How to Get Strong Letters of Recommendation for Law School
Letters of recommendation are one of the most misunderstood parts of the law school application. Applicants often treat them as a box to check — find two or three people willing to say nice things, submit, done. But strong letters can meaningfully help an application, and weak ones can quietly hurt it. The difference comes down to who you ask and how.
Here's how to approach recommendations strategically.
Understand what admissions committees want from a letter. A recommendation letter answers a question your other materials can't: what are you actually like to work with, and how do you perform when someone is watching closely? Admissions readers want specific, credible evidence of your intellectual ability, work ethic, character, and potential to succeed in a demanding academic program. The best letters provide exactly that — specific examples from someone in a position to know.
Academic letters usually matter most. For most applicants, especially those applying soon after college, law schools prefer academic recommendations from professors who taught you. This is because law school is an academic program, and professors can speak directly to the skills that predict success there: analytical thinking, writing ability, class participation, intellectual curiosity. If you're a current student or recent graduate, prioritize academic recommenders.
The "impressive name" trap. Applicants often want a letter from the most prestigious or famous person they can find — a well-known professor, a judge, a politician they interned for. But a letter's value comes from how well the recommender knows you and how specifically they can speak to your abilities, not from their title. A glowing, detailed letter from a professor who knows your work well beats a generic letter from a famous name who barely remembers you. Choose people who can write specifically, not just impressively.
For non-traditional applicants, professional letters can work. If you've been out of school for several years, getting academic letters may be impractical, and that's understood. In that case, professional recommendations from supervisors who can speak to your work — your judgment, your reliability, your growth, your analytical skills — are appropriate and valuable. The same principle applies: pick people who know your work well and can be specific.
Ask early. Recommenders are busy, and a rushed letter is often a weaker letter. Ask at least a month or two before your deadlines — earlier if you can. Asking early also signals respect for their time and gives them room to write something thoughtful rather than something dashed off the night before it's due.
Ask in person or in a real conversation when possible. Don't ask for a recommendation via a one-line email if you can help it. A real conversation — in person, by video, or at least a thoughtful message — lets you gauge their enthusiasm and gives them the context to write well. And crucially, it lets you ask the right question.
Ask the right question: "Can you write me a strong letter?" Not just "will you write me a letter" — "are you able to write me a strong letter of recommendation?" This phrasing gives a lukewarm recommender a graceful way to decline, which is exactly what you want. A reluctant or neutral recommender who says yes out of politeness will often write a tepid letter that helps you less than no letter at all. You want enthusiastic yeses.
Make it easy for them. Once someone agrees, give them what they need to write a great letter:
Your resume
Your personal statement or a draft of it
A reminder of specific work you did in their class or under their supervision (papers you wrote, projects, memorable contributions)
The deadlines and submission instructions (usually through LSAC's Credential Assembly Service)
A brief note on what you're hoping to convey in your application overall
The more specific material you give them, the more specific — and therefore stronger — their letter can be. You're not writing it for them, but you're helping them remember the details that make a letter vivid.
Understand the LSAC process. Law school recommendations go through LSAC's Credential Assembly Service (CAS). Recommenders submit letters to LSAC, which then distributes them to the schools you apply to. Understand this process early so you can set it up correctly and give your recommenders clear, accurate instructions. Most schools want two to three letters; check each school's specific requirements.
Stay organized and follow up gently. Keep track of who agreed to write, what you've given them, and what deadlines apply. As deadlines approach, a polite check-in is appropriate — recommenders are human and letters slip down to-do lists. A gentle reminder a couple of weeks out, framed as making sure they have everything they need, is welcome, not annoying.
Say thank you — and keep them posted. After someone writes for you, thank them sincerely. And when you get your results, let them know where you're headed. Recommenders invest real effort in your future, and they genuinely want to know how things turned out. Beyond being gracious, these are relationships worth maintaining — the professor who recommended you for law school may be a mentor for years to come.
A few common mistakes to avoid.
Asking someone who barely knows you because they have an impressive title
Asking too late and getting a rushed letter
Not giving recommenders enough material to be specific
Failing to give a lukewarm recommender an easy out
Losing track of deadlines and requirements
Forgetting to thank people or follow up
Letters of recommendation reward the same thing the rest of the application does: thoughtfulness and specificity. Choose the right people, ask them well, make their job easy, and you'll get letters that genuinely strengthen your case.
Moore Consulting Services helps pre-law students nationwide build strong applications from every angle — including how to approach recommenders and assemble a compelling file. Reach out if you'd like help putting your application together.