what to include in a personal statement law

Law School Personal Statement Dos and Don’ts

The personal statement, one of the most important parts of your law school application, is an opportunity to highlight your writing ability, your personality, and your experience. Think of it as a written interview during which you get to choose the question. What one thing do you wish the admissions evaluators knew about you?

To help you write a law school personal statement that best reflects your abilities as a potential law student, we have some recommendations below.

• Discuss possible personal statement topics with your pre-law advisor (or someone else) before you invest a lot of time writing.
• Choose a narrow topic. Offer details about a small topic rather than generalities about a broad topic. Focus on a concrete experience and the impact it has had upon you.
• Be yourself. Do not tell law schools what you think they want to hear — tell them the truth.
• Pay special attention to your first paragraph. It should immediately grab a reader’s attention. Reviewers are pressed for time and may not read beyond an uninteresting opener.
• Keep it interesting. Write with energy and use the active voice. You do not have to explain how your experience relates to your desire to attend law school. Tell a story. Paint a vivid picture. The most interesting personal statements create visuals for the reader, which make your personal statement more memorable.
• Keep it simple and brief. Big words do not denote big minds, just big egos. Choose your words with economy and clarity in mind, and remember that your reader has a huge stack of applications to read. A personal statement generally should be two to three double-spaced pages.
• Proofread. Ask several people to proofread your essay. Grammatical or mechanical errors are inexcusable.
• Include information from your background that sets you apart. If your ethnicity, family, religion, socioeconomic background, or similar factors are motivating you to succeed in law school, be sure to highlight them. You can do this in the personal statement itself or in a separate diversity statement. If you are writing a personal statement and a diversity statement, make sure the two essays address different topics.
• Consider your audience. Most admissions evaluators are professors, third-year law students, or admissions professionals not long out of law school. Therefore, you want to come across as an attentive student, interesting classmate, and accomplished person. Again, consider what you most want them to know, beyond the information provided in the rest of your application.
• Read the application carefully. Most law schools allow you to choose a topic, but some will require you to address a specific question. Follow whatever instructions are provided.
• Do not play a role, especially that of a lawyer or judge. And stay away from legal concepts and jargon. You run the risk of misusing them, and even if you use them properly, legal language may make you appear pompous.
• Do not tell your life story in chronological order or merely re-state your resume. Furthermore, resist the urge to tie together all of your life experiences. The essays that try to say too much end up saying nothing at all.
• Do not become a cliché. You may genuinely want to save the world. Maybe your study abroad experience transformed the way you look at the world. But these topics are overused. Before writing your essay, consider how your story is unique and highlight your individuality.
• Do not use a personal statement to explain discrepancies in your application. If your academic record is weak in comparison to your LSAT scores, or vice versa, address that issue in an addendum. Emphasize the positive in the personal statement.
• Do not offend your reader. Lawyers rarely shy away from controversial topics, but you should think twice before advocating a controversial view. You do not want to appear to be close-minded.
• If you are in the bottom of an applicant pool, do not play it safe. You have nothing to lose by making a novel statement.

The Ultimate Guide to Writing an Outstanding Law School Personal Statement

Dazzle admissions with your legally awesome personal story, introduction.

Let's face it: you've spent countless hours studying and acing the LSAT, and now it's time for the pièce de résistance – the law school personal statement. This is your golden opportunity to showcase your personality, and put your best legal foot forward. But don't worry, this guide has got you covered. In no time, you'll be writing a personal statement that could put John Grisham's early drafts to shame.

If you're ready to convince law school admissions committees that you're the next Ruth Bader Ginsburg or Thurgood Marshall, then buckle up and get ready for a wild ride through the world of crafting the ultimate law school personal statement.

1. Know Your Audience: The Admissions Committee

First and foremost, remember that you're writing for the admissions committee. These are the gatekeepers of your future legal career, and they've read more personal statements than there are citations in a Supreme Court decision. To avoid becoming a legal footnote in their memory, keep the following in mind:

• Be professional, but also relatable. You don't want to sound like a robot that's been programmed to spout legalese.
• Avoid clichés like "I want to make a difference" or "I've always wanted to be a lawyer." Unless, of course, you've been dreaming of billable hours since you were in diapers.
• Consider what makes you unique. Remember, this is your chance to stand out among a sea of applicants with equally impressive academic records and LSAT scores.

2. Choosing Your Topic: Make It Personal and Memorable

When it comes to choosing a topic for your personal statement, think of it as an episode of Law & Order: Your Life Edition. It's your moment to shine, so pick a story that showcases your passion, resilience, or commitment to justice. Consider these tips:

• Use an anecdote. Admissions committees love a good story, especially one that shows your problem-solving skills or ability to navigate tricky situations. Just be sure not to end up on the wrong side of the law!
• Reflect on a transformative experience. If you've had a life-changing event that led you to pursue law, share it! Just remember to keep it PG-rated.
• Discuss a personal challenge you've overcome. Nothing says "I'm ready for law school" like demonstrating your resilience in the face of adversity.

