Vanderbilt Law School Adopts AI-Powered Deposition Simulator
Vanderbilt Law integrates AI deposition simulator DepoSim into its curriculum starting Fall 2026.
Why it matters: Vanderbilt’s adoption of AI simulations marks a shift toward tech-driven, practical legal training. It prepares students for modern legal practice and sets a precedent for legal educators and firms focusing on developing legal talent.
- Vanderbilt partners with AltaClaro to deploy DepoSim, launching in Fall 2026 courses and the law library.
- DepoSim offers AI-driven realistic oral deposition practice with agents as witnesses, opposing counsel, and court reporters.
- DepoSim launched in February 2026 and has been adopted by over 25 Am Law firms for litigation training.
- DepoSim provides immediate, rubric-based feedback and was tested extensively by six top-tier firms, with 97% endorsing its value.
Vanderbilt Law School will become the first law school to integrate DepoSim, an AI-powered deposition simulation platform, into its legal education curriculum starting in the Fall 2026 semester. This partnership with AltaClaro aims to provide students with realistic, interactive deposition practice to build key litigation skills before entering practice.
Developed by AltaClaro in collaboration with Verbit, DepoSim launched in February 2026 and has quickly gained traction with over 25 Am Law firms adopting the technology for training their litigators. The platform uses AI agents that act simultaneously as witnesses, opposing counsel, and court reporters to simulate dynamic deposition environments.
Vanderbilt plans to integrate DepoSim into courses such as Legal Practice Technology and Law Firm Practice Simulation. The simulator allows students to conduct live oral depositions with immediate, rubric-based feedback on performance. It will also be accessible independently through the law school’s library.
Emily Pavuluri, Associate Director of the Vanderbilt AI Law Lab, highlighted that DepoSim brings students “much closer to the realities of practice which include human-to-human interaction.” Abdi Shayesteh, AltaClaro CEO, compared the platform to a "high-fidelity, high-stakes flight simulator" crucial for developing competent advocates.
This adoption reflects a broader trend of embedding technology in legal education to equip future lawyers with both technological fluency and practical skills. The early firm adopters of DepoSim logged over 160 hours in a beta program, with 97% agreeing it adds substantial value to litigation training.
By the numbers:
- February 2026 — DepoSim launch date
- Over 25 Am Law firms — DepoSim adoption since launch
- 160+ hours — Beta testing by six top-tier law firms
- 97% — Beta participants endorsing DepoSim's training value
What's next: Vanderbilt’s first use of DepoSim in classes begins Fall 2026, setting a precedent for wider legal education adoption.