The Legal Cover Letter

A cover letter has one job. It tells an employer why you want to work for them, and why they should want you. Legal employers expect a specific, conservative format, so this guide walks through it paragraph by paragraph and gives you a template you can start from. Keep it to one page, write it in your own words, and tailor every letter to the employer you are sending it to.

Download Word template (.docx) View PDF example

Example layout of a one-page legal cover letter using placeholder text

Anatomy of the letter

What goes where

Heading block

Your name and contact information at the top, then the date, then the employer’s name and address. Match this block to your resume so the two documents look like one package.

Salutation

Address a specific person by last name when you can, for example “Dear Ms. Carter:”. If you do not have a name, write “Dear Hiring Committee:”. Never use a first name, and never write “To Whom It May Concern.”

Body, four paragraphs

Introduction, why this employer, why you, and a closing. Each one does a specific job, which the section below breaks down.

Sign-off

Close with “Sincerely,” leave room for a signature, and type your name. List your enclosures, such as your resume and writing sample, on the line below.

The body

The four paragraphs

This is the structure most law school career offices teach. You can split the middle into two paragraphs if you have a lot to say, but four is the standard, and the whole letter still fits on one page.

Open by saying who you are and what you want. State your year and school, for example a rising 2L, and the exact position you are applying for. If a person referred you or you met someone at the firm, mention it here, because a name gets attention. Then add one sentence that previews why you are a good fit, so the reader has a reason to keep going.

Tip: name the specific position and office. A letter that could have been sent to any firm reads like it was.

What employers expect

Formatting rules

One page, three or four paragraphs

Single spaced, with a blank line between paragraphs. It is rare for a student to need more than one page.

Business letter format

Include your contact block, the date, and the employer’s inside address. Missing either one looks careless.

Use a name when you can

Address a real person by last name. If you cannot find one, address the hiring committee. Never use a first name.

Tailor every letter

Write a fresh letter for each employer. Do not copy sample language word for word, because it will not fit you.

Match your resume

Use the same heading, font, and contact block as your resume so the documents look like one package.

Show, do not tell

Back up every claim about your skills with a specific example from your work or your classes.

Keep the tone professional and warm

It is fine to let some personality come through in your word choice. Stiff and robotic is not the goal.

Send as a PDF

Export to PDF so the formatting cannot shift, and name the file FirstLast_CoverLetter.pdf.

Proofread, then proofread again

A letter addressed to the wrong firm, or with the wrong name, can end your candidacy before it starts.

Common mistakes

Sending a generic letter that could go to any employer.
Naming the wrong firm or contact, usually from reusing an old letter.
Leaving out the inside address or the date.
Using a first name in the salutation, or “To Whom It May Concern.”
Repeating the resume instead of explaining what it shows.
Running past one page, or filling it with words that add nothing.
Claiming skills with no example to prove them.