Sample Cover Letters
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Sample 1L cover letter
45 Market Street
Concord, NH 03301
November 12, 20––
Michael R. Pelletier, Esq.
Pelletier & Siegal
85 Currant Street
Manchester, NH 03302
Dear Mr. Pelletier:
I would like to be considered for a summer law clerk position you
recently posted at Franklin Pierce Law Center. I will complete my
first year of law school in May and I am very interested in working for
Pelletier & Siegal this summer because of your firm's focus on
family law. I plan to practice in New Hampshire upon
graduation and am committed to learning as much as possible about New
Hampshire family law.
As a family law paralegal, I greatly enjoyed working on these
matters. Working with clients and assisting with difficult child
abuse cases inspired me to get further involved and become a Guardian
Ad Litem. I found GAL work extremely rewarding. This work
and my experience as a paralegal confirmed my desire to attend law
school and become a family law practitioner.
In my law school classes, I have developed practical legal
skills. I have drafted contracts, written briefs and memoranda,
and prepared pleadings. In addition, I am currently researching
and writing a moot court brief on surrogate parenting. I would
now like to apply my experience and skills in working in family law
this summer.
Thank you for your consideration. I am enclosing a resume for
your review and will be calling you within the next two weeks to see if
you would be interested in arranging a meeting.
Sincerely,
Paul Garcia
Paul Garcia
Enclosure
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Sample 1L cover letter
67A N. Spring Street
Concord, NH 03301
November 26, 20––
Ms. Frances Sheridan
Sheridan, Mossi, Greenleaf and Rubin
156 Maryland Avenue
Annapolis, MD 21401
Dear Ms. Sheridan:
I would like to be considered for the summer law clerk position you
recently listed with Franklin Pierce Law Center. I will complete
my second year of law school in May and am looking forward to gaining
practical experience. Having spent sometime in Annapolis while
enrolled in the University of Maryland, I would very much like to
return there this summer and upon graduation.
I would like to gain experience in real estate, zoning and municipal
law as I plan to practice in these areas. I was interested in
these areas before I came to law school and have been spending the last
few months learning more about them. From speaking with
attorneys, faculty members, and students, I have learned how important
it is to understand how federal, state and local regulations impact
real estate development, to be scrupulous about every detail of a real
estate transaction, and to work well with individual landowners,
corporate developers, city officials and area businesses. I am
eager to learn more about your practice in these areas and to apply the
skills I have gained this year.
As you may know, Pierce Law stresses practical learning. Already
I have drafted a complaint for breach of contract, written a memo
analyzing recreational use statutes, and observed state legislative
hearings. This spring I will be drafting a brief for a moot court
appellate case, and have requested one on the topic of eminent domain
proceedings. I appreciate having these experiences in my first
year and would like to build on them this summer.
Thank you for your consideration. I am enclosing a resume for
your review and will be calling you within the next two weeks to see if
you would be interested in arranging a meeting.
Sincerely,
Raisa Jamback
Raisa Jamback
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Sample 2L cover letter
572 Hillcrest Road
Bow, NH 03304
December 3, 20––
Jules C. Fiske, Esq.
George, Yakos and Weiss
699 Parkside Boulevard
Phillipsburg, NJ 08865
Dear Attorney Fiske:
Monica Willender at the Coalition for Affordable Housing in Newark
recently spoke to me about your work and suggested I contact you.
I am a second year student at Franklin Pierce Law Center in Concord,
NH, and am very interested in working with you this summer because of
your work in social security, civil litigation and civil rights cases.
I am particularly interested in working for you
because of what I have learned about your firm structure and approach
to legal issues. From talking to Monica Willender, I understand
that you focus on a proactive, team approach to solving problems and
reducing legal costs. I also understand that you seek to maximize
the use of technology to communicate effectively with clients and
co–workers. I have been really impressed by what I have learned
about how you combine private practice and taking civil rights cases
pro bono and would love to learn more about your practice by working
for you this summer.
I am eager to hone the practical skills I have
gained in law school. I thoroughly enjoyed advocating for Social
Security claimants through Pierce Law's Consumer and Commercial Law
Clinic and want to build my knowledge and skills further in this
area. I am currently writing a law journal article on state civil
rights claims, and would welcome the opportunity to work on your civil
rights cases. I am very excited about combining my law school
training with the hands–on opportunity your firm would offer and I am
ready to work hard to make this a rewarding experience for both of us.
Thank you for your consideration. I am
enclosing a resume for your review. I plan to be in New Jersey in
February, and would like to meet with you then, if convenient. I
will be calling you within the next two weeks to see if you would be
interested in arranging a meeting.
Sincerely,
Ciaran Thompson
Ciaran Thompson
Enclosure
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Sample 3L cover letter
25 Union Street
Concord, NH 03301
September 12, 20––
Terry C. Sergi, Esq.
Trask, Sergi & Chu
1821 Smith Street
New York, NY 22012
Dear Ms. Sergi:
My sister, Sherry Lamenter, a former client of yours, suggested that I
write to you to express my interest in working as an associate with
your firm. I am a third year law student at Franklin Pierce Law
Center in Concord, New Hampshire and intend to return to New York to
practice after graduation. Sherry has spoken with me on several
occasions about Trask, Sergi & Chu. My conversations with her
made me interested in your business law practice, particularly your
firm's emphasis on litigation and representation of smaller businesses
in the New York area.
I am eager to build upon the practical experience I have had in
business law. As a summer law clerk at the Small Business
Administration, I really enjoyed working and negotiating with attorneys
on issues facing small businesses, including securing loans, obtaining
relief from automatic stays and assessing business development
potential. During my externship at Gore, Inc., I learned about
the legal demands facing a large corporation. Researching such
issues as the Whistleblower Act and hazardous material disposal, made
me even more interested in business law. I now look forward to
working in this area.
