It there a need to show how lawyer cover letters are written? I guess, yes. You may be at home when it comes to producing your legal document, but it is not necessary that you will have the same flair when it comes to writing a cover letter for yourself. For writing contracts or agreements, proposals, etc. are second nature for you. On the other hand, cover letter is totally a different ground to play in.
Lawyer cover letters should always accompany resumes like any other cover letter. People, in general somehow skip this practice in the job searching process. Either they are exhausted writing their resumes, or they are in loss of words to write their cover letters. Whatever is the reason; hiding away from sending cover letters is not a good habit, and could probably lengthen the process of the job hunt.
So, recognizing the importance of cover letters is compulsory when you need to have the offer letter in your hand, or whenever you are trying to seek a change in your employment. Taking effort in writing cover letters will show the employers that you are serious about the job and have the professionalism about alerting them on how they are about to receive in your resume. It will serve your interest and candidacy for the particular position.
Lawyers are professionals who serve their clients with their knowledge and experience. The lawyer cover letters should include all the ingredients of a professional cover letter. The professionalism should start right from the starting stage of writing, which in this situation is selecting the format used for professional communication. Your font selection should be one that is easy to read, such as Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, or Times New Roman. The font-size is also important in your cover letter and should be consistent throughout. 10-point size is acceptable when using san serif fonts (Arial, Helvetica, and Verdana). For serif fonts such as Times New Roman, you must use 12-point size.
As lawyers are used to writing lengthy documents in their profession, same habit shouldn’t be applied for a cover letter. The lawyer cover letters should be limited to one page. Although there is no strict rule about the numbers of paragraph in a cover letter, it is still better to write three paragraphs at the most. All the paragraphs should have different ideas, and must be in relation to the position.
Some tips on writing lawyer cover letters:
First Paragraph
As nobody writes a cover letter without a reason, this paragraph should justify the reason behind writing it. Further, your introduction and the position applied for should be stated in this paragraph. The first paragraph is the starting of your cover letter. Hence, it should give enough reason for readers to continue and complete reading it. The readers should be able to judge you from this paragraph. You can write, “I am lawyer with a Masters degree with a specialization in Taxation and Income Tax Law. I am writing this letter to express my interest for the position of Legal Advisors in your organization.” Add few words about your practice in the relevant field and explain why you can fit the position. Also, express your willingness to relocate if the position demands.
Remember, everybody loves to read or hear good things about one’s own. Use this natural instinct in grabbing reader’s interest by stating something that the reader would love to read and which would work in your favor. Give an example about what made you to apply for the position and why you want to work with the employer.
Second Paragraph
The second paragraph should speak about your academic background, experience and skills you have. You must explain the readers how your skills and experience are similar to the job’s requirement. You can go a step further and write about your personal strength you have gained through your experience. The reader would also love to read about your positive strengths and training in any specific area. In short, use this section to describe anything that you haven’t added or can’t add in your resume.
Third Paragraph
Some people do have a short-term memory. To remind them, state your interest again for the position, and prompt the reader for some action. Say, for instance, you have to visit a client in the coming week from the same area where you want to work. In such a situation, you can ask the employer if he/she is available for a meeting on that particular date and time.
As time is critical in every business, don’t forget to express your gratitude to the readers before closing the letter. For example, “Thank you for the effort and time you have applied in reading this letter. I am waiting for the opportunity to meet and discuss the employment possibility at length. I am reachable at (555) XXX-7319 any day and time throughout the week.”
Closing
Closing lawyer cover letters is a personal choice. You can inform the employer that you will call them as a follow-up of this cover letter after one week from your writing. A week’s time is actually needed by the employer to read your letter as you are not alone vying for the position. When following-up with the employer after posting your cover letter, don’t cross the line of eagerness so that it becomes a sort of nuisance for the employer.
If these tips are insufficient to answer your question about how to implement it in your cover letter, find the links below for different lawyer cover letters. | 