SAMPLE 1L COVER LETTER

[Recruiting Manager] Dear_____________ I am a first year at Stanford Law School and am interested in summer employment with Doolittle & Loafmore. John Doe, who summered with you last year, suggested I contact you because of my interest in media companies and your firm’s expertise in representing a wide variety of media clients in mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures. As I am from Chicago and plan to return there after graduation, I am very interested in your Chicago office. –OR—This fall I had the opportunity to meet Don James and Heather Smith who came on campus to talk about the mergers and acquisitions practice. I learned that your firm represents… I became interested in the legal aspects of corporate transactions through my work at Bankers Trust and Columbia Pictures, both in New York. As a financial intern at Bankers Trust, I developed strong analytical skills and gained an understanding of media industry financing. At Columbia Pictures, I strengthened these skills by valuating television stations for potential acquisition. The valuation process also refined my research and writing skills and gave me the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of due diligence. I believe that my financial and business analysis and my research and writing skills, coupled with my knowledge of the media industry, make me a good fit for Doolittle & Loafmore. I have enclosed my resume for your consideration. I will be in Chicago over the holidays from December 13 through January 5 and I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you personally. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, SLS Student cc:

SAMPLE 1L COVER LETTER

[Date] Ms. Mary Manager Recruiting Coordinator BigLaw Firm 1000 Page Mill Rd. Palo Alto, CA 94304 Dear Ms. Manager: I am currently a first year student at Stanford Law School and I am interested in exploring an employment opportunity with BigLaw Firm in the summer of 2014. This past October, I had the opportunity to attend a lunch discussion with one of your partners on the topic of civil litigation, and found myself extremely interested with the subject and intrigued by his description of BigLaw’s litigation practice. I am particularly interested in appellate litigation, in which BigLaw Firm has an outstanding practice, and am enthused by the prospect of working with and learning from the litigators in your firm. I believe that my strong writing and communication skills, which I have developed in a variety of contexts, would serve me well in BigLaw’s summer program. I have substantial editing and formal writing experience, as well as experience communicating effectively with elected officials and their staffs under demanding and high-pressure conditions. Moreover, my recent pro bono work with the Children’s Defense Fund and the International Institute of the Bay Area has given me thorough and rigorous exposure to legal research, memoranda drafting, and working face to face with clients to obtain information and serve their needs. Beyond these skills, I am an exceptionally hard worker and have a positive and team-oriented attitude. Enclosed please find my resume. If you have any questions, you can reach me at any time by email at __________or by telephone at____________. Should you wish to speak with me in person, I will be in Palo Alto full time after __________. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you in the future. Sincerely, SLS Student

SAMPLE 1L COVER LETTER

Leland Stanford 220 Hedge Road Menlo Park, CA 94025 650-555-1212 [email protected]

December 1, 20XX Janet Smith Professional Recruitment Manager Really Big Firm 275 “B” Road Menlo Park, CA 94025 Dear Ms. Smith: I am a first-year student at Stanford Law School and am interested in exploring an employment opportunity with Really Big Firm this coming summer. A friend of mine in your San Francisco office, Jane Doe, speaks very highly of your firm and recommended that I contact you. From what Jane has told me and from everything I have read, Really Big sounds like it would be an excellent fit for me. I am very interested in intellectual property law, in which Really Big has an outstanding practice. This combined with what Jane has described as a very congenial and friendly work environment, makes me eager to be a part of your firm. After graduating from Stanford University, I worked as a consultant for two years for McKinsey & Company in Los Angeles. At McKinsey, I became adept at managing client interactions and working with a team under tight deadlines. My experiences at Pets.com and Liberate allowed me to further hone my managerial and communication skills in the frenetic pace of e-commerce and software technology startups. Through my work at these companies, I also developed strong analytical skills, which I have continued to sharpen this semester at Stanford Law School. I have enclosed my resume for your review and would welcome the opportunity to discuss my qualifications with you further. Please do not hesitate to call me at 650-555-1212 should you have any questions. Sincerely,

