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Law student cover letter: what you need to know + samples.

Reviewed by:

David Merson

Former Head of Pre-Law Office, Northeastern University, & Admissions Officer, Brown University

Reviewed: 4/12/24

Need to write a law student cover letter? We’ve got you covered! Below, we discuss the dos and don’ts of writing a cover letter for law school. 

A cover letter is often an overlooked aspect of any application, but it is the first thing potential employers read. If your cover letter doesn’t impress the reader, your entire application risks being passed over. 

If you are unsure of how to write a strong cover letter, look no further. We’ll outline key tips, review examples of cover letters, and answer some frequently asked questions. Let’s get started!

What Is a Law Student Cover Letter? 

A law student cover letter is a document a law student submits with their resume to potential employers for internships or employment opportunities within their field of study.

It serves as a personalized introduction and persuasive pitch to potential employers. This letter connects the applicant's qualifications and experiences listed in their resume to the specific position they're applying for, highlighting their suitability for the role. 

It concludes with a call to action, expressing interest in an interview. Moreover, a cover letter is a tool for law students to demonstrate their qualifications and enthusiasm, aiming to secure an interview and the desired role.

Why Do You Need a Cover Letter as a Law Student?

Cover letters are a key part of any job application, whether you are in law school or not. It is important to include a cover letter unless specified otherwise, especially if you’re applying to multiple law schools . They allow you to demonstrate professionalism and show off your communication and writing skills. 

Cover letters are important for law students; they allow you to discuss important qualifications and experiences that aren’t always included within your resume, such as extracurricular activities . Here’s the information you should include in your cover letter: 

• Research experience and activities 
• Coursework 
• Other valuable skills 

A cover letter for law students is a great opportunity to share your accomplishments and skills outside of your work experience. 

What to Include in Your Law Student Cover Letter

Your cover letter is the first thing an employer will read, so be positive and enthusiastic! While your resume outlines your relevant work experience and education, it doesn’t show off your personality. 

A cover letter can be a great opportunity to humanize yourself to the employer and make them want you to be a part of their team. 

Berkeley Law outlines the precise content you should include in your cover letter : 

• First Paragraph : Introduce yourself and why you are interested in applying for the position. 
• Body Paragraphs : This is where you show off all your work experience, research, achievements, qualifications, and other skills that are related to the position you are applying to. Be persuasive but not too showy. Remember to be honest and genuine. 
• Final Paragraph : To conclude, thank the employer for taking the time to read and consider your application, and leave contact information for a prospective interview. Remain positive and confident that you will get an interview!

While these are just suggestions to help you get started and structure your cover letter, you should try to follow this format as closely as you can. 

What NOT to Include in Your Law Student Cover Letter

It is tempting to highlight all of your experiences, but that is not the purpose of a cover letter. Cover letters should be concise and to the point. You should only mention experiences that are relevant to the position you are applying for. 

When deciding which experiences to include, focus on those that you have completed recently. You only have a few short paragraphs to sell yourself to employers, so be sure to avoid accomplishments from over three years ago. 

You also want to avoid being negative, doubtful, or coming across as insecure in your cover letter. 

Formatting Tips for Law Students Cover Letter

Understanding the structure of a cover letter for a law student is essential to creating an impressive and effective application for legal internships or job opportunities. Here are some easy to follow tips to help you format your cover letter. 

1. Include a Header

Prior to writing the main sections of your cover letter, review and update your personal information. Make it easily accessible by positioning your contact details in the header section at the top of the letter. 

This includes your full name, email address, phone number, city, state, and date. This ensures the hiring manager can quickly locate your information for interview scheduling.

2. Address the Hiring Manager

Begin your letter with a professional and personalized greeting by addressing the hiring manager by name, incorporating their appropriate title (e.g., Mr. or Ms.). If you don't have their name, conduct online research, as law firms often provide employee information on their websites. 

In cases where you can't find a name, you can use the standard "Dear Hiring Manager" as your greeting.

3. Page Format and Length

When crafting your cover letter, remember to keep it concise, fitting all content onto a single page. Structure it with an introductory paragraph, followed by one to three skill-highlighting paragraphs, and wrap it up with a concluding paragraph. This format ensures that your message is clear and impactful while respecting the reader's time.

4. Margins and Alignment 

Ensure you follow the standard margins , typically one inch on all sides. If you opt for smaller margins, such as around 0.7 inches, make sure to maintain consistency across all sides of the page. 

Additionally, align all paragraphs to the left for a clean and conventional presentation, although some choose to use an indentation for the first line of each paragraph, although this is less common in modern formatting.

5. Use a Suitable Sign-Off

Conclude your cover letter with a professional and balanced tone. It shows your professionalism, which law firms often value in candidates. Consider sign-offs like "Regards," "Sincerely," or "Best Regards." Allow some space after this closing for your name.

Law Student Cover Letter Example

We have some sample legal cover letters from law students below to give you an idea of tone, style, and length. 

Here is an example of a strong cover letter for a first-year law student at Yale University: 

Dear [Employer’s Name]: 

I am a first-year student at Yale Law School seeking a position with Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle for Summer 20XX. I am a native New Yorker and hope to work in New York City this coming summer. 

I am interested in your firm because of its international law practice generally and, more particularly, because of your firm’s presence in France and numerous French clients. Your Paris office’s focus in the areas of international commercial arbitration, as well as corporate, banking, and finance work, aligns with my long-term interests in a practice serving international corporations. Having lived and studied in Paris for one year during college and having served as a teaching assistant for French language and literature courses, I am fluent in French and knowledgeable about French culture. My undergraduate majors in International Relations and in Economics provided me with an understanding of many of the complex issues facing businesses with the increase in globalization. I plan to further my understanding of these issues as a member of the Yale Journal of International Law. 

To your firm I will bring proven legal research, writing, and analytical skills that will support your firm and its clients. During my undergraduate education, I served as a member of the University Judiciary Committee, and as a student judge I heard cases, interpreted university codes, and wrote rulings summarizing the Committee’s conclusions. I also drafted a thesis in which I drew from archived primary sources and first-person interviews to write a fifty-page document over the course of a year. Here at Yale, through our first-year writing course this fall, I have streamlined my skills and adapted them to the legal environment. Next semester, I will enroll in YLS’s Advanced Legal Writing course to deepen my understanding and experience. 

Attached please find my resume. If you would like me to provide you with additional materials, I would be more than happy to do so. I am confident that my background and skills will enable me to make a positive contribution to your clients. Thank you for considering my candidacy. I look forward to hearing from you soon. 

Sincerely, [Your Name]

This is a successful cover letter because the individual outlines specific academic skills and experience that make them a qualified candidate. Remember, being specific is key to writing a strong cover letter. 

Employers want to read about a couple of examples rather than a general (and usually vague) overview of all your qualifications and experiences. 

For first year law students, you can highlight where you completed your undergrad and your major, as you will have most likely just completed this degree. You can also include why you are interested in pursuing a law career. 

For those who are in their second year of law school, here is another excellent sample legal cover letter :

I am a second-year student at Yale Law School seeking employment with the Food Research and Action Center for the summer. If funding is not available for summer interns, Yale could fund my summer employment. 

FRAC’s mandate to eradicate poverty-related hunger and undernutrition in the United States is compelling to me. I understand that through a combination of research, advocacy, program monitoring, training, collaboration, and public-information campaigns you seek to address the root causes of hunger. As a former nurse who has worked on issues of nutrition and health policy, I am very interested in the work of the Center in the areas of health law and nutrition in maternal and child health. I would greatly value the opportunity to work with and learn from your attorneys, policy analysts, and advocates. 

I have practical work experience in these fields that would be of service to you and your clients. My work as an assistant ombudsperson at a major hospital helped me to understand the importance of nutrition for health and the need for advocacy on behalf of those who cannot effectively advocate for themselves. My experience with the National Health Law program exposed me to the legislative and policy side of health law and the value of legal training in public service. After my first year of law school, I was able to combine my nursing degree and health care experience with my new legal research and writing skills at the Center for Reproductive Law and Policy. This experience has strengthened my interest in grassroots organizing and advocacy of nutrition issues for low income Americans.

I would welcome the opportunity to speak with you or someone in your office about a position as a summer intern at the Center. I will call your office in the next few weeks to see whether it might be possible to arrange an interview and look forward to speaking with you then. 

I have enclosed my resume, law school transcript, a writing sample, and a reference list. Should you require additional application materials, please let me know, and I will forward them to you immediately. 

Thank you for your consideration. 

Like the first example, this cover letter works so well because it clearly outlines and describes the specific experience of the candidate. 

As a second year law student, the individual speaks about how their experience relates to the areas of law the student is interested in pursuing, demonstrating that the position the candidate is applying for will help them achieve their career goals.    

These examples are a good starting point to structure your own letter off of, but remember to make your cover letter your own.

Cover Letter Template for a Law Student 

Here is a cover letter template for law students provided by the University of Notre Dame. 

Your City, State Zip

Your Phone Number 

Your Email Address

Name of Contact Person 

Title of Contact Person 

Employer Name 

Address City, State Zip     

Dear Mr. (Ms.) last name of contact person:   

First Paragraph: Tell why you are writing – name the position for which you are applying. If you have a personal referral or connection, mention it here. Identify your career goals and indicate why you are interested in working for this employer. If you have ties to or have lived in the area, mention it. Specify your interests in the type of work the employer does. Describe what is particularly appealing to you about the employer.    

Second Paragraph: Show how your background qualifies you for the position. Point out the experience and coursework you have that relate to the employer's field or type of work. Focus on what skills or experiences you would bring to the employer. Emphasize pertinent items on your resume and supplement it with other details. Tie experience to tangible, transferable skills. Convince the employer that you would be an asset.   

Third Paragraph: Restate your interest in working for the employer. Have an appropriate closing to pave the way for an interview. Indicate your willingness to interview personally by stating when you will be in the area or by offering to make yourself available at the employer's convenience. Thank the employer for his/her consideration.   

Sincerely,    

(leave 4 blank lines for signature)     

Your full typed name 

There are many law school application mistakes to avoid . If you’re having trouble writing your cover letter, this help template will aid you in writing a stellar one! 

FAQs: Law Student Cover Letter

Still have questions about writing a cover letter for law school? We answer some of your frequently asked questions below. 

1. How Do I Write a Cover Letter for a Law Student?

Before you begin writing any cover letter, familiarize yourself with the job posting, the company/organization you are applying to, and use words and phrases found in the job posting. 

This will demonstrate that you are genuinely interested in the specific job, and will also show off your attention to detail (a skill employers always look for). After you have written the cover letter, proofread and edit for grammar and spelling errors before you submit your application. 

2. What Should Be Included in a Cover Letter for Law?

Your cover letter should include: 

• Your Address and Contact Information 
• Your Full Name and Location 
• The Date of Your Application 
• A Brief Introduction to Yourself 
• Concise Outline of Professional and Academic Experience 
• Highlights of Why You Are Qualified for the Position 
• A Professional and Polite Closing 

Highlight the school you’re attending, as law firms may prefer students from certain colleges. 

Take your time when writing your cover letter; it takes quite a bit of work to craft an impactful one. However, a strong cover letter will maximize your chances of getting the job or internship you want, so it will be well worth it. 

