Law360 published an article covering Vanderbilt University Law School's rollout of DepoSim, AltaClaro's AI-powered deposition simulator, this academic year. According to the article, this marks the tool's first use among law students and represents a first for law schools across the country.
The piece describes how students can use DepoSim to practice running depositions by questioning witnesses with different personas and handling objections from opposing counsel, while receiving immediate feedback on their professionalism, responsiveness, and strategy. Vanderbilt is offering DepoSim through its legal practice technology and law firm practice simulation courses, as well as through the law library. Mark Williams, founding director of the Vanderbilt AI Law Lab, told Law360 Pulse that the goal is to "raise the floor of competency" by introducing students to advanced legal skills like conducting depositions earlier in their legal education.
The article also highlights AltaClaro's broader work building tools to simulate other elements of legal practice, including trial practice, oral arguments, discovery, client interviews, and negotiations, all of which Vanderbilt students will gain access to as they become available. As AltaClaro CEO Abdi Shayesteh shared with Law360, partners "see this as the future, and they want to be a part of the transformation in bringing this to their students or associates and really preparing them for the real thing."