Best Legal Assistant Cover Letter [+ Tips & Examples]

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Created by Cake

As the name suggests, the main role of a legal assistant is to assist lawyers as they go about their daily business practicing law. Whether it be in law firms, or anywhere, legal assistants are necessary for a multitude of different reasons. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, legal assistants are expected to help lawyers with everything from organizing documents to investigating facts and calling witnesses for a case.

What this all boils down to is a very well thought out, well-written application, including, and perhaps most especially, a good legal assistant cover letter. Lawyers base their livelihood off of their excellent command of language and attention to detail. It is therefore imperative that your legal assistant resume/cover letter reflects this too.

But what should a cover letter for a legal assistant job look like? And how to write a legal assistant cover letter with or without experience?

The following legal assistant cover letter samples and legal assistant cover letter template can help you form a better idea of how to format your cover letter. If you’re still stuck, don’t worry. Just follow our tips for how to write a legal assistant cover letter and you’ll be crafting an amazing legal assistant cover letter in no time!

Note: This article is about legal assistant cover letters - not legal secretary cover letters.  Though they sound similar, they are completely different professions, so if you’re making that application then obviously the following samples and templates for an application letter for a legal assistant are not going to be very helpful.

Legal Assistant Cover Letter Examples

Regardless of what you call it, ‘application letter for legal assistant’, ‘legal assistant cover letter’, ‘cover letter for law firm assistant’ or even ‘legal administrative assistant cover letter’, this document is key to your acceptance. 

If you’ve never come across a legal assistant cover letter before, don’t worry. Format-wise, an application letter for a legal assistant is exactly the same as any other cover letter, containing the introduction and opening, main body, closing and sign off paragraphs.

Context-wise though, as you’ll be able to see from the two examples below, things are not quite the same. Here’s a legal assistant cover letter sample for those with and without experience.

Legal Assistant Cover Letter With Experience

Mark Sullivan
123 Home, Branch Street
Rubber City, UK
(+44)-996-1156
[email protected]

May 31st, 2022

Angela Daniels
Hiring Manager
Markus Stone Law Firm
456 Avenue, Rubber City, UK
[email protected]

Dear Ms. Daniels, 

My name is Mark Sullivan, and I would like to express my interest in the Legal Assistant position within the Markus Stone Law Firm, as advertised on Cake. As a highly skilled legal assistant working at Milinal Construction, I feel that my area of expertise in construction law perfectly matches with what the company is currently looking for.

As an experienced legal assistant with over seven years of experience working in the construction industry, I believe that I have the capacity to make significant contributions to your company. In my current role, I have not only been responsible for gathering legal research and organizing client meetings, but I have also been in charge of handling client information, and drafting contracts. These differing roles have helped me develop my interpersonal and communication skills, as well as fine tuning my critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. 

I additionally pride myself on having a keen sense of attention to detail. I recently displayed this skill when proofreading a contract, finding a loophole that could have caused disastrous consequences for one of our clients.

It is thanks to my focus on detail and expert knowledge that I consider myself a perfect candidate for the role of legal assistant at Markus Stone Law Firm. I would love to discuss with you further about what I hope to contribute to the company in this role.

Should you need further information, I have attached my CV to this application, and can provide further references upon request. 

Sincerely,
Mark Sullivan

Legal Assistant Cover Letter With No Experience

Dear Ms Humphrey,

My name is Alice Brown, and I am applying for the position of Legal Assistant within BrookStone’s legal department. As a recent graduate of Law from the University of Georgetown, it was to my utmost excitement to have found this job posting through my school’s career page. BrookStone’s rapid success within the publishing world is truly inspiring. As an avid reader and writer, I am confident that I have the passion and abilities to contribute and continue this expansion.

Though I have taken a variety of different courses throughout my degree, my focus has always been on contract law. It was with this in mind that I chose the elective courses of contract negotiation and business law, excelling at both. Moreover, the vast number of cases and papers required for studying contracts honed my organizational, multitasking, and critical thinking skills, both key aspects that have prepared me for the role at BrookStone. 

