QuestionsAnswered.net

What's Your Question?

How to Write a Job Application Cover Letter

Writing a cover letter is essential when applying for jobs. This is the perfect way to express how your specific skills are relevant to the open position. Wow your future employer with this simple cover letter example format.

Write a First Draft

Writing a first draft makes your letter concise and professional, states The Balance Careers. Organize your thoughts by making a list of what you’re trying to convey. Make sure you prioritize certain aspects like your previous job experience and why you would be a good fit for the position. Clearly state what position you’re interested in and why. Think about why you’re applying and what caught your eye about this specific position. Your cover letter will be easier to write after your thoughts are collected and organized.

Customize Your Salutation

When writing a salutation, make sure you know who you are writing to. Is this person the owner of the company or a Human Resources administrator? If you’re not sure, research the company to find out. Addressing your cover letter to a specific person shows initiative and attention to detail. After your salutation, start your letter with a short introduction of yourself. This gives future employers insight into who you are and the purpose of your cover letter.

Write Intentionally

Your cover letter should be no more than one page, so keep your points brief. Clearly state what position you are interested in and why. Explain why you are a good fit for the company because of your past job experience. If you have no similar job experience, let the employer know why you are changing career paths. Expand on your skills and give specific examples of how that skill set helped you at your last position. Name projects you’ve worked on and show results.

Close Your Letter

End your cover letter with a brief sentence and sign off. Thank the employer for their time and express your interest towards the job again. Let them know you’ll follow up with them if you do not hear back within a week and leave your contact information. Sign off with a professional farewell and leave room for a signature if sending a hard copy.

Edit and Proofread

As you finish writing your cover letter, make sure you take time to edit and proofread your document. Make sure it’s structured in a professional format with the company’s information, the salutation and introduction, the body of the letter, a brief closing sentence and farewell. Check for spelling and grammar mistakes to ensure a formal result. Make sure all names are spelled correctly, as well.

MORE FROM QUESTIONSANSWERED.NET

law internship cover letter format

Add Your Heading Text Here Add Your Heading Text Here

law internship cover letter format

👇 Recommended LLS Courses to Excel in this Opportunity​

LRW 2- Features Images (1)

Home » Blogs, News, Advice » Career Advice » 8 Cover Letter Tips and a Sample Cover Letter For Your Law Firm Internship

8 Cover Letter Tips and a Sample Cover Letter For Your Law Firm Internship

  • Sep 14, 2012
  • 25 Comments

The cover letter is a small email you write while applying to a law firm. It is really your pitch which says “Take me as an intern” Draft it carefully and do note the following points.

1. The body of the email should itself contain the cover letter . Don’t attach a 300 word cover letter because it won’t be opened in ten cases out of nine. Ten out of nine? It might seem an exaggeration or a misprint but it is none.

Instead of sending your cover letter as an attachment, write it in the body of the email itself.

2. Subject of the email which is the subject of your cover letter should be detailed and educated, a bit like this: Internship Application: 1 st May- 30 th June: Mumbai Office.

These are the three things (subject + duration + location) should make the subject of your internship cover letter; nothing more and nothing less.

3. Focus and customise. Don’t send an email to dozens of law firms at one go. Identify 5-6 law firms which interest you and send applications tailor-made for them.

For example if you are applying to an IP boutique law firm, include a section in your CV (right at the top, mind you) which reads ‘Achievements in the field of IP’. Also in your cover letter mention these achievements precisely.

4. Art of the start. Start with naming the person you want this to read; the recruitment head, the managing partner or the internship coordinator. Do your research.

Assuming the name of the person is Ram Kumar and the email id for internships is [email protected] and you start with “Respected Mr. Ram Kumar” you catch his attention.

If you begin with Respected Sir/Madam you don’t get anyone’s attention.

5. Write English . Please don’t show of your legal writing skills here. Write simple, plain, correct, readable English. Reserve legalese for later, when you actually get the internship.

Do a spelling and grammar check on Word on your cover letter.

6. Attach your CV. If you are not careful with this little thing (of attaching files), the law firm will be unwilling to hand you bigger things like internship.

7. Ask. Ask if you should be sending your writing samples or if the firm will want to take a telephonic interview. Leave your contact number in the footer.

