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Scholarship, professional excellence, and commitment to service for the greater good are integral components of a Vanderbilt legal education. Among the nation’s leading law schools, Vanderbilt stands out as a forward-thinking community of professionals committed to providing tomorrow's leaders with the knowledge, skills, and experience they need to tackle difficult problems locally, nationally, and globally, in law, public service, business, government or other areas where law and legal reasoning promote positive outcomes for individuals and society.
Vanderbilt Law professors ranked 5th in a study of American law school faculties' citation counts and scholarly impact. We intentionally keep our student body small - typically the smallest among top law schools - which enriches a personal approach to legal education for which Vanderbilt is well-known. Our smaller size allows greater access to an elite faculty in an unusually collegial, collaborative and rigorous academic culture. Drawn from across the nation and abroad, VLS students have remarkably varied backgrounds, experiences and professional goals, while sharing a common commitment to challenge themselves and each other to excel as legal professionals.
Innovative and interdisciplinary academic programs allow ample opportunities to explore the breadth of the profession, and then to delve into areas of compelling personal interest. Outstanding courses on theory and policy connect to clinics, externships, practicums and other opportunities to strengthen core expertise guided by faculty experts and practicing attorneys, while an array of dual-degree programs allow students to build content expertise in a variety of fields.
Our graduates consistently secure top-tier legal employment. With nearly 80% of each graduating class taking employment out of state, Vanderbilt graduates enjoy remarkable geographic mobility, which is supported by the school’s longstanding relationships with legal employers coast to coast and its global alumni network. Over the last five years, the top eight employment destinations among VLS graduates have been:
Perennially on the list of America's friendliest cities, Kiplinger has named Nashville the nation’s No.1 smartest place to live.
With Vanderbilt Law situated on a world-class university campus in the heart of a diverse and sophisticated city that supports a balanced lifestyle, it’s hard to imagine a better place to study law.
We would like to know you better as a prospective student - and for you to learn more about Vanderbilt. That's why we offer admission interviews with VLS alumni as part of the application process, and why VLS alumni conduct interviews nationwide and in several foreign locations. All interviews for the 2021-2022 admission cycle will be conducted virtually through the means requested by the interviewer (phone, Zoom, Skype, etc.) This is to protect the health and safety of applicants and alumni during the ongoing pandemic.
Applicants to the J.D. class entering in fall 2022 may request an alumni interview by: 1) completing the admission interview section of the application for admission, and 2) submitting the application for admission no later than 11:59 PM, November 15, 2021.
Each year, Vanderbilt Law School admissions representatives attend a variety of student recruiting events across the nation. This year, we will be attending a number of virtual events including the LSAC Digital Forums, virtual Law Fairs, and area recruiting events. We will also be offering virtual Information Sessions and opportunities to connect with current VLS students over Zoom. Click here for a calendar of all admissions recruiting events taking place this fall.
Please contact the Admissions Office if you have any questions about recruiting events or registration 615.322.6452 or admissions@law.vanderbilt.edu
New students enter the J.D. program each fall semester for a full-time course of study lasting three academic years. We do not offer part-time or evening programs. Applicants must hold (or expect to hold) a bachelor's degree from an accredited undergraduate institution.
J.D. students at other ABA-approved law schools who have completed one year of study may apply for transfer admission to Vanderbilt's second-year J.D. class.
J.D. students at other ABA-approved law schools may also apply as visiting students .
J.D. program overview | JD application process | Apply now
Each year, Vanderbilt's LL.M. program accepts a small number of foreign lawyers and international students for a one-year master's degree program that explores American legal issues and legal research methods.
LL.M. students are fully integrated into the Vanderbilt community, studying alongside American and other international students in the J.D. program. LL.M. students have access to the law school faculty and administration as well as the Vanderbilt University International Students and Scholars Office.
LL.M. program overview | LLM application process | Apply now
Vanderbilt University has developed a Ph.D. program that provides unique training in law and economics. Students admitted to the program must either hold a J.D. at the time of entry or complete the requirements for both the Ph.D. in Law and Economics and the J.D. concurrently.
Law and Economics overview and application process
Vanderbilt University, headquarters of the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Law and Neuroscience , offers the nation's first J.D. / Ph.D in Neuroscience.
Law and neuroscience at Vanderbilt
The J.D. / Ph.D. Neuroscience dual degree program at Vanderbilt University requires separate applications and independent admission to the Vanderbilt Law School J.D. program and Vanderbilt’s Neuroscience Graduate Program. Applicants who have expressed interest in the dual degree in both applications and who are admitted independently to both programs are subsequently considered for an individualized course of study and research that would meet dual degree requirements.
Information and application procedures are available at the Prospective Students pages for Vanderbilt Law School and the Vanderbilt Brain Institute
615-322-6452 | admissions@law.vanderbilt.edu
