How to craft an excellent legal counselor cover letter

Legal counselors are responsible for providing current and potential clients with proper legal advice and recommendations regarding a wide range of issues — from civil lawsuits to criminal prosecutions. To earn a position as a legal counselor, you need a well-written cover letter showcasing your area of expertise.

In this guide, we will teach you the 5 key elements to include in your legal counselor cover letter. Keep reading to learn all about:

• Properly formatting your cover letter & headline as a legal counselor
• Personalizing the content of your legal counselor cover letter
• Crafting a compelling introduction as a legal counselor
• Showcasing your best professional attributes as a legal counselor
• Concluding your legal counselor cover letter effectively

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1. Properly format your legal counselor cover letter header & headline

The very first step to take when writing a legal counselor cover letter is to create a well-formatted header and headline that gives your letter structure. Without these elements, your letter can easily end up looking like one giant block of text with little visual appeal.

Your cover letter header is located at the top of the document, either in the top left or top center typically. In this header, you should include:

• Your name and professional title
• Your professional contact information
• The name of the law firm or organization you are applying to
• The address of the law firm or organization

Once your header is in place, you can then move on to writing your headline. Although this element is optional, it can be a powerful tool for initially grabbing the employer’s attention.

To write a great headline, make sure to include:

• A keyword or phrase that is relevant to the position
• A compelling number or trigger word (3 reasons, my 3 top skills, etc.)
• A strong adjective and/or verb
• A promise statement that informs the employer the letter is exclusively for them

Trigger Word/Number: Looking for, 3 Reasons
Keyword: Legal Counselor
Adjective/Verb: Excellent, Perfect
Promise: Your Firm

2. Personalize the content of your legal counselor cover letter

Anytime you write a cover letter as a legal counselor, it is important to take the extra step of personalizing the letter for the specific employer you are sending it to.

By doing this, you show the employer you not only have excellent attention to detail but also that you have a strong work ethic and have taken the time to research their company thoroughly. When completing your cover letter research, search for key facts like:

• What the law firm or organization looks for in legal counselors
• What specialized areas of law the organization works in
• Who at the organization is responsible for reading and reviewing job applications

Using this information, you can create a personalized greeting that addresses the employer by name, as well as tailor every detail you include to be highly relevant to the employer.

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3. Crafting a compelling introduction as a legal counselor

With the header, headline, and greeting of your cover letter taken care of, you can now begin writing the introductory paragraph.

In this introduction, your main goal is to keep the employer interested and encourage them to continue reading. To achieve this, you will need to include:

• A brief overview of your professional history (years of experience, specializations, etc.)
• A short statement on why you are interested in this position
• A mutual acquaintance (when possible) — the inclusion of a mutual acquaintance builds immediate trust and rapport with an employer. If you do not have one, one great way to expand your professional network and gain a mutual acquaintance is through LinkedIn.

4. Showcase your best professional attributes as a legal counselor

When you write a cover letter, you have more space and freedom to provide in-depth insights into your best skills, accomplishments, and other qualifications.

As such, you should make the most of this extra space and showcase your best professional attributes as a legal counselor. To do this, you will need to write concise yet highly detailed body paragraphs that include information that is:

• Relevant: In your cover letter you should only include your most relevant qualifications, ideally the ones that you believe make you stand out the most as an applicant.
• Quantifiable: Whenever possible, including quantifiable information (such as performance data or statistics) can help to show an employer the real-life value you have to offer.
• Contextual: Always be as specific as possible when describing skills and accomplishments. Provide enough background information that an employer can understand why you have chosen to include a particular qualification.

5. Conclude your legal counselor cover letter effectively

The final step for writing a great cover letter as a legal counselor is to write an effective conclusion. In this closing statement, your goal is to encourage the employer to respond to you promptly, including information such as:

• How and when you can be contacted
• When you plan to follow up
• A formal sign-off