Are Cover Letters Helpful?

Sometimes. But having a good one is worth the effort, especially if you are asking a connection to forward your resume for a position. Prepare a short 2-3 paragraph letter explaining your relevant skills and interest as follows:

1. The first sentence should refer to the position and, to orient the reader, explain who you are: your current job, practice area, law school year, training, and geographic location. Name drop anyone the reader would care about (and make sure this person will back you!).
2. The letter must set forth your relevant skills and include objective metrics and details showing why you are a great fit (similar clients/cases/deals, complete with $ value, %s, awards won, etc.). The employer ideally wants to hire someone who has done exactly this role.
3. The reader must understand your interest and how your background leads to this job. The employer wants someone who wants to be there for the long run. This paragraph is also a good place to show research you’ve done about the employer. Personalize your pitch to this particular job.
4. If you’re lucky, the reader will spend 3 seconds on your cover letter, so stay on track and be punchy. If you want to look at some samples: https://www.clio.com/blog/cover-letter-for-law-firms/; https://www.law.berkeley.edu/careers/resources/cover-letters/.