what is a good writing sample to submit for attorney job posting?

by Mrs. Keara Connelly 3 min read

A memo or brief you prepared for lawyering seminar can work well as a writing sample. Employers are looking for clear, effective legal writing and analysis. An objective interoffice memo or a persuasive brief are both acceptable vehicles for demonstrating your writing and analysis abilities.

A memo or brief you prepared for lawyering seminar can work well as a writing sample. Employers are looking for clear, effective legal writing and analysis. An objective interoffice memo or a persuasive brief are both acceptable vehicles for demonstrating your writing and analysis abilities.

Full Answer

How do I choose a legal writing sample?

sample of your legal writing skills. Mitchell Length of the Sample The writing sample should be five to ten pages in length, unless otherwise indicated by a particular employer. If you have selected a longer sample, you can provide an excerpt from the sample and add a cover page that provides the appropriate context, as described below.

What do employers look for in a sample for a legal job?

Nov 24, 2016 · When refining your writing sample, you need to consider several factors. First, your sample should be in plain English. Second, it should have a sound, economical, and well-organized analysis. Third, there should be no misspellings, typos, or grammatical errors.

How long should a legal writing sample be?

Oct 11, 2021 · While the specific writing style of the company can often be learned on the job, employers might be looking to hire someone with a certain level of writing skills at their first day on the job. How long should a writing sample be? In most cases, your writing sample should be around 750 words or between one and two pages.

Do you need a writing sample for a job application?

recently published decision is not the best choice as it does not include legal analysis. Possible writing samples include: A memorandum from your legal writing class. Your portion of your moot court brief. The best way to present an excerpt is to keep the statement of facts, the table of contents, and your argument, or a section thereof.

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What should I upload as a writing sample?

How do I choose a writing sample?Research papers from a job or class.Narrative papers from a job or class.Other writing assignments.Blog posts.Press releases.Articles or other contributions.Nov 23, 2020

What should a legal writing sample look like?

Legal Reasoning—A writing sample must demonstrate your legal reasoning and analytical skills, i.e., apply law to facts, and distinguish cases on their facts. Thus, an academic survey of case law or a note that summarizes a recently published decision is not the best choice as it does not include legal analysis.

What is a redacted writing sample?

Redact: If you are using a piece of writing that you wrote for a past employer (such as a brief or memo you wrote during a previous job, externship, or internship) as your writing sample, you will most likely have to redact (remove) Page 3 3 certain types of information from the piece as you revise it.

How many pages should a legal writing sample be?

The legal writing sample is an integral part of the hiring process for lawyers. Here are tips for preparing the best sample of your legal writing skills. The writing sample should be five to ten pages in length, unless otherwise indicated by a particular employer.

Poor Writing Sample

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A poorly written sample that contains fundamental errors in grammar, word choice, sentence construction, or other quality problems is a red flagfor employers. Below are a few issues to watch: 1. Sentence clarity 2. Word choice 3. Redundancies and/or inaccuracies in the text 4. Consistency 5. Tone and voice 6. Content organ
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Typographical Errors

  • While applicants give much attention to creating an error-free resume and cover letter, their writing samples often receive a less meticulous review. We have seen many writing samples with typographical errors – many of them published online, in law review journals and legal publicationsor filed with the court. A single typo is enough to instill doubt in the reviewer and eli…
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Off-Topic Samples

  • Make sure your writing samples match the employer’s request and the needs of the position. If, for example, you are applying for an associate position, don’t submit your senior term paper on psychosocial behavior. Instead, submit a sample that demonstrates that you can perform the job for which you are applying. For example, if you are applying for a position as an associate in the …
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Failure to Follow Instructions

  • Always follow the job ad or potential employer’s instructions for submitting writing samples, particularly with respect to: 1. Type of samples:Make sure that the type of sample you submit (i.e., brief, correspondence, motion) matches the employer’s request in terms of format, style, and content. If you don’t have a relevant sample in your portfolio, draft a new writing sample to fit. 2. …
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Disclosing Confidential Information

  • Writing samples in the legal profession require special care due to attorney/client privilege, sensitive information, and confidentiality concerns. When submitting writing samples from a past or present case or transaction, even if that case is closed or terminated, it is important to remove the names of all parties, names of clients, and any other sensitive or confidential information. T…
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