The most effective letters of recommendation for law school applications come from someone who knows you very well and understands your goals as a student. It is helpful to provide your recommender with a copy of your resume and law school personal statement, to ensure that they can fully write about your experiences and long-term goals.

• We recommend asking for recommendation letters in person as opposed to over email, and remember to thank your recommenders as well!
• If you are planning to take a gap year, (or gap years) you can have your professors write your recommendations before you graduate and save them in LSAC so they are ready for when you eventually apply to law schools.

Most law schools will require at least 3 Letters of Recommendation:

• • 2 from professors
  • 1 from someone outside your coursework or outside of the university

The letters from professors should be from someone who:

• • Knows you well
  • Understands your strengths as a student
  • Had you in class, researched with, or had some academic experience with
  • Could be from any course (doesn’t have to be law-related)
  • Some law schools will accept a recommendation from a teaching assistant

The letter(s) from someone outside of the university:

• • NOT a family member
  • Boss at a job, internship supervisor, coordinator of volunteer program
  • Make sure the person writing the recommendation knows you well.
  • Don’t submit a letter from a big name who doesn’t truly know you