8. A little quote. Emails can have a quote at the end. If it relates to law, is a smart one and is something you identify with, you can include it in every email you send including the internship application. This might be a little controversial but it can tell the recruiter a lot about you.

It adds a human touch and might bring a smile on the recruiters face. A smiling man/woman is a person more likely to give you the internship. So choose the quote carefully.

Here is a sample cover letter for a law firm internship:

Dear Mr. Ram Kumar

This section is: Art of start: Who you are, what you do and where are you going.

I am Rahul Sharma, a 4 th year law student from Gujarat National Law University (GNLU), Gandhinagar and am very keen to intern at ABC Law Offices (Delhi) from 1 st May- 30 th June.

This is called: Why Me. The Best Things I Have Done. Why Your Firm Alone is the Perfect Professional Habitat For Me.

I have previously interned at XYZ’s Delhi office where I was a part of the Capital Markets team. During my internship under Mr. Mukul Romani, senior counsel, Supreme Court of India I learnt the basics of legal drafting under his tutelage. I have also completed the Mergers and Acquisitions course offered by the Bombay Stock Exchange. Moreover, I was a part of the ANLU team (oralist) which won the NUKS corporate law moot competition in 2010.

I am sure interning at a prestigious law firm like SRGR Law Offices will help me further improve upon my skills. Given my prior experience and interest in corporate law I am sure that Ill be able to contribute immensely towards your practice. I have learnt from LegallyIndia.com about your firm’s growth plans and it will be exciting to be a part of a young and growing team of lawyers.

The Section: I am humble, eager and good.

I am attaching my CV for your kind perusal and will be grateful if I am given an opportunity to intern at your firm. Please let me know if you require anything else as a part of the internship application. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Yours sincerely,

Rahul Sharma

4 th year student, BA.LLB (Hons) course

GNLU, Gandhinagar.

Contact: 999999999 (M)

P.S. Just a bonus for you: I have found a nice resource with cover letter info – academichelp.net with a useful “how to write” guide and a lot of free samples [Sponsored].

Lawctopus Law School

Join Our Career Advice WhatsApp Group

Get daily updates.

law internship cover letter format

Join Our Career Advice Telegram Group

law internship cover letter format

Related Posts

law internship cover letter format

JOB POST: Due Diligence Associate at Wells Fargo, Hyderabad [Full-time; On-site; 3 Year PQE]: Apply Now!

law internship cover letter format

3rd Paralegal Training on ‘Capacity Building: Addressing Violence Against Women’ by Centre for Law and Policy Research, Bangalore [Sep 28]: Register Now!

Get an Internship

A Fail-proof 6 Step Method

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Avatar photo

Hi Everyone, I’ve need your help! My friend is seeking for a job in Delhi NCR. He has 5 years experience as an Executive Secretary/Stenographer and currently working with Luthra & Luthra Law Offices and he is looking a job change. If you have any good opportunity for him please do let us know or you can directly reach him up 8510015604/[email protected] or inform me at *[email protected]* We will be thankful to you.

Hi Everyone, I’ve need your help! My friend is seeking for a job in Delhi NCR. He has 5 years experience as an Executive Secretary/Stenographer and currently working with Luthra & Luthra Law Offices and he is looking a job change. If you have any good opportunity for him please do let us know or you can directly reach him up 8510015604/[email protected] or inform me at *[email protected]* We will be thankful to you.

Excellent details once and for all, you simply attained a symbol brand new audience. Exactly . translation welsh to norwegianwhat can you suggest regarding your placed for you to developed a week in the past? Every confident?

I’m still learning from you, but I’m making my way to the top as well. I certainly liked reading all that is posted on your site.Keep the posts coming. I loved it!

for the first time I am seeing such a helpful site for the law students and professionals in a single platform, you are doing great job. Thank you so much admin.

can i get the sample of cover letter for applying for an internship under the supreme court advocate.

Can we address a cover letter to a firm directly without mentioning the name of any specific person?

” you didn’t find a cover letter more “crisp” than this?” I feel sorry for the firm who hired you with such lovely vocabulary.

Very well written cover letter format. Unfortunately many people who are unable to think for themselves don’t realise it is only for help to applicants and is not to be copied verbatim.