3. Structure and Organization: Your Legal Blueprint

Now that you've chosen your topic, it's time to draft your personal statement. Like a well-organized legal brief, your statement should have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Consider the following tips for structuring your masterpiece:

• Begin with a strong opening. Start with a hook that will capture the reader's attention and make them want to keep reading. Think of it as your own personal Miranda warning: "You have the right to remain captivated."
• Develop your story in the body. This is where you'll expand on your anecdote or experience, and explain how it has shaped your desire to pursue a legal career. Remember to be concise and avoid meandering – this isn't a filibuster.
• End with a powerful conclusion. Tie everything together and reiterate why you're the ideal candidate for law school. Just like a closing argument, leave the admissions committee convinced that you're the right choice.

4. Style and Tone: Finding Your Inner Legal Wordsmith

When it comes to your personal statement, you want to strike the perfect balance between professional and engaging. After all, no one wants to read a 500-word legal treatise on why you should be admitted to law school. To achieve this delicate balance, follow these style and tone guidelines:

• Write in the first person. This is your personal statement, so own it! Using "I" allows you to convey your unique perspective and voice.
• Keep it conversational, yet polished. Write as if you were speaking to a respected mentor or professor. Avoid slang, but don't be afraid to inject a bit of your personality into your writing.
• Employ dry humor sparingly. A little wit can make your statement more enjoyable to read, but remember that humor is subjective. It's best to err on the side of caution, lest you inadvertently offend the admissions committee.
• Be precise and concise. Legal writing is known for its clarity and brevity, so practice these skills in your personal statement. Aim to keep it between 500 and 700 words, as brevity is the soul of wit (and law school applications).

5. Revision: The Art of Legal Editing

It's been said that writing is rewriting, and this is particularly true for your personal statement. Once you've drafted your masterpiece, it's time to don your editor's hat and polish it to perfection. Follow these tips for a meticulous revision:

• Take a break before revising. Give yourself some distance from your statement before diving into revisions. This will help you approach it with fresh eyes and a clear mind.
• Read your statement out loud. This technique can help you catch awkward phrasing, run-on sentences, and other errors that might not be apparent when reading silently.
• Seek feedback from others. Share your statement with trusted friends, family members, or mentors who can provide constructive criticism. Just remember, opinions are like law school casebooks – everyone's got one, but you don't have to take them all to heart.
• Edit ruthlessly. Don't be afraid to cut, rewrite, or reorganize your statement. Your goal is to make your writing as strong and effective as possible, even if it means sacrificing a clever turn of phrase or an endearing anecdote.

6. Proofread: The Final Verdict

Before submitting your personal statement, it's crucial to proofread it thoroughly. Even the most compelling story can be marred by typos, grammatical errors, or other mistakes. Follow these proofreading tips to ensure your statement is error-free:

• Use spell check, but don't rely on it entirely. Some errors, like homophones or subject-verb agreement issues, may slip past your computer's watchful eye.
• Print your statement and read it on paper. This can help you spot errors that you might have missed on-screen.
• Enlist a second pair of eyes. Sometimes, a fresh perspective can catch mistakes that you've become blind to after multiple revisions.

Crafting an outstanding law school personal statement may seem daunting, but with the right approach and a healthy dose of perseverance, you can create a compelling and memorable statement that will impress even the most discerning admissions committee. So go forth and conquer, future legal eagles! And remember, as you embark on your law school journey, may the precedent be ever in your favor.

Tech-focused creator of LSD.Law. I built LSD while applying to law school. I saw unequal access to knowledge and built LSD to level the playing field and help applicants make thoughtful, well-informed decisions in the application process.

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The Law School Personal Statement: Tips and Templates

Photo by Alejandro Escamilla on Unsplash

Published February 28, 2024

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in July 2019 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

The stress of cramming for the LSAT (or GRE) is behind you, and you survived the intolerably long wait for your score. You have researched schools, requested transcripts, secured recommendation letters, and updated your resume. Now only the dreadful personal statement is preventing you from hitting the submit button.

So, you might ask:  Does anyone even read the personal statement?  Yes .  Could it be a make or break deciding factor?   Definitely . 

While your standardized test score(s) and GPA are good law school success predictors, non-numerical factors such as your resume, recommendation letters and the personal statement give the Admissions Committee an idea of your individuality and how you might uniquely contribute to the law school. Most importantly, your personal statement is a sample of your writing, and strong writing skills are critically important to success throughout law school and in legal practice. 

If the thought of writing about yourself makes you cringe, adhere to these 5 tips to avoid disaster. 

