An attorney cover letter is an invitation to the hiring manager, the law firm’s senior partner, or perhaps the reader to consider and read through your resume.
It is your opportunity to convince the hiring team that they simply have to schedule an in-person interview with you to learn more about you and what you have to offer their law firm.
When writing this letter, you will want to avoid too much creativity as this can be a setback for you. Make the letter professional and temper your enthusiasm just a little bit. You should also follow a tried and accurate format.
Free Templates
Welcome to our collection of attorney cover letter templates, where you can find meticulously crafted resources to enhance your job application process. An attorney cover letter template is a pre-designed document that assists you in creating a persuasive and professional cover letter specific to the legal field. Our library offers a range of professionally designed templates, curated to meet the diverse needs of legal professionals. These templates are readily available for free download, providing utmost convenience to our valued users.
Writing a Good Attorney Cover Letter
Following are the steps for drafting an effective attorney cover letter:
Write full name
Make sure to use the names under which you have been admitted to the bar if you are a lawyer. Provide your street address, including your city, state address, and zip code. Do not give your P.O. box number in place of your address. Include your contact information such as phone number or landline. Indicate whether it is a cell phone number or a landline.
Provide your email address in terms of recent days; most employers tend to reach out to interesting candidates by email first.
Other information
Immediately below this information, enter the date, followed by the law firm’s name and address. Enter an “ATTN:” line with the person’s official name within the firm to whom you are addressing the letter. Another acceptable format is to name the individual on the first line and cite his/her position directly beneath her name, above the company name
Salutation
Start your letter with “Dear Hiring Manager or Partner.” If you already know their name, use their last name.
For example:
“Dear Jones.”
Opening paragraph
Craft your opening paragraph in a captivating or compelling way to encourage the reader to continue reading. State the position for which you are applying and explain how you learned of the job vacancy. The opening paragraph is also an excellent place to mention the name of the person who referred you, a familiar acquaintance, or the brief knowledge you have about the firm- it might be a legal argument they made or a critical case they won. This shows that you did your research well and took the time to look into the law firm and its overall management structure.
The body of the letter
In this section, explain in detail your education, skills, and experience. Remember that all this information is captured in your resume and, therefore, do not go into every detail here.
Give a summary of what the reader will learn if he/she reads your resume next. This paragraph includes the name of the law school you graduated from, where you were admitted to the bar, where you have worked, the experience you gained from those law firms, and what you did for those firms. Try as much as possible to confine all this information to not more than four sentences.
Use another paragraph to match your specific skills to the position’s requirements as part of your letter’s body. You can also mention any relevant awards that you have received so far, plus any other accomplishments. Back up your statements with evidence whenever applicable. For instance, don’t just assert that you are a skilled divorce lawyer. Support it with some proof. Highlight that you are an award-winning divorce counsel. Don’t just mention that you contributed to your previous firm’s success. Instead, mention that for instance; you developed and implemented new software that saved the legal department a great deal of money.
Related: Law school letter of recommendation samples
Capture attention
This is the closing paragraph of your cover letter. Use this section to appreciate the reader or the firm for taking their time to consider your application and convince them why you feel you would make a good addition to their team. Enlighten the reader about how your background experience, skills, and previous achievements make you the ideal candidate for the job.
In the same paragraph, request an interview or a meeting. Indicate how and when you will follow up on your cover letter and mention the best method to reach you. The closing paragraph is the perfect section to direct the reader to your P.O. box, in case your physical address is not your mailing address, and you want to receive notification of a potential interview via snail mail.
Finalise
Sign off your letter in a formal way, for example, “yours respectfully,” “sincerely,” and add your name and signature below the closing tag. Beneath this, add all the essential “enclosures” lines.
Proofread the letter
Reread your letter to check for grammatical errors, punctuation, and typing mistakes. Minor, avoidable mistakes can cost you an interview. You are looking for a legal professional position, which implies that you should possess good writing skills and attention to detail. Therefore, proofread the letter, perhaps the next day, after writing the letter, to ensure that it is correct and up to standard before sending it off.
Make sure that your cover letter is one page or less in length. Avoid too many details as most employers want to peruse through the letter within the shortest time possible.
Attorney Cover Letter Sample
Following are some attorney cover sample letters given for your understanding:
Sample 1
Joseph Hendricks
(224) 254-8734
12th March 2015
Dear Hiring Manager,
I am elated to be applying for the position of Attorney at Edgar and Hove. I am very interested in this role as my experience matches your firm’s approach to how you handle your clients and cases.