Leland Stanford

SAMPLE 1L COVER LETTER

220 Escondido Road Stanford, CA 94305 650-555-1212 [email protected] January 1, 20XX Ms. Janet Smith, Esq. Jones, Jones & Smith 100 South J Street San Francisco, CA 94005 Dear Ms. Smith: I am a first-year student at Stanford Law School and am interested in serving as a summer associate at Jones, Jones & Smith. John Doe, my thesis advisor at UCLA, suggested that I contact you. [EDITOR’S NOTE: John Doe knows Ms. Smith, who is a named partner of the firm.] Upon graduation, I plan to practice in the Bay Area and am particularly interested in Jones, Jones & Smith because of your strong education law practice. My interest in education law began in college when I volunteered to tutor grade school children at a local inner city school. The experience clearly illustrated to me the challenges facing public schools— particularly those in under-funded districts. As a result of this experience, I wrote an honors thesis that analyzed racial balance measures employed in school choice programs from legal, empirical, and philosophical perspectives. This work has since been included in a book on school choice that was published last April. After graduating from UCLA, I worked for Legal Research, a litigation consulting firm, where I strengthened my quantitative research skills and writing ability. Working closely with teams of testifying experts and attorneys to prepare expert reports sharpened my critical thinking skills and my ability to generate and interpret statistical analyses. With my focus on education law and the research, analytical and writing skills I have developed in college and through my professional experiences, I believe Jones, Jones & Smith is a good fit for me. Enclosed is a detailed resume. As I live in the Bay Area, I am available to meet with you at your convenience and hope to have the opportunity to discuss my qualifications with you further. Thank you for your time and consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

Leland Stanford

SAMPLE 1L COVER LETTER

Jane Stanford 200 Escondido Village Stanford, CA 94305 650-555-1212 [email protected] December 1, 20XX Mr. James Smith, Esq. Peter, Piper, Picked 1234 S. Elm Street Chicago, IL 00000 Dear Mr. Smith: Currently, I am a first-year law student at Stanford Law School and am interested in summer employment opportunities with your firm. I learned about your firm from John Doe, a close college friend who interned with you last summer. John speaks very highly of your firm and recommended that I contact you. I am originally from Chicago and am very interested and excited about returning to the area. Many of my college experiences have prepared me for working in the legal profession. In my senior year at the University of Notre Dame, I directed an experiential learning seminar for 40 students. I developed the project independently and administered it through all of its stages. I strengthened my communication and persuasive speaking skills while serving on the Academic Council at Notre Dame, where I argued and negotiated policies with university administrators and faculty. I also developed leadership and counseling skills through my work as a dorm senator, co-President, and Resident Assistant. Finally, as part of a departmental graduation requirement I wrote a senior thesis that required extensive research and analytical thinking. Now at law school, I have improved many of these skills through my legal research and writing course and participation in Law Association as an elected representative. Next summer I am interested in gaining exposure to litigation work, preferably in labor and employment law, although I am flexible and curious about many areas of the law. Enclosed is a detailed resume that highlights my experience and education. I would really welcome the opportunity to discuss my qualifications with you further. I will be in the Chicago area December 16-28 and January 14-18. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Jane Stanford