BONUS :  Scroll down to review 5 law school personal statement samples. 

1. Make it personal

The Admissions Committee will have access to your transcripts and recommendation letters, and your resume will provide insight into your outside-the-classroom experiences, past and current job responsibilities, and other various accomplishments. So, the personal statement is your best opportunity to share something personal they don’t already know. Be sure to provide insight into who you are, your background and how it’s shaped the person you are today, and finally, who you hope to be in the future.

2. Be genuine

If you haven’t faced adversity or overcome major life obstacles, it’s okay. Write honestly about your experiences and interests. And whatever you do, don’t fabricate, or exaggerate—the reader can often see through this. Find your unique angle and remember that a truthful and authentic essay is always your best approach.

Tip: Don’t use big words you don’t understand. This will certainly do more harm than good.

3. Tackle the “Why?”

Get creative but remember to home in on the why . Unless the personal statement prompt has specific requirements, it is recommended you include what influenced you to pursue a legal education. Consider including what impact you hope to make in the world post-graduation.

4. Keep it interesting & professional

The last thing you want to do is bore the reader, so keep it interesting, personable, and engaging. A touch of humor is okay, but keep in mind that wit and sarcasm can be easily misinterpreted. Demonstrate maturity, good judgment and tact and you won’t end up offending the reader.

5. Edit & proofread

The importance of enrolling and graduating strong writers cannot be stressed enough, so don’t forget the basics! Include an introduction, supporting paragraphs and a closing. Write clearly, concisely, and persuasively. Take time to edit, proofread--walk away from it--then edit and proofread again before submitting. 

Tip :   Consider consulting a Pre-Law Advisor or mentor to help you proofread and edit. Sound easy enough? It is if you take it seriously. Don’t think you have to craft the “best” or most competitive personal statement, just the most “genuine” personal statement. Remember, there is nobody with your exact set of life experiences, background, or point of view. Just do you.

Guest blogger  Lindsay Gladney  is the Vice Dean for Admissions at UB School of Law. 

Office of Admissions University at Buffalo School of Law 408 O'Brian Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260 716-645-2907 [email protected]

Learn more about the law school admissions process and School of Law community through an individual meeting with one of our staff members.

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Submit this form to receive an application fee waiver.

Additional Resources:   

• Law School Application Checklist: Everything You Need To Know
• Law School Application Advice to Ignore
• When Should I Submit My Law School Application: Timeline & Tips
• 5 Benefits of Attending a State Law School

Bonus: 5 Law School Personal Statement Samples

1. this applicant writes about their experience hiking a mountain peak, what it taught them, and how it reaffirmed their affinity for the natural environment..

As I trudged my way up the path, only about a mile from the peak, I could not escape the creeping sense of self-doubt entering my mind. That day I had willingly accompanied my best friend on a hike up a “fourteener” (a mountain peak in Colorado with at least 14,000 feet of elevation). With a false sense of bravado, I jumped at the idea because I considered myself to be an avid hiker and in decent physical condition despite my inexperience at that altitude. Nearingthe top, with my head pounding and my knees weakening, my confidence had been shaken by the altitude sickness that started to take hold of me. I began asking myself questions like, “Will I finish?”, “Why did I even agree to this?”, and “Is this even worth it?”. However, as I took a sip of my water to rest and collect myself, it registered that the opportunity to encounter such natural wonder might not strike again. I knew that if I turned back, I would regret it and possibly never have the chance again. Accordingly, I decided to do my best to finish the trek.

Even though I was still in considerable discomfort, that sensation seemed to fade away when I finally reached the peak. I became enamored with the magnificence of the surrounding mountain range and the epic view it had to offer. The peaks extended out forever, some stretching high enough to look as though one could reach up and touch the clouds themselves. Crisp green alpine forests totally engulfed the surrounding valleys and eventually led down into the crystal blue water of the lakes and rivers below. Cliché though it may be words truly cannot do justice to such a surreal experience.

As I reflect on the experience, I am proud to have accomplished such a physically challenging adventure, but perhaps more grateful for what the hike taught me about myself. First, I gained a sense of confidence in my ability to persevere despite difficult circumstances and especially when faced with self-doubt. Indeed, I have drawn from the experience on numerous occasions to remind myself that I am capable of enduring whatever challenges life may throw at me. Secondly, I believe this hike to have been a defining moment that reaffirmed and strengthened my affinity for the natural environment. I developed this fondness from an early age where much of my childhood was spent outdoors, whether it was fishing and camping with my father or hiking and playing sports with my friends. However, the wonder I felt on that peak in the Rockies was something I seldom experienced growing up in Buffalo, New York. It is a feeling that I hope all can feel at some point in their lives and partly why I believe it to be so important that we do all we can to protect and preserve the environment. The importance of conservation is greater now than ever amid the challenges posed by issues such as pollution and global climate change.