3. How Long Should a Law School Cover Letter Be?

A cover letter should only be one page long and broken up into a few short paragraphs for ease of reading. Make sure that you follow typical business correspondence formatting. 

4. How Do You Address a Law School Cover Letter?

Normally, people have addressed cover letters with Mr. or Mrs. [Last name] . However, this may not always be appropriate because you do not know how the individual would like to be addressed. 

Nowadays, people typically address employers with a simple Dear [First and last name] . This is still a personal and respectful way to address someone, and avoids assuming someone’s gender identity and offending them. 

Yale Law School suggests addressing your cover letter to a specific individual rather than a vague ‘Sir’ or ‘Madam.’

5. ​​Can I Use The Same Cover Letter For Multiple Law Schools?

Yes, you can use the same cover letter for multiple law schools . However, you may only reuse parts of it. It’s important that you personalize every cover letter you write and tailor it to the school you’re sending it to. 

6. Do I Need Multiple Cover Letters?

Yes, you need multiple cover letters. You’ll need to personalize each cover letter you write. However, you can reuse parts of your cover letter that are generic. 

Final Thoughts

Writing a cover letter is not as easy as many people may think. You need to pay close attention to detail, flex your communication and writing skills, and professionally brag about your accomplishments and capabilities in a way that compliments your resume. 

If you would like help with your resume, we also have tips on building a great resume to go along with your cover letter. Good luck!

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Cover Letters and Thank You Notes

The following samples are provided as examples only. Do not copy them verbatim .

Employers expect unique and personalized application materials and they look unfavorably on form letters. Simply copying the letters provided here will diminish the quality of your application as employers will recognize the same format and style of the application materials.

Sample Cover Letters

Sample 3L Cover Letter (PDF)

Sample 2L Cover Letter - Law Firm (PDF)

Sample 2L Cover Letter - Public Interest (PDF)

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Sample Thank You Letters

Call Back Thank You (PDF)

Email Thank You (PDF)

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Legal Resume Basics

Your legal resume is a living document – you will find yourself revising it throughout your legal career and especially during your time in law school. The guidelines below will help you create a basic legal resume, which you and your coach will further revise once you have a chance to meet. Your first legal resume will look vastly different from the resume you submitted in your law school application. By creating your legal resume now, you will be better prepared for your first appointment with a career coach and better prepared to begin applying for summer positions.

No More Than One Page

• You have professional publications.
• You have more than 10 years of relevant legal-related experience, for example as a paralegal or a business professional.
• You have 10 years of public service experience including volunteer work and are interested in pursuing a career in public service law.
• Eliminate all use of bullets
• Create a header that takes no more than two lines
• For each school and/or job, use no more than two lines to state the name of the company/school, location, and time frame (and title, if a job). This is easier if you use symbols like | or like ▪ to separate out these four components
• Instead of hitting return after a sentence in your job description, place a period and start the next sentence.
• Instead of using an "Achievements" section, include descriptions of your achievements under the relevant experience (either under the school you attended when you received the award or under the job where you worked when you received the acknowledgement).
• Use lines to separate sections, rather than spaces.

Use Legible Fonts

The body of the resume should be no smaller than 11 point size font. Preferred fonts include Times New Roman or Garamond

Be Consistent

Use a consistent format throughout your resume, being mindful of your use of whitespace. For example, if you use small caps for your Education section, then you must use small caps for your Work Experience section.

Required Sections

Your resume must contain an education section, an experience section (can be separated into legal experience and other experience), and an interests section (which could be combined with other sections, such as community involvement, skills, and/or languages). If you are interested in public service, you must also include a separate section for volunteer experience or public service.

DO NOT include sections for references or publications on your one-page resume. Publications should be listed on a second page. References are typically submitted on a separate document, as they are not always required at the time of application.

School Experience

• The name of the school.
• The location (city, state).
• What degree you received and what major/emphasis.
• When the degree was conferred (so "June 2010", not "Sept. 2006 – June 2010").
• Any honors or awards you received, and any leadership positions which you held.
• Any study abroad programs

Work & Volunteer Experience

• Include the organization name, location, month and year for start and stop dates, and your job title.
• Be brief (no more than three lines per experience, unless you have a lot of white space).
• Be relevant (to the potential employer).
• Be specific ("Managed a staff of 15 people." is better than "Responsible for managing the staff.") Include any awards or recognition that you received.
• Be objective. Do not use the "first person" form. No "I" statements.
• Be descriptive. Use active verbs to describe what you did. Do not use the same verb more than three times. Do not use "worked on" to describe your position.

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Professional Materials: Cover Letters, Resumes, Writing Samples

Cover Letters : Rather than emphasizing how the organization can help you achieve your goals, instead re-frame your letter to emphasize how you can help the organization achieve its goals. Ideally your training and experience already demonstrate a history of interest in and contribution to the space occupied by the organization. Helping the organization achieve its goals simultaneously will result in your gaining experience and growing as an individual.

Resumes : Rely on action verbs and quantifiable details to impress your reader with the magnitude of your responsibilities and accomplishments.

Did you supervise anyone? Specify the number of people you supervised. Were you responsible for managing accounts, raising money, planning events, etc.? Specify the number of accounts you managed, amount of money you raised, number of events you planned (and attendance at those events), etc.

Writing Samples : Respect stated page/word limits. Use a readable font size (no smaller than 12 point) and double-space your pages unless instructed otherwise. Always provide a cover sheet that explains the circumstances under which you originally wrote the piece: Was the piece written for a class or job? Have you redacted any information to protect client confidentiality? Have you removed any sections of the original document to create an excerpt that satisfies the new length requirements? Did the original piece win any awards?

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Advice for Law School Applicants on Choosing a Law Career Path

Shed your assumptions about what lawyers do to explore day-to-day work within different legal fields and law careers.

How to Choose a Law Career Path

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You don’t need to have your future career path mapped out to apply to law school , but it is helpful to have a direction in mind. Clear career goals can help you stay focused and motivated throughout the law school application process, from LSAT practice to weighing competing opportunities.

It's easier to assess whether law school is worth the investment of time, money and energy when you have a vision of what you hope to do with your degree. Applicants with clearer career goals may also have an easier time writing their personal statement and determining where to apply .

Being able to express what you hope to do with your law degree will help you make a more convincing case that you are committed to law school, whether you’re interested in public or private sector law .

Finally, clear career goals can make it easier to express why you are a good fit for where you are applying, through an essay or interview.

However, the wide range of legal fields can be daunting. Even if you take classes related to law in college, you may learn little about what lawyers do in practice.

Here are five ways to explore your law career goals:

• Question your preconceptions about legal practice.
• Think beyond your initial interests.
• Seek internships and volunteer opportunities.
• Conduct informational interviews.
• Pursue further research.

Question Your Preconceptions About Legal Practice

Many applicants’ notions of legal practice come from the dramatized courtroom battles that are a staple of popular culture. But litigation looks a lot different in real life, and most lawyers spend little – if any – time in court.

There aren’t many television shows about mergers and acquisitions, tax law or estate law, but there are good reasons why these specialties attract many lawyers.

So, don’t be afraid to expand your idea of what lawyers do beyond what you’ve seen in the books, films or television series that inspired you to pursue law school.

Think Beyond Your Initial Interests

Many applicants gravitate toward topics they feel passionate about, like constitutional law, entertainment law or environmental law . But when they start internships and entry-level positions, they may find that the realities of legal work differ from their expectations. Entertainment lawyers spend a lot more time negotiating contracts with other lawyers than hobnobbing with celebrities.

Law is a diverse field, and many lawyers ultimately find fulfillment through some mix of intellectual challenge, rewarding work and meaningful relationships with colleagues and clients. But how do you find the area of law that is right for you ?

First, think about what kind of work and environment you would enjoy on a day-to-day basis. What is an average day at your dream job like? What activities take up your time? What are the challenges and rewards? How much time is spent with colleagues and clients? How much of the work is collaborative or adversarial, self-directed or cooperative? How much risk are you comfortable with?

Seek Internships and Volunteer Opportunities

There’s no substitute for first-hand experience. Before applying to law school, look for opportunities to help out at legal offices or organizations. Not only will you gain potential recommenders and excellent material for a personal statement , but you will get ideas for what kinds of legal work you are most interested in and what kinds of environments allow you to thrive.

Admissions officers appreciate work experience . But even if you can’t find a full-time position, see if you can spend just a week or two lending a hand and getting an inside look into how law offices work.

Conduct Informational Interviews

Reach out to people with careers that interest you. Send a polite request over email or social media and ask for an informational interview. Be clear, direct and respectful. Make clear that you are not asking for any favors besides a quick coffee or a brief phone call.

Do your homework and prepare several open-ended questions like: What has been the biggest surprise about your job? How do you know if you’re doing a good job? How do you think your job will change over the next decade? What qualities would set someone in your position up for success?

Not everyone will be open or candid, but you may end up with inside advice about not only whether a field is right for you but also what skills and experiences to highlight on your resume .

Pursue Further Research

The internet has no shortage of personal opinions and views about everything, including legal work. Beyond U.S. News & World Report resources , you can easily access articles and posts from lawyers, law firms and legal news sites.

Don’t worry if your research turns up more questions than answers. In law school, you will have plenty of time and resources for further exploration, like clinics and career services. While it’s helpful to have some informed ideas about your future career, it’s best to arrive at law school with an open mind. 

Questions to Ask If You Want to Be a Lawyer

Tags: law school , careers , graduate schools , education , students

About Law Admissions Lowdown

Law Admissions Lowdown provides advice to prospective students about the law school application process, LSAT prep and potential career paths. Previously authored by contributors from Stratus Admissions Counseling, the blog is currently authored by Gabriel Kuris, founder of Top Law Coach , an admissions consultancy. Kuris is a graduate of Harvard Law School and has helped hundreds of applicants navigate the law school application process since 2003. Got a question? Email [email protected] .

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Cover Letter

A strong cover letter should introduce your resume by highlighting the components which are most relevant to the job and supplement the resume with important information about yourself. It provides the employer with a glimpse of you as a person and potential colleague.

Cover Letter Tips

Keep the following points in mind as your write and rewrite your cover letters:

• Write to a specific person.
• Use the person’s name and title.
• Make sure the spelling is correct.
• Position you are applying for and how you learned of the opening.
• Why you are applying for the position, i.e., level of interest.
• Explanation of your qualifications and how you can contribute to the organization.
• Make reference to your resume; but don’t repeat the same information.
• State what action you want from them: an interview.
• Indicate what follow-up action you will take.
• Limit your cover letter to one page.
• Focus on the employer rather than yourself
• Do not embellish

Letters of Recommendation

The most effective letters of recommendation are written by professors or work supervisors who know you well enough to describe your academic, personal, or professional achievements and potential with candor, detail, and objectivity. Letters that compare you to your academic peers are often the most useful.

Most schools do not consider general, unreservedly praiseworthy letters helpful.

LSAC Letter of Recommendation (LOR) Service

Access to LSAC’s Letter of Recommendation (LOR) service is included in Credential Assembly Service (CAS) registration . This service allows you to manage your letters of recommendation through your LSAC JD Account .