Some time back I noticed that applications for jobs/internships from people all over India to my law firm had same/similar sentences in it (because they all used this letter as a base). Now almost all the letters I receive for internship have about two to five sentences copied verbatim. Most popular sentences are “I learnt the basics of legal drafting under his tutelage”, “I am sure interning at a prestigious law firm like — will help me further improve upon my skills.”, “Given my prior experience and interest in corporate law I am sure that I’ll be able to contribute immensely towards your practice”.

Just by a brief look I can tell if the person has seen the sample letter on this site. Some bright persons also copy the line saying the applicant learnt about the firm’s growth plans from legallyindia.com, even though it never was discussed on that site. Some people also copy the line “it will be exciting to be a part of a young and growing team of lawyers” without knowing whether our team is young, old, middle-aged, growing or not etc.

Thanks for rectifying all of us and showing the path for own creativity which will definitely help us in the future. Sir but we do have a check on various websites like RSG consulting.com, legal500.com etc. before applying and after doing all this things we are upset due to very late replies from the respected law firms (Most of them need a continuous follow up and sum even don’t after that ) and many of them have a stringent norm of taking only National Law school Students(Strange.. its like “Grave injustice in the LAW Factory itself). However a reply of NO can surely help out all the students to shape their planned schedule. Hoping for Future Co-operation.

Anil, it would be nice for applicants if law firms replied to every application. But please understand that law firms are under no real obligation to do so, especially for unsolicited applications.

Another reason they don’t is because of the volume. Even small law firms get several applications a month and the medium-sized or bigger ones must be getting hundreds a month. It is just not practical to reply to everyone. If you send an application and you don’t get a reply, it means that either the firm does not have a vacancy for you or your application did not impress them. Keep trying!

Thank you very much Sir for your valuable comment …. it will help us a lot…

Thanks a lot for providing such useful tips 🙂 but will you pls let me know how to take follow up after sending cover letter and CV for targeted firms.

i would join internship from your NGO which is a very impotant for me from june to july 2015 iam student of law collage dehradun

The sample CV and sample Cover Letter are very useful to my students as who hail from rural area of Maharashtra. lawctopus is contributing immensely in bridging the gap between urban and rural students of law and indirectly contributing in upgrading the professional standards also. So keep up the great work.

This was really helpful. Doing changes in my cover letter. And thank you for telling cover letter’s are NOT to be attached but should be a body of the mail. what a fail i have been doing till now!

' data-src=

Well it’s not a rule as such.

But if you put it in the body of the email, chances of it being read are more.

Ideally how long should a Cover Letter be?

Around 200-250 words.

i have gone through various websites for getting a sample for internship letter but didn’t get a more crisp letter than this… great work!!! really hepled a lot!!!

Very helpful

sick dude helped

While applying for judicial clerkship under a HC judge. How different will the covering letter be from this?

Its very helpful. Kindly give the email id where i should mail my cv and other requirement for internship

Advertisement

CLATapult Marathon Program

LLS’ Webinar on ‘Mastering the CLAT PG 2024’! Registration Closing in...

For Advertisements on Lawctopus

For Lawctopus Law School

law internship cover letter format

Download our eBook on

Get An Internship

CLIMB

Legal Intern Cover Letter Examples & Writing Tips

Use these Legal Intern cover letter examples and writing tips to help you write a powerful cover letter that will separate you from the competition.

law internship cover letter format

Table Of Contents

  • Legal Intern Example 1
  • Legal Intern Example 2
  • Legal Intern Example 3
  • Cover Letter Writing Tips

Legal interns work with attorneys to help with a variety of tasks, such as conducting legal research, preparing legal documents, and interviewing clients.

To get a job as a legal intern, you need to submit a well-written cover letter. Use these examples and tips to learn how to write a cover letter that will help you stand out from the competition.

Legal Intern Cover Letter Example 1

I am excited to be applying for the Legal Internship at the law firm of Smith, Stevens, and Tucker. I am currently a law student at St. Helena University and I am passionate about pursuing a career in law. I believe that this internship would be an excellent opportunity for me to gain experience in the legal field and to learn more about the day-to-day operations of a law firm.

I have experience in legal research and writing, and I am confident that I can provide valuable assistance to the attorneys at Smith, Stevens, and Tucker. In addition, I am a strong team player and I am motivated to learn as much as I can about the legal profession.

I am eager to have the opportunity to speak with you in person about the Legal Internship at Smith, Stevens, and Tucker. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Legal Intern Cover Letter Example 2

I am writing to apply for the Legal Intern position that was recently advertised on your company website. I am confident that I have the skills and qualifications that you are looking for, and I am eager to put my experience to work for your organization.