During my undergraduate coursework, I was able to take a class in Environmental Law, where I learned about state and federal statutes that regulate water, soil, air pollution, resource conservation and recovery, and actions of the Environmental Protection Agency. For example, we studied the Clean Air Act and how it is applied during legal disputes to enforce national air quality standards. Participating in this course showed me that there is an opportunity to apply my enthusiasm for the environment into the legal profession as it is my eventual goal to represent those damaged by pollution. I believe studying at the University of Buffalo School of Law will allow me to pursue my goals and make a positive contribution towards environmental problems by serving those who have been affected in the local and global community. Although the experience will be challenging, I am excited for the opportunity, motivated by a passion for the environment and knowing that I possess the ability to persevere in the face of doubt.

2. How one applicant’s experience interviewing incarcerated individuals shaped their understanding of our justice system and influenced them to pursue policy work.

Above me, in a giant watchtower, stood a large man holding a semi-automatic rifle while staring down at me. I heard the echoing clink of a prison lock, allowing me to pass through a massive barbed-wire fence. Although I begged and pleaded for the opportunity to interview an inmate at a maximum-security prison, I have never felt more intimidated than I did in this moment. I was only seventeen years old, sitting in a visitation room filled with orange-suited men. An overwhelming sense of fear crowded my thoughts. In fact, I was nearly paralyzed by the environment I had found myself in. I could hardly conduct an interview, but thankfully, my interviewee, Mr. Thomas Gant, had about twenty years of stories to tell. He ambitiously shared

first-hand accounts of prison fights, housing raids, gang activity, and injustices that he has endured during his sentence of twenty-five years to life. His stories were captivating and filled with raw emotion. It was evident that he too, felt a similar sense of fear each and every day.

Fast forward to my last semester of undergrad, where I spent four months at the Ingham County Jail working with incarcerated men and women to prepare them to transition into our communities. I interviewed dozens of orange-suited men each week and loved every second of it.

I was eager to contribute to a program that helped break the vicious cycle of incarceration and confront the plethora of barriers to reentry. I often think about Mr. Gant and how his stories ignited a passion within me that still drives my ambition to this day. If I had the chance, I would thank him for inspiring me to pursue every opportunity to help incarcerated men and women, such as those at the Ingham County Jail. I would share with him the knowledge from my academic and professional experiences, in hopes of keeping his life on track upon release, and most of all, in hopes of protecting him from the fear we shared on the day I met him.

My variety of field experiences and my success with academic rigor has surely prepared me for law school. I have completed several other justice-related internships which have provided me with a comprehensive understanding of how our justice system operates in practice, which often deviates from how our justice system operates in textbooks. These field experiences led me to pursue a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, where my classes focused on the history of corrections and how other countries are utilizing confinement to successfully rehabilitate offenders. Academia quickly taught me that the majority of people simply accept our prison system for what it is, and very few question its punitive and unjust nature. Fortunately, my bachelor’s degree in social relations and policy allowed me to challenge conventional wisdom and confront policy issues as they relate to factors of class, race, ethnicity, gender, and religion – all of which exist in our prison system. My professors constantly pushed me to find ways that the American corrections system could change the course of its future. I spent countless hours researching the topic of injustice behind bars, writing numerous analytical essays and policy proposals, and presenting interdisciplinary conclusions to rooms filled with aspiring politicians. I look forward to perfecting these skills, sharing my experiences to enhance classroom discussions, and engaging in additional field experiences and clinics while in law school.

Ultimately, I am confident that my career fulfilment will lie in policy making and advocacy for those who have faced injustice within our prison system and in the free world. My interest in studying law and my decision to apply to University at Buffalo School of Law are a result of my longstanding enthusiasm to advocate for and to improve the lives of people impacted by incarceration. The University at Buffalo will provide me with both the necessary education as well as the hands-on experience to ensure that I will confidently enter the legal world prepared to contest the many issues of justice reform.  

3. How one applicant found their voice, and why a stale piece of toast is displayed alongside their college diploma.

Growing up, I was nonplussed by the idea of awards. While other friends entered cut-throat competitions over grades and the attention of our coaches, I cared more about preserving my friendships with people than beating them on any field or test. Whenever I found myself winning, I tended to remain quiet about my victories. Most of the time.

In the waning weeks of my junior year of high school, my tireless U.S. History teacher – Mr. Welgoss– kept us showing up to class each day by breaking us into debate teams and having individuals from each side square off against each other around designated topics. The winner would take away a most delicious reward: A single slice of white bread toast. Pun intended. This was when I learned that I was to define the best Supreme Court Cases in U.S. History and then defend my stance in front of the entire class. Alone. I was completely terrified.