If you use LSAC’s LOR service, your references will only need to submit their letters of recommendation once to LSAC — even if you intend to include these letters in every one of your law school applications. LSAC will make copies of each reference’s original letter to include in your CAS Reports .

You get to assign which letters you want each law school to receive. If you change your mind early enough in the application process, you can reassign your letters through your LSAC JD Account.

How to Use LSAC’s LOR Service

• In your LSAC JD Account , provide the name and contact information for each of your recommenders.
• Indicate the number of letters that each recommender will submit, and describe each letter’s use (e.g., for all law schools).
• You must assign the appropriate letters to each law school to which you’re applying (or they will not be sent). You can find information about each school’s requirements by clicking the “LOR Requirements” link beneath the school names on the Letters of Recommendation page of your LSAC JD Account.

This is important.  If your recommender is submitting your letter of recommendation on paper, you must print the required LOR Form from your LSAC JD Account and deliver it to your recommender. This form must accompany your letter of recommendation. Paper letters received without an accompanying LOR Form or without the recommender’s signature will be returned to the recommender.

If your recommender is sending more than one letter for you, be sure to emphasize the importance of attaching the correct form to the corresponding letter.

Please allow LSAC two weeks from the time of receipt to process your paper letters.

The status of each of your letters will be listed on the homepage of your LSAC JD Account .

Do I Need to Use LSAC’s LOR Service?

Most ABA-approved law schools accept LSAC’s LOR service. However, unless a law school states that you must use this service, you may choose not to use it. For individual application requirements, log in to your LSAC JD Account or contact the law school .

Can My Campus Credential Service Submit Letters to LSAC?

Yes, LSAC accepts copies of letters from undergraduate school credential services or career planning offices. However, the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Form must still accompany each letter, even if the school’s service uses its own preprinted forms in the collection process.

There must be one LSAC LOR Form for each letter your campus service will be sending to LSAC. This is true even if the credential service issues a “packet” that includes several recommendations. Be certain that your school’s service understands that each LOR Form you give them must be submitted with the packet to LSAC.

When identifying your recommenders in your LSAC JD Account, enter the name and contact information for each individual recommender, NOT the name and contact information of your campus credential service. LSAC will use this contact information to send your recommender a confirmation of receipt.

In the event that a recommender on file in the credential service office is no longer associated with the institution, or has passed away, you should still enter the recommender’s name on your LOR Form. However, enter the contact information associated with your credential service office. LSAC will send a confirmation of receipt to the campus credential service.

Describing Your Letters

Descriptions will help you assign the correct letters to each school to which you’re applying. If you aren’t sure how to describe your letters, these examples might help:

• Program/Specialty-Specific References: If you interned for the EPA, you could ask either a professor or your supervisor to write a letter about that experience. Describe this letter as “Environmental Law Programs” if you only plan to assign it to law schools that offer environmental law specialties.
• School-Specific References: If one of your professors is a law school graduate, you could ask this professor to recommend you to their alma mater. The description for this letter could read: “Smith School of Law.” You would assign this letter to Smith School of Law only .
• General References: For letters that aren’t targeted to specific specialties or law schools, the description could read: “General Use.” You could assign this letter to any law school.

Law schools receive both the LOR Form and the letter, so write your descriptions carefully.

• Letters sent to LSAC remain the property of LSAC and will remain active for the life of your file. Letters will be neither returned to nor copied for you, the candidate.
• If you intend to reuse a letter of recommendation for an admission year other than the one for which it was written, or for a different law degree program, it is a good idea to contact the recommender as a courtesy to make sure that the person does not mind this reuse. Some recommenders may wish to write an updated letter when you apply in a subsequent reporting year or to a different type of program. A recommender may decide to rescind a letter after becoming aware that it has been repurposed, if permission to reuse the letter has not been requested and granted.

Questions You May Have

• How Law Schools Determine Whom to Admit : What other factors do law schools consider?
• The Application Process: An Overview : What steps are involved in the law school application process?
• Requesting Transcripts : How do I request transcripts?
• CAS FAQs : I have a different question.

Cover Letters

E. common cover letter mistakes.

• Vide o and Slides from the CDO program “ Cover Letters That Do The Job” and handouts: Job Postings & Tips and Sample PIPS Cover Letters .

Your cover letter is as important as your resume because it is often read first and plays a vital role in your quest for an interview. A cover letter is not a transmittal letter, and you may be surprised at how time-consuming it is to craft a good one. A cover letter has a purpose, which is to let an employer know why they should bother reading your resume and why they should meet you. It also serves as an example of your written work product; thus it should be clear, brief, and written in a business letter style, without any typographical errors.

1. Cover letters for unsolicited applications come in three main types:

• Personal Letter. These are the most effective cover letters and are sent to people you have met or with whom you have a mutual acquaintance. These letters should all start with the sentence: “_______ recommended that I contact you.” As this type of letter is most likely to get a response, if you have any possibility of establishing this sort of connection to a prospective employer in advance of sending your letter, you should try your best to do so.
• Targeted Letters. Next best thing. Targeted letters are based on research of the employer, and are individually tailored. Your letter should incorporate the information learned through your research to show the employer that you have skills they will be able to put to use.
• Mass Mailers. Least desirable. These are generic except for the name and address of the employer, and have a very low success rate of getting interviews.

2. When you respond to a job listing, you will usually be requested to submit a cover letter as part of your application. In this case, use the job description and requested qualifications as a guide. While not simply imitating the language of the listing, your letter should demonstrate that you have what the employer is looking for.

3. A few employers at OCI request that students bring a cover letter to the initial interview. This is essentially to require students to think about why they want to work for this employer, but it makes for a letter which deviates from the usual “please consider me for an interview” approach. See below for suggestions on OCI cover letters.

Cover letters should follow standard business letter format, as to spacing, salutation, etc. If you are not sure of the fine points, consult a business correspondence reference source. Avoid abbreviations, contractions and shortcuts (such as a slash instead of “or”), although if there is an accepted short form of the name of the organization you are writing to (e.g., ACLU or Coblentz) it is acceptable to use it in the text of your letter. Your telephone number and email address should appear somewhere in the letter, either at the top with your address, or in the closing paragraph, when you ask them to contact you. Note that your resume is “enclosed,” not “attached” (which means clipped or stapled).

If you are not sure to whom you should send your letter, it is always acceptable to write to the executive director of a nonprofit, or the hiring partner or head of recruiting at a firm; they can forward your application to the appropriate person within the organization. If at all possible, write to an individual by name, not to “Director” or “Recruiting Coordinator.” Firm and organization web sites are very useful in finding this information (and for confirming correct spellings and the like); it may be more difficult to find the name of an individual addressee for government job opportunities. If you do not have the name of an individual, the salutation should be “Dear Sir or Madam” (not “To Whom It May Concern”). Of course if you are responding to a job posting, address your letter exactly as instructed.

As for the appropriate salutation, traditionally, it is “Dear [Mr./Ms.] [Last Name].  However, we understand that this prevailing business norm may not be inclusive of individuals who do not use either of those titles (for example, because they identify as gender nonconforming). One alternative, “Dear [First Name] [Last Name]”, avoids presuming how the recipient may identify, but it is not without some risk.  

If you use this approach, a recipient less attuned to thinking about gender inclusivity (and accustomed to seeing only “Dear [Mr./Ms] [Last Name]”) may wrongly conclude that you were unfamiliar with professional etiquette or that you used a mail merge template and did not bother to customize it.  While awareness around these issues is increasing, we believe that, unfortunately, it is still not a small number of recruiting representatives and attorneys who might draw the wrong conclusion.

One way to navigate this tricky situation might be to see if the recipient has an online presence (e.g., on the firm website or LinkedIn) that might give you a strong clue as to how they would like to be addressed.  Otherwise, you will need to make your own judgment as to whether recipients are more likely to recognize your inclusivity or to view the greeting as awkward or erroneous.

In our office, we are also working to help employers become familiar with gender-inclusive approaches like “Dear [First Name] [Last Name],” but like any process of education, this will take time. In the meantime, our primary goal is to make sure that all Berkeley Law students are fully informed as you navigate legal job markets. We are always available to discuss individually what approach would be the best fit for you.

First Paragraph. Begin your letter with a statement of who you are and why you are writing. Introduce yourself as a law student (including the year you are in) or a graduate of Berkeley Law and specify what it is you are seeking: a summer job, an associate position, a clerkship, part-time work during the school year, etc.

The goal of this paragraph is to give the reader a reason to want to finish reading the letter. If you don’t have a personal connection to cite, try to establish a nexus between yourself and the employer, such as knowledge of their practice, an established commitment to or interest in their work, a connection to their city, or something else which conveys that you are not just writing to them as part of a mass mailing for any job in any location. (If that in fact is what you are doing, try not to be too obvious about it. An employer wants to think that you sought him or her out purposely rather than randomly.)

Body Paragraph(s). This is the section in which you “sell” your experience and qualifications to the employer. Your goal here is to answer the question, “Why should the employer meet you?”

Call attention to something which substantiates your interest in this particular employer. It could be coursework in their specialty, the recommendation of a professor in their area of practice, undergraduate residency in their city, or any other indication of your interest. Try also to show how your experiences will translate into skills which will be useful to this particular employer. Highlight relevant qualifications which are not on your resume, such as coursework, research, or a prior connection to the organization or the issues they work on. If you have general legal skills such as negotiation, litigation, client counseling, interviewing, mock trials, etc., you may want to include them. As much as possible, try to convey understanding of, and enthusiasm for, the aims of the organization.

Employers do not expect first-year students to have highly-developed legal skills to offer. Therefore, for first-year students writing to private firms, this section can be a single, short paragraph, unless you have a strong background in a relevant area. However, even inexperienced first-year students writing to public interest/sector organizations should make an effort to describe skills and interests that are relevant to the employer.

It is appropriate and not uncommon for a public interest cover letter to be somewhat more detailed or personal than a private sector cover letter. Of course, it is still very important to be concise, but it is acceptable for the letter to be a full page if your experience dictates. In a public interest cover letter, it is important both to highlight your demonstrated commitment to the mission/work/client base of the organization through your own relevant work or life experience, and to illustrate your relevant skills. Take another look at your resume for items that show your interest, commitment and skills. Even if you do not have experience in the specific area in which an organization works, it is still important to emphasize your demonstrated commitment to the public interest, and to draw connections between that general commitment and the specific work of the organization. As it is important not to merely regurgitate your resume, consider including a story that illustrates you are interested or qualified in the position.

If your application raises questions that are readily answered, such as availability after the Bar exam, judicial clerkship plans, etc., the letter can address those; other issues may be better deferred to the interview stage. Consult a CDO attorney-counselor if you’re not sure whether to include something in your cover letter.

Final Paragraph. In your last paragraph, thank them for their consideration, and say you hope to hear from them soon. For out-of-town employers, indicate when you plan to be in their geographic area and state your availability for an interview. Be sure to include your phone number and email in this paragraph unless you use a letterhead style that includes them at the top of the page. If you state that you will call the employer to follow up on your application, be sure you do so.

If you are bringing a cover letter to an on-campus interview (which you should do only if the employer requests you to), the content will be a bit different. You don’t need to introduce yourself, as you will be there in person, and you won’t request an interview at the closing. But you can thank the employer for interviewing you and say that you welcome the opportunity to learn more about the employer and to discuss the possibility of working for them. The important thing is to show why you are interested in this particular employer, and how you think your background makes you a good match for them.