As an experienced legal professional, I have a deep understanding of the law and the legal system. I am also an effective communicator and have a proven track record of working well with colleagues and clients. I am confident that I can be a valuable asset to your team, and I look forward to contributing to your organization in a meaningful way.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you would like to discuss this position further or ask any questions. I thank you for your time and consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Legal Intern Cover Letter Example 3

I am writing to express my interest in the Legal Intern position that you have posted. I believe that I would be a great fit for this position and would enjoy working with your firm.

I am currently a senior at the University of Michigan Law School, where I will graduate in May of this year. I have been a member of the Moot Court Honor Society since my first year of law school and have served as an officer on the Executive Board for two years. I have also been a member of the National Moot Court Team for three years, and was recently selected to serve as the team’s captain for next year.

I have had the opportunity to work with some of the best professors in the country, including Professor Michael Schulman, who has been named one of the top ten teachers in the nation by The Princeton Review. I have also had the privilege of working with Professor David Moran, who is widely considered to be one of the most influential legal scholars in the world.

I am very interested in pursuing a career in corporate law and believe that your firm would provide me with an excellent opportunity to gain valuable experience in this field. I am confident that my academic achievements, combined with my enthusiasm and dedication, would make me an asset to your firm.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Legal Intern Cover Letter Writing Tips

1. use a professional tone.

When writing a cover letter for a legal internship, it’s important to use a professional tone. This means avoiding any informal language or slang terms. You should also avoid using contractions (e.g., don’t, can’t, won’t) and instead use full words (do not, cannot, will not).

2. Introduce Yourself

The first paragraph of your cover letter should introduce yourself to the hiring manager. This paragraph should include your name, the school you’re attending, the year you’re in, and what type of legal internship you’re applying for.

3. Outline Your Relevant Skills and Experience

In the second paragraph, you should outline your relevant skills and experience. This should be a brief overview of your experience and should not include any details about your education.

4. Mention Why You’re Interested in the Position

In the third paragraph, you should mention why you’re interested in the position. This should be a brief overview of your experience and should not include any details about your education.

5. Thank the Hiring Manager

In the fourth paragraph, you should thank the hiring manager for their time and consideration.

Recruiting Coordinator Cover Letter Examples & Writing Tips

School administrator cover letter examples & writing tips, you may also be interested in..., master data manager cover letter examples & writing tips, material handler cover letter examples, hse manager cover letter examples, history teacher cover letter examples & writing tips.

Privacy preference center

We care about your privacy

When you visit our website, we will use cookies to make sure you enjoy your stay. We respect your privacy and we’ll never share your resumes and cover letters with recruiters or job sites. On the other hand, we’re using several third party tools to help us run our website with all its functionality.

But what exactly are cookies? Cookies are small bits of information which get stored on your computer. This information usually isn’t enough to directly identify you, but it allows us to deliver a page tailored to your particular needs and preferences.

Because we really care about your right to privacy, we give you a lot of control over which cookies we use in your sessions. Click on the different category headings on the left to find out more, and change our default settings.

However, remember that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of our website. Finally, note that we’ll need to use a cookie to remember your cookie preferences.

Without these cookies our website wouldn’t function and they cannot be switched off. We need them to provide services that you’ve asked for.

Want an example? We use these cookies when you sign in to Kickresume. We also use them to remember things you’ve already done, like text you’ve entered into a registration form so it’ll be there when you go back to the page in the same session.

Thanks to these cookies, we can count visits and traffic sources to our pages. This allows us to measure and improve the performance of our website and provide you with content you’ll find interesting.

Performance cookies let us see which pages are the most and least popular, and how you and other visitors move around the site.

All information these cookies collect is aggregated (it’s a statistic) and therefore completely anonymous. If you don’t let us use these cookies, you’ll leave us in the dark a bit, as we won’t be able to give you the content you may like.

We use these cookies to uniquely identify your browser and internet device. Thanks to them, we and our partners can build a profile of your interests, and target you with discounts to our service and specialized content.

On the other hand, these cookies allow some companies target you with advertising on other sites. This is to provide you with advertising that you might find interesting, rather than with a series of irrelevant ads you don’t care about.