Thank you for your consideration. I plan to be in New York City
in November, and would like, if possible, to meet with you then.
I am enclosing my resume for your review and will be calling you within
the next few weeks to see if you would be interested in arranging a
meeting.
Sincerely,
Dana Mattila
Dana Mattila
Enclosure
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Sample 2L cover letter
4190 Rumford Street
Concord, NH 03301
September 5, 20––
Ralph P. Truini, Esq.
Smith, Truini and Vasquez
1010 West Street
San Diego, CA 92103
Dear Mr. Truini:
I am a second year law student at Franklin Pierce
Law Center in Concord, New Hampshire and am interested in working with
your firm this summer because of your firm's focus on software patents,
trademarks and licensing. Because my family is from San
Bernardino, I would like to work in southern California this summer and
upon graduation. I plan to be in San Diego in October and would
like, if possible, to meet with you then.
Working for a patent attorney and participating in
Pierce Law's Intellectual Property Summer Institute this past summer
confirmed my commitment to practice in this area of the law. I
enjoyed learning about how the Patent and Trademark Office processes
applications, gaining some insights in how to draft patent applications
and respond to office actions. Taking courses this summer
provided me with a foundation in intellectual property research,
trademarks, and patent procedure. I am now building on this
background and am eager to use my computer science background and
experience in working for your firm.
Before coming to law school, I worked for three
years in the computer industry. During this time, I worked with a
variety of colleagues, including technicians, sales representatives,
marketing directors and business owners. I learned how to
effectively communicate with these different colleagues, supervisors
and clients, and appreciate the time and energy that goes into doing
so. In law school, I have worked on sharpening my communication,
research, writing and analytical skills. I now look forward to
applying these skills to your firm's practice.
Thank you for your consideration. I am
enclosing a resume for your review and will be calling you within the
next few weeks to see if you would be interested in arranging a meeting.
Very truly yours,
Samantha Morton
Samantha Morton
Enclosure
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Sample 3L cover letter
21 Green Street
Concord, N.H. 03301
March 12, 20––
Mr. Joe Smith
Hiring Partner
Miller, Smith, & Anderson, L.L.P.
1450 Main Street
Boston, MA 04938
Dear Mr. Smith,
I am writing to express my interest in an Associate Attorney position
with Miller, Smith, & Anderson, L.L.P. I am currently
completing my third year as a Juris Doctor/ Master of Intellectual
Property (J.D./M.I.P.) student at Franklin Pierce Law Center, Concord,
N.H. I have past work experience in pharmaceutical patent
litigation, as well as a strong academic and research background in all
areas of intellectual property law, including U.S. and foreign
trademark and copyright law, trademark registration, licensing, asset
management and e–commerce law.
My qualifications include the academic ability and organization skills
necessary to produce quality work within time limits as well as operate
efficiently under pressured conditions. My skills in legal
writing and research earned me a Teaching Assistant position for the
Legal Writing program at the Law Center as well as a Research Assistant
position for one of our professors. I am also currently working
on an article about the FDA's involvement in the registration of
pharmaceutical trademarks. I excelled in my Intellectual Property
coursework, focusing on patent, trademark and copyright licensing,
asset management, valuation and registration. In Legal Skills, I
mastered both electronic and print research and completed a trademark
appellate brief that I argued before a panel of judges. Last
spring, I wrote the e–commerce and copyright sections of the World
Intellectual Property Organization's Intellectual Property On–line
Tutorial project that will be launched this season. This past
fall, my article, entitled “The Parent Trap: Relocation and the
Custodial Parent," was published in the New Hampshire Bar Journal.
My activities to date also meet a commendable standard. I serve
as the elected President of the only student chapter of the Licensing
Executives Society (L.E.S.), responsible for recruiting members,
organizing symposiums and submitting articles to L.E.S. journals.
I am also the Business Editor of IDEA, The Journal of Law and
Technology produced by Franklin Pierce. My responsibilities
include submissions review, journal layout, addressing correspondence,
selecting future editors and increasing subscriptions. This
dedication to my coursework and activities enhanced my research and
organizational skills, initiative, and communication ability in a
manner that ensures my work with your company will be commendable.
My resume is enclosed for your review. I look forward to meeting
you.
Thank you for your consideration,
Mary Public
Mary Public
Enclosures
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Sample 2L cover letter
26 S. Main Street, #191
Concord, NH 03301
August 6, 20––
Mitzy Cole, Esq.
Director of Human Resources
Sheffer, Schendel and Harris, LLP
1673 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10021
Dear Attorney Cole,
I am a second year student at Franklin Pierce Law Center and would like
to work for Sheffer, Schendel and Harris next summer. I plan to
practice in New York City upon graduation and am committed to learning
as much as possible about international intellectual property law.
Before coming to law school, I worked for seven years in finance and
technology positions. Most recently, I was the financial
controller for a software development company. In this position I
was responsible for all financial reporting, corporate structuring,
contract management, and employment compensation and immigration
issues. I greatly enjoyed working on these issues and other legal
matters.
In my law school classes, I have learned how to efficiently and
effectively research legal topics, analyze potential strategies, and
communicate my findings both orally and in proper legal writing
format. Additionally, by the time I would join your firm this
summer, I will have completed specific coursework in intellectual
property law.
Thank you for your consideration. I am enclosing a resume for
your review and will be calling you within the next two weeks to see if
you would be interested in arranging a meeting.
Sincerely,
George O. Donatello
George O. Donatello
Enclosure
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