The mistakes most commonly found in student cover letters are:

• Restating your resume. “ I graduated from the University of Oregon in 2005, with a B.A., cum laude, in Political Science, then worked as a substitute teacher in an urban high school before starting law school in the fall of 2008 .” Don’t waste space with facts that are readily gleaned from your resume! Instead, you could say (briefly) how your work experience led you to pursue a legal career in an area practiced by the employer.
• Focusing on what you stand to gain from the job . “ I am particularly interested in your firm’s excellent training program for summer associates, and in gaining exposure to a variety of different practice areas.” Remember, employers only grant interviews to candidates who offer something of potential use to the employer. Try to say how your skills and enthusiasm will help the employer serve its clients, or otherwise further its aims.
• Being too informal or familiar. “I’m thrilled by the possibility of working with you this summer, and would love to meet with you in person/by phone to chat about what the options might be.” Enthusiasm is good, but it must be presented professionally.

Other cover letter mistakes include: being defensive or apologetic; appearing arrogant or entitled, and being too long and wordy. Unsupported statements of your qualities (“I am highly motivated and a quick study”) do not help your case. Generic reasons for your interest in the employer (e.g., its “excellent reputation”) tend to demonstrate your lack of specific knowledge. Of course typos and inaccuracies, such as misspelled names, or (please!) stating an interest in a practice area that the firm doesn’t have, are automatic application-killers.

Our cover letter template  provides suggestions only; please do not feel excessively constrained by its approach. Your letter should, of course, be original work that reflects your unique background and the job you are aiming at.

Return to Contents

LL.M. Application Materials & Interviews

Application materials & interviews.

Yale LL.M. students applying to legal practice opportunities* should prepare the following application materials:

• A U.S.-style resume ( LL.M. resume samples )
• A cover letter ( LL.M. cover letter samples )
• A writing sample
• A list of references
• A YLS transcript

When drafting these materials, keep in mind that every piece of paper you provide to an employer should be technically perfect and well written.

*  CDO’s advice on application materials is geared toward applications to private and public sector opportunities with U.S.- and U.K.-based employers, as well as all YLS Public Interest Fellowships.  LL.M. students who are applying to practice opportunities in their home countries or in third countries with which they have legal market familiarity should follow their own knowledge of the types of application materials most commonly used; any instructions provided by the employers to which they are applying; and the general conventions of relevant markets and sectors.

The U.S.-Style Legal Resume

See here for CDO’s in-depth discussion for all YLS students on resume drafting for legal practice opportunities; how to approach and organize each resume section; and numerous additional resume-related resources, examples, and information.

In addition to CDO’s general legal resume advice for YLS students, there are some LL.M.-specific considerations for a U.S.-style legal resume:

A U.S.-style resume likely differs from your current academic CV in several respects. A U.S.-style resume is typically one page (although many LL.M. candidates with significant relevant professional experience effectively use a two-page format).  Your resume is not a recitation of your entire educational and professional background. Instead, it is a summary of your relevant education and employment, written with the goal of persuading a potential employer to hire you.  Notably, U.S.-style resumes do not include personal information about topics including birthdates or marital status.  They also do not include photographs.

Before sitting down to draft your resume, spend some time reflecting on the qualities that make you an attractive candidate to the particular type of employer to which you will be applying. For example:

• Have you practiced law in your home country; in the U.S.; or in a third country?
• What types of projects have you worked on, and what skills did those projects help you to develop?
• Do you have strong speaking and writing abilities in English and/or in other language relevant to an employer’s work?
• Do you have professional contacts in your home country that might be useful to this type of employer?

Whatever your best qualities are from the perspective of these prospective legal practice employers, be sure to highlight them in your resume (and cover letter!).

Since the employers to which you are applying may be unaware of the system of education in your home country or a third country where you previously studied, be sure to make your resume as clear as possible with respect to your various educational degrees and prior work experiences. As a general rule, you should translate information on your resume into English.

In addition to going here for CDO’s in-depth discussion for all YLS students on resume drafting, you can view sample YLS LL.M. resumes here .

Cover Letters

See here for CDO’s in-depth cover letter advice for all YLS students, which includes a detailed discussion of how to write and structure a cover letter, as well as additional cover letter-related resources. 

In addition, there are some LL.M.-specific considerations for cover letters to legal practice employers:

The purpose of a cover letter is to explain to the employer-recipient why you are applying for a particular position. Like your resume, your cover letter also serves as an English-language writing sample that employers will evaluate when determining whether to offer you an interview. Given that, your cover letter should be error-free and well written.

Be mindful that employers may not typically hire LL.M. students (some may not even know what LL.M. students are!), or may be curious as to how you as an LL.M. could fit into their work structures and flows. It is up to you to convince them that they should hire you. Use your cover letter to accomplish that goal.

In addition to going here for CDO’s in-depth cover letter advice for all YLS students, you can view sample YLS LL.M. cover letters here .

Writing Samples, References, and Transcripts

See here for CDO’s in-depth discussion and detailed instructions for all YLS students about writing samples, references, and transcripts, as well as writing samples and writing sample cover pages.

In addition, there are some LL.M.-specific considerations for writing samples and transcripts:

Writing Samples

Employers seeking writing samples from LL.M.s most frequently want to see practice-oriented legal analysis written in English.

An English-language legal memorandum or brief (prepared either for a client or for a school project) is preferable to an academic research paper or article. This is the case for all law students, but it may be particularly important to you as an LL.M. candidate if you have a heavily academia-oriented background and are trying to demonstrate to a prospective employer that you have an interest in legal practice.

Transcripts

When employers request transcripts from LL.M. students, they may want only LL.M. students’ YLS transcripts, and/or they may want LL.M. students’ transcripts from prior educational institutions.

If transcripts from your prior educational institutions are requested, you should provide both the original and a translation into English (unless you have reason to believe that employers will be able to understand the documents in their original languages).

Submitting Your Applications Directly to Employers

While LL.M. students sometimes apply for legal practice positions through organized programs and processes including the private sector-focused annual LL.M. Interview Program and the YLS Public Interest Fellowship  processes, some LL.M. students (and nearly all LL.M. students who are conducting law firm job searches) may also apply directly to prospective employers.

As a general rule (and unless an employer specifically requests additional or different materials), in the initial application stage when you are applying directly to an employer you need only provide two items with your application:

• Your resume
• Your cover letter

If you have a strong English-language writing sample, you may wish to include that as well.

Most students who apply directly to employers submit their applications by email. Occasionally, an employer will instruct applicants to upload their application materials through its own web portal. Many employers indicate on their websites how they would prefer for student applicants to apply. If no application preferences are specified, email is a safe choice.

It is best to convert your documents into PDFs to avoid conversion problems. Before creating the PDFs, format your documents properly by using Word, a standard font such as Times New Roman, at least 0.5 margins, and tabs or justification instead of spaces for alignment purposes.

If you are emailing your applications, include the body of your cover letter in the email message and also include the cover letter as an attachment. Ideally you will attach only one PDF file that includes your resume and cover letter, and any additional application materials, in one document.

If you have questions on how to do any of this, contact CDO or YLS’s Information Technology Services department.

If you have submitted your application directly to an employer and have not heard from the employer after two or more weeks, it is fine to send a follow-up email (if you submitted your initial application via email, your follow-up email can be on the same email chain as your initial application). You can state that you are just writing to follow up on your application, as you remain very interested in working for that employer; that you would be glad to share any additional materials that might assist the employer in its evaluation of your candidacy; and that you hope to hear back from the employer soon.

Keep a record of your contacts with employers: those who respond; the nature of their replies; your follow up; and the results. Your search may last a matter of weeks or more likely months, and this record will be an invaluable tool. You are building your professional network, so touch base with contacts you encountered along the way and tell them about the work you ultimately select.

Interviews and Interview Follow-up

See CDO’s Interviewing webpage for all YLS students, which contains an in-depth discussion of numerous interview-related topics and links to additional interviewing resources, including:

• Preparation for first-round and callback interviews
• A list of sample employer interview questions
• Information about post-interview thank you notes
• Sample post-interview thank you notes
• Detailed advice for YLS students on legal interview and work attire

18 Law School Personal Statement Examples That Got Accepted!

This blog contains law school personal statement examples written by applicants who were successfully accepted to multiple law schools after working with our admissions experts as part of our  application review programs . Your  law school personal statement  is one of the most important parts of your application and is your best opportunity to show admissions officers who you are behind your numbers and third-party assessments. Because of its importance, many students find the personal statement to be daunting and demanding of the full scope of their skills as writers. Today we're going to review these excellent law school personal statement examples from past successful applicants and provide some proven strategies from a former admissions officer that can help you prepare your own stellar essay. 

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

Article Contents 44 min read

Law school personal statement example #1.

When I was a child, my neighbors, who had arrived in America from Nepal, often seemed stressed. They argued a lot, struggled for money, and seemed to work all hours of the day. One day, I woke early in the morning to a commotion outside my apartment. Police officers were accompanying my neighbors out of the building. They were being deported. In my teens, I was shocked to see that our kind, friendly neighbors had exhausted their last chance to stay in America as they lost a court appeal. 

Since that time, I have worked closely with the many immigrant families in my neighborhood, and now university town. I began by volunteering at a local community center. Together with social workers, I served food and gave out clothes to new arrivals. My diligent work ethic led to more responsibility, and I received training in basic counseling techniques, first aid skills and community services. Soon, I was tasked with welcoming new community members and assessing their health and social needs. I heard the many difficult stories of those who had traveled thousands of miles, often through several countries, risking everything to reach a safe, welcoming country. I was proud to contribute in some small way to making America welcoming for these individuals.

The community center is where I had my first formal contact with legal aid lawyers, who were a constant source of knowledge and support for those who needed assistance. I was struck by the lawyers’ ability to explain complex legal processes to nervous and exhausted incomers: law, I realized, was about more than procedure. I decided that I, too, would strive to balance a wealth of technical knowledge with my caring, compassionate personality.

As soon as I enrolled in university, I knew I had the chance to do so. In my very first week, I signed up to volunteer at the university’s legal aid center, where I worked closely with law professors and students on a range of cases. Academically, I have focused on courses, such as a fourth-year Ethics seminar, that would help me develop rigorous critical reasoning skills. More importantly, I knew that, given my experience, I could be a leader on campus. I decided to found a refugee campaign group, Students4Refugees. Together with a group of volunteers, we campaigned to make our campus a refugee-friendly space. I organized a series of events: international student mixers, an art installation in our student commons, and concerts that raised over $5,000 for the charity Refugee Aid. I am proud to say that my contributions were recognized with a university medal for campus leadership.

I have seen time and again how immigrants to the United States struggle with bureaucracy, with complex legal procedures, and with the demands of living in a foreign and sometimes hostile climate. As I plan to enter law school, I look back to my neighbors’ experiences: they needed someone who knew the law, who could negotiate with the authorities on their behalf, who could inform them of their rights—but they also needed someone who would provide a caring and compassionate outlet for their stresses. I know that Townsville University’s combination of academic rigor, legal aid services, and history of graduates entering labor and non-profit sectors will allow me to develop these skills and continue making contributions to my community by advocating for those in need.

