Attorney Cover Letter

A strong attorney cover letter does more than restate your resume. It demonstrates your legal reasoning, shows that you have researched the firm or organization, and connects your specific experience to the role on offer. Whether you are applying to a large litigation firm, a boutique transactional practice, or an in-house legal department, the same principle applies: be specific and be concise. Browse the full legal and public service category for related roles, and if you want to build a solid foundation first, our guide on how to write a cover letter covers the essentials.

What employers look for in an attorney cover letter

Legal hiring partners and general counsel look for candidates who can demonstrate competence without being verbose. Your cover letter should address the following:

• Practice area expertise — Name your primary area of law and connect it directly to the firm's focus, whether that is corporate transactions, commercial litigation, employment law, or criminal defense.
• Bar admissions — State which jurisdictions you are admitted to practice in. This is a baseline requirement and belongs in your letter, not just your resume.
• Case and transaction experience — Reference the type and scale of matters you have handled. Dollar values on transactions and case outcomes in litigation carry real weight.
• Legal research and writing — Firms expect attorneys to produce clear, well-reasoned work product. Mention any publications, briefs, or memos that demonstrate this ability.
• Client development and relationship management — Senior attorneys and partners want to see that you can manage client expectations and build long-term relationships.
• Courtroom or negotiation experience — If you have trial experience, arbitration work, or a track record of successful negotiations, make it visible.

How to write an attorney cover letter that gets interviews

1. Open with a direct statement of fit

Skip the formulaic opener. Lead with a sentence that ties your background to the specific role, such as naming the practice group, the type of work the firm is known for, or a recent matter that reflects the kind of work you want to do. Hiring partners read dozens of letters; one that opens with a concrete connection to their practice stands out immediately.

2. Quantify your legal work

Abstract claims about being a skilled litigator or a detail-oriented transactional attorney mean little without evidence. Quantify wherever you can: the number of trials you have second-chaired, the aggregate deal value of transactions you have closed, the size of the caseload you have managed. If you are applying for a role similar to a law firm cover letter position, this same rule applies, whether you are a first-year associate or a lateral with ten years of experience.

3. Match your language to the firm's focus

A letter sent to a plaintiff-side personal injury firm should read differently from one sent to a defense-side insurance practice. Use terminology native to the practice area. If you are uncertain how to position yourself across different legal environments, reviewing a lawyer cover letter example can help you see how to adjust tone and emphasis by role type.

4. Close with a specific ask

End your letter with a clear, confident closing. State that you would welcome the opportunity to discuss the role and provide your availability for a call or interview. Avoid vague sign-offs. A direct closing signals that you are decisive, a quality every legal employer values. For additional guidance on presentation, see our cover letter examples collection.

Attorney cover letter example

Replace firm names, practice areas, and achievements with your own experience.

Subject: Application for the Attorney position

Dear Hiring Manager, I am writing to apply for the Associate Attorney position in the Corporate Transactions group at Hargrove & Wren LLP. Your firm's reputation for mid-market M&A work in the healthcare and technology sectors aligns directly with the transactional experience I have built over the past five years at Caldwell Merritt LLP. In my current role, I have served as lead associate on more than 30 closed transactions ranging from $8M to $175M in deal value, including asset purchases, stock acquisitions, and joint venture formations. I draft and negotiate purchase agreements, disclosure schedules, and ancillary closing documents, and I coordinate due diligence processes across multi-disciplinary teams. Last year, I managed simultaneous closings on three transactions totaling over $200M within a single quarter, which required coordinating with outside counsel, financial advisors, and client leadership across multiple time zones. I am admitted to practice in New York and New Jersey and hold a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law, where I served as a note editor on the Law Review. My writing has been cited in two subsequent law review articles on merger agreement representations and warranties. I am drawn to Hargrove & Wren because of your firm's collaborative associate culture and the depth of your healthcare transactions practice. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my background can contribute to your team. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, [Full Name]

Before you send your application

Review this checklist before submitting your materials:

• Verify bar admission details. Confirm that your state admissions are listed correctly and are current. An admitted attorney who lists an expired status creates unnecessary questions.
• Confirm the firm name and practice group. Sending a letter that references the wrong firm or the wrong group is a disqualifying error in legal hiring.
• Check that your practice area language matches the posting. If the firm says "M&A" and you wrote "mergers," consider aligning your terminology to theirs.
• Remove any vague claims unsupported by evidence. Phrases like "strong analytical skills" without a backing example waste space and signal a generic application.
• Read your letter aloud. Legal writing is precise. If a sentence takes two passes to understand, rewrite it.

For more guidance on related applications, see our paralegal cover letter and law clerk cover letter guides.

FAQ

How long should an attorney cover letter be?

One page, roughly 300 to 400 words. Legal employers expect concise, well-organized writing. If your letter runs longer, cut paragraphs that do not add new information. For formatting guidance, our how to write a cover letter guide covers length, structure, and presentation in detail.

Should I include my bar admission in the cover letter?

Yes. State the jurisdictions where you are admitted and the year of admission. If you are awaiting bar results, note that clearly. Omitting this information forces the reader to hunt for it on your resume, which is a minor friction you can easily eliminate.

How do I write an attorney cover letter if I am a lateral hire?

Lead with the scale and type of work you have handled, not just the name of your current firm. Lateral candidates are evaluated on the quality and relevance of their matters, their ability to manage client relationships, and how quickly they can contribute. Reference specific transactions or cases and connect them to the prospective firm's practice areas.

What is the difference between an attorney cover letter and a law clerk cover letter?

A law clerk cover letter typically emphasizes academic credentials, writing samples, and judicial externship experience because clerkship applicants are often early in their careers. An attorney cover letter focuses on professional experience, bar admission, measurable outcomes, and practice area fit. The tone is similar, but the content hierarchy is different.

Do I need to tailor my cover letter for every application?

Yes. A generic letter is easy to spot and signals a lack of genuine interest. At minimum, personalize the opening paragraph to name the firm, the specific practice group, and why the combination interests you. The body paragraphs can follow a consistent structure, but the framing should reflect research into each employer.