Cover Letters
from http://www.law.berkeley.edu/1147.htm
A. Purpose
Your cover letter is as important as your resumebecause it is often read first and plays a vital role in your quest foran interview. A cover letter is not a transmittal letter, andyou may be surprised at how time-consuming it is to craft a good one. Acover letter has a purpose, which is to let an employer know why theyshould bother reading your resume and why they should meet you. It alsoserves as an example of your written work product; thus it should beclear, brief, and written in a business letter style, without anytypographical errors.
B. Types
1. Cover letters for unsolicited applications come in three main types:
- Personal Letter. These are the most effectivecover letters and are sent to people you have met or with whom you havea mutual acquaintance. These letters should all start with thesentence: “_______ recommended that I contact you.” As this type ofletter is most likely to get a response, if you have any possibility ofestablishing this sort of connection to a prospective employer inadvance of sending your letter, you should try your best to do so.
- Targeted Letters. Next best thing. Targetedletters are based on research of the employer, and are individuallytailored. Your letter should incorporate the information learnedthrough your research to show the employer that you have skills theywill be able to put to use.
- Mass Mailers. Least desirable. These are genericexcept for the name and address of the employer, and have a very lowsuccess rate of getting interviews.
2. When you respond to a job listing, you will usually be requestedto submit a cover letter as part of your application. In this case, usethe job description and requested qualifications as a guide. While notslavishly following the language of the listing, your letter shoulddemonstrate that you have what the employer is looking for.
3. A few employers at OCI request that students bring a cover letterto the initial interview. This is essentially to require students tothink about why they want to work for this employer, but it makes for aletter which deviates from the usual “please consider me for aninterview” approach. See below for suggestions on OCI cover letters.
C. Format
Cover letters should follow standard business letter format, as tospacing, salutation, etc. If you are not sure of the fine points,consult a business correspondence reference source. Avoidabbreviations, contractions and shortcuts (such as a slash instead of“or”), although if there is an accepted short form of the name of theorganization you are writing to (e.g., ACLU or Howard Rice) it isacceptable to use it in the text of your letter. Your telephone numberand email address should appear somewhere in the letter, either at thetop with your address, or in the closing paragraph, when you ask themto 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 isalways acceptable to write to the executive director of a nonprofit, orthe hiring partner or head of recruiting at a firm; they can forwardyour application to the appropriate person within the organization. Ifat all possible, write to an individual by name, not to “Director” or“Recruiting Coordinator.” Firm and organization web sites are veryuseful in finding this information (and for confirming correctspellings and the like); it may be more difficult to find the name ofan individual addressee for government job opportunities. If you do nothave the name of an individual, the salutation should be “Dear Sir orMadam” (not “To Whom It May Concern”). Of course if you are respondingto a job posting, address your letter exactly as instructed.
D. Content
First Paragraph. Begin your letter with a statementof who you are and why you are writing. Introduce yourself as a lawstudent (including the year you are in) or a graduate of Berkeley Lawand specify what it is you are seeking: a summer job, an associateposition, a clerkship, part-time work during the school year, etc.
The goal of this paragraph is to give the reader a reason to want tofinish reading the letter. If you don't have a personal connection tocite, try to establish a nexus between yourself and the employer, suchas knowledge of their practice, an established commitment to orinterest in their work, a connection to their city, or something elsewhich conveys that you are not just writing to them as part of a massmailing for any job in any location. (If that in fact is what you aredoing, try not to be too obvious about it. An employer wants to thinkthat you sought him or her out purposely rather than randomly.)
Body Paragraph(s). This is thesection in which you "sell" your experience and qualifications to theemployer. Your goal here is to answer the question, “Why should theemployer meet you?”
Call attention to something which substantiates your interest inthis 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 yourinterest. Try also to show how your experiences will translate intoskills which will be useful to this particular employer. Highlightrelevant qualifications which are not on your resume, such ascoursework, research, or a prior connection to the organization or theissues they work on. If you have general legal skills such asnegotiation, litigation, client counseling, interviewing, mock trials,etc., you may want to include them. As much as possible, try to conveyunderstanding of, and enthusiasm for, the aims of the organization.
