working with current students at all stages of their law school career, from new student orientation to commencement.

Claudia Levy, JD

Director of Career Services

As the Director of Career Services, Claudia Levy creates and presents career development programming and provides career counseling services for Belmont law students.  She works with law firms, judges, corporate counsel, government agencies, and non-profit organizations to create employment opportunities. 

Prior to joining Belmont University College of Law, Claudia Levy was a Client Relations and Placement Director at Counsel On Call, where she managed attorney recruitment and placement.  Previously, Ms. Levy was an attorney with Wilkes & McHugh, P.A. where she litigated medical malpractice cases throughout the Southeast.

Ms. Levy completed her Juris Doctor and Bachelor's degrees at the University of Mississippi.  She served on the Board of Directors of the Young Lawyers Division (YLD) of the Nashville Bar Association from 2006 through 2011, receiving the Enterprise Award in 2008 and the President’s Award in 2011. Ms. Levy was chair of the LAW New Admittees’ Breakfast 2006-2008, served on the executive board nominating committee, and participates in the Mentoring Program.  She is a member of the Nashville Bar Association, the Tennessee Bar Association, the Mississippi Bar Association, the Lawyers’ Association for Women, and Tennessee Lawyers’ Association for Women.  Ms. Levy is the Events Director for Brentwood Area Networking Group, past co-chair of the Heart Gala Late Party, and current member of the American Heart Association (Middle TN Affiliate) Young Professional Board.  She currently serves as Secretary and Treasurer of Belmont University College of Law American Inn of Court.  Ms. Levy was named Belmont University College of Law’s Most Outstanding Administrator in 2011. 

Lisa Giffen

Assistant to the Dean

B.A., State University of New York College at Fredonia; M.Ed., Ohio University

Email Address:
lisa.giffen@belmont.edu

Office Phone:
 (615) 460-8259

Elizabeth Stewart Lowman

Administrative Assistant to the Dean's Office

B.B.A., Belmont University

Email Address:
elizabeth.lowman@belmont.edu

Office Phone:
(615) 460-8253

Margaret Ross Long

Admissions Counselor

B.A., University of Mississippi;
M.B.A., Belmont University

Email Address:
margaretross.long@belmont.edu

Office Phone:
(615) 460-8273

Maria Smith

Admissions Counselor

B.A., Emory University;
M.S. Florida State University

Email Address:
maria.smith@belmont.edu

Office Phone:
(615) 460-8250

Kishia Nixon

Admissions Assistant

B.A., University of Tennessee; M.Ed., Middle Tennessee State University

Email Address:
kishia.nixon@belmont.edu

Office Phone:
(615) 460-5467

Ashley Pelfrey

Career Services Assistant

B.B.A., M.B.A., Middle Tennessee State University

Email Address:
ashley.pelfrey@belmont.edu

Office Phone:
(615) 460-8254

Cory Coyne

Faculty Assistant

B.A., University of Delaware

Email Address:
cory.coyne@belmont.edu

Office Phone:
(615) 460-8268

Andrea Jones

Faculty Assistant

B.B.A., Lipscomb University

Email Address:
andrea.jones@belmont.edu

Office Phone:
(615) 460-8267