Legal Intern Cover Letter Example

Land your dream job & learn creative tricks to use in your own cover letter with our free, outstanding Legal Intern cover letter example. Copy-paste this cover letter sample as it is or rewrite it using our professional cover letter builder.

Milan Ć arĆŸĂ­k — Certified Professional RĂ©sumĂ© Writer

Related resume guides and samples

How to build a jaw-dropping attorney resume

How to build a great resume for a legal counselor position

Write the ideal law clerk resume with this quick guide

The ultimate guide to writing a resume as a lawyer

Optimize your legal administrative assistant resume with this quick guide

Key steps to writing a legal secretary resume

Legal Intern Cover Letter Example (Full Text Version)

Rafaela Ocampo

This letter is to express my deep interest in the Summer Legal Intern job at Revas & Co., Inc. which has been posted and advertised online on LinkedIn.com. I believe that I am fully qualified and possess everything needed for this position, and therefore I am submitting my application today.

My name is Rafaela Ocampo and currently, I am a third-year Legal Studies student at the well-known University of California, Berkeley in the United States. There, I've had a chance to learn and gain expertise in different areas of law and, moreover, had a great opportunity to see what's it like to work in this industry. Not only I have achieved exceptional academic results (3.98 GPA) but I also participated in multiple clubs and societies throughout the years. For example, at TEDx Club, I functioned as an Event Manager which means I was responsible for all aspects of planning, management, and coordination of society events. This experience helped me to significantly improve my time management skills and leadership abilities.

Besides academia, I also worked as a Legal Intern at RealNetworks, Inc. in Los Angeles, CA, where I was in charge of performing in-depth legal research, preparing and reviewing licenses and agreements, and communicating with clients. Moreover, I assisted in the completion of patent applications and maintained all clients' legal documents and files. I am a great team player but able to work independently as well. What's more, I have excellent communication skills, both oral and written, and am a native Spanish speaker with proficiency in English and French, and basic knowledge of Japanese. Finally, I am very proud of my well-developed critical thinking skills and the important ability to solve complex problems.

I believe that my background suits your requirements perfectly and I look forward to hearing back from you soon. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Kind regards,

Edit this sample using our resume builder.

Don’t struggle with your cover letter. artificial intelligence can write it for you..

Don’t struggle with your cover letter. Artificial intelligence can write it for you.

Similar job positions

Personal Assistant Counselor University Student Front Desk Receptionist Facilities Manager High School Student Natural Sciences Student Law Clerk Professions And Applied Sciences Student Humanities Student Attorney Office Staff

Related law clerk resume samples

Legal Officer Resume Sample

Related legal secretary cover letter samples

Court Clerk Cover Letter Example

Turn this sample into your perfect first draft.

user

Let your resume do the work.

Join 3,600,000 job seekers worldwide and get hired faster with your best resume yet.

Learn to write a great resume that will get you invited to more job interviews.

Writing a Cover Letter for a Law Internship Application

Bloom Productions/Getty Images

  • Internships
  • Work-From-Home Jobs
  • Job Searching

Penny Loretto is the Associate Director in the Career Development Center at a Skidmore College, a small liberal arts college. She has her own career counseling practice, Career Choice, where she works with adults in career transition. She conducts career planning workshops including researching career options, job search strategies, and resume development.

Internships go hand-in-hand with law school . If you're currently pursuing your law degree, you’ve probably heard countless times how important it is to complete an internship before you graduate. Many experts recommend that you do several internships to give yourself the best chance of getting a full-time job.

Setting Yourself Apart From the Crowd

But it can be difficult to set yourself apart from other candidates when you’re a student with limited work experience. This is where a well-written, thoughtful cover letter comes in. It can be a powerful tool for securing a law internship, an opportunity to demonstrate your expertise, work ethic, knowledge, and passion for the subject. 

Don’t just repeat and retell your resume. Tailoring your cover letter to a particular firm's specialties and needs can help you stand out as a polished and professional applicant. Your cover letter should show your personality and give specific examples—either from your work your education or in a previous internship—of how you can fulfill the internship's responsibilities.

Some Tips and Some Things to Keep in Mind 

You’ll notice from this sample cover letter that the student wastes no time explaining who she is and what she’s accomplished so far. It’s right there in the first sentence, and that's good. This is important information. Don’t make your reader hunt for it.

