In a statement late last spring, Vanderbilt announced all undergraduate pre-law advising services would move to the Law School. This transition, led in partnership by the Career Center and the law school’s undergraduate legal studies minor, aims to centralize support for undergraduate students exploring law school and legal careers in the future.
Effective Sept. 8, 2025, students will have a dedicated pre-law advisor based within the law school. Students will also have access to a slate of new programming, including an in-person Law School Admission Fair on Sept. 30 at the Student Life Center, which will feature admissions representatives from over 50 law schools nationwide.
Throughout the academic year, undergraduate students can expect small-group workshops on building a competitive law school application, one-on-one advising and drop-in hours. Pre-law students will also have access to panels with admissions teams and career professionals, as well as experiential programming such as “Coffee with Local Lawyers” to connect students with practicing attorneys, Vanderbilt Law students and VLS alumni.
Kelly Bahiraei, assistant dean for legal studies, said the new structure is designed to better connect undergraduates with legal professionals to best prepare them for a future in the legal field.
“I am excited about our new partnership with the Career Center to provide law school admission and pre-law advising from a centralized office at Vanderbilt Law School,” Bahiraei said. “By hiring a dedicated pre-law advisor within the Law School, we can align advising with the Legal Studies minor and share resources to offer high-impact, high-quality programming for all Vanderbilt undergraduate students interested in law school and legal careers.”
Bahiraei emphasized that the move is intended to create consistency for undergraduates navigating the pre-law track.
“This organizational update strengthens connections between Vanderbilt undergraduates and Vanderbilt Law School by creating frequent, meaningful, and practical opportunities for students to learn about the legal profession,” Bahiraei said. “It also enhances the Legal Studies minor by pairing academic offerings with individualized advising for students across campus.”
Students have expressed mixed reactions to the shift. Junior Madison Handsome, a student in the legal studies minor program, welcomes the move.
“I think moving pre-law advising to Vanderbilt Law School will be extremely beneficial for me and other pre-law students,” Handsome said. “We’ll be given the opportunity to get support from lawyers and law professors in all aspects of being pre-law students.”
Other students raised concerns about accessibility. Senior Emma Williams feels the change could feel alienating for undergraduate students who are still exploring career paths.
“I think that moving this new advising to the Law School could create barriers for undergrad students who aren’t sure or don’t exclusively want to pursue law,” Williams said. “The move to the Law School could be intimidating and create challenges, as there’s a different nature [to being an] undergrad. There could be a disconnect between the Law School and undergraduates.”
The university stated that the modification is a reflection of Vanderbilt’s larger endeavor to link professional development with undergraduate studies. The university hopes that by combining the legal studies minor with individualized advising, students will have access to the resources and guidance they need to make informed decisions about their legal careers.
