Most U.S. law schools require that you, as an LL.M. applicant, submit two letters of recommendation. Each letter should be from someone who knows you well and can provide a candid personalized evaluation of your potential success in the graduate program. All other things being equal, academic references are generally preferred over professional references.
Some law schools require that at least one or both letters come from a law school professor. This is useful to know in advance so that you can get to know a professor from your law school before asking him or her to write you a letter of recommendation.
When the law school does not specify who should write the letters of recommendation, choose the people who know you the best and who you trust to write a strong, very specific letter.
Admissions officers see all kinds of letters, and it is easy to differentiate an enthusiastic letter from one written merely as a courtesy to the applicant. You want to be sure that letters written on your behalf are perceived as the former. Letters that offer specific details of the nature of the relationship and particular aspects of your work upon which the letter is based are best as they say a great deal about you. The fact that the writer took a good deal of time and attention to write the letter also suggests that he or she thinks highly of you and that this is not merely a pro forma letter. Letters that compare you favorably to your peers (e.g., the best research assistant I have had in my 20 years as a university professor) are particularly helpful. Letters of recommendation must be written on official letterhead and be sent sealed.
Avoid personal references such as someone, even of a high status, who knows you or your family but in a non-professional setting. These not only do not add to your file, they tend to detract from your application as US law schools pride themselves on making admissions based purely on merit. When considering who to ask to write letters of recommendation for you, think about someone who writes well in English or who will agree to write in his or her native language and have the letter translated into English. Even an extremely enthusiastic letter may seem less so if the referee writes in a language in which he or she is not comfortable. You will often be asked to give a form to the recommender, which he or she will sign and submit along with the letter. The form may ask you to waive your right to see this letter, and I recommend that you do so. If you are applying through LSAC, be sure to observe LSAC’s requirements for submission.Â
Desiree Jaeger-Fine is a writer and author of Pursuing Happiness: One Lawyer’s Journey, A Short & Happy Guide to Networking and A Short & Happy Guide to Being Hired.
