Member School Highlight

AALS has launched a series that will highlight a different member school and focus on a recent program or accomplishment in order to showcase the rich variety of approaches to legal education that makes up the American legal academy. A list of past highlights is available below.

Member School Highlight – Vanderbilt University Law School

 

Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Founded: 1874
Joined AALS: 1910
Dean: Chris Guthrie

Located in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt Law School is a private institution that attracts law students and faculty seeking a top-tier academic institution with an excellent quality of life. With a faculty that stands among the top in scholarly impact, a strong career services program with a reputation for nationwide placement, and an intentionally small student body, Vanderbilt Law prepares its students for a lifetime of success.

First Day of classes for the Fall semester at Vanderbilt University Law School.

By seizing early opportunities and investing in bold initiatives, Vanderbilt Law has positioned itself at the forefront of AI-related teaching and scholarship, exploring the practical, social, and ethical applications of generative tools like ChatGPT while preparing students to leverage AI in their work. The Vanderbilt AI Law Lab (VAILL) offers academic courses and hands-on learning experiences for students as well as practitioners. Professor Daniel Gervais, Director of the Vanderbilt Intellectual Property Program, recently published Forever: A Legal Sci-Fi Story, a work of fiction designed to help readers consider legal issues arising from AI. The Vanderbilt Policy Accelerator, under the leadership of Professor Ganesh Sitaraman, is producing scholarship and policy briefings on the regulatory and competitive implications of AI, some of which have already resulted in bipartisan legislation.

“In an era of great change in the legal arena and beyond, Vanderbilt Law remains committed to preparing students to thrive as professionals and people long after they graduate,” said Dean Chris Guthrie. “We achieve this goal through our focus on academic excellence, practical hands-on experience, and a tight-knit community that supports students while encouraging them to excel.”

Past Member Highlights

Vanderbilt University Law School – Featured July 8, 2025

Mercer University School of Law – Featured June 9, 2025

North Carolina Central University School of Law – Featured May 5, 2025

South Texas College of Law Houston – Featured April 7, 2025

Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law – Featured March 10, 2025

Gonzaga University School of Law – Featured December 9, 2024

The Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University – Featured November 11, 2024

The Ohio State University, Michael E. Moritz College of Law – Featured October 7, 2024

Roger Williams University School of Law – Featured September 23, 2024

University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law – Featured September 3, 2024

University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law – Featured August 5, 2024

Lewis and Clark Law School – Featured June 6, 2024

Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law – Featured May 7, 2024

University of Illinois Chicago School of Law – Featured April 1, 2024

The University of Alabama School of Law – Featured March 4, 2024

Saint Louis University School of Law – Featured February 12, 2024

The University of Richmond School of Law – Featured January 29, 2024

University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law – Featured January 16, 2024

St. John’s University School of Law – Featured December 11, 2023

Washington and Lee University School of Law – Featured November 13, 2023

Wake Forest University School of Law – Featured October 30, 2023

University of San Diego School of Law – Featured October 16, 2023

University of North Dakota School of Law – Featured October 2, 2023

Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law – Featured September 18, 2023

Oklahoma City University School of Law – Featured September 5, 2023

University of Virginia School of Law – Featured August 7, 2023

Seattle University School of Law – Featured July 10, 2023

Fordham University School of Law – Featured June 5, 2023

Mitchell Hamline School of Law – Featured May 22, 2023

University of Connecticut School of Law – Featured May 8, 2023

University of Washington School of Law – Featured April 24, 2023

University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law – Featured April 10, 2023

DePaul University College of Law – Featured March 27, 2023

Loyola University Chicago School of Law – Featured March 13, 2023

The University of Southern California Gould School of Law – Featured February 27, 2023

Emory University School of Law – Featured February 13, 2023

Albany Law School – Featured January 30, 2023

Northeastern University School of Law – Featured January 17, 2023

University of Toledo College of Law – Featured December 5, 2022

Loyola Law School, Los Angeles – Featured November 21, 2022

University of Miami School of Law – Featured November 7, 2022

University of Nebraska College of Law –  Featured October 24, 2022

University of Iowa College of Law – Featured October 10, 2022

The George Washington University Law School – Featured September 19, 2022

Boston University School of Law – Featured September 5, 2022

University of Colorado Law School – Featured August 1, 2022

Pace University Elisabeth Haub School of Law – Featured July 6, 2022

Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law – Featured June 6, 2022

St. Mary’s University School of Law – Featured May 23, 2022

University of Pittsburgh School of Law – Featured May 9, 2022

Quinnipiac University School of Law – Featured April 25, 2022

Penn State Law – Featured March 28, 2022

University of Houston Law Center –  Featured March 14, 2022

University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law – Featured March 1, 2022