Ask trusted professors or employers to type a letter of recommendation.
Applying to law school can be an overwhelming process as applicants look to collect information that law schools need to evaluate their abilities. Most law schools use admission letters, also known as letters of recommendation, as one method of assessing an applicant's potential. By understanding what schools are looking for, applicants can focus on securing impressive letters of recommendation to improve their law school application.
Purpose
Law school letters of recommendation help personalize the applicant. Rather than reading a list of test scores and grades, law school admissions committees can learn more about the applicant, his talents and the skills he has that will help him succeed as a law student. Letters of recommendation give former professors or employers the opportunity to assess your abilities in the context of law school. Schools can use these letters of recommendation to evaluate applicants in a new light.
Style
Law school admissions letters are typically one- to two-page letters that laud the applicant's skills and assess his ability to succeed in law school. Typically written in traditional business letter format, law school recommendation letters reveal pertinent information about an applicant that the recommender gained during her relationship with the applicant. Recommenders can write these letters as formally or as casually as they please, though most will use a formal tone to establish a professional relationship with the admissions committee.
Number
Some law schools require a certain number of letters of recommendation, while others let applicants decide how many letters to submit. For example, the University of Florida Levin College of Law allows applicants to submit up to four letters of recommendation. The University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law requires two letters of recommendation but accepts more.
LSAC Service
The Law School Admissions Council, or LSAC, offers a letter of recommendation service that allows students to acquire only one letter of recommendation from each recommender. The LSAC keeps the letter on file and submits it to law schools at the applicant's request. Many schools require--or encourage--students to use this service to submit application letters, as it ensures the letters are not tampered with in any way.
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