This is the perfect place to share just a bit about high school me. You likely knew me well. I was that kid curled into a corner at the back of the classroom in an effort to make myself smaller. During the first week of each school year, I sized up my teachers, figured out which of them was into cold calling on students, and positioned myself within the room accordingly. While I was a dedicated student and history geek who loved to read, I was not a particularly extroverted one. There was no part of this assignment that I was excited about.

To make matters worse, I was assigned Marbury v. Madison, perhaps one of the most boring cases in the eyes of a bunch of fresh faced politically active 16-year-olds who had just spent an entire year learning about the societal gravity of cases like Brown v. Board of Education and Roe v. Wade. Still, I did careful research. I composed a meticulous claim. I didn’t want to embarrass myself, so I did the work that I needed to.

Along the way, I fell in love with the assignment. This was the first time I experienced that rare moment as a researcher when everything seems to click. I’d never had that moment as a research and argument writer before, and I have been chasing that feeling since. I love leaning into knotty problems, following research, and learning processes that help me untie them, and then, showing others how to unscramble crossed lines themselves, when they need to.

So, you likely know how this story ends. I won the debate. That piece of toast, miraculously mold free after six years, sits on my bookshelf alongside my college diploma, reminding me of the moment I not only found my passion, but my voice.

Since the moment I won that single slice of super processed food that still looks as fresh as the day I brought it home, there have been other moments that solidified my decision to study law. As a freshman at Nazareth University, my newfound interest in the law inspired my decision-making as I chose my major and began coursework that I inevitably fell in love with. When I started my internship at a local non-profit during undergraduate, I saw how my research and application of the law could help me to advocate for marginalized communities. My desire to

practice law was again upheld when I began paralegal work for Berardi Immigration Law the day after I earned my degree. My dedication to this work has taught me that there are often a variety of solutions for complicated problems. Many assume that creativity is something you’re born with. Experience has taught me it's not quite this simple, though. Constraint often inspires creativity, and to me, this is what makes the law the most wonderful muse.

I’m the daughter of a writer and the sister of a designer. My great grandfather owned a hobby shop. I never enjoyed most of these things, and try as I might, any attempt to practice arts and crafts always ended badly and left me feeling like the least creative bird on my family tree. Imagine my surprise then, as the last few years of learning, work, and a piece of toast began revealing the creative nature of the law to me. Imagine my delight when I realized that I have certain strengths here, too.   

4. This applicant writes about their never-ending pursuit of knowledge and how pursuing law provides a practical outlet for their curiosity.

There are very few things in life that are more important to me than learning. I have been driven by curiosity, and the never-ending pursuit of knowledge has always been a great source of joy for me, both inside and outside of the classroom. I finished my undergraduate studies in December of 2019, with plans to work in France as a teacher that coming fall. I was beyond excited that I had been afforded an opportunity to pursue such a dear intellectual passion. The intervening pandemic meant that I had to make difficult decisions about the direction my future would take, and ultimately this meant setting aside some of my own ambitions in order to take care of my loved ones.

While my immediate post-graduation plans did not work out, I have never set aside my curiosity. If anything, the challenges of post-collegiate life have reaffirmed to me the vital importance of learning as a constant and on-going part of living. As a student of history and languages, many of my college peers nurtured plans of attending law school, and the idea of studying law has long interested me.

In June of 2022 I began working as a legal assistant at a small law firm in Queens. I hoped that job would give me a chance to learn about the legal field, while pushing me to grow as a professional. Being confronted with the vast complexity of the law has been a humbling experience, but also an endlessly intriguing one. At work, I relish any opportunity to learn more about the law, and I have found that the field is perfectly suited to the academic skills that I have spent my entire life building.

What is perhaps most exciting to me about the prospect of studying law is the idea of having a practical, real-world outlet for all the curiosity and scholarly instincts that I have nurtured throughout my life. Studying case law, building arguments based on evidence and legal research, using language itself as a tool; all these skills that I have seen to be so vital to the successful practice of law feel like natural extensions of the skills that I’ve developed across my life. Performing research was of course integral to my studying history, and combing through Westlaw as a legal assistant has often reminded me of the time I would spend searching through university archives as a student, looking for information to help me build my arguments. Having studied both History and French, I am very comfortable with interpreting language that feels unfamiliar or archaic, which is certainly a necessary skill to have when studying and practicing law.

The challenges of post-graduation life have led me to do a great deal of reflecting. I’ve been forced to ask myself what makes me feel fulfilled, and at the same time have had to evaluate my own strengths and weaknesses. I’ve found that there are no simple answers, but I can affirmatively say that I have the self-confidence, motivation, and ability to be an excellent law student.

5. How a Unified Basketball program inspired this applicant to pursue education law.

I never realized how great of an impact one policy could have on so many people until I was in high school. I knew how far-reaching the law was, but it became so much more apparent and personal when it began to impact the lives of my friends and classmates in the Unified program.