In addition to the breadth of knowledge that university has provided me, I have also honed key skills that make me an ideal candidate for BrookStone. As BrookStone is a publishing company, I am confident that my diligence as a researcher and mastery of writing, along with competency in following legal procedures and using relevant legal terminology is sure to aid the legal team.

Thank you for taking the time to read my application. I have attached my CV and am able to provide further references should you require them. I hope that we can meet soon to discuss how my skills and abilities may be an asset to BrookStone’s legal department.

Sincerely,

Alice Brown
[email protected]
(+19)-176-9926

How to Write a Legal Assistant Cover Letter

Now that we’ve seen what a legal assistant cover letter with experience and without should look like, it’s time to think about how to write a legal assistant cover letter.

Here are 5 basic steps you should follow:

Step 1: Create a tailored legal assistant cover letter header

Like all letters, a legal assistant cover letter needs to be addressed to someone. However, formality is key, so be sure to do your homework. Very rarely can you get by nowadays by simply saying ‘Dear Hiring Manager’ instead of the actual person’s name.

Be sure to include information about yourself and the person you’re sending the legal assistant cover letter/application to. You may put it in a format like this:

Mark Sullivan
123 Home, Branch Street
Rubber City, UK
(+44)-996-1156
[email protected]

May 31st, 2022

Angela Daniels
Hiring Manager
Markus Stone Law Firm
456 Avenue, Rubber City, UK
[email protected]

Dear Ms. Daniels, 

📚Further reading: How to Write a Resume Header that Stands Out (+Tips, Examples)

Step 2: Introduce yourself and your background

Never forget to introduce yourself. Not only does it make your cover letter more memorable than all the other legal assistant cover letters, but also shows that you’re serious about this position and want to make a good first impression. 

Remember to include information about:

  • Where you found this job posting
  • What makes this job attractive for you
  • Why you want to work for this company, (e.g. is there something particularly interesting about them, what do they do, or where are they based?)

Here’s an example of what the introduction of an entry level legal assistant cover letter might look like:

My name is Rue Reed, and I would like to express my interest in the Legal Assistant position within the Markus Stone Law Firm, as advertised on Cake. As a highly skilled legal assistant working at Milinal Construction, I feel that my area of expertise perfectly matches with the company’s goal of expanding into construction law.

Step 3: Summarize key qualifications relevant to the position

Similar to your usual cover letter, a legal assistant cover letter must discuss how your past experiences relate to the job requirements. You don’t have the space to mention everything, so briefly mention any key things that are related to this particular company and position.

They might include your past work and life experiences, and relevant skills, qualifications, and/or accomplishments.

Here’s an example of this section for a cover letter for legal assistant position with experience:

As an experienced legal assistant with over seven years of experience working in the construction industry, I believe that I have the capacity to make significant contributions to your company. In my current role, I have not only been responsible for gathering legal research and organizing client meetings, but I have also been in charge of handling client information, and drafting contracts. These differing roles have helped me develop my interpersonal and communication skills, as well as fine tuning my critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. 

I additionally pride myself on having a keen sense of attention to detail. I recently displayed this skill when proofreading a contract, finding a loophole that could have caused disastrous consequences for one of our clients.

Step 4: Close with a motivated tone and inviting CTA (Call To Action)

Thank the reader for their consideration and suggest (respectfully and subtly) for an opportunity to discuss your application further. Don’t forget to sign off professionally and with your full name.

Here’s an example of a closing from a cover letter for law office assistant:

Thank you for taking the time to read my application. I look forward to becoming a key part of the legal team as a law office assistant at Gray Gray Law Firm, and am available for an interview at your convenience.

Sincerely,
Trudy Green

Step 5: Include your attachments

Don’t forget to add your CV/resume to your application, and any other documents mentioned in the job requirements.

Legal Assistant Cover Letter Template

Stuck on where to start? It can be challenging taking your first steps into writing a professional legal assistant cover letter, especially if you don’t have any experience in the legal field.

