Located in Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt Law School began as a department of Vanderbilt University, holding its first classes in the fall of 1874, a full year before the main university campus opened. What started in Kirkland Hall with seven students and one faculty member has grown into a school with over 10,000 graduates, 50 full-time faculty, and a national reputation for excellence. Read more about our history.
Dean Guthrie, University Distinguished Professor and John Wade-Kent Syverud Professor of Law, is a leading expert on behavioral law and economics, dispute resolution, negotiation, and judicial decision-making. Under his leadership, Vanderbilt Law has introduced several new academic programs, clinics, and cutting-edge initiatives designed to keep the Law School on the forefront of American legal education.
J.D. ProgramThe three-year Juris Doctor (J.D.) program at Vanderbilt blends a comprehensive legal education with a strong focus on skill development and experiential learning. Law students can tailor their curriculum to their professional interests and enrich their expertise in specialty areas of legal practice. Students can also sharpen their competitive edge by earning a Law and Business Certificate or a J.D./M.S. in Finance without extending the duration of their education. Upon graduation, J.D. graduates enjoy nationwide mobility, supported by the school’s long-standing relationships with legal employers from coast-to-coast.
The one-year Master of Laws (LL.M.) program admits a select group of international attorneys to attend Vanderbilt Law School and learn the fundamentals of the American legal system and alongside J.D. students. Our customizable curriculum allows students to choose courses each semester that advance their career goals. LL.M. students can earn a Law and Business Certificate, focus on intellectual property, international, environmental or criminal law, or explore many other areas of legal practice.
MLS ProgramOur online Master of Legal Studies (MLS) program equips non-lawyers with a deeper understanding of American law and legal systems. Our top-ranked law school faculty developed the MLS curriculum to help working professionals build a solid foundation in legal principles and explore the areas of law most relevant to them. Graduate students also expand their practical skill sets and cultivate lasting relationships with our world-class scholars and educators. With a flexible, self-paced format, students can earn their MLS degree in as little as two years with part-time enrollment.
Vanderbilt’s Ph.D. in Law and Economics program provides a dual-degree pathway for graduate students to pursue a law degree and a Ph.D. in just six years. The curriculum fully integrates economic theory and methodology with robust legal education and policy-relevant research in various fields. Graduates have obtained prestigious judicial clerkships, faculty positions in law schools and economics departments, and employment in government, consulting, and legal practice.
Vanderbilt created five unique dual-degree pathways for ambitious students to pursue their legal education while building specialized knowledge in another field. These intensive programs empower students with career-focused training and real-world application. In collaboration with other Vanderbilt graduate schools, we offer the J.D./M.B.A., J.D./M.S. Finance, J.D./M.D., J.D./Divinity School, and J.D./Master’s in Education Policy (M.P.P.) dual degrees. Students may also pursue their own customized dual-degree program.
Best Professors,
Princeton Review (2025)
Best Criminal Law Programs,
U.S. News & World Report (2025)
Ranking of Law Faculties by Scholarly Impact, Sisk et. al (2024)
Best Classroom Experience,
Princeton Review (2025)
Ranking of the Top 50 law schools based on employment outcomes, cost, and student debt,
Above the Law (2025)
Law schools that sent the highest percentage of J.D. graduates to the nation's 500 largest law firms,
National Law Journal (2025)
Practically speaking, our small class sizes offer substantial benefits. A smaller community makes it easier to meet fellow students and faculty. Upper-level classes and experiential learning opportunities are readily accessible.
Students seek careers across the country in a variety of firms and organizations, naturally reducing the level of competitiveness amongst students relative to a school where the majority of students might be trying to place in large firms within a single city or state.
The Office of Student Life mission is to facilitate learning and support the success and wellbeing of every student by developing a culture of accountability, responsibility, inclusion, and respect for our colleagues and ourselves.
Faculty Profile: Farhang Heydari
Faculty Profile: Matthew Patrick Shaw
Faculty Profile: Rebecca Haw Allensworth
Dean and University Distinguished Professor
Vice Dean and David Daniels Allen Distinguished Chair in Law
Associate Dean for Development and Alumni Relations
Associate Dean for Experiential Education
Associate Dean and Director of the Alyne Queener Massey Law Library
Associate Dean and Robert Belton Director of Culture & Community
Assistant Dean for Legal Studies
Assistant Dean for Operations and Finance
Assistant Dean for Public Interest
Assistant Dean of Communications & Marketing
Assistant Dean for Student Life & Building Operations and Dean of Students
Assistant Dean for Personnel Services
Assistant Dean for Career Services
Assistant Dean and Dean of Admissions
For media-related inquiries please contact Nate Luce, Assistant Dean, Marketing & Communications.