When I began high school, I was still a little shy, but I was sure that I wanted to get involved in things that made a difference in other people’s lives. It was through my involvement in Student Council that I was asked by the athletic director to help start up a program called Unified Basketball. I remember being called down to the Athletic Office one day out of the blue. I felt extremely confused. I had not previously played any school sports and I never would have expected to be asked to speak with the athletic director. I also wouldn’t have expected a meeting that lasted maybe fifteen minutes to serve as a great turning point in my life.

The Unified Basketball program is a cooperative team combining students with and without intellectual disabilities, run by the Special Olympics and New York state high school sports. From that first season, the Unified program quickly grew to become one of the best experiences of my life and it continues to shape me every day. In the second year of the program, we added a Unified Bowling team, and I helped create a Unified Club so that those who might also have physical limitations that would keep them from playing sports, could still benefit from the family created in the program.

Through this program I created connections with the members of the team and our coaches, and we effectively created a family and a community greater than ourselves. Because of these friendships which I had grown to value so much, it only hurt that much more when I learned from my coach that New York’s eligibility rules for high school sports would cause some of my teammates to be ineligible to play. Although they could remain in school until the age of twenty-one, they would not be able to play after they reached a certain age or had played for a certain amount of time. One of my friends was the first on our team to age out due to these guidelines and as a team we were devastated. These policies did not line up and although the original guidelines were intended to prevent unfair advantages in competition, this really wasn’t an issue with the Unified program. Thankfully, this policy was eventually changed by the state Board of Regents to allow my teammates to play once again.

There have been two indelible legacies created through the Unified program. First, I have been able to see the impact that the program has had on students in our district’s special education program. I saw this happen for one of my teammates, who was first introduced to me by his aide as being nonverbal. He was initially very shy but as he grew more comfortable with the game and his teammates, he came out of his shell. From that first season on his confidence grew and even when I see him now, over five years later, he will rush over to give me a high-five or a fist-bump and say “Hi!” Second, is the impact the program has on my district and the community at large. During my junior year of high school, our team performed the dance “The Wobble” at our pep rally, marking the first time that our special education students were included in the homecoming event. Even years later, this tradition has continued and the response from the school and community has been extraordinary.  

This experience shaped me as a person and shifted my interests in terms of career goals. I have had an interest in education and the social sciences since I was little, but being involved in the Unified program allowed me to better understand how these interests could connect and how I can make an impact. I want to pursue a law school education and become an attorney so that I can practice education law. I want to support students, faculty, and staff to create the best possible educational environments for our future generations.

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How to Write a Personal Statement for Law School

Your personal statement is your opportunity to showcase your writing ability and stand out from the other applicants. It should highlight something unique about you that would add value to a law school student body. This article will offer tips for writing a personal statement for law school to help you get that coveted acceptance letter from the top school on your list.

Reality Check: The Law School Admissions Process

More students are applying to law schools in recent years, but schools are not increasing the size of their incoming classes. With more students  competing for the same number of seats, law schools can be more selective in the admissions process. According to an analysis of data from the American Bar Association by Spivey Consulting, the  average national acceptance rate was 45.1 percent  in 2019.

Law schools want students who can master class material, pass the bar exam, and ultimately succeed in the practice of law. LSAT or other entrance exam scores and GPAs play an important role in that assessment, but they’re not the only indicators of a student’s potential. Admissions counselors are looking for individuals with the discipline and stamina to withstand the rigors of law school and bring outside interests and passions to the law school experience.

That’s why law schools ask for a personal essay. Admissions counselors will never meet most applicants; therefore, the admissions package must tell the student’s story. And with increasing numbers of applications to wade through, admissions counselors are looking for a compelling story that will help them identify students who will be successful.

What to Include in Your Personal Statement

Because there are no specific prerequisites or undergraduate degrees required for law school, applicants tend to come from a wide range of educational backgrounds. The personal statement is meant to add depth and insight into the courses, extracurricular activities, and other information in your admissions package. But don’t just brag or rehash your resume. Instead, show how your personal experience will translate well into the law school experience.

Specifically, your personal statement should explain:

Why you want to go to law school and what do you hope to do with your degree (it’s okay if you don’t know for certain what your career plans are)

What personal strengths will help ensure your success in law school

How you plan to approach the task of learning new ways of thinking and meeting the challenges of a rigorous program

Your personal statement should also convey that you possess the qualities of a good lawyer:

A strong ability to communicate

Critical thinking skills

Problem-solving

With these basic concepts in mind, carefully read the prompt provided by the law school. Some prompts are very broad, but others are more individually tailored. Make sure your personal statement is responsive to the prompt and conforms to length limits. If you write a generic, boilerplate statement, the admissions committee will be able to tell.

