A cover letter could be the difference between you being invited for an interview or not, so it’s worth taking the time to consider what key points you want to include. Whether you’re an experienced solicitor, or you just received your LLM, you’ll need to present the information in the best possible manner if you’re looking to impress.
What should I include in my cover letter?
Introduction
Your cover letter should start with a formal address e.g. Dear Connor McAdams. Find out the person’s full name – target them. You can usually find it at the bottom of the job advert. The person will likely be a member of HR or recruitment.
You should also include your interest in the role, e.g. Residential conveyancer – include the name of the role as it is advertised on the job. You may also like to mention where you heard about the job e.g. Simply Law Jobs.
The above builds a good intro before you dive into the most important part of your cover letter – talking about you and why you think you are a good fit for the job.
Introduce yourself
You should take advantage of the second paragraph by introducing yourself and what your current role is. You might wish to mention your years of experience and job title. Touch on some of the points you made in your CV, but try not to repeat yourself. Recruiters are time poor, so they won’t appreciate having to read the same information twice. Summarise your key professional achievements, and touch on some of your professional highlights.
Boast your research
For this section, discuss how well you would fit for this job. What skills do you have that match the job description? Can you match what the firm is looking for? How do you fit the bill? It helps to look back at the job description for this section, and you might want to take cue from the company website with regards to company values/objectives etc.
The necessities
Before you finish off your cover letter, don’t forget to include your current notice period so the employer has an idea of when they could expect you at the firm. Also let them know how eager you are to interview for the job. If you’ve got a few years of PQE already, you might also wish to mention your current salary, and any other benefits you would like to be considered.
Finally…
Your cover letter should conclude with a brief sentence thanking the person for their time and expressing your eagerness to hear back from them. Follow this by signing off with ‘Yours faithfully’ if you know the name of the person, or ‘Yours sincerely’ if you don’t. Don’t forget to leave your name and contact details underneath it – although this isn’t essential as it should be on your CV.
Below is an example of a solicitor cover letter for you to use as a guide for your own:
Mr Thomas Leone
Director
Carter and Son
45A East Street
Shrewsbury
SE24 9GL
Dear Mr Leone,
I am writing to you today to apply for the full-time role of solicitor, currently being advertised on Simply Law Jobs. As a highly skilled solicitor, I read your advert with interest. I feel my experience aligns well with the qualifications you are seeking, in particular my role as residential conveyancer at Cladwell and Jenkins. I am certain I would be an asset to your firm.
With over 12 years experience as a solicitor, my skills include case preparation, client consultations, and courtroom litigation. While my experience has afforded me a well-rounded skillset, including first-rate leadership and interpersonal ability, the main highlights of my career include:
- Defending world renowned high-street retail store in a county court appeal
- Obtained favorable settlements for 89% of cases in my career
- Won a £1m settlement in one intellectual property case
I also have a solid educational foundation and a passion for consumer law – I hold a particular interest in your current project surrounding copyright law, and would be very eager to get involved in this case.
Thank you for considering my application – please review the attached CV for additional details of my experience etc. I am available for interview at your earliest convenience, and very much look forward to hearing back from you.
Yours sincerely,
Wendy Mardox
Phone: 07737295285
Email: w.mardox@gmail.com
Want more advice for your application? Why not download our CV guide below?
