Vanderbilt Law Fast Facts
Founded in 1874, as one of two departments to hold classes in the first year Vanderbilt University opened to students.
DEGREE Programs
J.D. Program
Our J.D. program combines a thorough grounding in the law, practical skills development, substantive experiential learning opportunities, and a highly customizable curriculum. Develop knowledge and expertise in specialty areas of legal practice, and earn a Law and Business Certificate or J.D./MS Finance dual degree in three years. Our J.D. graduates enjoy national geographic mobility, supported by the school’s longstanding relationship with legal employers coast to coast.
LL.M. Program
Our one-year Master of Laws (LL.M.) program admits a select group of attorneys who come to Vanderbilt Law from around the globe to learn the fundamentals of the American legal system and study alongside J.D. students. Our expansive curriculum allows you to choose courses each semester that advance your career goals. LL.M. students may earn a Law and Business Certificate, focus on intellectual property, international, environmental or criminal law, or gain exposure to many other areas of legal practice.
Ph.D. Program
Our 6-year Ph.D. program in Law and Economics is unlike any other. Dual-degree students pursue a law degree and a Ph.D. concurrently in a fully-integrated curriculum where students conduct policy-relevant research within a wide variety of fields. Graduates have obtained prestigious judicial clerkships, faculty positions in law schools and economics departments, and jobs in government, consulting, and legal practice.
MLS Program
Our online Master of Legal Studies (MLS) program provides non-lawyers with a deeper understanding of American law and legal systems. Students expand their professional skillsets and learn legal fundamentals from the same world-class faculty of scholars and educators who teach our J.D. students. Created from the ground up by our top-ranked law school faculty, the MLS curriculum emphasizes both foundational legal principles and insights into areas of law that are most relevant to working professionals.
Application Deadlines
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J.D. Application Deadline
April 1
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LL.M. Application Deadline
April 30
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Ph.D. Application Deadline
April 1
Academic Programs
Branstetter Litigation and Dispute Resolution Program
Criminal Justice Program
Energy, Environment, and Land Use Program
George Barrett Social Justice Program
Intellectual Property Program
International Legal Studies Program
Law & Business Certificate Program
Program in Law & Government
Program on Law & Innovation
Weaver Program in Law, Brain Sciences, and Behavior
J.D. Class Profiles
Faculty & Fast Facts
Administration
Dean
- Chris Guthrie - Dean and John Wade-Kent Syverud Professor of Law
Associate Deans
- Rebecca Allensworth - Associate Dean for Research
- Lisa Bressman - Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
- Clay Cline - Associate Dean of Development and Alumni Relations
- Susan L. Kay - Associate Dean for Experiential Education
- Scotty Mann - Assistant Vice Chancellor of Development
- Larry Reeves - Associate Dean and Director, Alyne Queener Massey Law Library
- Yesha Yadav - Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity & Community
Assistant Deans
- Bonnie Bielec - Assistant Dean for Operations and Finance
- Nate Luce - Assistant Dean of Communications & Marketing
- Chris Meyers - Assistant Dean and Dean of Students
- Dominique Millen - Assistant Dean for Personnel Services
- Beth Cruz - Assistant Dean for Public Interest
- G. Todd Morton - Assistant Dean and Dean of Admissions
- Elizabeth M. Workman - Assistant Dean for Career Services
Directors
- Cynthia Coleman - Director, LL.M. Program
- Eileen Cunningham - Senior Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving
- Jeanna Newton - Director, Finance and Administration
- Lauren N. Shatto - Director, Digital Marketing
- Jennifer Swezey - Director, Legal Writing
- Joel Thomas - Senior Director of Development
Clinical Faculty
- Susan L. Kay, Associate Dean for Experiential Education - Criminal Practice Clinic
- Michael B. Bressman , Professor of the Practice of Law Intellectual Property and the Arts Clinic
- Michael A. Newton, Professor of the Practice of Law - International Law Practice lab
- Jennifer Prusak, Associate Clinical Professor of Law - Housing Law Clinic
- Lauren Rogal, Associate Clinical Professor of Law - Turner Community Enterprise Clinic
- Cara Suvall, Assistant Clinical Professor of Law - Youth Opportunity Clinic
- Jennifer Safstrom, Assistant Clinical Professor of Law - Stanton Foundation First Amendment Clinic