[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":3,"doc-seo-255714-105":53,"doc-detail-255714-en":126},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,14,19,24,29,34,39,44,49],{"id":8,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":11,"show_sort_weight":12,"slug":13},11,1,"Template","Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":15,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":16,"show_sort_weight":17,"slug":18},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":20,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":21,"show_sort_weight":22,"slug":23},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":25,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":26,"show_sort_weight":27,"slug":28},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":30,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":31,"show_sort_weight":32,"slug":33},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":35,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":36,"show_sort_weight":37,"slug":38},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":40,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":41,"show_sort_weight":42,"slug":43},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":45,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":46,"show_sort_weight":47,"slug":48},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":50,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":51,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":52},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":54,"data":55},"ok",{"site_id":56,"language":57,"slug":58,"title":59,"keywords":60,"description":61,"schema_data":62,"social_meta":119,"head_meta":121,"extra_data":123,"updated_unix":125},105,"en","writing-a-cover-letter-drafting-guide-and-example","Writing a Cover Letter - Drafting Guide and Example","","A practical guide to writing an effective cover letter, showing how to address the right contact and structure an introduction, body, and closing. The material emphasizes personalization over mass mailing by referencing specific connections to the firm, selecting transferable skills, and clearly tying prior experiences to the role. 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If you are not writing to the direct contact, you should always Cc the recruiting manager.","Answer",{"name":111,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":112},"What should the intro and body focus on?",{"text":113,"@type":109},"The intro should explain why you are interested in the firm and include a meaningful connection to the city or to the firm. The body should sell yourself by highlighting transferable skills and showing how experiences developed those skills without simply repeating the resume.",{"name":115,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What makes a cover letter stronger than a generic one?",{"text":117,"@type":109},"A stronger letter is specific and tailored to the firm, avoiding generic language such as “Dear Sir or Madam” and broad claims that could fit any practice area. It should clearly connect your experience to why the firm will want you.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":78,"og:type":120,"og:title":59,"og:site_name":91,"og:description":61},"article",{"robots":122,"canonical":78},"index,follow",{"doc_id":124,"site_id":56},255714,1792221195,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":127},{"doc_id":124,"user_id":128,"nickname":88,"user_avatar":129,"doc_module":9,"category_id":40,"category_name":41,"doc_title":59,"doc_description":61,"doc_content":130,"file_id":131,"file_url":132,"file_type":133,"file_size":134,"view_count":73,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":9,"is_downloadable":9,"audit_status":9,"page_count":76,"language":135,"language_code":57,"site_id":56,"html_lang":57,"table_of_contents":136,"faqs":137,"seo_title":138,"seo_description":61,"update_tm":139,"read_time":9},2336474459895,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/22000baeef7a5ed0655?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1786071322749376916","Writing a Cover Letter  \nDirect Cover Letter To  \n• Personal Contact  \n• Head of a Department  \n• SLS alumni or fellow undergrad alumni  \n• Hiring Attorney ([www.nalpdirectory.com](www.nalpdirectory.com) )  \n• Recruiting Manager: always Cc if not the direct contact  \nIntro  \n• Stanford Law School  \n• Name Drop: talked to 2L who worked there; colleague oralum suggested your firm  \n• Why you're interested in the firm  \n• Connection to city: hometown; school; relatives and friends; where practice is concentrated  \nBody  \n• Explain why they should want you: sell yourself  \n• Highlight your transferable skills: don't reiterate your resume; customize for firm  \n• Show how your experiences developed your skills  \nClosing  \n• When you'll be in the area  \n• Additional information available: references; writing samples; transcripts  \nKey: the more specific you can be, the better. Generic screams mass mailing.  \nExample of a bad cover letter  \nDear Sir or Madam,  \nI am very interested in working for your firm.  \nI have strong research and writing skills, which could be used in any of your various practice areas.  \nI will be in your city in the near future and would love the opportunity to discuss my qualifications with you further.  \nSincerely  \nBad Cover Letter Writer  \nDrafting Your Cover Letter  \nIntro:  \nI am a first year at Stanford Law School and am interested in summer employment with Smith, Jones & Johnson. 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 –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 am originally from the New York area and plan to return there to practice after graduation.  \nBody:  \nI 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 and sharpened my analytical skills and gained an understanding of media industry financing. At Columbia Pictures, I further strengthened these skills valuating television stations for potential acquisition. Thevaluation 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, will make me a good fit for Smith, Jones & Johnson.  \nClosing:  \nI have enclosed my resume for your consideration. I will be in New York over the holidays and I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you personally. I look forward to hearing from you.  \nCover Letter – New & Improved:  \nDear (Name of Head of XX Practice)  \nI am a first year at Stanford Law School and am interested in summer employment with Smith, Jones & Johnson. 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 – 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 am originally from the New York area and plan to return there to practice after graduation.  \nI 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 and sharpened my analytical skills and gained an understanding of media industry financing. At Columbia Pictures, I further strengthened these skills valuating television stations for potential acquisition. The valuation process also refined my research","cbCaitPw5qXF1lM2","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaitPw5qXF1lM2","pdf",125305,"English","# Writing a Cover Letter\n## How to Address the Recipient\n## Intro, Body, and Closing Structure\n## Avoiding a Bad Cover Letter\n## Drafting a First-Year Law Student Example\n## Cover Letter – New and Improved\n## Additional Tips and Submitting by Email","[{\"question\":\"Who should you address in a cover letter, and what should you include about the contact?\",\"answer\":\"Address a specific person such as the head of a department, an SLS alumni contact, or a hiring attorney. If you are not writing to the direct contact, you should always Cc the recruiting manager.\"},{\"question\":\"What should the intro and body focus on?\",\"answer\":\"The intro should explain why you are interested in the firm and include a meaningful connection to the city or to the firm. The body should sell yourself by highlighting transferable skills and showing how experiences developed those skills without simply repeating the resume.\"},{\"question\":\"What makes a cover letter stronger than a generic one?\",\"answer\":\"A stronger letter is specific and tailored to the firm, avoiding generic language such as “Dear Sir or Madam” and broad claims that could fit any practice area. It should clearly connect your experience to why the firm will want you.\"}]","Writing a Cover Letter - Drafting Guide and Example | PDF",1789292185]