FAQs

No, Vanderbilt University and VUMC are two separate legal entities. The Vanderbilt University Office of the General Counsel does not represent VUMC. If you need to reach an attorney about a legal matter concerning VUMC, please click here to visit the website for the VUMC Office of Legal Affairs or call 615-936-0101. For VUMC Risk and Insurance Management, please click here or call 615-936-0660.

The university's legal name is "The Vanderbilt University". The university is a non-profit corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Tennessee. The university is recognized as a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and its federal tax identification number is 62-0476822. Additional information regarding university finance can be found here.

The university's tax filings are available, upon request, to Anne Mambungu in the Office of the General Counsel at anne.h.mambungu.1@vanderbilt.edu phone at 615-936-0325.

You cannot accept service of legal documents on behalf of the university. If a process server attempts to serve you with documents in a university-related matter, you should politely decline and direct him or her to the Office of the General Counsel (OGC). If you are served documents that name you personally in your official capacity, notify the OGC immediately and forward the documents to this office. You may wish to keep a copy for your records. The OGC will review the documents, determine what steps are necessary and discuss your involvement with you, if any.

It is the policy of the university to require legal service of a properly issued subpoena from any person or government office seeking information from the university. In this regard, all subpoenas relating to the university should be served at the OGC in the Loews office building (2100 West End Ave, Suite 1100). If you are university faculty or staff and someone has contacted you regarding a court document in a university-related matter, please contact Nancy Short in our office at nancy.short@vanderbilt.edu or by phone 615-322-8613. If you are served with a subpoena or other legal document addressed to you concerning a non-university matter, you should seek the advice of private outside counsel.

The OGC provides notary services for Vanderbilt University faculty, staff, postdocs, and students. These services are free of charge. To make an appointment please contact Nancy Short at nancy.short@vanderbilt.edu or Anne Mambungu at anne.h.mambungu.1@vanderbilt.edu. Please bring unsigned original document(s) and identification to ​our office located in the Loews Business Tower Suite 1100 during regular weekday office hours from 9am to 4:30pm. Proper identification includes a current and valid government-issued driver’s license or passport.

Under federal and state law, the university has a duty to identify and preserve documents and records that relate to pending or reasonably anticipated litigation, or other legal or administrative proceedings involving the university. A preservation notice is a notification sent from the OGC to university faculty, staff, or students instructing them to identify, preserve, and not delete or alter electronically stored information (ESI) or destroy hard copy documents that may be relevant to the pending litigation or proceeding.   The preservation notice requires that any and all departmental or university-wide record retention policies providing for disposal of records and information related to the pending or threatened litigation matter be suspended until further notice from the OGC even if the record retention period has been met.   A preservation notice means that you may possess relevant information and does not necessarily mean that you are directly involved in the legal action.  

If you are contacted by an attorney in connection with university business or your work for the university, please notify the OGC immediately. The OGC will work with you to determine what steps are necessary. Please do not speak or correspond directly with an attorney representing someone outside the university who is engaged in or threatening a lawsuit.

The university provides legal defense and indemnification to faculty and staff with respect to external claims that arise from activity within the scope of their university employment and/or in the performance of authorized duties. For more information, please review the Employee Indemnification Policy here.

The OGC does not and cannot represent individual faculty, staff, or students in personal legal matters outside the scope of university business. The OGC provides legal advice and representation to Vanderbilt University, including all its schools and colleges, offices, and departments. This includes providing advice and counsel to university trustees, officers, faculty, and staff acting in their official capacities on a variety of issues affecting the university.

The Vanderbilt University brand includes a large array of specific logos, colors, typography, slogans, and other elements. All uses of the university brand must be authorized and consistent with university guidelines found here. More information including what constitutes correct and consistent use of Vanderbilt University logos and wordmarks can be found here.

The university is committed to equal opportunity and nondiscrimination throughout the institution. Please contact the university's Equal Opportunity and Access office for more information on the range of services that support the university's commitment to fairness, equity, access, and respect. For questions about disability-related accommodations for students, please contact Student Access.

The university prohibits all forms of sexual misconduct and discrimination. The university will take prompt and effective action to address all allegations of sexual misconduct and discrimination. For more information, please visit the university's Title IX office here.

The university's Delegation of Authority and Subdelegation policies outline who may approve and sign contracts, legally binding agreements, business ventures, and other agreements with external parties that obligate the university.

Vanderbilt University is committed to cooperating with all government investigations as required by law. If an employee receives a subpoena, search warrant, or other similar document, before taking any action, the employee must immediately contact the Office of the General Counsel ogc@vanderbilt.edu. The Office of the General Counsel is responsible for authorizing the release or copying of documents. If a government investigator, agent, or auditor comes to an employee’s University office or laboratory, the employee must contact a supervisor or the Office of the General Counsel before an employee discusses any matters with such investigator, agent, or auditor.