Employers do not expect first-year students to have highly-developedlegal skills to offer. Therefore, for first-year students writing toprivate firms, this section can be a single, short paragraph, unlessyou have a strong background in a relevant area. However, eveninexperienced first-year students writing to public interest/sectororganizations should make an effort to describe skills and intereststhat are relevant to the employer.
It is appropriate and not uncommon for a public interest coverletter to be somewhat more detailed or personal than a private sectorcover letter. Of course, it is still very important to be concise, butit is acceptable for the letter to be a full page if your experiencedictates. In a public interest cover letter, it is important both tohighlight your demonstrated commitment to the mission/work/client baseof the organization through your own relevant work or life experience,and to illustrate your relevant skills. Take another look at yourresume for items that show your interest, commitment and skills. Evenif you do not have experience in the specific area in which anorganization works, it is still important to emphasize yourdemonstrated commitment to the public interest, and to draw connectionsbetween that general commitment and the specific work of theorganization. As it is important not to merely regurgitate your resume,consider including a story that illustrates you are interested orqualified in the position.
If your application raises questions that are readily answered, suchas availability after the Bar exam, judicial clerkship plans, etc., theletter can address those; other issues may be better deferred to theinterview stage. Consult a CDO attorney-counselor if you're not surewhether to include something in your cover letter.
Final Paragraph. In your last paragraph, thank themfor their consideration, and say you hope to hear from them soon. Forout-of-town employers, indicate when you plan to be in their geographicarea and state your availability for an interview. Be sure to includeyour phone number and email in this paragraph unless you use aletterhead style that includes them at the top of the page. If youstate 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 (whichyou should do only if the employer requests you to), the content willbe a bit different. You don't need to introduce yourself, as you willbe 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 youwelcome the opportunity to learn more about the employer and to discussthe possibility of working for them. The important thing is to show whyyou are interested in this particular employer, and how you think yourbackground makes you a good match for them.
E. Common Cover Letter Mistakes
The mistakes most commonly found in student cover letters are:
- Restating your resume. “I graduated from theUniversity of Oregon in 2005, with a B.A., cum laude, in PoliticalScience, then worked as a substitute teacher in an urban high schoolbefore starting law school in the fall of 2008.” Don't waste spacewith facts that are readily gleaned from your resume! Instead, youcould say (briefly) how your work experience led you to pursue a legalcareer in an area practiced by the employer.
- Focusing on what you stand to gain from the job. “Iam particularly interested in your firm's excellent training programfor summer associates, and in gaining exposure to a variety ofdifferent practice areas.” Remember, employers only grantinterviews to candidates who offer something of potential use to theemployer. Try to say how your skills and enthusiasm will help theemployer serve its clients, or otherwise further its aims.
- Being too informal or familiar. “I'm thrilledby the possibility of working with you this summer, and would love tomeet with you in person/by phone to chat about what the options mightbe.” 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 aquick study”) do not help your case. Generic reasons for your interestin the employer (e.g., its “excellent reputation”) tend to demonstrateyour lack of specific knowledge. Of course typos and inaccuracies, suchas misspelled names, or (please!) stating an interest in a practicearea that the firm doesn't have, are automatic application-killers.
The sample cover letters at the end of this guide are suggestionsonly; please do not feel excessively constrained by their approach.Your letter should, of course, be original work that reflects yourunique background and the job you are aiming at.
Sample Cover Letters
Sample Cover Letter I 1L Public Sector |
-your street address-
-city, state zip code-
-date
Office of the Attorney General
California Department of Justice
Recruitment and Retention Unit
1300 I Street, Suite 720
Sacramento, CA 95814
Via email: careers@doj.ca.gov
Dear Sir or Madam:
I am a first-year law student at the University of California,Berkeley, School of Law (“Berkeley Law”), and am writing to apply forthe 2009 Public Rights Division Summer Honors Program. As I intend tobegin my legal career in the Bay Area after graduation, my topplacement preference is the San Francisco office (in the area ofconsumer law and false claims) followed by the Oakland office (in thearea of civil rights enforcement).