To help you format your own cover letter, here’s a cover letter template for a legal assistant:

[Your Full Name]

[Address]

[Phone Number]
[Email]

[Date - Month Day Year]

[Hiring Manager’s Name]
[Position]
[Company Name]
[Company Address]

Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. [Surname of Hiring Manager’s Name],

My name is [Your full name], and I am applying for the position of legal assistant at [Company name], as advertised on [job site]. As a [Current job position], I am confident that I have the relevant skills and abilities necessary to contribute to this role.

As an experienced legal assistant with over [number] of years working as in the [job industry/field], I believe that I have the capacity to make significant contributions to your company. In my previous role at [Company name], I was responsible for:

  • [Discuss at least 3 responsibilities where you can match relevant skills, gained qualifications, or made significant achievements]

It is with these achievements that I see myself as the perfect candidate for the role of legal assistant at [Company name]. 

Thank you for taking the time to consider my application. I would love to discuss with you further about what I hope to contribute to [Company name] as a [Job title]. Should you need further information, I have attached my CV to this application, and can provide further references upon request. 

Sincerely,
[Your Full Name]

Legal Assistant Cover Letter Writing Tips

Although you should know by now what a legal assistant cover letter should look like and how to write one, there are a few things you should be aware of before getting started.

The following are 3 tips for writing a strong cover letter for a legal assistant job, as well as 2 tips for writing a legal assistant cover letter (with and without experience).

Tip #1: Highlight your relevant legal assistant skills

Like all jobs, a range of soft and hard skills make an ideal candidate. Throughout your cover letter for legal assistant positions, you should make an effort to highlight some of the following skills:

  • Organization
  • Dependability
  • Attention to detail
  • Time management
  • Critical thinking
  • Problem-solving
  • Communication
  • Multitasking
  • Knowledge of legal procedures
  • Knowledge of legal terminology
  • Knowledge of legal research and information retrieval
  • Litigation support
  • Digital contract software
  • Knowledge of project management software
  • Excellent writing

Unlike in CVs and resumes, it might not be ideal to just list your skills. You have to weave them into your legal assistant cover letter by linking them with your past experiences. Refer back to ‘How to write a legal assistant cover letter’ section for an example.

Tip #2: Do not make any typos or grammatical errors

Experienced recruiter and hiring manager J. Palmer from Indeed quoted that proofreading as a common problem among candidates. Make sure you’re not the next person she catches for a spelling error! 

Tip #3: Be personal

The legal assistant cover letter is your chance to stand out from the crowd, so keep it cheesy, but true. Don’t pass up on this opportunity by monotonously recalling what you’ve done and how this relates. Add a touch of personality to your writing by showing enthusiasm and expressing desires - all while maintaining a professional tone.

Tip for writing a Cover Letter for Entry Level Legal Assistant

As a talent solutions company LHH mentions, a legal assistant cover letter is your opportunity to advocate for yourself, not just to show off your writing skills. Since this is basically what any lawyer does, your cover letter for a legal assistant will be expected to be convincing. So put on your persuasion shoes and argue for why you deserve the position. 

Tip for writing a Legal Assistant Cover Letter No Experience

For those writing an entry level legal assistant cover letter with no experience, you need to mention your educational background. Make it a priority to discuss subjects that are relevant to the job position, linking what you learned with the soft and hard skills required for this role.

If in doubt, repeat the phrases used in the requirements of the job posting and link these to subjects or courses that you’ve covered during your degree.

Conclusion

By reading this article, you should now be able to answer the questions: what should a cover letter for a legal assistant job look like and how to write a legal assistant cover letter. We’ve also covered what key things to include for a legal assistant cover letter, including 5 steps and 4 tips for crafting your own.

Before you go, remember that in any cover letter, you must specifically address the job requirements mentioned for that specific position and relate them to your experiences. And you need to do it in a persuasive way.

If you can implement all the things and craft a memorable but brief cover letter, ideally in 1 page, then you have all the more reasons to believe that you can nail that legal assistant position!

With Cake, a resume builder tool, we provide you with hundreds of free resume templates and resume examples that help showcase the best you. Landing your dream job will be a piece of cake!

--- Originally written by Eva O’Mara ---


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