Dylan Patel always envisioned himself in a courtroom, thanks largely to his father. “My dad is an attorney,” he explained. “Seeing his day to day was really enticing, going to court, wearing a suit; it felt like a TV show, like Law & Order.” What began as a childhood fantasy evolved into something real after Dylan founded his high school’s debate team in his hometown of Urbana, Illinois. Debate taught him how to craft an argument, present it, and try to convince the judge that his side should prevail. “I fell in love with that process,” he said, “and knew my trajectory.”

As an undergrad at Northwestern University, Dylan studied Learning and Organizational Change, a program he likens to a consulting major. The courses emphasized teamwork and problem-solving, skills he credits for drawing him out of his shell and helping him become a stronger collaborator. Dylan acknowledges that while many pre-law students gravitate toward political science or English, he intentionally chose to branch out and study something he considers more practical.

Vanderbilt appealed to Dylan because of its smaller class size, as well as its location. He always planned to return to Chicago after graduation but wanted to experience life outside of Illinois. Vanderbilt’s Admitted Students Day sealed the decision. He met one of his closest friends that day and got a great feeling about the community. “Everyone wants everyone else to succeed,” he said.

Though Dylan knew he wanted to litigate, the courses he took and the experiences he had during law school helped him decide on a specialty. Unlike his father, who works in criminal defense and personal injury, Dylan gravitated toward business litigation. “I have always wanted the opportunity to be in a courtroom,” he said, “to create arguments and briefs and present them to a judge or a jury.”

One unexpected but formative part of Dylan’s legal education was Vanderbilt Law School’s emphasis on artificial intelligence. He took multiple AI-focused courses, including AI in Law Practice and AI-Augmented Legal Research. He also participated in the Vanderbilt AI Law Lab practicum with Professor Cat Moon. “AI has already integrated itself into the legal field, and it’s only going to continue to grow,” he said. Rather than viewing this newer technology as a threat, Dylan thinks it’s important to see it as a tool. “AI is not something you have to be scared of,” he said. “Rather, it’s something you should embrace and use to become a better attorney.”

Hands-on experience has been central to Dylan’s law school journey as well. After his 1L year, he split his summer between two firms to gain exposure to both sides of litigation. In Chicago, he worked on the plaintiff’s side, handling personal injury and wrongful death cases. In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, he did defense work tied to medical malpractice. “After both experiences, I knew I wanted to start on the defense side,” he said. That clarity led him to Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP in Chicago for his 2L summer, where he later received and accepted a return offer. In his final year, Dylan enrolled in Vanderbilt’s newly launched Gail Anderson Cañizares Innocence Clinic, working with individuals who are incarcerated for serious felonies but maintain their innocence. “Reading the clients’ stories and hearing about the ‘wrong place, wrong time’ situations is very emotional,” he said. “You want to find that piece of evidence that could help exonerate your client.”

Dylan made the most of what Vanderbilt had to offer outside the classroom as well and encourages future law school students to do the same. He explored Nashville neighborhoods, played intramural sports, joined the Vanderbilt Law Soccer Club, and attended sporting events. “Rushing the field when Vanderbilt beat Alabama will stay with me, genuinely, for the rest of my life,” he said. “I am so happy I removed myself from the library and experienced that.” Dylan also urges students to protect their mental health, especially during Finals. “Don’t look at what other people are doing,” he said. “Be mindful of that to ensure you can have the best possible experience.”