If you’re thinking about a judicial clerkship after law school — and I highly recommend the experience to anyone — you need to take special care in crafting your cover letter so that it makes the judge want to know more about you.
In my time as an appellate law clerk, aside from learning valuable research and writing skills, I also saw the hiring process for my replacement and noticed several things that helped and hurt candidates’ chances of being called for an interview.
So now, taken straight from my clerking experience, here are the five most important cover letter writing tips for a judicial clerkship:
1. Proofread.
You’re probably thinking this is common sense, but I can’t tell you how many cover letters arrived with misspelled words and incomplete or incoherent sentences. This is simply inexcusable and will almost certainly mean the end of your clerkship dream.
Read your cover letter aloud. Have someone else read it to you. And then do these things again. Do whatever it takes to make sure your letter makes sense.
If you cannot successfully write one page about a subject you know well (you), the judge, if your letter even gets past the clerk, will have little confidence that you can write about complex legal issues; you won’t even get to the interview stage.
2. Keep it short.
The judge doesn’t want to read a lengthy, drawn-out description of an applicant and why she is simply perfect for the position of law clerk. Be concise and include only those achievements that make you stand out. If you have extensive experience in research and writing or in any areas that may be relevant to that particular chambers, be sure to include it.
For example, if you’re applying to a bankruptcy judge, be sure to mention your semester spent in a bankruptcy clinic.
Good writing, whether in cover letters or court memoranda, gets to the point quickly and effectively. Besides, the fewer words you write, the less likely you are to make typos or grammatical errors.
3. Don’t attempt to be witty or funny.
You may think you are hilarious, and the judge or clerk may appreciate that--in the interview. But you have to get to the interview first, and the way to do that is to present yourself in a professional way in your cover letter. Save the stand-up routine for your stint in Vegas.
4. Don't be arrogant.
Many qualified candidates will be applying for the same clerkship; don’t make yourself stand out in a bad way by extolling your virtues too much. You should be proud of your accomplishments, but simply highlighting what you’ve done will do that.
It’s a fine line, to be sure, so this is another reason you should have someone else read your letter; be sure to ask them for an honest opinion as to whether you’re coming across as pompous. For the record, sentences like “No one can write a legal memorandum like I can” are over the line.
5. Include all contact information.
As a practical consideration, email and cell phones are the easiest way to reach you, so make it easy for the judge to offer you an interview. Don’t forget to include all of your contact information on your cover letter.
No one is guaranteed a judicial clerkship upon graduation, but these tips will help increase your chances of getting an interview with the judge of your choice. Scoring the job thereafter is up to you and your sparkling personality.