• Thematic consistency: It focuses on just one theme: justice for immigrants. Each paragraph is designed to show off how enthusiastic the student is about this area of law. Personal statements—including those for law school—often begin with a personal anecdote. This one is short, memorable, and relevant. It establishes the overall theme quickly. By constraining their essay’s focus to a single general theme, the writer can go into great depth and weave in emotional and psychological weight through careful and vivid description. The personal statement isn’t a standard 3-paragraph college essay with a spotlight thesis statement, but it conveys similar impact through presenting a central focus organically, without resorting to simply blurting out “the point” of the piece.   
• Shows, rather than tells: Connected to this, this statement focuses on showing rather than telling. Rather than simply telling the reader about their commitment to law, the applicant describes specific situations they were involved in that demonstrate their commitment to law. “Show don’t tell” means you want to paint a vivid picture of actions or experiences that demonstrate a given quality or skill, and not simply say "I can do X." Make it an experience for your reader, don't just give them a fact. 
• Confident, but not arrogant: Additionally, this personal statement is confident without being boastful—leadership qualities, grades, and an award are all mentioned in context, rather than appearing as a simple list of successes. 
• Specific to the school: It ends with a conclusion that alludes to why the applicant is suitable for the specific school to which they’re applying and points to their future career plans. Thoroughly researching the law school to which you’re applying is incredibly important so that you can tailor your remarks to the specific qualities and values they’re looking for. A law essay writing service is really something that can help you integrate this aspect effectively. 

What Should a Law School Personal Statement Do?

1.      be unique to the school you’re applying to.

Students are always asking how to write a personal statement for law school, particularly one that stands out from all the rest. After all, advice from most universities can often be quite vague. Take this zinger from the  University of Chicago : “Write about something personal, relevant, and completely individual to you… Just be yourself.” Every school will have different requirements or content they want to see in a personal statement. This is why it’s a good idea to review specific guidelines for the school to which you’re applying. For example, you can read Yale Law School personal statement examples , Stanford Law personal statement examples , and an NYU personal statement to get an idea of what these schools look for.

2.      Demonstrate your skills and capabilities

For motivated students with the world at their fingertips, it’s a tough ask to narrow your character down into a few hundred words! But this is exactly the point of such generic guidelines—to challenge aspiring law students to produce something unique and convincing with minimal direction by the university. Law is, after all, a profession that demands your language to be persuasive, and the personal statement is merely one of many exercises where you can demonstrate your language skills. 

3.      Meet basic requirements

While the law school personal statement is about far more than just following essay directions, you still need to keep basic formatting and length restrictions in mind. Most law schools ask for a 2-page personal statement, but lengths can range from 2-4 pages. Georgetown Law School , for instance, recommends a 2-page personal statement but explicitly states that there is no official minimum or maximum. In general, length does not make a personal statement better. Rambling, meandering sentences and tiresome descriptions will only hurt the impact of your ideas, especially considering how many thousands of pages admissions committees have to churn through each year.  

In short, keep to 2 double-spaced pages, and only go below or above this is if you absolutely have to, and if the school to which you're applying allows it. You want to keep things as widely applicable as possible while drafting your personal statement, meaning that you don't want to draft a 4 page letter for the one school that allows it, and then have to significantly rewrite this for your other schools. Stick to 2 pages. 

4.      Embody what the school is looking for

Lastly, many law schools won’t offer hyper-specific prompts, but will give you general law school admissions essay topics to follow. For instance, the University of Washington’s law school provides a number of topics to follow, including “Describe a personal challenge you faced” or “Describe your passions and involvement in a project or pursuit and the ways in which it has contributed to your personal growth and goals.” These topics may feel specific at first, but as you begin drafting, you’ll likely realize you have dozens of memories to choose from, and numerous ways of describing their impact. While drafting, try to explore as many of these options as possible, and select the best or most impactful to use in your final draft.  

Want to write the perfect law school personal statement? Watch this video:

Law School Personal Statement Example #2

In my home community, the belief is that the law is against us. The law oppresses and victimizes. I must admit that as a child and young person I had this opinion based on my environment and the conversations around me. I did not understand that the law could be a vehicle for social change, and I certainly did not imagine I had the ability and talents to be a voice for this change. I regularly attended my high school classes because I enjoyed the discussions and reading for English and history, and writing came easily to me, but I wasn’t committed to getting good grades because I felt I had no purpose. My mindset changed as I spent time with Mark Russell, a law student who agreed to mentor and tutor me as part of a “high school to law school” mentorship program. Every week, for three years, Mark and I would meet. At first, Mark tutored me, but I quickly became an “A” student, not only because of the tutoring, but because my ambitions were uncorked by what Mark shared with me about university, the law, and his life. I learned grades were the currency I needed to succeed. I attended mock trials, court hearings, and law lectures with Mark and developed a fresh understanding of the law that piqued an interest in law school. My outlook has changed because my mentor, my teachers, and my self-advocacy facilitated my growth. Still, injustices do occur. The difference is that I now believe the law can be an instrument for social change, but voices like mine must give direction to policy and resources in order to fight those injustices.

Early in my mentorship, I realized it was necessary to be “in the world” differently if I were to truly consider a law career. With Mark’s help and the support of my high school teachers, I learned to advocate for myself and explore opportunities that would expand my worldview as well as my academic skills. I joined a Model UN club at a neighboring high school, because my own school did not have enough student interest to have a club. By discussing global issues and writing decisions, I began to feel powerful and confident with my ability to gather evidence and make meaningful decisions about real global issues. As I built my leadership, writing, and public speaking skills, I noticed a rift developing with some of my friends. I wanted them to begin to think about larger systemic issues outside of our immediate experience, as I was learning to, and to build confidence in new ways. I petitioned my school to start a Model UN and recruited enough students to populate the club. My friends did not join the club as I’d hoped, but before I graduated, we had 2 successful years with the students who did join. I began to understand that I cannot force change based on my own mandate, but I must listen attentively to the needs and desires of others in order to support them as they require.

While I learned to advocate for myself throughout high school, I also learned to advocate for others. My neighbors, knowing my desire to be a lawyer, would often ask me to advocate on their behalf with small grievances. I would make phone calls, stand in line with them at government offices, and deal with difficult landlords. A woman, Elsa, asked me to review her rental agreement to help her understand why her landlord had rented it to someone else, rather than renewing her lease. I scoured the rental agreement, highlighted questionable sections, read the Residential Tenancies Act, and developed a strategy for approaching the landlord. Elsa and I sat down with the landlord and, upon seeing my binder complete with indices, he quickly conceded before I could even speak. That day, I understood evidence is the way to justice. My interest in justice grew, and while in university, I sought experiences to solidify my decision to pursue law.

Last summer, I had the good fortune to work as a summer intern in the Crown Attorney’s Office responsible for criminal trial prosecutions. As the only pre-law intern, I was given tasks such as reviewing court tapes, verifying documents, and creating a binder with indices. I often went to court with the prosecutors where I learned a great deal about legal proceedings, and was at times horrified by human behavior. This made the atmosphere in the Crown Attorney’s office even more surprising. I worked with happy and passionate lawyers whose motivations were pubic service, the safety and well-being of communities, and justice. The moment I realized justice was their true objective, not the number of convictions, was the moment I decided to become a lawyer.

I broke from the belief systems I was born into. I did this through education, mentorship, and self-advocacy. There is sadness because in this transition I left people behind, especially as I entered university. However, I am devoted to my home community. I understand the barriers that stand between youth and their success. As a law student, I will mentor as I was mentored, and as a lawyer, I will be a voice for change.

What’s Great about this Second Law School Personal Statement?

• It tells a complete and compelling story: Although the applicant expressed initial reservations about the law generally, the statement tells a compelling story of how the applicant's opinions began to shift and their interest in law began. They use real examples and show how that initial interest, once seeded, grew into dedication and passion. This introduction implies an answer to the " why do you want to study law? ” interview question.
• It shows adaptability: Receptiveness to new information and the ability to change both thought and behavior based on this new information. The writer describes realizing that they needed to be "in the world" differently! It's hard to convey such a grandiose idea without sounding cliché, but through their captivating and chronological narrative, the writer successfully convinces the reader that this is the case with copious examples, including law school extracurriculars . It’s a fantastic case of showing rather than telling, describing specific causes they were involved with which demonstrate that the applicant is genuinely committed to a career in the law. 
• Includes challenges the subject faced and overcame: This law school personal statement also discusses weighty, relatable challenges that they faced, such as the applicant's original feeling toward law, and the fact that they lost some friends along the way. However, the applicant shows determination to move past these hurdles without self-pity or other forms of navel-gazing.  Additionally, this personal statement ends with a conclusion that alludes to why the applicant is suitable for the specific school to which they’re applying and points to their future career plans. The writer manages to craft an extremely immersive and believable story about their path to the present, while also managing to curate the details of this narrative to fit the specific values and mission of the school to which they’re applying.

What’s Great About This Third Law School Personal Statement? 

• Description is concise and effective: This writer opens with rich, vivid description and seamlessly guides the reader into a compelling first-person narrative. Using punchy, attention-grabbing descriptions like these make events immersive, placing readers in the writer's shoes and creating a sense of immediacy. 
• Achievements are the focus: They also do a fantastic job of talking about their achievements, such as interview team lead, program design, etc., without simply bragging. Instead, they deliver this information within a cohesive narrative that includes details, anecdotes, and information that shows their perspective in a natural way. Lastly, they invoke their passion for law with humility, discussing their momentary setbacks and frustrations as ultimately positive experiences leading to further growth. 

Want more law school personal statement examples from top law schools?

• Harvard law school personal statement examples
• Columbia law school personal statement examples
• Cornell law school personal statement examples
• Yale law school personal statement examples
• UPenn law school personal statement examples
• Cambridge law school personal statement examples

Law School Personal Statement #4

What’s great about this fourth law school personal statement.

• Engaging description: Like the third example above, this fourth law school personal statement opens with engaging description and first-person narrative. However, the writer of this personal statement chooses to engage a traumatic aspect of their childhood and discuss how this adversity led them to develop their desire to pursue a career in law.  
• Strong theme of overcoming adversity: Overcoming adversity is a frequent theme in personal statements for all specialties, but with law school personal statements students are often able to utilize uniquely dramatic, difficult, and pivotal experiences that involved interacting with the law. It may be hard to discuss such emotionally weighty experiences in a short letter but, as this personal statement shows, with care and focus it's possible to sincerely demonstrate how your early struggles paved the way for you to become the person you are now. It's important to avoid sensationalism, but you shouldn't shy away from opening up to your readers about adverse experiences that have ultimately pointed you in a positive direction. 

Why "show, don't tell" is the #1 rule for personal statements:

Law School Personal Statement Example #5

What’s great about this fifth law school personal statement  .

