Law Firm Cover Letter

A law firm cover letter has to do more than introduce you. It has to demonstrate legal judgment from the first sentence. Whether you are applying to a BigLaw firm with hundreds of attorneys or a mid-size regional practice, hiring committees expect precision, professionalism, and clear alignment with the firm's practice areas and culture. Generic letters are rejected quickly in legal hiring. This guide covers what law firm recruiters actually evaluate, how to structure each section, and includes a realistic example you can adapt. For foundational guidance on structure and length, see our how to write a cover letter guide. If you are targeting a specific legal role, explore our resources for legal and public service positions.

What employers look for in a law firm cover letter

Law firms screen cover letters for evidence of legal aptitude and professional fit. Your letter should address the following points clearly and concisely:

• Bar admission or anticipated admission — State bar status is often a threshold requirement. Include the jurisdiction and date of admission, or expected exam date if you are pending admission.
• Relevant practice area experience — Litigation, corporate transactional work, real estate, employment, or family law all require different skill sets. Name the specific areas where you have hands-on experience.
• Billable hours awareness — Candidates who acknowledge the billable-hours environment signal they understand firm economics and can operate within that structure.
• Client development potential — At associate and senior levels, firms look for candidates who can eventually build a book of business. Mention any client-facing experience or business development work.
• Research and writing quality — Legal memoranda, briefs, and contract drafting require a distinct standard of writing. Reference your most relevant writing work by type and context.
• Law school credentials and clerkship experience — For entry-level associate positions, law review membership, moot court participation, or a judicial clerkship carry significant weight.

Hiring committees at larger firms review dozens of applications for a single opening. A letter that addresses firm-specific priorities and connects your credentials to the practice group's needs will outperform a general summary of your resume.

How to write a law firm cover letter that gets interviews

1. Research the firm and address the practice group directly

Do not send the same letter to every firm. Review the firm's website, recent news, and notable cases or transactions before writing. Reference a specific practice area, a recent deal the firm closed, or a team that aligns with your background. At BigLaw firms, this signals you have done the institutional due diligence expected of any associate. At mid-size firms, it shows genuine interest rather than a volume application strategy. If you are targeting a litigation role specifically, our attorney cover letter guide covers courtroom-facing positioning in more detail.

2. Lead with your strongest legal credential

Your opening paragraph should state the position, your most relevant qualification, and your bar admission status or law school graduation date in a single, clean sentence. Hiring managers at large firms read quickly. A clear, direct opening that names your practice area and current or prior firm is more effective than a narrative introduction that builds slowly to the point.

3. Quantify experience and scope wherever possible

Numbers matter even in legal cover letters. Mention the number of matters you have managed, the size of transactions you have supported, the length of a trial team you contributed to, or the volume of contracts you reviewed in a given period. If you are a lawyer with transactional experience, reference deal size. If you are applying for a litigation position, reference the stage of matters you have handled from discovery through trial or appeal. Specificity builds credibility faster than general claims.

4. Match your tone to the firm's culture

BigLaw applications variant="soft"highly polished prose with zero stylistic risk. Regional and boutique firms may respond to a slightly warmer tone that still maintains professionalism. Read the firm's website copy and marketing materials to calibrate. If the firm emphasizes community involvement, mentioning pro bono work or civic engagement is appropriate. If it leads with deal rankings and industry recognition, keep the focus on credentials and scope of work.

Law firm associate cover letter example

Replace firm names, practice areas, deal sizes, and bar details with your actual credentials.

Subject: Application for the Law firm associate position

Dear Ms. Harrison, I am writing to express my interest in the Corporate Associate position in the Mergers and Acquisitions group at Caldwell & Merritt LLP. I am a member of the New York State Bar and currently serve as a third-year associate at a mid-size transactional firm in Manhattan, where I focus on private equity transactions and general corporate advisory work. In my current role, I have supported the negotiation and closing of 14 M&A transactions ranging from $20 million to $350 million in total enterprise value. My responsibilities include drafting and negotiating purchase agreements, conducting due diligence across target company records, coordinating closing conditions, and advising clients on post-closing integration matters. I have also contributed to two cross-border transactions involving counterparties in the United Kingdom and Canada, which required coordination with foreign counsel and attention to multi-jurisdictional regulatory requirements. Caldwell & Merritt's reputation for sophisticated middle-market M&A work and your team's depth in healthcare transactions are directly aligned with the experience I am looking to build at this stage of my career. I am comfortable operating in a high-volume, billable-hours environment and have consistently met or exceeded annual targets at my current firm. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my transactional background can contribute to your M&A practice. I am available for a call or meeting at your convenience and can provide writing samples and references upon request. Sincerely, [Full Name] [Bar Admission: New York, 2022]

Before you send your application

Review this checklist before submitting to any firm:

• Confirm bar admission details are accurate. State, jurisdiction, and date must be exact. Any discrepancy in bar status is a serious credibility issue.
• Verify the firm name, practice group, and hiring contact name. Sending a letter addressed to the wrong firm or misspelling a partner's name ends the application immediately.
• Check that the practice area you describe matches the open role. A letter emphasizing litigation experience for a corporate transactional position will not advance.
• Keep the letter to one page, 300 to 400 words. Attorneys value economical writing. A letter that runs longer suggests poor editing judgment.
• Attach writing samples if the posting requests them. For associate positions especially, a well-chosen brief excerpt or memo excerpt can reinforce the quality of your legal writing.

For guidance on supporting roles within a law firm environment, see our paralegal cover letter and law clerk cover letter guides.

FAQ

Should I address my law firm cover letter to a specific person?

Yes, whenever possible. Research the hiring partner, recruiting director, or practice group leader and address your letter to them by name. If the posting does not name a contact, check the firm's website or call the recruiting department. "Dear Hiring Committee" is an acceptable fallback only when no contact can be identified.

How do I write a law firm cover letter for a lateral associate position?

A lateral cover letter should focus on the scope and quality of your experience at your current or most recent firm, the practice areas you have developed, and why you are interested in the specific group you are targeting. Avoid framing the move as a departure from dissatisfaction. Position it as a deliberate choice based on practice area alignment or firm platform.

What is the difference between a law firm cover letter and a lawyer cover letter?

A law firm cover letter is written specifically for a position within a private firm, whether associate, staff attorney, or administrative, and emphasizes firm-specific fit, practice area alignment, and billable-hours readiness. A broader lawyer cover letter may also target in-house, government, or nonprofit legal positions, where the framing and tone can differ significantly.

Do BigLaw firms care about cover letters?

Yes, though the weight varies. At on-campus recruiting events, grades and law school credentials carry more initial weight. For lateral associate and experienced hire positions, the cover letter is read more carefully because it demonstrates writing ability, self-awareness, and genuine interest in the specific firm. Treat it as a writing sample that also happens to introduce your credentials.

How should I handle a cover letter if I have not yet passed the bar?

State your anticipated admission date and jurisdiction clearly in the opening paragraph. If you have sat for the exam and are awaiting results, say so directly. Most firms that hire new graduates expect this and will not penalize pending admittees. Avoid vague language like "planning to take the bar." Give a specific expected date.