About Vanderbilt Law School

Vanderbilt students walk outside the Law School on a fall day

Welcome From the Dean

dean guthrie The skills of lawyers, including the skills of analyzing complex issues, asking the right questions, advocating for clients, and managing disputes and organizations, are best taught in a rigorous setting by first-rate faculty, in the company of outstanding classmates.

At Vanderbilt, you'll find a faculty that is second to none in combining excellent and demanding teaching with important and influential research. More than anywhere else, Vanderbilt professors are demanding in class and accessible outside it. Our faculty and staff work hard to model, in every class and every program, best practices in teaching law. As a result, our graduates are in high demand, with hundreds of employers visiting Vanderbilt every year to recruit our students for positions throughout the U.S. and abroad.

You'll also find a solid network of active and supportive alumni, a strong national career services program, and a small student body (a purposeful decision that we believe facilitates learning and relationship-building)—all situated on one of the world's most beautiful campuses, located in a sophisticated city with a fascinating historical heritage.

This website will tell you more about our unique school. If you have any questions, please email me.

Chris Guthrie

Dean
John Wade-Kent Syverud Professor of Law

Who We Are

Known for offering a rigorous academic program in a collegial, supportive atmosphere, Vanderbilt Law School attracts law students and faculty seeking a first-rate academic institution that also affords an excellent quality of life.

We are a collaborative and engaged community, offering a rigorous, highly personalized legal education and nationwide career placement. Vanderbilt Law combines the advantages of a stimulating university community, 
top-tier faculty, a small, carefully selected student body, and a vibrant, livable city.

Learn More
  • #4

    Best Professors
    (2024 Princeton Review)
  • 6.1:1

    Student-to-Faculty Ratio
    (US News)
  • #7

    Best Classroom Experience
    (2024 Princeton Review)     

Library Resources

Quick Links

vanderbilt law school

Building Hours

Vanderbilt Law School is open from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday-Friday. Evening and weekend access is limited to law faculty, students and staff with a valid VU ID. Due to extensive renovations, the Law School building will be closed to visitors through August 2024. 

Located a mile and a half southwest of downtown Nashville, the Vanderbilt campus is home to more than 300 tree and shrub varieties and was designated a national arboretum in 1988. Buildings on the original campus date to its founding in 1873, and the Peabody section of campus has been a registered National Historic Landmark since 1966. The 233 buildings on Vanderbilt's campus are connected by a network of sidewalks that accommodate pedestrians and cyclists.

Vanderbilt Law School is located on the north edge of the campus, directly adjacent to the Owen Graduate School of Management, near the Vanderbilt Divinity School, and a short walk from the Vanderbilt Medical Center. Off-campus facilities include the Arthur J. Dyer Observatory, situated on a hill six miles south of campus.

Virtual Tour