• Highlights achievements effectively: This writer does a fantastic job of incorporating their accomplishments and impact they had on their community without any sense of bragging or conceit. Rather, these accomplishments are related in terms of deep personal investment and a general drive to have a positive impact on those around them—without resorting to the cliches of simply stating "I want to help people." They show themselves helping others, and how these early experiences of doing so are a fundamental part of their drive to succeed with a career in law.   
• Shows originality: Additionally, they do a great job of explaining the uniqueness of their identity. The writer doesn't simply list their personal/cultural characteristics, but contextualizes them to show how they've shaped their path to law school. Being the child of a Buddhist mother and a Hindu father doesn’t imply anything about a person’s ability to study/practice law on its own, but explaining how this unique aspect of their childhood encouraged a passion for “discussion, active debate, and compromise” is profoundly meaningful to an admissions panel. Being able to express how fundamental aspects of law practice are an integral part of yourself is a hugely helpful tactic in a law school personal statement. 

If you\u2019re heading North of the border, check out list of  law schools in Canada  that includes requirements and stats on acceptance. ","label":"Tip","title":"Tip"}]" code="tab2" template="BlogArticle">

Law School Personal Statement Example #6

What’s great about this sixth law school personal statement .

• Weaves in cultural background: Similar to the writer of personal statement #5, this student utilizes the cultural uniqueness of their childhood to show how their path to law school was both deeply personal and rooted in ideas pervasive in their early years. Unlike the writer of statement #5, this student doesn't shy away from explaining how this distinctiveness was often a source of alienation and difficulty. Yet this adversity is, as they note, ultimately what helped them be an adaptable and driven student, with a clear desire to make a positive impact on the kinds of situations that they witnessed affect their parents.  
• Describes setbacks while remaining positive: This writer also doesn't shy away from describing their temporary setbacks as both learning experiences and, crucially, springboards for positively informing their plans for the future. 

What’s Great About This Seventh Law School Personal Statement? 

• The writer takes accountability: One of the hardest things to accomplish in a personal statement is describing not just early setbacks that are out of your control but early mistakes for which you must take responsibility. The writer of this personal statement opens with descriptions of characteristics that most law schools would find problematic at best. But at the end of this introduction, they successfully utilize an epiphany, a game-changing moment in which they saw something beyond their early pathological aimlessness, to clearly mark the point at which they became focused on law.  
• The narrative structure is clear: They clearly describe the path forward from this moment on, showing how they remained focused on earning a law degree, and how they were able to work through successive experiences of confusion to persist in finishing their undergraduate education at a prestigious university. Of course, you shouldn't brag about such things for their own sake, but this writer makes the point of opening up about the unique feelings of inadequacy that come along with being the first person in their family to attend such a school, and how these feelings were—like their initial aimlessness—mobilized in service of their goal and the well-being of others. Their statement balances discussion of achievement with humility, which is a difficult but impactful tactic when done well. 

Law School Personal Statement Example #8

What’s great about this eighth law school personal statement .

• Shows commitment to the community: Commitment to one’s community is a prized value in both law students and law professionals. This writer successfully describes not only how they navigated the challenges in their group environments, such as their internship, the debate team, etc., but how these challenges strengthened their commitment to being a positive part of their communities. They don’t simply describe the skills and lessons they learned from these challenging environments, but also how these challenges ultimately made them even more committed to and appreciative of these kinds of dynamic, evolutionary settings.  
• Avoids negative description: They also avoid placing blame or negatively describing the people in these situations, instead choosing to characterize inherent difficulties in terms neutral to the people around them. In this way, you can describe extremely challenging environments without coming off as resentful, and identify difficulties without being accusatory or, worse yet, accidentally or indirectly seeming like part of the problem. This writer manages to convey the difficulty and complexity of these experiences while continually returning to their positive long-term impact, and though you shouldn’t seek to “bright-side” the troubles in your life you should absolutely point out how these experiences have made you a more capable and mature student. 

Watch this for more law school personal statement examples!

Law School Personal Statement Example #9

What’s great about this ninth law school personal statement  .

• The writer effectively describes how their background shaped their decision to pursue law: Expressing privilege as adversity is something that very few students should even attempt, and fewer still can actually pull it off. But the writer of this personal statement does just that in their second paragraph, describing how the ease and comfort of their upbringing could have been a source of laziness or detachment, and often is for particularly well-off students, but instead served as a basis for their ongoing commitment to addressing the inequalities and difficulties of those less comfortable. Describing how you’ve developed into an empathic and engaged person, worked selflessly in any volunteer experiences, and generally aimed your academic life at a career in law for the aid of others—all this is incredibly moving for an admissions board, and can help you discuss your determination and understanding of exactly why you desire a career in law.  
• The student shows adaptability, flexibility, and commitment: Additionally, this writer is able to show adaptability while describing their more prestigious appointments in a way that’s neither self-aggrandizing nor unappreciative. One of the big takeaways from this statement is the student’s commitment and flexibility, and these are both vitally important qualities to convey in your law school personal statement.  

Law School Personal Statement Example #10

What’s great about this tenth law school personal statement .

Shows passion: If you’re one of the rare students for whom service to others has always been a core belief, by all means find a novel and engaging way of making this the guiding principle of your personal statement. Don’t overdo it—don’t veer into poetry or lofty philosophizing—but by all means let your passion guide your pen (well…keyboard). Every step of the way, this student relates their highs and lows, their challenges and successes, to an extremely earnest and sincere set of altruistic values invoked at the very beginning of their statement. Law school admissions boards don’t exactly prize monomania, but they do value intense and sustained commitment.  

Shows maturity: This student also successfully elaborates this passion in relation to mature understanding. That is, they make repeated points about their developing understanding of law that sustains their hopefulness and emotional intensity while also incorporating knowledge of the sometimes troubling day-to-day challenges of the profession. Law schools aren’t looking for starry-eyed naivete, but they do value optimism and the ability to stay positive in a profession often defined by its difficulties and unpredictability. 

Every pre-law student blames their lack of success on the large number of applicants, the heartless admissions committee members, or the high GPA and LSAT score cut offs. Check out our blog on  law school acceptance rates  to find out more about the law school admission statistics for law schools in the US . Having taught more than a thousand students every year, I can tell you the REAL truth about why most students get rejected: 

Need tips on your law school resume?

8 Additional Law School Personal Statement Examples

Now that you have a better idea of what your law school personal statement should include, and how you can make it stand out, here are five additional law school personal statements for you to review and get some inspiration:

Law school personal statement example #11

According to the business wire, 51 percent of students are not confident in their career path when they enroll in college. I was one of those students for a long time. My parents had always stressed the importance of education and going to college, so I knew that I wanted to get a tertiary education, I just didn’t know in what field. So, like many other students, I matriculated undecided and started taking introductory courses in the subjects that interest me. I took classes from the department of literature, philosophy, science, statistics, business, and so many others but nothing really called out to me.

I figured that maybe if I got some practical experience, I might get more excited about different fields. I remembered that my high school counselor had told me that medicine would be a good fit for me, and I liked the idea of a career that involved constant learning. So, I applied for an observership at my local hospital. I had to cross “doctor” off my list of post-graduate career options when I fainted in the middle of a consultation in the ER.

I had to go back to the drawing board and reflect on my choices. I decided to stop trying to make an emotional decision and focus on the data. So, I looked at my transcript thus far, and it quickly became clear to me that I had both an interest and an aptitude for business and technology. I had taken more courses in those two fields than in any others, and I was doing very well in them. My decision was reaffirmed when I spent the summer interning at a digital marketing firm during my senior year in college and absolutely loved my experience. 

Since graduating, I have been working at that same firm and I am glad that I decided to major in business. I first started as a digital advertising assistant, and I quickly learned that the world of digital marketing is an incredibly fast-paced sink-or-swim environment. I didn’t mind it at all. I wanted to swim with the best of them and succeed. So far, my career in advertising has been challenging and rewarding in ways that I never could have imagined. 

I remember the first potential client that I handled on my own. Everything had been going great until they changed their mind about an important detail a day before we were supposed to present our pitch. . I had a day to research and re-do a presentation that I’d been preparing for weeks. I was sure that I’d be next on the chopping block, but once again all I had to was take a step back and look at the information that I had. Focusing on the big picture helped me come up with a new pitch, and after a long night, lots of coffee, and laser-like focus, I delivered a presentation that I was not only proud of, but that landed us the client. 

Three years and numerous client emergencies later, I have learned how to work under pressure, how to push myself, and how to think critically. I also have a much better understanding of who I am and what skills I possess. One of the many things that I have learned about myself over the course of my career is that I am a fan of the law. Over the past three years, I have worked with many lawyers to navigate the muddy waters of user privacy and digital media. I often find myself looking forward to working with our legal team, whereas my coworkers actively avoid them. I have even become friends with my colleagues on the legal team who also enjoy comparing things like data protection laws in the US and the EU and speculating about the future of digital technology regulation. 

These experiences and conversations have led me to a point where I am interested in various aspects of the law. I now know that I have the skills required to pursue a legal education and that this time around, I am very sure about what I wish to study. Digital technology has evolved rapidly over the last decade, and it is just now starting to become regulated. I believe that this shift is going to open up a more prominent role for those who understand both digital technology and its laws, especially in the corporate world. My goal is to build a career at the intersection of these worlds.

Law school personal statement example #12

The first weekend I spent on my undergrad college campus was simultaneously one of the best and worst of my life. I was so excited to be away from home, on my own, making new friends and trying new things. One of those things was a party at a sorority house with my friend and roommate, where I thought we both had a great time. Both of us came from small towns, and we had decided to look out for one another. So, when it was time to go home, and I couldn't find her, I started to worry. I spent nearly an hour looking for her before I got her message saying she was already back in our dorm. 

It took her three months to tell me that she had been raped that night. Her rapist didn't hold a knife to her throat, jump out of a dark alleyway, or slip her a roofie. Her rapist was her long-term boyfriend, with whom she'd been in a long-distance relationship for just over a year. He assaulted her in a stranger's bedroom while her peers, myself included, danced the night away just a few feet away. 

I remember feeling overwhelmed when she first told me. I was sad for my friend, angry on her behalf, and disgusted by her rapist's actions. I also felt incredibly guilty because I had been there when it happened. I told myself that I should have stayed with her all night and that I should have seen the abuse - verbal and physical harassment- that he was inflicting on her before it turned sexual. But eventually, I realized that thinking about what could, should, or would've happened doesn't help anyone. 

I watched my friend go through counseling, attend support groups, and still, she seemed to be hanging on by a thread. I couldn't begin to imagine what she was going through, and unfortunately, there was very little I could do to help her. So, I decided to get involved with the Sexual Assault Responders Group on campus, where I would actually be able to help another survivor. 

My experience with the Sexual Assault Responders Group on campus was eye-opening. I mostly worked on the peer-to-peer hotline, where I spoke to survivors from all walks of life. I was confronted by the fact that rape is not a surreal unfortunate thing that happens to a certain type of person. I learned that it happens daily to mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, and friends. I also learned that most survivors try to manage this burden on their own, afraid of judgment and repercussions and fearful of a he-said-she-said court battle.

I am proud to say that I used my time in college to not only earn an education, but also to advocate for survivors of sexual assault. I protested the university's cover-up of a gang rape that took place in one of the fraternity houses on campus. I spearheaded a 'no means no' campaign to raise awareness about consent on campus. I also led several fundraising campaigns for the Sexual Assault Responders Group that allowed us to pay for legal and mental health counselors for the survivors who came to us for support. 

