Letters of Recommendation for Law School (FAQ)

1. How many recommendation letters will I need?
2. How important are recommendation letters?
3. Who should I ask to write my recommendation letters?
4. Who should I ask to write my letters if I graduated a few years ago?
5. How can I get to know potential letter writers (like professors) better?
6. How do I get my recommendation letters sent to each law school? Do I have to go through the LSDAS?
7. When should I approach letter writers?
8. How do I approach potential letter writers, and what information do I give them?
9. What if I plan to take some time off after graduating, before I attend law school?
10. The ‘Letter of Recommendation Form’ gives me the option to waive my right to see the letter. Should I do this?

1. How many recommendation letters will I need?
   Typically you’ll need 2 or 3 recommendation letters. The number will vary depending on the law school and its specific application requirements. Be sure to look up this information for every school you apply to. Check their Web site, and contact their admissions office if you have questions.
2. How important are recommendation letters?
   For almost every law school application, your recommendation letters are important. Your GPA and your LSAT score are also very important, and they will be used by schools to weed out applications. If you make the initial cut, all other parts of your application—including your recommendation letters—will likely be evaluated by the admissions committee. Strong recommendation letters are helpful, and occasionally they’re the deciding factor in your admission.
3. Who should I ask to write my letters?
   Some law schools will tell you who to request letters from; some won’t. Most schools want your recommendation letters to focus on your academic potential, which means that letters from professors are especially helpful. Ideally, at least 1 or 2 of your recommendation letters will be written by professors/faculty. Other good choices include an academic adviser, an internship supervisor, or a job supervisor.
   
   Above all else, your recommendation letters should be very positive, so be sure to request them from people who can write about your strengths. Law schools expect you to have strong analytic and logic skills, and to be a good writer and problem-solver. Choose people who can address those skills in the letter.
   
   TIP: Don’t be shy when you talk to your potential letter writers. Ask them directly if they’re comfortable writing a positive letter about you. If they seem hesitant, choose someone else to write your letter.
4. Who should I ask to write my letters if I graduated a few years ago?
   See the answer above (#3) for details about ideal letter writers. If you graduated years ago, you might be out of touch with professors and advisers you worked with in college. Admissions committees realize this, so if you graduated a while ago, it’s less important that your letters be written by faculty. Do choose writers who can explain the skills or strengths that make you a good law school candidate, such as your intellect, reasoning and writing skills, problem-solving abilities, and so on.
5. How can I get to know potential letter writers (like professors) better?
   Do your best to get to know professors and advisers while you’re in school. For professors (especially in classes you excel in), go to their office hours, and ask questions in classes. If possible, take more than one class from a professor you respect or connect with. You can also do a research or independent study project with faculty, or take on other extra projects in classes.
   
   For advisers, be sure to schedule regular advising appointments. Seek their advice, and have substantive conversations with them about your goals, your skills, and your potential career path.
6. How do I get my rec letters sent to each law school? Do I have to go through the LSDAS?
   You do need to go through the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS) to have your recommendation letters sent to law schools. For more information about law school application materials and what to do with them, see our page called What Do I Include in My Application and Where Should I Send It?
7. When should I approach letter writers?
   Always give your letter writers lots of time to write the letter. Approach them at least two months before you need the letter to be mailed. Also consider the writer’s workload and the time of year. (Professors are often busiest late in a semester, during final grading.) If you want to apply to law schools in the fall, try to contact your potential letter writers the summer before. Give your letter writers a specific deadline. If the deadline passes, politely contact them to ask about the status of your letter.
8. How do I approach potential letter writers, and what information do I give them?
   After someone agrees to write a recommendation letter, plan to meet to briefly discuss the recommendation letter content. It’s helpful to provide your letter writer with documents that provide insight into your skills and academic background. Examples include: your transcript, a resume, your personal statement, or a writing sample. (Ask if they would like to see any of these documents before your meeting.) If your letter writer is a professor, papers/projects from class can be helpful too.
   
   At your meeting with the letter writer, discuss potential letter content, and ask if the letter writer has any questions about documents you’ve provided. Be prepared to discuss your strengths, and to explain your reasons for wanting to attend law school.
   
   TIP: Be sure to give your letter writers a copy of a completed ‘Letter of Recommendation Form’ from LSDAS. It’s also a nice gesture to provide your writer with a stamped envelope addressed to LSAC.
9. What if I plan to take some time off after graduating, before I attend law school?
   It’s helpful to ask faculty or advisers to write a recommendation letter while you’re still in school. Then, when you do apply to law school later, ask the faculty/adviser to simply update the letter. The key is that when they write the original letter, their knowledge of you is still current, not a distant memory.
   
   TIP: During the time you’re not in school, stay in touch with the professor/adviser occasionally. That will make it easier for you to reconnect later about updating the original recommendation letter.
10. The ‘Letter of Recommendation Form’ gives me the option to waive my right to see the letter. Should I do this?
    The choice is yours. Law schools usually consider recommendation letters to be more genuine when they’re written by people who know you will not be reading the letter. (In other words, when you’ve waived your right to read the letter before it’s sent.) For that reason, we suggest you waive your rights to see the letter by checking that box on the form. On the other hand, if you do want to read the letter before it’s sent, law schools won’t penalize you for that.