Writing a statement of purpose for a law internship is one of the most important things to do while seeking an internship as a law student. It is even more important than your academic performance and grades, therefore it should be taken very seriously.
Getting a good firm to do your law internship creates lots of opportunities that will help in your professional development as a lawyer. However, to secure a good spot as an intern, you must first be good at writing a statement of purpose.
In this article, you will get to know what a statement of purpose is, its relevance, and how to write one as a law student.
What Is A Statement of Purpose For law Internship
A statement of purpose is a letter of intent written by an intern seeking an internship opportunity in a law firm, highlighting why one is the best fit for the opportunity, and how the internship can benefit their personal and professional life.
It is a critical part of the application process, where aspiring law interns are given the opportunity to sell themselves to prospective employers.
A well-written and detailed statement of purpose will go a long way in helping law students acquire an internship spot faster than their academic record would do. Not to undermine the importance of academic performance in this process, as it is also very important.
Significance Of Statement Of Purpose
Getting an internship opportunity in a competitive firm is the dream of so many students. However, not everybody gets that chance as the number of people applying as an intern in law school is constantly increasing.
Also, most law schools don’t conduct interviews for aspiring interns, so they rely on the statement of purpose of the candidate to determine the admission process. A good statement of purpose should tell everything about a candidate’s past accomplishments, future goals, and intentions.
A lot of applicants with great academic records have experienced a lot of rejections. Not because they are not good enough, but because the firm can’t accommodate the number of applicants.
While your academic performance as a law student is great, they are not enough to secure a spot as an intern in your dream law firm. A great statement of purpose will do the magic faster.
For this reason, most people rather employ the service of a professional than write the statement of purpose themselves.
How To Write A Statement Of Purpose For law School
A lot of people find it difficult to write a well-crafted statement of purpose for their internship application. Some don’t even know what to include when writing, thus end up producing a document that is not up to standard. Such a bad writing approach has jeopardized the chances of lots of applicants. Here are a few tips that will help you write a great statement of purpose for your law internship.
- Starting writing the statement of purpose early
Due to the importance of this document, writing it early enough, even before the application date, will make it come out well. Waiting till the deadline of the application before writing the statement of purpose, can lead to rushed and shabby work thus impeding its quality. A poorly written statement of purpose stands a chance of being rejected.
Also writing the statement of purpose early enough will provide ample time to edit, proofread, and review the document before submission.
- Choose a good format for your statement of purpose
When writing a statement of purpose, ensure the write up is well structured and organized. Start by writing the firm’s address in the top left corner. You should also endeavor to introduce yourself, course, school, and year next.
- State why you want to do the internship
Before any firm takes any student in as an intern, they want to know they are eligible for the position. This can be ascertained by hearing from the applicants why they need the internship opportunity. Make sure you provide valid reasons why this internship is important to you.
- Do not repeat information that is present on your CV
If the firm requested your curriculum vitae along with your statement of purpose, then there is no need to share content that is already in your CV while writing your statement of purpose. Doing so can be time-wasting, and you don’t want to bore the appointment committee with repeated content.
- Elucidate your special skills
Since there are thousands of others like you applying for the internship, you must give the recruiter a good enough reason to pick you instead of other applicants. Emphasizing your special skills in your statement of purpose will place you at a competitive advantage. Firms like working with interns that can add value to their organization, and showcasing your skills will place you in their good book.
- Explain how the internship will benefit your career development
The most important of any statement of purpose is telling the recruiter how this internship opportunity is going to benefit you in your career development. This shows the recruiter how this internship is very important to your career, consequently increasing your chances.
- Don’t use bullet points while writing
Using bullet points while writing a statement of purpose is unprofessional, and reduces the quality of the document. A statement of purpose is meant to provide adequate information about an applicant’s skills, strengths, goals, and aspirations. Listing them defeats that purpose.
- Have your statement of purpose edited and proofread
The more you edit and proofread your statement of purpose, the more you get to see errors and blunders. A statement of purpose is an official document and should be free from grammatical errors. Make sure you also check for spellings, vocabulary, tenses, and structure. To get the best result, have your statement of purpose edited by a professional.
You can also check out, How To Write An Internship Report With Example.
How long Does A Statement Of Purpose Have To Be?
Some companies do provide how long an applicant’s statement of purpose should be. In such a case, you should stick to the given word count. Doing otherwise shows unprofessionalism and will impede one’s chance of getting a placement.
In cases where the length of the statement of purpose is not specified, applicants can use their discretion while writing it. They can find out from previous interns, and seek their suggestions.
Also, applicants should not try to provide unnecessary information in an attempt to increase the length of the statement of purpose. Unnecessary repetition of statements should be avoided, as it could bore the reader and decrease his or her interest in the document.
As a guide, you can try to narrow the length of the document to fall between 1000-1500 words. With this word count, applicants can provide all the details without adding any irrelevant information.
What a Typical Statement of Purpose Should Contain
There are some essential elements that should not be missing in a standard statement of purpose. These elements are vital in the writing of a quality statement of purpose while applying for an internship as a law student. Some of them include:
- Introduction: This element should properly tell the reader what you are applying for. You can use this opportunity to show the reader how you got to know about this opportunity. You can also introduce yourself here. Give precise background details of yourself. Highlight the unique qualities that make you best for this opportunity.
- Experience and Achievement: It is at this stage you will talk about all your experiences as a law student. Buttress on your academic achievements. If you have engaged in any extracurricular activities or volunteered for an organization, and you feel it is relevant enough, you should also add it here. You should also talk about your contributions to law school.
- Motivation: Let the reader know what motivated you to apply for an internship in their firm. Talk about the core value of the firm that captured your interest.
- Current Interests: If you have any special interest in a particular area of your law profession, you can let your reader know. It could be an area of law practice that you found interesting and would love to explore. Talk about how the internship connects to your interests.
- Future Goals: State where you aim to be professionally in the next ten years. Buttress on how this internship opportunity will help you achieve your career goals.
Applicants should also consider the requirements of the firm and tailor them to the statement of purpose.
Conclusion
As we can see, writing a good statement of purpose is crucial to getting a spot as an intern in our desired firm. Although it might seem a bit tricky, by following the tips mentioned above, writing a statement of purpose for your law internship should be a walk in the park. If you still feel less confident about your writing skills, you can employ a professional to take up that responsibility. However, you should walk very closely with the professional so as not to miss out on important details.
You can also chect out,‘What’s The Difference Between An Internship And An Externship?’ before applying for statement of purpose for law internship.