One of the things that this experience helped me realize is that sexual assault survivors often do not know where to turn when the system tries to tell them that it'd be best to just keep quiet and suffer in silence. My goal is to become one of those people that they can turn to for counsel and support. I believe that a law degree would give me the knowledge and tools that I need to advocate for survivors on a more significant scale. 

Need tips for your law school optional essays? Check out this infographic:

Law school personal statement example #13

I grew up in two different worlds. My world at home was full of people of various skin tones and accents. It was small, loud, and often chaotic in the best ways. I remember walking home and getting to experience music from across the world before I got to my apartment building. Loud reggaeton and afrobeat were always playing somewhere in the distance. Aunties and uncles usually stopped by unannounced and slipped money in your palm when they hugged you goodbye. And the smell of fried plantains was almost always present. 

My other world was in school. It was a much quieter, more organized world with white hallways, navy blazers, and plaid skirts. It was full of people who did not look or sound like me and teachers who thought my hair was "interesting." It was also full of great books and engaging debates about everything from foreign policy to the influence of Jazz on hip hop. 

I lived in these two worlds because I was born and raised in Xtown, but I went to a private school in a much richer neighborhood. I loved both of my worlds, but I hated that I had to act differently in both of them. When in school, I had to "code switch" to sound like I belonged there. When I was at home, all the people who shared the interests I was developing in school were either working or in college, so I had no one to talk to about them. 

My words never felt more divided until I started considering a career in law. I remember telling one of my uncles that I wanted to become a lawyer and his response was, "So you want to become the man, huh?" 

I wasn't surprised by his response, or at least I shouldn't have been. One of the things that I know for sure about the first world I lived in is that many of its inhabitants do not trust the law. I had believed this for so long simply because of the conversations that I would hear around me. However, in my second world, I was learning about all of these great freedoms and rights that the law was designed to give all Americans, and I wanted to bring those to my community. 

I started working on this during the summer before my final year of high school. I got an internship with the legal aid office in my neighborhood and spent three months learning from people who, like me, had grown up in Xtown and wanted to help people. During my time in the legal aid office, I understood that the people in my community did not trust the law for two main reasons: 1. They did not understand a lot of it, and 2. It had been used against people like us many times. 

I remember one particular case that Ms. Sharma - the lawyer I was learning from then and who still mentors me today - handled that summer. It was the case of a young mother who had received a notice of eviction from her landlord two days after refusing his advances. The man claimed that she violated her contract because she made homemade shea butter that she sold on Etsy. Ms. Sharma had me look through her rental agreement. After she confirmed that I was right in determining that the young mother had not violated her contract, she contacted the landlord to advise him that what he was doing was intimidation and sexual harassment. 

My experiences in the legal aid office with Ms. Sharma opened my eyes to the disgusting behavior of human beings, but it also gave me the opportunity to see that the law was my opportunity to use what I learned in my second world to help the community that I was raised in. I returned to school with a new motivation that followed me to college. In addition to completing my bachelor's degree in sociology and African American studies, I spent most of my college years participating in legal internships and community outreach programs. 

I believe that these experiences have given me the foundation I need to be a successful law student and, eventually, a lawyer who can truly be an advocate for members of his community. 

Law school personal statement example #14

One day, my parents noticed that the other children in my age group had been speaking and communicating, but I had not. At first, they thought that my lack of speech was just me being shy, but eventually, they realized that on the rare occasions that I did speak, my words were practically incomprehensible. It wasn't long before they took me to a specialist who diagnosed me with a severe phonological disorder that hindered my ability to verbalize the basic sounds that make up words.

I started going to speech therapy when I was three years old. I saw numerous speech therapists, many of whom believed that I would never be able to communicate effectively with others. Lucky for me, my parents did not give up on me. I went to speech therapy thrice a week until the 8th grade, and I gave every single session my all. I also spent a lot of time in my room practicing my speech by myself. My efforts paid off, and even though I didn't become a chatterbox overnight, I could at least communicate effectively. 

This was a short-lived victory, though. A year later, my speech impediment was back, and my ability to articulate words was once again severely limited. This complicated matters because it was my freshman year of high school, and I was in a brand-new school where I did not know anyone. Having been bullied in middle school, I knew first-hand how vicious kids can be, and I didn't want to be the butt of any more jokes, so I didn't try to speak at school. I knew that this was preventing me from making new friends or participating in class and that it was probably not helping my impediment, but I was not ready to face the fact that I needed to go back to speech therapy. 

Eventually, I stopped resisting and went back to speech therapy. At the time, I saw it as accepting defeat, and even though my speech improved significantly, my self-confidence was lower than it had ever been. If you ask any of my high school classmates about me, they will likely tell you that I am very quiet or timid – both of which are not true, but they have no way of knowing otherwise. I barely spoke or interacted with my peers for most of high school. Instead, I focused on my studies and extracurricular activities that didn't involve much collaboration, like yearbook club and photography. 

It was only when I was getting ready for college that I realized that I was only hurting myself with my behavior. I knew I needed to become more confident about my speech to make friends and be the student I wanted to be in college. So, I used the summer after my high school graduation to get some help. I started seeing a new speech therapist who was also trained as a counselor, and she helped me understand my impediment better. For example, I now know that I tend to stutter when stressed, but I also know that taking a few deep breaths helps me get back on track. 

Using the confidence that I built in therapy that summer, I went to college with a new pep in my step. I pushed myself to meet new people, try new things, and join extracurricular organizations when I entered college. I applied to and was accepted into a competitive freshman leadership program called XYZ. Most of XYZ's other members were outgoing and highly involved in their high school communities. In other words, they were the complete opposite of me. I didn't let that intimidate me. Instead, I made a concerted effort to learn from them. If you ask any of my teammates or other classmates in college, they will tell you that I was an active participant in discussions during meetings and that I utilized my unique background to share a different perspective.

My experience with XYZ made it clear to me that my speech disorder wouldn't hold me back as long as I did not stand in my own way. Once I understood this, I kept pushing past the boundaries I had set for myself. I began taking on leadership roles in the program and looking for ways to contribute to my campus community outside of XYZ. For example, I started a community outreach initiative that connected school alumni willing to provide pro bono services to different members of the community who were in need. 

Now, when I look back at my decision to go back to speech therapy, I see it as a victory. I understand that my speech impediment has shaped me in many ways, many of which are positive. My struggles have made me more compassionate. My inability to speak has made me a better listener. Not being able to ask questions or ask for help has made me a more independent critical thinker. I believe these skills will help me succeed in law school, and they are part of what motivates me to apply in the first place. Having struggled for so long to speak up for myself, I am ready and eager for the day when I can speak up for others who are temporarily unable to. 

“ You talk too much; you should be a lawyer.” 

I heard that sentence often while growing up because Congolese people always tell children who talk a lot that they should be lawyers. Sometimes I wonder if those comments did not subconsciously trigger my interest in politics and then the law. If they did, I am grateful for it. I am thankful for all the experiences that have brought me to this point where I am seeking an education that will allow me to speak for those who don’t always know how to, and, more importantly, those who are unable to. 

For context, I am the child of Congolese immigrants, and my parents have a fascinating story that I will summarize for you: 

A 14-year-old girl watches in confusion as a swarm of parents rush through the classroom, grabbing their children, and other students start running from the class. Soon she realizes that she and one other student are the only ones left, but when they both hear the first round of gunshots, no one has to tell them that it is time to run home. On the way home, she hears more gunshots and bombs. She fears for her survival and that of her family, and she starts to wonder what this war means for her and her family. Within a few months, her mother and father are selling everything they own so that they can board a plane to the US.

On the other side of the town, a 17-year-old boy is being forced to board a plane to the US because his mother, a member of parliament and the person who taught him about the importance of integrity, has been executed by the same group of soldiers who are taking over the region. 

They met a year later, outside the principal’s office at a high school in XXY. They bonded over the many things they have in common and laughed at the fact that their paths probably never would have crossed in Bukavu. Fast forward to today, they have been married for almost two decades and have raised three children, including me. 

Growing up in a Congolese household in the US presented was very interesting. On the one hand, I am very proud of the fact that I get to share my heritage with others. I speak French, Lingala, and Swahili – the main languages of Congo – fluently. I often dress in traditional clothing; I performed a traditional Congolese dance at my high school’s heritage night and even joined the Congolese Student Union at Almamatter University. 

On the other hand, being Congolese presented its challenges growing up. At a young age, I looked, dressed, and sounded different from my classmates. Even though I was born in the US, I had picked up a lot of my parents’ accents, and kids loved to tease me about it. Ignorant comments and questions were not uncommon. “Do you speak African?” “You’re not American! How did you get here?” “You don’t look African” “My mom says I can’t play with you because your parents came here to steal our jobs”. These are some of the polite comments that I heard often, and they made me incredibly sad, especially when classmates I considered my friends made them. 

My parents did not make assimilating any easier. My mother especially always feared I would lose my Congolese identity if they did not make it a point to remind me of it. She often said, “Just because you were born in America doesn’t mean that you are not Congolese anymore.” On one occasion, I argued that she always let me experience my Congolese side, but not my American side. That was the first time she told me I should be a lawyer. 

Having few friends and getting teased in school helped me learn to be comfortable on my own. I Often found refuge and excitement in books. I even started blogging about the books I read and interacting with other readers online. As my following grew, I started to use my platform to raise awareness about issues that I am passionate about, like climate change, the war in Congo, and the homeless crisis here in XXY. I was able to start a fundraising campaign through my blog that raised just under $5000 for the United Way – a local charity that helps the homeless in my city. 

This experience helped me understand that I could use my skills and the few tools at my disposal to help people, both here in America and one day, maybe even in Congo. I realized that I am lucky enough to have the option of expanding that skillset through education in order to do more for the community that welcomed my grandparents, uncles, aunties, and parents when they had nowhere else to go. 

The journey was not easy because while I received immense support and love from my family for continuing my education, I had to teach myself how to prepare and apply to college. Once there I had to learn on my own what my professors expected of me, how to study, how to network, and so much more. I am grateful for those experiences too, because they taught me how to be resourceful, research thoroughly, listen carefully, and seek help when I need it. 

All of these experiences have crafted me into who I am today, and I believe that with the right training, they will help me become a great attorney.

Law School Personal Statement Example #16

During my undergraduate studies, in the first two years, I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to do with my career. I enjoyed doing research, but I found that I became more interested in presenting the research than the process of contributing to it. I spoke to most of my science professors to ask if I could participate in their research. I worked in biology labs, chemistry labs, and in psychology classrooms working on a variety of projects that seemed meaningful and interesting. I gained new perspectives on study habits and mental health; the influence of music on the human mind; and applications of surface tension. I noticed that I was always taking the lead when we were presenting our findings to peers and research groups. I enjoyed yielding questions and addressing the captivating the audience with engaging gestures and speech. This was what led me to consider a career in law.