The third paragraph in this sample letter demonstrates the writer’s knowledge and understanding of the law firm she's applying to. She understands the types of cases it takes on and what it seems to want to achieve. The writer uses this to mention why she would be a good match for this firm given these considerations. 

Close by expressing your gratitude for the opportunity and for the time this individual has already invested in reading your letter and your resume because the words “thank you” can go a long way.

It’s always better to offer more contact information than less. Consider if you only provided your cell number, then you lose your phone. The law firm can't reach you and might decide to just move on to the next candidate. You want to be reachable 24/7.

You might also pave the road for follow-up. Mention that you’ll be in touch by phone within a certain period of time if you don’t hear anything back.

Sample Cover Letter for a Law Internship

This is a law internship cover letter example. Download the law internship cover letter template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see below for more examples.

Sample Cover Letter for a Law Internship (Text Version)

Helen Marie Jenkins 4 Birch Court Los Angeles, CA 43212 902-777–3333 hjenkins@brandeis21.edu

September 1, 2018

Ms. Kerry Ann Monroe Vice President of Human Resources l Jones, Mills, and Peters, LLC 566 Treeway Avenue Newport Beach, CA 89079

Dear Ms. Monroe:

As a current law student and previous intern with the prestigious law firm of Jenks, Jenks, and Jenks, LLC, it is with great enthusiasm that I am writing to apply for the summer internship position as a legal intern for Jones, Mills, and Pets, LLC. My knowledge, skills, and experience are a perfect match for this summer internship, and I think you’ll agree that I meet all of the qualifications as stipulated in the LA Gazette.

As president of the Student Government Association at UCLA, I participated in numerous clubs on campus and assisted in identifying and working on many causes for the betterment of the community. Our environmental club initiated a project that cleaned and restored safe drinking water in a local stream bed that had become polluted over time, and our Community Action Club worked with the local domestic violence and homeless shelters to offer assistance and compensation for clients to get back on their feet after experiencing hard times and social isolation. I worked with each of the club presidents to develop a financial plan that not only increased revenue but also permitted donations to stream into these local charitable organizations.

I am a community-minded citizen who wants to make a positive change in the world. I believe my talents and motivation would be an asset to Jones, Mills, and Peters, LLC, in the work they do for the local community and their commitment to making the city a safer and better place to live. The mission of Jones, Mills, and Peters, LLC, is exactly the type of environment in which I hope to work upon graduation next year.

I am excited about the possibility of speaking with you further about this outstanding opportunity with your firm. I will call next week to discuss my candidacy in hopes of securing an interview in the near future. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Helen Marie Jenkins

You're Not Finished Yet 

Write your letter, proofread it, then proofread it again. You must avoid any grammatical errors or typos. Both can indicate that you just don’t care about your work. Consider asking someone else to read your letter, too. A cold eye can add a layer of insurance even when it comes to your delivery—if your reader doesn't understand a certain point you're trying to make, odds are that the law firm won't either.

Above all, double-check to make sure you have the name of the firm and its hiring personnel correct. Can you spot the error in the sample letter here? You can bet Ms. Monroe will. 

By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.

  • Skip to content

How to write winning covering letters for law firms

targetjobs editorial team

Last updated: 24 Mar 2023, 17:42

When applying for a training contract or vacation scheme, your covering letter may be the first part of your application a law firm considers.

Hero image for How to write winning covering letters for law firms

Your covering letter creates a powerful first impression, so make it easy for the recruiter to see that you have strong potential as a lawyer.

Many law graduate jobs at solicitors’ firms in the UK will ask you to apply for a training contract with a covering letter. Read this advice from recruiters at Slaughter and May, Cleary Gottlieb and Ince & Co, then follow our law cover letter template.

Some recruiters will want you to upload your covering letter as part of an online application form (such as Baker McKenzie and Jones Day), while others – usually smaller, high street law firms – will want you to send the letter alongside a CV (see our law CV example here ).

  • Cover letter template: see our annotated law covering letter sample for more tips and format examples .

How to write a law cover letter tip #1: use the letter to explain why you want to be a solicitor at that particular law firm

A covering letter is a golden opportunity to explain your motivations for becoming a lawyer and for applying to that specific firm. ‘My advice is to use the cover letter to introduce yourself and to explain why you are applying to that firm,' says Janine Arnold, trainee recruitment manager at Slaughter and May . â€˜Be sure to include any additional information that you feel is relevant to your application.’

