Letters of Recommendation

LawHub. Law schools are not looking for personal recommendations. They are looking for academic or professional letters of recommendation. The most effective letters are those written by individuals who can speak toward your strength in an academic or professional setting. While this can include professors or work supervisors, you can ask anyone who knows you well enough to describe your academic, personal, or professional achievements with candor, detail, and objectivity. This can include coaches, RAs, teaching assistants, clients, and colleagues who may not be in a supervisory role but worked on projects with you. Studies should be as specific as possible when describing your strengths and, if possible, compare you to your peers in an academic or professional setting. Letters of recommendation are a significant portion of your application, so it is important to prepare for this section of your application, too. You should approach potential recommenders respectfully and with plenty of time to prepare your letter. Like you, they have a busy life with obligations. When asking them to write your letters, it is important to specifically ask if they can write you a strong or positive letter of recommendation. If they say no or hesitate in any way, you should thank them and move on to someone else. Once someone indicates they are able to write you a strong letter of recommendation, it is helpful to ask them if there's anything you can provide to help them prepare. Some might request to see your personal statement, résumé, or previous work that you may have done for them. Others might want you to drop in for office hours or to meet for coffee to hear more about your goals. LawHub.