When I began my law school applications, the most daunting part was asking others for reference letters. As someone who is more of an introvert and doesn’t usually speak up in class, it seemed so intimidating to ask an authority figure who I didn’t know very well to write such an important letter that could have a tangible impact on my future. But don’t worry, the first thing to remember is that these people in your life want to see you succeed. They want you to get into law school and have a successful career and have likely written dozens of reference letters in the past, so remember that they will be more than happy to be a referee for you. With this in mind, I will give some tips to ensure that you get a stellar reference that will leave an impression on the admissions committee rather than a generic mundane reference.
Academic References
Typically law schools ask for two reference letters with the requirement that at least one is an academic reference, meaning it is from a professor who taught you in university. The most important tip for ensuring that you get a raving reference is to make sure that the professor knows you personally. While this seems challenging at first, here are some tips to make the experience easier.
1. Start Early
The best way to cultivate a personal relationship with a professor is to begin thinking about who you might want to ask for a reference as early as possible. In my personal experience, I took a class with a professor in first year that I absolutely loved. I really enjoyed her personality and her teaching style, and I decided to continue taking her classes throughout my undergrad regardless of how much they interested me. This was amazing when it came time to ask for a reference because she was able to see me grow and improve as a student over the years and reflect on that in her reference. She had almost two years’ worth of knowledge about who I was as an individual rather than one semester’s worth. But if you are already in your third or final year or are unable to execute this strategy in your course selections, don’t worry! There are many other ways to cultivate a personal relationship with a professor.
2. Try to select courses that encourage participation
Do not ask for a reference from the prof who taught you first-year intro to poli sci in a class of over 200 people. Unless you somehow went out of your way to make a personal connection with this prof, they likely don’t remember who you are and even if they do, they won’t remember any unique personal characteristics that would set you apart from other candidates in your reference. For many students like myself, speaking up in class is scary, especially when there are hundreds of people listening to you. Taking a course with a smaller class size will give you a better opportunity to contribute in class and allow your prof to get to know you. It could also be helpful to consider the subject matter of the class. If you are only taking calculus and physics classes, there is likely not that much opportunity for thought-provoking participation among students as opposed to something like a philosophy class. Consider whether this is a class where student participation is typically encouraged, and this could make it much easier to develop a relationship in class with that professor.
3. Go to office hours
While I would recommend attending your professor’s office hours for a variety of reasons, it is so helpful for getting to know them more personally. Do not be scared to go into their office, it is important to remember that professors want you to come to their office hours and you are not a burden on them for attending! To make this easier, make sure you have a plan of what you want to discuss during your time there, don’t just show up to chit-chat. It is best if you have any specific questions about the course content, but it is also great to ask for feedback on past assignments or guidance for future assignments.
Second Reference
If you are able to get two references from a professor that is great, but if not, don’t sweat it, it is not required and there are plenty of other people who can make great referees. If you are considering whether to ask a second prof for a reference or ask someone else in your life, try to imagine what they know about you that they would be able to write in their reference letter. It is better to have your second referee be non-academic but be someone who knows you very well and can say exceptional things about you as a person rather than a generic academic reference that is not personal. So who in your life can you ask for this reference? Consider the “authority figures” or people that you look up to in your life. Of course, do not ask your parents or someone related to you, but I will give some examples of great people to ask for your second reference.
1. Professional reference
Did you have a part-time job during school or even a summer internship? Your managers and supervisors at these jobs are an amazing source for a reference letter. Personally, I asked my manager at my part-time job for my second reference, and she wrote me an outstanding letter. These people will be able to speak about the many skills you bring to the workplace that are transferrable such as time management, problem-solving, critical thinking, and more. Managers are also used to writing references for others so they will likely be more than happy to do this for you.
2. Extra-curricular or volunteer references
Think about any non-academic activities that you recently participated in. Whether it was volunteering in the community, playing on a sports team, or a school club. The individuals who coached or supervised you throughout these activities can also speak on the many skills you can transfer to law school and will be happy to write a reference for you.
How To Ask For References
So you’ve decided who you want to ask for a reference, and you made an effort to get to know them, but how do you actually go about asking for a reference? First, think about when you are going to ask. Make sure to give your references sufficient notice when you ask them. Do not ask them for a reference the day before applications are due. Not only does it look irresponsible on your part, but professors and managers are busy people, and they will not be able to write you the best reference possible on short notice.
Once you think it is time to ask them (try to give them at least two weeks), the best practice is to ask in person, if you are able. If it is a professor, you can likely go in during their office hours or schedule an appointment with them via email. If it is someone who you can’t meet with in person, a phone call or email is fine. If you call them on the phone, just make sure it is an appropriate time to call when they are not busy with something else. When asking, make sure to remain professional and remember that these people want to help you and they want to see you succeed. You don’t need to over-complicate the question, simply tell them that you are applying to law school and that you would greatly appreciate it if they would be a reference for you. Once they agree, you can fill out their information on the application portal which usually requires the letters to be submitted directly to the system.
Finally, once they have submitted their reference make sure to send a thank you email thanking them for taking the time out of their busy schedule to write you a reference, I also liked to update my references after I was admitted letting them know that their work paid off!
Author
Daniela Hartmann
Writer at Legally Bright Inc.
J.D Candidate (2025)
Osgoode Hall Law School
About Legally Bright
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