Sample Judicial Clerkship Cover Letters
1234 Main Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202
(317) 278-5678
sstudent@iupui.edu
October 3, 2003
The Honorable Randall T. Shepard
Supreme Court of Indiana
313 Indiana State House
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Dear Chief Justice Shepard:
I will graduate from the Indiana University School of Law - Indianapolis in May 2005 and would like to be considered for a judicial clerkship position beginning August 2005. I am originally from the Indianapolis area, and I am looking forward to establishing my professional career here.
My experience as a research assistant to Professor Smith helped me to hone my research skills. I reviewed the recent changes to Title VII and the impact those changes had on the ability of employees to sue their employers for hostile environment sexual harassment. My research revealed that the changes in the law significantly affect the time that employees have to file claims, and I expressed this result in a written memorandum of law. My writing ability has further developed through my participation on the Indiana Law Review where my note entitled "Hard Cases Make Bad Law: An Analysis of the Judicial Role" has been selected for publication.
Academically, I rank in the top 15% of my class, and I participate in numerous extracurricular activities, including service as the co-chair of the Women's Caucus and volunteer work at the Marion County Public Defender's Agency through the law school's Pro Bono Program. I also clerked for a law firm last summer where I gained experience in general civil litigation. The enclosed law school transcript lists my law school courses taken to date, including courses in Indiana Constitutional Law, Criminal Procedure and Complex Litigation.
I am available to interview at your convenience. Please let me know if I can provide any additional information. Professor Smith has provided a letter of recommendation, which is enclosed. My other references will forward their letters of recommendation directly to you. Thank you for your consideration.
Respectfully,
Sarah Student
1234 Main Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202
(317) 278-5678
ssecondyear@iupui.edu
October 4, 2003
The Honorable Larry J. McKinney
United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
204 U.S. Courthouse
46 East Ohio Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Dear Chief Judge McKinney:
I will graduate from the Indiana University School of Law - Indianapolis in May 2005, and I would like to be considered for a clerkship position beginning in August 2005. Before attending law school, I spent four years as an electrical engineer for Thomson Consumer Electronics, and I am interested in pursuing a career in intellectual property law. I am particularly interested in serving your court because of the large volume of intellectual property cases you handle.
In addition to the technical knowledge gained from my engineering experience, I have also developed strong research skills as a law clerk with the law firm of Law, Clerk & Work, where I conducted extensive research regarding the admission of expert testimony using the standard set forth in Daubert v. Merrill Dow Pharmaceuticals. My research focused on the admissibility of expert testimony regarding causation in a toxic tort case. After completing my research, I assisted in drafting a response to the plaintiff's motion in limine, which led to the denial of the plaintiff's motion and admission of the expert testimony to the benefit of Law, Clerk & Work's client.
Academically, I rank in the top one-third of my class, however grades do not give a full picture of my abilities. While in law school I have successfully managed my time such that I have been able to be a full-time student, work twenty hours per week and still be involved in extracurricular activities. I am active in the law school's Pro Bono Program, having donated my time to assist the underprivileged with Legal Services Organization. I am also an active member of the Student Bar Association, where I serve as a Student Representative.
I look forward to the opportunity to discuss the position during an interview, and I am available to interview at your convenience. Please let me know if I can provide any additional information to assist you. Thank you for your consideration.
Respectfully,
Sam Secondyear
