Layne Keele

Professor Layne Keele is a faculty member at the Cumberland School of Law, Samford University, where he holds the rank of Professor. His teaching focuses on Contracts, Conflict of Laws, and Pretrial Practice. Previously, he served as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at Faulkner University’s Thomas Goode Jones School of Law. Keele earned a BBA (summa cum laude) from Freed-Hardeman University and a JD (magna cum laude) from Indiana University’s Maurer School of Law, where he was honored with the Chancellor’s Fellowship, Order of the Coif, and Order of the Barristers. He clerked for Judge Deborah L. Cook of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and practiced appellate and intellectual property litigation at Haynes and Boone, LLP.

His research interests span contracts, conflict of laws, and pretrial litigation strategies. He has authored multiple books on pretrial processes and contributed to law reviews with articles addressing restitution, copyright remedies, and patent infringement damages. Keele’s scholarship emphasizes equitable remedies and legal theory, reflecting his dual background in practice and academia. He has presented at conferences such as the Southeastern Association of Law Schools and delivered lectures on topics like religious freedom and economics of law.

Awardees include his Order of the Coif membership and leadership roles in legal publishing. Though no grants or labs are explicitly noted, his career reflects a blend of doctrinal scholarship and practical legal training. Keele resides in Birmingham with his wife and four children.