Date
Addressee's Name
Addressee's Title
Name of Company or
Firm
Street Address
City, State
Zip
RE: Application for Employment (or Available Legal Assistant Position or something similar)
Dear Mr./Mrs. (Addressee's last name):
FIRST PARAGRAPH: Explain why you are writing the letter. Use the first sentence to capture the reader's interest. Some possibilities include mentioning a connection that you have to the work or an employee of the firm or company or a particular interest in the type of law practiced. You should identify the position that you are applying for. If you feel it is appropriate, tell the reader how you heard of the opening. If you are unsure as to whether there is an opening, state that the purpose of your letter is to inquire about the possibility of an opening.
SECOND PARAGRAPH: Explain with specificity why you are interested in working for this particular employer. You do not want to write a general stock paragraph stating that you have always been interested in the field of criminal law yada, yada, yada. You want to set yourself apart from the other applicants by making a direct connection between your skills, experience, education or other training and the firms needs. If you are writing to an out-of-state employer, make a connection between you and the state, i.e.; prior work experience, relatives or previous education.
THIRD PARAGRAPH: Call the reader's attention to your resume by summarizing your qualifications. You may also want to call the reader's attention to your previous work history and how it has enhanced your job skills and qualifications. If you are enclosing letters of recommendation or transcripts, you should mention them. You should also direct the reader's attention to any relevant legal or civic organizations of which you are a member.
FOURTH PARAGRAPH: Suggest the opportunity to meet in an interview to discuss your qualifications further. Set a date when you will call the employer to discuss the same.
Sincerely,
Type your name
Encl.
Paula P. Paralegal
328 W. Legal Road
Stumpwater, OK
12345
(555) 555-5555
paulap@email.com
January 10, 2000
Ms. Samantha Superlawyer
Managing Partner
Addem, Upp & Sooem
453 Stiffem Lane
Stumpwater, OK
12345
RE: Available Paralegal Position
Dear Ms. Superlawyer:
I am contacting you because of your firm's emphasis in personal injury litigation. I would be very interested in working as a legal assistant for your firm. In May of this year, I will graduate from Northeastern State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice/Paralegal Option. I would like to take this opportunity to discuss my qualifications and skills for the open position.
My course work at Northeastern prepared me for work in litigation. A paralegal working in this area should be able to communicate effectively with the client(s), organize and manage files, conduct legal research and draft necessary legal documents or correspondence. I am educated and skilled in each of these areas. I have successfully completed several courses, such as Torts and Litigation, Pleadings, Civil Procedure, Legal Research and Writing and Evidence, that have given me a broad understanding of litigation. I am a competent researcher and drafter with experience in drafting client correspondence and pleadings.
In addition to my strong educational background, I worked for Duey, Cheatum & Howe as a court runner for the last six (6) months. As my resume indicates, I was responsible for filing documents with the court and delivering notice and papers to other parties or their attorneys. In this position, I have gained a working knowledge of the legal community and the people who run the court house. I am confident that I would be able to hit the ground running as a paralegal in your firm.
I would like to talk about working with your firm in person. I will call your office next week to discuss that possibility. I have enclosed my resume and a writing sample. Please let me know if you need a transcript or other materials.
Sincerely,
Paula P. Paralegal
Encl.
Paula P. Paralegal
328 W. Legal Road * Stumpwater,
Oklahoma 12345 * (555) 555-5555 * paulap@email.com
January 10, 2000
Ms. Samantha Superlawyer
Managing Partner
Addem, Upp & Sooem
453 Stiffem Lane
Stumpwater, OK
12345
RE: Available Paralegal Position
Dear Ms. Superlawyer:
Professor Knowes A. Lot recommended that I contact you about the possibility of working as a paralegal in your firm. I am interested in your firm's emphasis in estate planning and probate. I recently graduated from Northeastern State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice/Paralegal Option. While at Northeastern, I took several courses and completed many projects that sharpened my skills and qualifications as they relate to estate planning. I would like to take this opportunity to discuss them with you.
An effective estate planning paralegal should be able to gather relevant estate planning information from a client and correspond with that client, conduct necessary legal research and draft initial estate planning or probate documents. I have completed courses in Wills and Trusts, Probate, Business Law, Real Estate Principles and Legal Research and Writing. In addition, I have experience in drafting the documents used in simple estate plans and the probate procedure.
Apart from my education, I have extensive experience in working with people. As my resume indicates, I have worked for the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences for the last two (2) years. In that position, I was responsible for fielding and answering student questions and relaying information from college administrators to the students. I also used computers and word processing or spreadsheet software on a daily basis. Thus, I feel that I have a well rounded background and can meet the requirements of the open paralegal position.
I would like to talk about working with your firm in person. I will call your office next week to discuss that possibility. I have enclosed my resume and a writing sample. Please let me know if you need a transcript or other materials.
Sincerely,
Paula P. Paralegal
Encl.