Enclosure

SAMPLE 1L COVER LETTER - TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

[Date] Dear [Name]: I am a first-year at Stanford Law School and am writing to apply for a summer associate position at [Insert Firm] in your ______ office. I am passionate about venture capital, entrepreneurship, and technology and have a broad range of experience in both entrepreneurial capacities as well as in large consulting organizations. I am interested in [name of firm] because of their national reputation in corporate, venture capital and intellectual property law. I am very interested in staying in [Northern California] to begin my practice post graduation. Based on my research, [Insert Firm] seeks lawyers that can apply the analytical rigor of the practice of law to the dynamic field of technology. Thriving at a Silicon Valley based law firm requires an understanding of both. At Consulting Firm, I gained valuable experience in understanding of the role that investment in technology can play in a major organization by writing PowerPoint decks outlining the benefits of consolidating certain information technology investments based on synergy, strategy, and efficiency. I also designed documents that detailed how project managers could use new technologies (i.e. Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft Project, Brightwork) to better manage their projects. At Management Firm, I supported the Internal Revenue Service where I developed my management and analytical abilities which are useful in a project oriented environment. At the IRS, I performed gap and transition management analysis in order to help the IRS create a new organization (that registers tax return preparers). To further this goal, I designed a data log to track changes for implementation in the second release of the web platform used to register tax return preparers. I believe this same kind of gap analysis and strategic thinking could be used within an entrepreneurial ecosystem. Working at Management Firm has given me a tremendous opportunity to benefit from client work as well as immerse myself in meaningful extracurricular activities. Outside of work, I competed in numerous business plan competitions giving me a unique perspective as to how to meet the needs of an ambitious client. I competed in the William James Foundation business competition to develop a socially responsible business. My idea involved teaching high school students how to write more powerful college admission essays within a classroom environment using a very specific methodology which I developed: Atomization. As part of the business competition, I researched competitors, put together financials, and performed an environmental scan for the best area to locate the business. I also conceptualized a product to be used as software as a service that would allow organizations to upload data to a common system which could help pinpoint potential disasters. Attached is my resume. I look forward to meeting with you to further discuss my qualifications. [I will be in [name of city] from_____ through ____]. Thank you for your time and consideration and I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Geoffrey Garrett

SAMPLE 1L COVER LETTER - TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

200 Escondido Road Stanford, CA 94305 (650) 555-1212 [email protected] December 1, 20XX Mr. Bob Barker Amazing IP Firm 555 University Avenue Palo Alto, California 94301 Dear Mr. Barker: I am a first-year law student at Stanford University Law School and am interested in arranging an interview for a summer associate position with your firm for the Summer of 20XX. I believe that with my education and work experience, I am a good fit for your firm. In 20XX, I graduated from UCLA with a M.S. in Electrical Engineering. I then worked for four years as a patent agent at two general practice law firms in Los Angeles and New York. My law firm patent prosecution experience has included the following activities: drafting and filing domestic origin patent applications in the electrical, and to a lesser extent, optical, software, and mechanical arts; preparing amendments to applications largely written by others; engaging in telephone interviews to discuss patentability issues with Patent Examiners from the USPTO; and conducting interviews with clients and inventors. In most cases, I have performed these tasks unsupervised or with minimal direct supervision. I am well acquainted with Amazing IP Firm and its nationwide reputation as a top intellectual property firm. I interviewed for a Patent Agent position with your office in 2004 and was very impressed with the attorneys I met during my visit. I hope that you will grant me the opportunity to interview with you once again. As I live in the Bay Area, I am available at your convenience and can be reached at 650-555-1212.

Very truly yours, Leland Stanford cc: Ms. Janet Jackson [recruiting coordinator]

SAMPLE 1L COVER LETTER – JUDICIAL EXTERNSHIP

JANE STANFORD 200 Escondido Road Stanford, CA 94305 (650) 555-1212 [email protected] _____________________________________________________________________________________ December 5, 20XX

The Honorable Barbara Doe United States District Court For the Northern District of California PO Box 30000 San Francisco, CA 94102 Dear Judge Doe, I am a first-year student at Stanford Law School and am interested in an externship in your chambers during the summer of 2002. I spoke with John Smith, who said that working for you was an invaluable experience and one he truly enjoyed. I would be honored to have the opportunity to work for you this summer. My understanding is that an extern’s primary responsibilities are legal research and writing. My rigorous undergraduate program in my major and my experience as a research assistant honed my analytical and writing skills. At Yale, I was selected for the Intensive Major Program, which required a year of independent research focused towards the production of a senior thesis with an 80-page minimum. I also worked as a research assistant for a political science professor and was asked to be a part of a small group of students involved in writing a book on civilians’ behavior during war time—an area of international relations that had not yet been explored. Sections of my thesis were incorporated into the professor’s book in progress, The War at Home. These intensive research and writing experiences have provided me with a strong foundation for the work required of an extern. Enclosed please find my resume and a list of references. I can be reached at (650) 555-1212 or by email ([email protected]) and would be very excited to discuss my qualifications with you further. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely,