If you’re uploading a covering letter as part of a larger application form you should avoid repeating examples you’ve used to answer questions on the form. Give as broad a picture of your skills and experience as possible and only repeat something if you think it is particularly significant to that law firm. Your covering letter is an introduction to get the recruiter’s attention – a sample of your potential, if you like – not your overall application.

‘A well-written, succinct, persuasive covering letter crafted by an aspiring trainee solicitor who has really thought about the firm stands out,’ says Nichola Rowe, director of legal human resources at Cleary Gottlieb . ‘Ask yourself: what sets this firm apart from other law firms and how do my individual skills and experiences marry with that firm?’.

How to write a law cover letter tip #2: how long should it be?

A covering letter should be a maximum of one page, with a font size of 11 or 12. Slaughter and May ’s Janine Arnold agrees: ‘A lengthy covering letter is not necessary; aim for it to be no longer than one side of A4.' Remember that some firms will give a word count for the covering letter they want you to write as part of your application. It's important to stick to that word count. It shows that you can write succinctly and follow instructions.

Get the insights and skills you need to shape your career journey with Pathways. We’ll show you exactly what goes into a convincing cover letter, so you can give yourself the best chance of getting to the next stage of the application process.

How to write a convincing cover letter

How to write a law cover letter tip #3: the format law firms like

The best law cover letter examples have a clear structure, such as:

1. The introduction to your cover letter

Introduce yourself, explain what stage you are at in your degree course (including the university you’re attending), state that you are applying for a training contract and where you read about the law firm. This should only be a sentence or two.

2. A paragraph on why you want to work at that law firm

The second paragraph should cover why you want to be a solicitor and why you want to work for that law firm in particular. Highlight any experiences you’ve had that have convinced you that you want to be a solicitor, such as vacation schemes, open days or insight days. You can even mention mini-pupillages – it will impress graduate recruiters if you’ve put the effort into comparing the two sides of the legal profession, as long as you have good reasons for picking a career as a solicitor (this could come up at interview).

Make it clear why you want to work in the particular area of law that the firm focuses on. For example, if it’s a commercial firm you’ll want to draw on any work experience you’ve had at other commercial firms. Show off your research about the firm by explaining your interest in their main legal practice areas – don’t just say ‘I am interested in shipping law’, for example, but provide evidence of that interest.

You might also want to mention the firm’s training structure. Some firms will have compulsory seats, in which case you’ll need to show an interest in those areas. If you’ve chosen a firm that doesn’t have compulsory seats, or has no seat structure at all (such as Jones Day for example), then you could explain why this appeals to you above a more defined training contract structure.

3. A paragraph highlighting why you're a good fit for the law firm

Next, you need to pitch yourself to the recruiter. Make it clear that you are suited to a career as a solicitor: highlight achievements that show you have the competencies the firm has asked for. If the firm hasn’t specified exactly what it's looking for, see our article here on the skills most legal recruiters want from applicants. Don’t just say ‘I have good communication skills’ – you need to mention an achievement that hinged on your use of those skills.

4. The ending to your law covering letter

Close by referring the recruiter to your CV or application and stating your availability for interview(s) or assessment centre(s).

How to write a law cover letter tip #4: explain any extenuating circumstances

'Covering letters should also explain any mitigating circumstances relating to exam results and to address any questions that you may reasonably expect to arise from your application, such as any gaps in your CV,’ explains Janine.

How to write a law cover letter tip #5: proofread your cover letter before you hit ‘send’

Once you’ve put your covering letter together, don’t be tempted to rush it off. Ask friends, family and your university careers adviser to check it. ‘There is no good excuse for spelling errors, especially when you’re applying for a job that requires scrupulous attention to detail,’ points out a legal recruitment adviser at Ince & Co . ‘The number of applications we receive that contain errors is surprising. Your application is all we’ve got to go on, so you owe it to yourself to ensure it’s not let down by something so easily avoidable.’

Remember that law firms will be judging your ability to communicate professionally with clients on the professionalism of your covering letter – you’re making a pitch, just like you would do as a practising lawyer.

