Public Interest
The Vanderbilt Law School Public Interest Office prepares students for fulfilling and sustainable public interest careers through robust advising, programming, and community support. It fosters a culture of public service by providing the vision, training, and opportunities to serve the greater good both during and after law school.
Opportunities for public service begin at orientation, with Justice for All: Public Interest, Pro Bono, and the Law, an optional session that provides an opportunity to interact with Vanderbilt Law faculty and public interest law practitioners. We encourage students to take the pro bono pledge, a commitment to completing 75 hours of pro bono legal work and community service during law school. The Public Interest Office facilitates pro bono and service opportunities, including the Woodbine Immigration Clinic, the Shade Tree Medical-Legal Partnership and Court Watch programs. Many students also pursue summer and semester work in legal nonprofits, government agencies, prosecutors’ offices, or public defense offices. These students often receive course credit or summer stipends funded by the law school to help defray living expenses.
The Public Interest Office coordinates pro bono opportunities and hosts in-person programming, like a Public Interest Bootcamp and the Public Interest Community Conversations series, to prepare students seeking a career in public interest law. The office also works closely with Vanderbilt Law’s George Barrett Social Justice Program to offer comprehensive, hands-on training and mentoring, specifically designed to prepare graduates for work in the public interest.
Vanderbilt offers expert advice, a variety of written resources, and targeted support to students seeking public interest careers – whether in indigent defense, legal aid offices, nonprofit organizations, or their own brand of social justice entrepreneurship. The Assistant Dean for Public Interest works with the Office of Career Services to support students who aspire to public service work during and after law school. Students pursuing careers in government service have access to the expert advice of Vanderbilt’s government advisor within the Office of Career Services.
Public Interest Guide
Fill out the form below to receive a copy of the Public Interest Career Guide created by our Public Interest Office to help you determine the next steps in your law school journey.
Garrison Social Justice Scholar
Kyle Smith '26
"I wanted the chance to be in an environment that was academically rigorous but also supportive, and throughout my experience as a 1L, Vanderbilt has been a place where I have been supported while also being challenged."
Judicial Law Clerk, Eastern District of Tennessee
Emily Burgess '22
“Working with Vanderbilt Legal Aid has been my most meaningful extracurricular experience. It was a great opportunity to build on offered pro bono programs and connect with a community of students pursuing public interest work.”
Meet the Public Interest Office
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Beth Cruz
Assistant Dean and Martha Craig Daughtrey Director for Public Interest
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Erin Parr-Caranza
Public Interest Program Manager
Public Interest Legal Research
Utilizing cutting-edge tools like Public Interest Legal Research (PILR)—an online portal where public interest law practitioners can submit research requests and projects for Vanderbilt Law students to perform remotely—adds depth to student experience and can alleviate hurdles facing public interest attorneys. PILR allows practitioners to submit research requests that Vanderbilt Law Students can complete on deadline.