How to Frame Your Personal Statement

Your personal statement should answer the questions provided in the prompt, ideally by telling a story. Think about something unique in your personal experience that would add color and specificity to your responses. Some options for framing the personal statement include:

An event or circumstance that shaped you as a person

A cause that you are passionate about

Difficulties that you have overcome

Personal accomplishments that you’re particularly proud of

How you’ve always dreamed of a career in law, or how your career ambitions have changed and why

Remember that this is a personal narrative—don’t lead with a discussion of a law-related topic but rather with an anecdote or story about yourself with vivid details to hook the reader’s interest. At the same time, however, make sure that your narrative is clearly linked to the legal field and that any personal details are relevant to characteristics that would be valuable to success in law school and the legal profession. Try to convey your unique voice, but avoid extreme positions or content that may offend some readers.

Tips for Getting It Right

The most important thing to remember is that  you  must write your personal statement. If you don’t feel you’re a strong enough writer to compose your personal statement, perhaps law school isn’t the right path for you. Also, another person will not be able to convey your narrative with the same perspective, insight, and passion.

That doesn’t mean you have to sit down and write it all in one go. Just be sure to allow enough time to let the first draft sit for at least a day before reviewing. Read your personal statement critically, with an eye toward clarity and flow. And remember that revising is as important as writing—if it doesn’t work, don’t be afraid to rewrite any portion of it.

At this point, you can engage the assistance of another person. Ask a trusted individual to critique your first draft and provide constructive feedback. Continue to polish your narrative, referring back to the prompt to ensure that you’ve answered all the questions thoroughly.

Once the copy is final, proofread carefully—read it aloud front to back and then back to front. Make sure the finished piece adheres to the specifications provided by the law school, if any.

The Final Analysis

The law school admission process is serious business. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t relax and have some fun while writing your personal statement.

The personal statement allows you to go beyond dry numbers and tell your unique story. Approach it as an opportunity to shine and show how you’ll be a successful law student and, ultimately, a great lawyer.

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How to Write a Great Law School Personal Statement

Are you ready to tackle your law school personal statement? Clear and concise writing is a vital skill for law students, but writing about yourself can be daunting. It's hard to winnow your life experiences down to a couple of pages or find one topic to focus on. 

Yet, your personal statement is a critical part of the application process . When combined with your resume, application, and LSAT score, it forms a complete picture of who you are and why you're a perfect fit. 

With these steps, you'll overcome obstacles while developing prose that supports a favorable application decision. 

Does a personal statement matter for law school?

Yes, your personal statement for law school is vital. It provides insights that aren't apparent on your transcripts. Engaging prose helps you stand out in a competitive space resulting in acceptance at your most-desired schools. 

For the 2020-2021 academic year, the number of applicants to law schools rose by 1.6%, with 63,206 applicants submitting 381,698 applications, according to the Law School Admission Council . You're competing with students who may have similar LSAT scores , grade point averages, and professional experience. When facing identical transcripts from hardworking students, often the only differentiator is the personal statement. 

After all, admissions officers want to know the person behind the hard data. That's where your law school personal statement comes into play. With a standout essay, you capture admissions officers' attention and an amazing narrative sticks in their heads. Your story should emphasize valuable traits, such as: 

• Intelligence
• Professionalism
• Persuasiveness
• Thoughtfulness
• Seriousness

How do you write a good law school personal statement?

Writing a great law school personal statement doesn't come without hard work. Although you've written plenty of essays during your college experience, a strong narrative requires genuine reflection. You need to dig deep to uncover an aspect of your life that led to a significant change or put you on your current path.

Of course, intelligent prose doesn't always come out in the first draft. So prepare to spend a good chunk of time building your narrative and adjusting your statement for flow. Starting is often the hardest part of writing. Fortunately, you can follow these steps to nail your law school personal statement. 

Review law school personal statement requirements

Begin by scouring the application packet materials and college websites. Look for key information about the length and page format of your personal statement. The guidelines should answer important questions like:

• How long should your personal statement be for law school? 
• What is the maximum word count for a personal statement?
• How do you format a personal statement?

Next, write down any required prompts to answer in your essay. For instance, some schools may ask why you're applying or why you want a JD degree. Organize program details using a spreadsheet or project management software like Trello. Create a card or row for each program, then list important facts about its mission, goals, and community. 

Also, check to see if any programs offer law school personal statement examples. Read through samples to get an idea of what admissions officers expect. Lastly, some colleges accept other types of statements as well, such as a diversity statement or an addendum. For best results, complete all options.

Diversity statement for law school 

A diversity statement defines what makes you different. It sounds or looks similar to your law school personal statement. But, it differs because you don't need to tie up your narrative into a neat package that ends with an epiphany. Instead, it may cover an experience that explains your values or desire to work towards inclusivity.