I have played a crucial role in many high-profile cases in my 8 years of firm experience. I am competent in trial presentations and client consultations. I also possess strong analytical and problem-solving skills. I also have the special ability to relate to a wide range of traits in different fields.
I am currently undertaking supervisory roles such as leading a team of contract administrators and paralegals. I am licensed by the State Bar of Nevada. I also have a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the University of Nevada, where I graduated at the top of my class.
I believe that my background knowledge of corporate law will be a great addition to your firm. I am looking forward to learning more about this Attorney position at your firm. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Joseph Hendricks
Sample 2
Joseph Hendricks
(224) 254-8734
12th March 2015
Dear Hiring Manager,
I am elated to be applying for the position of Attorney at Edgar and Hove. I am very interested in this role as my experience matches your firm’s approach to how you handle your clients and cases.
I have played a crucial role in many high-profile cases in my 8 years of firm experience. I am competent in trial presentations and client consultations. I also possess strong analytical and problem-solving skills. I also have the special ability to relate to a wide range of traits in different fields.
I am currently undertaking supervisory roles such as leading a team of contract administrators and paralegals. I am licensed by the State Bar of Nevada. I also have a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the University of Nevada, where I graduated at the top of my class.
I believe that my background knowledge of corporate law will be a great addition to your firm. I am looking forward to learning more about this Attorney position at your firm. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Joseph Hendricks
Attorney Cover Letter Tips
With so many people applying for the same job opportunity as you, you might be wondering how you can stand out and attain that dream attorney job. Well, the first step to putting yourself above your competition is through drafting a good attorney cover letter.
We have compiled the top five essential tips for drafting an impressive attorney cover letter that lets you shine among your competitors:
- Know who is reading your letter- research the firm and find out the name of the person responsible for hiring. If you can write to a specific person, you will have better chances than those using generic salutations.
- Introduce yourself with power- Begin your attorney cover letter with a strong and powerful statement such as “I am an award-winning divorce attorney” or “I am a professional technical writer” to show your potential employer that you are an authority. Avoid unprofessional words.
- When writing the letter, don’t make it just about you- Your primary focus should be about the value that you see in the company and the specific qualities that make you an asset to them, and not the other way around. Show the hiring manager that you care about what they do and their organization.
- Show your appreciation- Always thank the hiring manager for the opportunity to apply and for their consideration before signing off your attorney cover letter. Let them know that you are genuinely grateful for even considering you.
- Provide accurate contact information: Make the process of reaching out to you easier for the hiring managerrs by providing them with your accurate contact information. If you provide them with your cell phone number, but you feel email is more convenient and reliable means, let them know that.
Frequently Asked Questions
An excellent law cover letter should have a clear structure, such as:
• An introduction to your cover letter
• A paragraph explaining your interest to work for the law firm
• A paragraph highlighting why you feel you are the best fit for the advertised position
• The ending to your law covering letter.
i. In not more than four sentences, mention why you are an excellent fit for the position and why you are enthusiastic about the job and the company.
ii. In one/two paragraphs link your previous achievements with the job requirements as listed in the job description. Emphasize your most relevant experiences, skills, and qualifications. Whenever possible, quantify your accomplishments with data and facts. Make it brief.
iii. Sign off your letter by thanking the employer/hiring manager for their time and consideration. Additionally, you can sum up your qualifications for the position and express your interest in following up and continuing to the next phase of the hiring process.
According to a recent legal fees database, an attorney practicing on their charges roughly between $750 and $1,200 to write and send a letter. Smaller firms charge anywhere between $1000 to $1500 for their services.
• Give a brief introduction about yourself in the first paragraph
• In a few sentences, detail your skills and how you have enhanced them
• Be clear and realistic about your areas of contribution to the company in the short run
• Discuss the unique traits of the employer that allows them to outperform other competitors.
• Be clear about your work experience objectives.
• Thank your potential employer for reading your letter and leave your contact details. Remember to indicate which section of law you want to specialize in, if applicable.
Conclusion
A good attorney cover letter is a key and only opportunity to market your potential and know-how to a prospective employer. It should be single-paged and should not exceed 700 words.
When drafting an attorney cover letter, you need to ensure that you highlight why you feel you suit the law firm and you make your points as concise as possible because you are but one among many other applicants.
Most importantly, it would be best if you learned how to market yourself. Finally, as a paralegal, you should always proofread your letter or gather a few friends to help you reread or even role-play as potential employers and see if they are convinced by your law-covering letter. Above all, be patient and draft on. Best of Luck!
About This Article