Legal recruiters at major law firms read through hundreds, if not thousands, of applications from aspiring trainee solicitors each year and will only spend a minute or so reading your covering letter. Some recruiters say that they make their decision paragraph by paragraph – if you haven't impressed upon them that you would be a good fit for their firm halfway through the cover letter, they might not even read the rest. Your covering letter creates a powerful first impression, so make it easy for the recruiter to see that you have strong potential as a solicitor by following the tips above.

In other news: Massive changes to the way solicitors qualify are on the horizon. Do you know how they will affect you? Find out here .

targetjobs editorial advice

This describes editorially independent and impartial content, which has been written and edited by the targetjobs content team. Any external contributors featuring in the article are in line with our non-advertorial policy, by which we mean that we do not promote one organisation over another.

People reading this also searched for roles in these areas:

  • Law graduate jobs

Related careers advice

undefined background image

We've got you

IMAGES

  1. Internship Cover Letter in Word and Pdf formats

    law internship cover letter format

  2. Legal Research Proposal Sample PDF 2023

    law internship cover letter format

  3. A Sample Legal Internship Cover Letter

    law internship cover letter format

  4. 16 Best Cover Letter Samples for Internship

    law internship cover letter format

  5. 2 Cover Letter For Internship Law Firm

    law internship cover letter format

  6. Covering Letter For Law Internship

    law internship cover letter format

VIDEO

  1. How to GET Internship ANYWHERE

  2. Tips for Internship at Law Firm or with Advocates

  3. Rebecca: My Junior Paralegal placement at Beale & Co

  4. Paid Internship for Law Students #nlu #lawstudent #advocate #lawinternship #legalpedagogy #clat

  5. Internship Acceptance Letter from Student to Company

  6. How to write cover letter in one minute for any job/NGO/INGO/Private firm||

COMMENTS

  1. How to Write a Job Application Cover Letter

    Writing a cover letter is essential when applying for jobs. This is the perfect way to express how your specific skills are relevant to the open position. Wow your future employer with this simple cover letter example format.

  2. Exploring Different Types and Formats of Will Letter of Wishes Templates

    Writing a will is an essential step in ensuring that your assets are distributed according to your wishes after you pass away. While a will primarily outlines the legal distribution of your estate, it may not always cover every aspect of yo...

  3. The Basics of Sample Letter Writing Format Explained

    Writing a letter is an important skill to have, whether it be for business or personal reasons. Knowing the basics of letter writing format can help you create a professional and effective letter.

  4. How to write a law internship cover letter (with example)

    A law internship cover letter is essentially a letter of introduction to a prospective internship provider. As part of your application

  5. SAMPLE COVER LETTER

    Dear Ms. Nunberg: I am a first-year student at Harvard Law School and am writing to apply for a volunteer summer internship with the Department

  6. Legal Intern Cover Letter Example and Template for 2023

    How to write a legal intern cover letter · 1. Include your contact information · 2. Reflect on the appropriate approach · 3. Write a compelling

  7. Write a Cover Letter for a Law Internship (With Samples)

    I am applying for the legal internship position at Merrow & Ellis LLP. I am currently finishing my first year at New Town Law School and I'm

  8. Legal Intern Cover Letter Examples & Samples for 2023

    With my previous academic-based experience in the legal field, coupled with my enthusiasm and dedication to achieving success, I believe I could swiftly surpass

  9. Cover Letter Tips, Sample Cover Letter For Your Law Firm Internship

    8 Cover Letter Tips and a Sample Cover Letter For Your Law Firm Internship · 1. The body of the email should itself contain the cover letter · 2. Subject of the

  10. Included in this packet are sample cover letters for applications for

    A judicial internship with your chambers would be an excellent opportunity to refine my legal writing and research skills and to gain exposure to the litigation

  11. Legal Intern Cover Letter Examples & Writing Tips

    When writing a cover letter for a legal internship, it's important to use a professional tone. This means avoiding any informal

  12. Legal Intern Cover Letter Example

    This letter is to express my deep interest in the Summer Legal Intern job at Revas & Co., Inc. which has been posted and advertised online on LinkedIn.com. I

  13. Writing a Cover Letter for a Law Internship Application

    I am excited about the possibility of speaking with you further about this outstanding opportunity with your firm. I will call next week to

  14. How to write winning covering letters for law firms

    How to write a law cover letter tip #3: the format law firms like · 1. The introduction to your cover letter · 2. A paragraph on why you want to