My academic, personal and professional experience has solidified mycommitment to public service and, in particular, to the vital missionof the Public Rights Division. I would appreciate the opportunity tocontribute to that mission, while learning from the experiencedgovernment attorneys within the section.
While an undergraduate at Boston College, I had the opportunity toserve as an intern at Greater Boston Legal Services. This experienceexposed me to a diverse set of legal issues ranging from employmentdiscrimination to fair housing legislation and provided me with theopportunity to witness the critical role that attorneys play inensuring justice for all parties in need of representation. Throughparticipating in client intake and supporting the attorneys atadministrative hearings, I was able to develop basic fact-finding andinvestigation skills. Most importantly, this internship furthered mydesire to dedicate my legal career to addressing the systematicbarriers preventing millions of Americans from accessing legalprotections and remedies.
Since arriving at Berkeley Law, I have continued to develop myresearch and writing skills through my participation in the BerkeleyJournal of Employment and Labor Law and during the standard course oflegal writing, which required the drafting of three legal memoranda.
My resume and writing sample are enclosed as separate attachments. Iwould welcome the opportunity to discuss with you further myqualifications for summer employment and can be reached at (510)555-5555 or at lawstudent@law.berkeley.edu. Thank you for your time andconsideration.
Very truly yours,
-your signature-
-your name typed-
Enclosures
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Sample Cover Letter II 1L Private Firm |
-your street address-
-city, state zip code-
-date -
Zachary Jones, Esq.
Jones, Brown & Smythe
-street address-
-city, state zip code-
Dear Mr. Jones:
I am a first-year student at the University of California, Berkeley,School of Law, and I am interested in employment with Jones, Brown andSmythe next summer. A copy of my resume is enclosed.
While it is early in my legal career, I have learned a great deal inmy studies to date, including practical research, analysis and writingskills, which I am eager to put to use on behalf of you and yourclients. My prior work experience, primarily in student services whileattending college, has given me a strong sense of client service.
I would welcome the opportunity to interview with your firm; pleasefeel free to contact me at (510) 123-4567, or myname@law.berkeley.edu.I appreciate your time and consideration, and I look forward to hearingfrom you soon.
Sincerely yours,
-your signature-
-your name typed-
Enclosure
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Sample Cover Letter III 1L Public Interest |
-your street address-
-city, state zip code-
-date-
The Children's Law Center Attn: Law Clerk/Intern Hiring 616 H Street, NW , Suite 300
Washington, DC 20001
Dear Sir or Madam:
I am a first-year law student at the University of California,Berkeley, School of Law ("Berkeley Law"). I am writing to apply for asummer internship with the Children's Law Center. I have extensiveexperience working with youth facing difficult circumstances, and hopeto continue this work at the Children's Law Center.
I have a long-standing commitment to working for children and youth.During college, I provided literacy tutoring to elementary schoolstudents. I also served as a youth mentor for high school students.Both of these roles required me to develop rapport with children whowere facing severe challenges at school and in their home lives. I cameto appreciate how important it is for children to have people who arededicated to supporting and advocating for their well-being. It is mycommitment to youth advocacy that influenced my decision to attend lawschool.
Since beginning law school, I have sought out opportunities tocontinue my work with young people, while developing legal skills thatI will need to be an effective youth advocate. As a volunteer with theExpulsion Prevention Project, a student-run pro bono project ofBerkeley Law's Youth and Education Law Society, I work alongsideattorneys to represent high school students at expulsion hearings. Ihave honed my client interviewing skills, building rapport quickly withhigh school students facing expulsion. I have gained critical advocacyexperience through preparing and successfully presenting my client'scase at hearing. In drafting an expulsion hearing brief, I was able toeffective apply the lessons of my first-year legal research and writingcourse to benefit my client. I hope to continue my development as achild and youth advocate through an internship with the Children's LawCenter.