Jane Stanford

SAMPLE 1L COVER LETTER – JUDICIAL EXTERNSHIP

Leland Stanford 200 Escondido Road • Stanford University • Stanford, CA 94305 • 560/ 555-1515 [email protected] _____________________________________________________________________________________________

November 29, 20XX

The Honorable XXX United States Court of Appeals Ninth Circuit 121 Spear Street P.O. Box 193939 San Francisco, CA 94119-3939 Dear Judge XXX: I am a student at Stanford Law School and am interested in serving as a first-year extern in your chambers during the summer of 20XX. I have heard from various faculty members and from former clerks of yours that serving as your extern would be an enjoyable experience and it provide a very useful real-world grounding for my legal education. I would be both excited and honored to receive such an opportunity. Having been a history major and an English minor in college, I enjoy doing critical research and writing. At the end of my time at UC Berkeley, I interned as a legislative research assistant at The Jones Group, a political consulting firm in Washington, D.C. The company then hired me on a full-time basis, and I spent the following year performing more complex research and writing, as well as consulting with a variety of clients. Currently I am taking the traditional research and legal writing class of a first-year law student and am also a member of a law journal, which I feel has further sharpened my thinking, writing, and editing abilities. I believe that the variety of these experiences would enable me to make a valuable contribution to your chambers. Letters of recommendation are forthcoming from John Jones, President of The Jones Group, and Robert White, Professor of Law at Stanford Law School, and a writing sample is available upon request. As I live in the Bay Area, I am available for an interview at your convenience. Thank you for your time and consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Leland Stanford Enclosures

SAMPLE 1L COVER LETTER - PUBLIC INTEREST 200 Escondido Road Stanford, CA 94305 (650) 555-1212 [email protected] February 1, 20XX Ms. Jane Doe Freedom on the Internet 200 West “J” Street Washington, DC 20009 Dear Ms. Doe, I am writing to apply for a position at FOI for the summer of 200X. I am a first-year student at Stanford Law School and I have had a long-standing interest in the regulation of the Internet and the interplay between technology and civil liberties. I am submitting my resume for your consideration. During my time as a State Court Policy Fellow at the Judicial Council of New York’s Technology Division, I conducted an extensive amount of research regarding the legal and technical issues affecting the courts’ implementation of technology. One of the projects I worked on was a research memo detailing the conflict between the Sixth Amendment and the use of video conferencing technology to deliver witness testimony in open court. Another project involved electronic access to court records and the privacy rights of those who have business before the court. My most gratifying work involved the revision of the computer usage policy for the employees of the Judicial Council and the Appellate Courts. This project required a great deal of research into the privacy rights of employees, the rights of employers to monitor the computer usage of their employees, and the practical considerations affecting the monitoring and punishment of judicial branch employees who misuse their computers. The revised policy was adopted in the summer of 200X and I take great pride in the fact that the policy was as minimally intrusive as possible and respected the privacy of the employees while still meeting the needs of the courts. In addition to my work at the Judicial Council, I was a research intern at Georgetown’s Public Policy Center in Washington, DC. As part of the work, I devised and completed an original, empirical research study on the relationship between a congressman’s Internet and computer expertise and his vote on Internet legislation. During my travels throughout Asia, I was constantly amazed by the ubiquitous nature of the Internet and its global reach. However, the Internet’s pervasiveness has made it the target of those threatened by their inability to exercise control over the medium. My concern is that regulators will overreach in their attempts to control the medium and that they will subsequently destroy much of what is valuable and unique about the Internet. I have long admired the work that FOI has done to protect the rights of Internet users and I feel that the efforts of FOI are even more valuable given the possible expansion of surveillance powers in our present security conscious climate. I have excellent research skills and a great deal of familiarity with emerging technologies. This knowledge, coupled with my legal training, would serve as a great asset to FOI. I would welcome the opportunity to work with you this summer. I am confident that the job would be a tremendous learning experience. Sincerely, Janet Stanford Enclosures