I always thought that I would become a scientist, so when I discovered that there were aspects of law that could be considered “scientific”, I was all ears. Still during my second year of undergraduate studies, I wanted to join an environmental awareness group, but noticed there weren’t any active. So, I took it upon myself to create my own. I wanted to do cleanup projects across the city, so I mapped out parks and areas that we could walk or drive to. I advertised my project to other students and eventually gained approximately fifteen students eager to help out. I was struck by the pollution in the water, the negligence of park maintenance. I drafted a letter to the municipal government and petitioned for a stricter environmental compliance approach. I wanted to advertise fines to hold polluters accountable, as there were hardly any to enforce the rules. A letter was returned to me stating that the government would consider my request. I felt a sense of gratification, of purpose; I discovered that I had the ability to enact change through policy. This drew me closer to the prospect of building a future in law, so I looked at other avenues to learn more.

I still wanted to find a way to bring together my love of science and discourse/communication. As a science student, I had the privilege of learning from professors who emphasized critical thinking; and they gave me a chance to learn that on my own. I took an internship as an environmental planner. There, I helped present project ideas to various groups, updating demographic/development information, and managing planning processes. I engaged in analytical thinking by looking at maps and demographic information to develop potential plans for land use. It was also the experience I was looking for in terms of a balance between science and oral communication. Using data analysis, I spoke to other planners and review boards to bring ideas together and execute a plan.

Through science, I learned how to channel my curiosity and logical thinking; as an advocate, I learned how to be creative and resourceful. Presenting research findings and being questioned in front of a group of qualified researchers, having to be sharp and ready for anything, taught me how to be more concise in speech. Developing an advocacy group dedicated to improving my community showed me what it lacked; it opened my eyes to the impact of initiative and focused collaboration. I was eager to begin another science project, this time with the environment in mind. It was titled “determining and defining the role of sociodemographic factors in air pollution health disparities”. I compiled and summarized relevant research and sent it over to a representative of the municipal government. In a couple of weeks, my request to increase advertising of fines in public areas was agreed to.

This Juris Doctor/Master in Environmental Studies program will allow me to continue deepening my knowledge of environmental law. With my goal of developing a career in environmental affairs, overseeing policies that influence land protection/use, I know that this program will give me the tools I need to succeed. With my experience working with large groups, I also believe I will fit into the larger class sizes at your institution. I understand the value of working together and how to engage in healthy discourse. With your Global Sustainability Certification, I will equip myself the expertise I need to produce meaningful change in environmental policy.

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Law School Personal Statement #17

Growing up in a poor neighborhood, what my friends used to call “the ghetto”, I was always looking for my way out. I tried running away, but I always ended up back home in that tiny complex, barely enough room to fit all my brothers and sisters with my parents. My dad was disabled and couldn’t work, and my mother was doing her best working full-time as a personal-support worker. There was nothing we could do to get out of our situation, or so it seemed. It wasn’t until years later when I started my undergraduate degree that ironically, after I found my way out, that I began looking for a way to come back. I wanted to be a voice for people living in those bleak conditions; hungry, without work. Helpless.

Getting my degree in social work was one of the best decisions of my life. It gave me the tools to lobby for solutions to problems in poor communities. I knew my neighborhood better than anyone because I grew up there. I had the lived experience. I started working with the local government to develop programs for my clients; the people living in those same neighborhoods. We worked to provide financial assistance, legal aid, housing, and medical treatment—all things sorely lacking. My proudest moment was securing the funds and arranging surgery for my father’s bad hip and knees. I’m currently working on a large project with one of the community legislators to lobby for a harm reduction model addressing addiction in our communities.

With five years of experience as a social worker, I knew it was time for a career change when I learned that I could have more influence on public opinion and legislative decisions as a social-security disability lawyer. I knew firsthand that people victimized from racism, poverty, and injury needed more help than they were currently allotted. I knew that, from becoming and advocate and communicating with influential members of the local government, that I could do more with a law degree helping people attain basic needs like disability benefits, which are often denied outright.

This desire to help people get the help they need from local programs and government resources brought me to Scarborough, a small town outside of Toronto. I was aware of some of the issues afflicting this community, since I’d handled a few clients from there as a children’s disability social worker. Addiction and homelessness were the two main ones. I worked with children with ADHD or other physical/mental disabilities impairing their ability to attend school and function normally. I helped many of them get an IEP with the details of the special services they require, long overdue. I made sure each child got the care they needed, including special attention in school. Also noticing that so many of these families lacked proper nutrition, I organized a report detailing this finding. In it, I argued that the community needed more funds targeting lowest income families. I spoke directly with a legislator, which eventually got the city on board with developing a program more specifically for the lowest income families with residents under 18.

My goal has always been to be a voice for the inaudible, the ignored, who’ve been victimized by inadequate oversight from the ground up. Many of these groups, as I’ve witnessed firsthand, don’t have the luxury of being their own advocates. They are too busy trying to support their families, to put food on the table for their children. I’ve realized that it isn’t quite enough to work directly with these families to connect them with resources and ensure they get the support they need. Sometimes the support simply doesn’t exist, or it isn’t good enough. This is why I’m motivated to add a law degree to my credentials so I can better serve these people and communities. As a future social-security disability lawyer, I want to work with local governments to assist clients in navigating an assistance system and improving it as much as possible. This program will give me the access to a learning environment in which I can thrive and develop as an advocate.

Law School Personal Statement #18

“You’re worthy and loved”, I said to a twelve-year-old boy, Connor, whom I was supervising and spending time with during the Big Brother program at which we met. A few tears touched my shoulder as I pulled him into me, comforting him. He was a foster child. He didn’t know his parents and never stayed in one place longer than a few months; a year if he was lucky. I joined the program not expecting much. I was doing it for extra credit, because I wanted to give back to the community somehow and I thought it would be interesting to meet people. He confided in me; he told me that his foster parents often yelled at each other, and him. He told me he needed to escape. I called Child Protective Services and after a thorough investigation, they determined that Connor’s foster parents weren’t fit for fostering. He was moved, yet again, to a different home.

I wrote an op-ed detailing my experience as a Big Brother. I kept names anonymous. I wanted people to know how hard it was for children in the welfare system. Many of them, like Connor, were trapped in a perpetual cycle of re-homing, neglect, and even abuse. He and other children deserve stability and unconditional love. That should go without saying. I sent the op-ed to a local magazine and had it published. In it, I described not only the experience of one unfortunate kid, but many others as well who saw their own stories being told through Connor. I joined a non-profit organization dedicated to improving access to quality education for young people. I started learning about disparities in access; students excluded by racial or financial barriers. I was learning, one step at a time, how powerful words can be.

With the non-profit organization, I reached out to a few public schools in the area to represent some of our main concerns with quality of education disparities. Our goal was to bring resources together and promote the rights of children in education. We emphasized that collaboration between welfare agencies and schools was critical for education stability. Together, we created a report of recommendations to facilitate this collaboration. We outlined a variety of provisions, including more mechanisms for child participation, better recruitment of social service workers in schools, risk management and identification strategies, and better support for students with child protection concerns.

The highlight of that experience was talking to an assembly of parents and school faculty to present our findings and recommendations. The title of the presentation was “The Power of Words”. I opened with the story I wrote about in the op-ed. I wanted to emphasize that children are individuals; those trapped in the welfare system are not a monolith. They each have unique experiences, needs, and desires they want to fulfill in life. But our tools to help them can be improved, more individualized. I spoke about improving the quality of residential care for children and the need to promote their long-term development into further education and employment. Finally, I presented a list of tools we created to help support a more financially sustainable and effective child welfare system. The talk was received with applause and a tenuous commitment from a few influential members of the crowd. It was a start.

Although I lost contact with Connor, I think about him almost every day. I can only hope that the programs we worked on to improve were helping him, wherever he was. I want to continue to work on the ground level of child welfare amelioration, but I realize I will need an education in law to become a more effective advocate for this cause. There are still many problems in the child welfare system that will need to be addressed: limited privacy/anonymity for children, service frameworks that don’t address racism adequately, limited transportation in remote communities, and many more. I’ve gained valuable experience working with the community and learning about what the welfare system lacks and does well. I’m ready to take the next step for myself, my community, and those beyond it.

Assuredly, but this length varies from school to school. As with all important details of your law school application, thoroughly research your specific schools’ requirements and guidelines before both writing and editing your personal statement to ensure it fits their specifics. The average length is about 2 pages, but don’t bother drafting your statement until you have specific numbers from your schools of choice. It’s also a good idea to avoid hitting the maximum length unless absolutely necessary. Be concise, keep economy of language in mind, and remain direct, without rambling or exhaustive over-explanation of your ideas or experiences.

You should keep any words that aren’t your own to a minimum. Admissions committees don’t want to read a citation-heavy academic paper, nor do they respond well to overused famous quotes as themes in personal statements. If you absolutely must include a quote from elsewhere, be sure to clearly indicate your quote’s source. But in general, it’s best to keep the personal statement restricted to your own words and thoughts. They’re evaluating you, not Plato! It’s a personal statement. Give them an engaging narrative in your own voice. 

Admissions committees will already have a strong sense of your academic performance through your transcripts and test scores, so discussing these in your personal statement is generally best avoided. You can contextualize these things, though—if you have an illuminating or meaningful story about how you came to receive an award, or how you enjoyed or learned from the work that won you the award, then consider discussing it. Overall though, it’s best to let admissions committees evaluate your academic qualifications and accomplishments from your transcripts and official documents, and give them something new in the personal statement. 

When you first sit down to begin, cast a wide net. Consider all the many influences and experiences that have led you to where you are. You’ll eventually (through editing and rewriting) explain how these shape your relationship to a career in law, but one of the best things you can give yourself during the initial drafting phase is a vast collection of observations and potential points for development. As the New England School of Law points out in their, “just write!” Let the initial draft be as messy as it needs to be, and refine it from there. It’s a lot easier to condense and sharpen a big draft than it is to try to tensely craft a perfect personal statement from nothing.  

Incredibly important, as should be clear by now! Unlike other specialties, law schools don’t usually conduct interviews with applicants, so your personal statement is in effect your one opportunity to speak with the admissions committee directly. Don’t let that gravity overwhelm you when you write, but keep it in mind as you edit and dedicate time to improving your initial drafts. Be mindful of your audience as you speak with them, and treat writing your personal statement as a kind of initial address in what, hopefully, will eventually turn into an ongoing dialogue.  

There are a variety of factors that can make or break a law school personal statement. You should aim to achieve at least a few of the following: a strong opening hook; a compelling personal narrative; your skills and competencies related to law; meaningful experiences; why you’re the right fit for the school and program.

Often, they do. It’s best for you to go to the schools you’re interesting in applying to so you can find out if they have any specific formatting or content requirements. For example, if you wanted to look at NYU law or Osgoode Hall Law School , you would find their admissions requirements pages and look for information on the personal statement.

There are lots of reasons why a personal statement might not work. Usually, applicants who don’t get accepted didn’t come up with a good strategy for this essay. Remember, you need to target the specific school and program. Other reasons are that the applicant doesn’t plan or proofread their essay. Both are essential for submitting materials that convince the admissions committee that you’re a strong candidate. You can always use law school admissions consulting application review to help you develop your strategy and make your essay stand out.

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Have a question ask our admissions experts below and we'll answer your questions.

How long should a Personal Statement be? Is there any rule on that?

BeMo Academic Consulting

Hello V! Thanks for your question. Some schools will gave very specific word limits, while some will not. If you do not have a limit indicated, try to stick to no more than a page, 600-800 words. 

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