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Who would be a good reference for law school?

Letters of reference for law school?

  • I'm only a freshman in university, and I know it won't be another 2-3 years until I actually apply for law school. However I have a professor who I'm certain will give me a well-written letter of reference. Luckily, he's even good friends with the dean of admissions for the law school I really want to go to (Osgoode Hall in Toronto). Come application time, would an LOR from a few years back be as effective as say a more recent one? Or does this not matter much so long as I have an academic LOR? If anything, I might end up taking a few of his classes in later years to keep myself fresh in his mind so he remembers how active I am in the classroom - hence, a "better" LOR. Am I just stressing things too much? How should I handle this advantageous connection? Please help, thanks!

  • Answer:

    Well, it would depend on two factors: When you actually apply for law school (right after graduating from undergrad or after a few years in the workforce) and what types of recommendations your intended law school prefers. If you apply right after you graduate and you have no "real world" work experience, then an academic source would be the way to go. If you've been working for several years and an employer would have better knowledge of your capabilities than a professor from back in your undergraduate years, then ask an employer. Either way, check with the law school admissions counselors for their advice and follow it. Good luck. *Here's my tip: whatever you do, job-shadow attorneys as much as possible. Make damn sure that being an attorney is what you want to do before you go to law school. It's not as "fun" or "exciting" of a career as you might think it is.

Noah A at Yahoo! Answers Visit the source

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You're stressing too much. But it's not a bad idea to collect LORs as you go along. The more personal information a professor can put in your LOR, the better it will work for you. Take it from an ex-teacher, professors forget all but a tiny handful of past students VERY quickly. If come your senior year you feel you need an updated letter (or the school insists the professor mail his LOR directly to the school), you can take the LOR back to the professor and ask him to re-date the letter. He may not remember you by then, but putting a new date on the original letter shouldn't be a problem. In general, LORs are failing out of favor as a tool for screening applicants.

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