I have attached a copy of my resume. I would welcome an opportunityto meet with you to discuss my interests and qualifications in person,and will be in Washington, D.C. during the week of January 15, 2008. Ican be reached by phone at (510) 555-5555. Thank you for yourconsideration.
Sincerely,
-your signature-
-your name typed-
Enclosure
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Sample Cover Letter IV 1L Private Firm |
-your street address-
-city, state zip code-
-date-
Jane Smith, Esq.
Blank, Blank, & Blank
-street address-
-city, state zip code-
Dear Ms. Smith:
I am writing to express my interest in employment with your firmnext summer. I am currently in my first year as a student at theUniversity of California, Berkeley, School of Law.
I am particularly interested in areas of the law that might drawupon my expertise in economics. As my enclosed resume indicates, I amcurrently pursuing a joint degree in economics at the PhD level, withspecializations in finance and labor economics. My training at the M.A.level was in the area of money and banking. The field of economics hasafforded me a substantive and analytical foundation which I intend toput to use as a practicing attorney. I am confident that my backgroundin economics, together with my legal training, could be an asset toBlank, Blank and Blank's labor or corporate finance department.
I would very much appreciate the opportunity to discuss my candidacywith you. I can be reached by telephone at (510) 123-4567, or email atmyname@law.berkeley.edu. Thank you for considering my application.
Sincerely,
-your signature-
-your name typed-
Enclosure
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Sample Cover Letter V 2L Private Firm |
-your street address-
-city, state zip code-
-date-
Susan R. Smith
Global Recruiting Manager
Blank, Blank & Blank
-street address-
-city, state zip code-
Dear Ms. Smith:
I am a second-year student at the University of California,Berkeley, School of Law ("Berkeley Law") and I am seeking a summerassociate position with your firm. While I elected to pursue myeducation in California, I look forward to returning to the East coastafter graduation, particularly to New York City where I was raised.Blank, Blank and Blank's New York base and mix of practice areas,especially its employment litigation specialty, make it particularlyattractive to me.
As my enclosed resume indicates, I am familiar with law firmsettings through my part-time work in private firms while I was anundergraduate. In my three semesters at Berkeley Law to date, I havegained solid experience in legal research and writing, and a strongfoundation in legal concepts and analysis, including coursework inemployment law. At my job last summer with the EEOC in San Jose, whereI worked with attorneys litigating civil rights violations in theemployment arena, I honed my practical legal skills, as well asdeveloping my understanding of employment law. I am eager to return tothe private sector and put my skills and training to use on behalf ofyour clients.
I will be in New York from December 26th to January 11th, and wouldwelcome the opportunity to speak to you or others at your firm about asummer associate position. If you are able to schedule me for aninterview during that period, please contact me via my cell phone,(510) 987-6543, or email, myname@berkeley.edu. Thank you very much foryour time and consideration.
Sincerely,
-your signature-
-your name typed-
Enclosure
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Sample Cover Letter VI 2L Public Interest |
-your street address-
-city, state zip code-
-date-
Corey Lewis
HR & Intern Administrator
Environmental Defense Fund
257 Park Avenue South, 17th Floor
New York NY 10010
Dear Mr. Lewis:
As a second year law student at University of California, Berkeley,School of Law ("Berkeley Law"), I am writing to apply for a summer lawclerk position with Environmental Defense Fund's New York Office.Environmental Defense Fund's interdisciplinary approach toenvironmental protection is especially exciting to me, and I believe myown background in both environmental law and science makes me a goodfit for EDF's internship program.
I have long been committed to environmental protection. As anEnvironmental Science major in college, I gained a solid foundation inphysical and biological sciences as they relate to the environment. Butit was my community outreach work with Environment California,educating members of the public about legislative efforts to fightglobal warming, that made me realize that I wanted to go to law schoolto learn to use law as a tool for environmental protection.
