by Michelle Queirolo Grad Fellow
Law Career Services
Did you know there is a particular standard to follow when submitting your writing sample? Generally, it’s not enough to merely submit your writing sample as is. Follow these tips and you will have a professional writing sample ready to send to employers.
1. Cover Page: Attach a cover page to the front of your writing sample. The cover page should include a short paragraph about the topic of the sample and the circumstances under which you wrote it. In addition, include your header on this page, so that it is consistent with the header on your resume and cover letter. This, in effect, promotes your brand.
2. Name Header: Include your name on every page of the writing sample to make it easy for the employer to keep track of your documents. To be clear, this header is not the same as the branding header from your cover page, which contains your address, phone number, and email address. Rather, it’s just your name, “John Doe,” at the top of every page.
3. Ten Pages: Your writing sample should be limited to 10 pages.
4. Plain White Paper: Often employers will request that you submit your writing sample online. For those that request a hard copy of your writing sample, print it on plain white paper. Do not turn in a bound writing sample. Stapling your writing sample is sufficient.
5. Analysis: Submit a writing sample that demonstrates your ability to conduct legal analysis. In addition, make sure your analysis is strong and well composed. Bryan Garner, president of LawProse, Inc. wrote an article in the ABA Journal about how to strengthen your legal writing skills. He recommends that you position your conclusion at the forefront of your work, so that the reader does not have to dig for or anticipate your conclusion. Accordingly, Garner suggests that your conclusion contain “the principal question(s), the answers to those questions and the reasons for those answers.”
Further, Garner recommends that you assert your conclusion. This means you should refrain from indefinite conclusions that suggest an outcome could turn out one way or another. Moreover, Garner recommends against conclusions that are too definite. Rather, he opines that the middle ground is best, wherein you conclude with “your best thought about how a court will come down on an issue.”
6. Permissions: If your writing sample is the product of a work assignment, then get approval from your supervisor before you use it.
7. Confidentiality: A writing sample from work, must not breach the duty of confidentiality. You must delete or redact all confidential information in your sample, including information that identifies your client, information from which someone might deduce your client’s identity, and/or privileged work product.
8. Collaboration: In regards to law review articles, or other documents, that were written in collaboration with other people, be sure to highlight the section that you wrote. In addition, make sure you clearly indicate on your cover page that the sample was written in collaboration with another, and that the highlighted section pertains to your individual work on the piece.
9. Proof Read: If your writing sample is from a class assignment, don’t assume your professor caught all of your punctuation, spelling, and citation mistakes. Make sure your sample is free of any and all errors.
For more tips and information on how to format your writing sample, check out the “LCS Writing Sample” handout in the “Documents” section of your LCSonline account, or pick up a handout at LCS in person. Also, contact LCS at Lawcareer@ggu.edu or (415) 442-6625 for additional information or assistance.
