The BigLaw cover letter guide

Some firms read cover letters closely. Some use them mainly to confirm office interest and writing quality. Some barely use them unless the application needs explanation.

You usually cannot know which reader you have, so write a short, clean letter that helps without demanding attention.

The job of the letter is simple: explain who you are, what you are applying for, why the office makes sense, and what in your background supports the application.

A three-paragraph structure

Paragraph one: the application

State your school, class year, position, and office. Mention a referral or prior conversation if relevant.

I am a rising second-year student at Penn Carey Law applying for the 2027 summer associate position in your Washington office. I became interested in the office after speaking with...

Do not begin with a quotation about justice or a childhood story unless the employer specifically asks for a personal statement.

Paragraph two: the connection

Connect one or two experiences to the work. This should add context to the resume, not recite every bullet.

Before law school, I worked in healthcare operations, where I helped teams respond to changing state requirements. That experience made me interested in regulatory work that sits close to business decisions. In law school, I have especially enjoyed research and writing assignments involving administrative agencies.

The paragraph explains why the background matters.

Paragraph three: the firm and close

Give one or two specific reasons for the office, then thank the reader.

I am particularly interested in the office's healthcare regulatory and investigations work and in a summer program that allows students to try both advisory and disputes assignments. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss my application. Thank you for your consideration.

What "specific" actually means

Specific does not mean copying a list of deals from the website. It means connecting a real firm fact to a real preference.

Useful facts include:

• an office's practice strength;
• a rotation or staffing system;
• a conversation with a lawyer;
• an industry focus;
• a geographic reason; or
• a program relevant to your experience.

Weak:

I am attracted to your excellent reputation, collaborative culture, and sophisticated clients.

Better:

I am interested in the Houston office because I want to explore both project development and energy transactions, and two associates described receiving assignments across those teams before choosing a group.

Writing a why-city paragraph

A why-city explanation tells the office why the market is a plausible place for you to work. Smaller markets and offices often care more because they want students who are likely to accept and stay.

Strong reasons can include:

• family or a partner;
• previous residence, school, or work;
• a specific industry;
• community ties;
• a realistic long-term preference; or
• several visits combined with informed interest.

You do not need a dramatic connection. Be honest:

My partner is beginning a medical residency in Atlanta, and I have spent significant time in the city with their family. I am specifically targeting Atlanta for my legal career.

That is clearer than a paragraph about loving the weather.

When customization matters most

Customize heavily when:

• applying directly outside OCI;
• targeting an office that does not recruit broadly at your school;
• explaining a geographic connection;
• changing careers or practices;
• applying through a referral; or
• addressing an unusual timeline.

For a school-run process where the firm asks only for a resume and transcript, do not send extra materials unless permitted.

Should you use AI?

Using a tool to brainstorm structure or identify repetition is different from submitting generic machine-written prose as your own.

The risks are obvious: invented firm facts, inflated language, wrong office details, and a voice that sounds like every other generated letter. You are responsible for every sentence.

If you use assistance, begin with your own facts and reasons. Verify firm information against the firm's site. Rewrite the result aloud. Remove every phrase you would never say.

Never paste confidential work, private client information, grades, or personal records into a tool without understanding how the data is handled.

Mistakes that make the letter worse

• Addressing the wrong firm or office.
• Repeating the resume in paragraph form.
• Claiming lifelong passion for a practice you just discovered.
• Writing more than one page.
• Using a generic "To Whom It May Concern" when a named contact is provided.
• Focusing only on what the firm can give you.
• Sending a letter nobody requested.
• Forgetting to convert the final file to PDF.

A fast, sane workflow

Create one base letter with stable facts. For each application, change:

1. employer and office;
2. application route;
3. why-office reason;
4. relevant experience emphasis; and
5. contact or referral.

Read the full letter after customization. Search the document for the previous firm's name. Check the PDF filename.

Then submit. A cover letter should support the application, not consume the time needed to research firms, prepare for interviews, or study.

Use how to research a law firm to find real details, and how to answer why this firm to keep the same reasoning natural in interviews.