Since beginning at Berkeley Law, I have gained significantexperience in environmental law and litigation. Through my courseworkin the Environmental Certificate Program, including Environmental Lawand Policy, Public Lands Law, Environmental Pollution, and WaterResources Law, I have developed an understanding of the issues, lawsand regulations, and stakeholders that shape legal environmentaladvocacy. As a summer intern at Earthjustice, I had the opportunity toperform legal research and writing on diverse issues, includingdeforestation, wildlife and wetlands protection, water pollution, andclimate change. I worked extensively on an active lawsuit under theNational Forest Management Act, drafting significant portions of atrial brief, joining in strategy sessions, and meeting with scientistsand experts. Next semester, I will continue developing my environmentallitigation skills through an internship with the U.S. Department ofJustice, Environment and Natural Resource Division.
I believe my experience and commitment to environmental protectionwould allow me to make a substantial contribution to the work of EDF. Ihave enclosed my resume, and would be happy to provide additionalmaterials; please feel free to contact me at (510) 999-9999 ormyname@berkeley.edu Thank you in advance for your time; I look forwardto speaking with you soon.
Yours truly,
-your signature-
-your name typed-
Enclosure
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Sample Cover Letter VII 2L Public Interest |
-your street address-
-city, state zip code-
-date-
Samantha Smith
U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Commission
San Francisco District Office
350 The Embarcadero, Suite 500
San Francisco, CA 94105-1260
Dear Ms. Smith:
As a second-year law student at the University of California,Berkeley, School of Law ("Berkeley Law"), I am writing to apply for asummer internship at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission(EEOC). I had the opportunity recently to meet with EEOC attorney JaneDoe and, after learning more about your office's work, am enthusiasticabout the opportunity to spend my second summer contributing to theEEOC's mission.
Working at the EEOC would be an invaluable opportunity to apply myexperience working on employment discrimination and HIV/AIDS issues ina litigation context. At the San Francisco Human Rights Commission(SFHRC), I handled discrimination complaints, including mediation of anemployment discrimination complaint for which I drafted a settlementagreement. My work at the SFHRC strengthened my understanding of howcity government and regulatory agencies can work to advance civilrights and affirmed my desire to focus my career on fightingdiscrimination. Having worked at an agency whose authority was limitedto investigation and mediation of discrimination complaints, I am eagerto experience the ways that having the authority to litigate affectsthe mediation and resolution of a complaint.
In addition, I have a background in direct service and advocacy. Asa paralegal at the Whitman-Walker Clinic in Washington, D.C., Isupported attorneys providing direct legal services to low-incomeindividuals living with HIV and AIDS. This experience exposed me to arange of critical legal issues facing my clients; in particular, Iworked with a number of clients alleging employment discrimination onthe basis of their HIV status.
I believe these experiences would allow me to make a strongcontribution at the EEOC, while building on a new set of advocacyskills in the area of litigation. Enclosed please find a writing sampleand a resume. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss with you myqualifications for summer employment and can be reached at (510)555-5555 or at lawstudent@law.berkeley.edu. Thank you for your time andconsideration.
Sincerely,
-your signature-
-your name typed-
Enclosures
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Sample Cover Letter VIII 2L Private Firm (Part-Time School Year) |
-your street address-
-city, state zip code-
-date-
Y.A. Tuttle, Esq.
Tuttle and Gehrig
-street address-
-city, state zip code-
Dear Ms. Tuttle:
I am a second-year student at the University of California,Berkeley, School of Law ("Berkeley Law"), and responding to yourlisting in the b-Line for a part-time law clerk position. A copy of myresume is enclosed.
I was pleased to see your posting seeking a law student who isinterested in assisting an attorney in a small criminal defensepractice. I came to law school hoping to pursue a career serving peoplewho have been accused of committing crimes. This desire was confirmedby my positive experience in my criminal law course here at BerkeleyLaw, and by my work last summer with the Alameda County PublicDefender, where I also acquired real-world experience of the procedureand practice of criminal defense work. Research and writing are, Ibelieve, among my strong skills, and I would welcome the opportunityboth to develop them and put them to use on behalf of you and yourclients.
Thank you for considering me for this position. I hope to have theopportunity to discuss my candidacy with you. I can be reached at (510)123-4567, or myname@berkeley.edu.
Very truly yours,
-your signature-
-your name typed-
Enclosure
