B. Keith Faulkner joined the Appalachian School of Law as president and dean July 1, 2021. Prior to coming to ASL, Faulkner gained valuable experience during his tenures as dean at Liberty University School of Law, Campbell University School of Business, and Campbell Law School. He enjoyed a varied private law practice that included work in a general practice and at a large civil litigation firm in North Carolina.
Leading from the front, Faulkner’s teams have been very successful in preparing students for practice and business. Professionalism and practical training have been the hallmark of his work. At Campbell and Liberty law schools, he has been part of teams that have pioneered new and innovative approaches to student success, bar passage, and employment outcomes. Under his leadership, Campbell Law realized the institution’s highest ranking as a top-tier law school in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate Schools 2014 guidebook, and while leading Liberty Law, Liberty achieved the seventh highest bar passage in the country in 2018.
Faulkner holds the Juris Doctor (J.D.) and Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) from Campbell University. He has also earned the Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Litigation Management from Baylor University School of Law, the B.S. in business administration (finance emphasis) from Charleston Southern University, and he completed the United States Navy Nuclear Power Training Pipeline. His service included a tour aboard the U.S.S. Billfish (SSN 676), and he was an instructor at Nuclear Power Training Unit (MTS 635).
Professionally, Faulkner enjoys being a lawyer and remaining active in the profession and practice. From a leadership perspective, developing effective and exceptional teams that deliver superior education and support to students is what drives his love of leading law schools and higher education. Personally, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Patty, and his three children, Hannah, Erin, and Ryan.