Law school application addendum

An addendum is a way to overcome lower scores, a gap in education, or other concerns where you fall short in your official papers and transcripts. Addendums are short, concise, and honest. Explain your reason and demonstrate that you've met and overcome your challenge. 

Brainstorm potential personal statement topics 

Some people prefer to jump right into writing. However, your life story is pretty lengthy, so it's essential to narrow down your subject matter. Focus your attention by reflecting on your life and coming up with some topics to write about. Consider ideas like: 

• Personal challenges, hardships, or completed goals
• A turning point in your life
• Unique hobbies or personal interests
• Special achievements or awards, not listed in-depth on your initial application
• A situation or environment that changed you or your values
• A project that got results and you're passionate about
• Your upbringing, culture, education, or a personal or professional experience

While brainstorming, go through your transcripts, application, and resume. Are there any gaps or missing details that your personal statement could cover? Perhaps you listed volunteer work with a local animal shelter on your application. Could you delve into this topic further? Aim to share a unique story where your personal growth is the main focus. 

Explore your subject for clarity and insights

Sure, your chosen topic may be fresh on your mind. However, your personal statement for law school is more than describing an event. You need to show admission officers how this experience shaped you. It's vital to dig into how it impacted your values, traits, and feelings. 

Many students report spending hours or days considering their topic, digging through memories, and compiling their subject matter. If you have access to photos, documents, or other things that'll jog your mind, then now is the time to pull them out. Sometimes even listening to your favorite songs can help you remember the moment. 

Uncover a unique angle

Mark Twain once said that no story ideas are original. That holds true for personal statements as well. Plenty of law school applicants face difficult decisions, adversity, or enlightening experiences. Your essay isn't a retelling of an event. It focuses on your feelings and growth. And the story of you is unique, as no one shares your exact emotions or reactions. 

Your goal is to explore an angle that sets your story apart from others. Overcome obstacles by taking a break during brainstorming. Come back to your topic with fresh eyes and hammer out your main idea. 

Sum up your idea and start writing

Now you're looking at your topic, an angle, and you've pulled up those old memories. Do your best to sum it up and conclude it with a few sentences. This is your main point, and what every paragraph should lead the reader back to. Use these sentences as a reference point while writing. 

Some students prefer to create a general outline before writing. Others produce a few key sentences and start typing. All personal statements for law school use a narrative arc with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Include:

• A captivating introduction that draws the reader into your life
• Body paragraphs that naturally flow towards a conclusion
• A decisive conclusion that delivers a lasting impression

During the rough draft, forget about length, grammar, or other specifics. Instead, just write. Get everything out on the pages. You'll have plenty of time later to refine, clarify, and structure your personal law school statement. Once you're done, read it over, make a few edits, and walk away. 

Turn a draft into your personal law school statement 

With a rough draft in hand, assess every word to ensure your story meets your objectives. Your goal is to recreate the moment and invite the reader into your account. Mold your rough draft into a final piece by focusing on a coherent structure. 

Flow. A logical progression of ideas, with a clear arc, is essential. Your reader should glide through your personal statement naturally. 

Length. Eliminate wordy phrases, overly difficult words, and descriptions that don't support your conclusion. 

Personalization. Pay attention to subtle differences in law schools, from their communities to purpose. If you can genuinely work this into your personal statement, then do so.

Character decisions. It's okay to include other characters in your personal statement, but ultimately you want to return the focus to yourself. 

Revise and edit several times

Few applicants write a stellar personal statement the first time. Get the best results by putting your draft through a comprehensive editing and revision process. This goes beyond using your word processing spell checker. Invest in human and technical tools to ensure the best results. Take steps such as: 

• Double-check that your essay meets formatting and length requirements. 
• Make sure you've answered any writing prompts.
• Personalize your statement to the specific school and program. 
• Use a tool like Grammarly or ProWritingAid to correct grammar and style issues. 
• Run your document through the Hemingway App to catch hard-to-read sentences and more.

Lastly, it’s essential to get help editing your personal statement. Fresh eyes and unbiased opinions allow you to refine your narrative. Obtain assistance from law school forums, writing centers, and social media communities. Or, ask fellow students or mentors to review your essay.

Create an impressive law school personal statement

Make your application packet stand out with a genuine and captivating personal statement for law school. Although writing your essay may seem like a challenging task, once you break it down into steps, it'll be easier to develop a cohesive statement that's sure to win admission officers’ attention.

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How to Format Your Law School Personal Statement

How do you write your law school personal statement? Well first of all, let’s make sure that we’re on the same page about what your personal statement is. Your personal statement is the one part of your law school application package and law school requirements that you have complete control over, so you’ll want to put your best foot forward. A personal statement will often focus on why you want to go to law school (or transfer law schools ), but it can also focus on a personal story or aspect of your life.

It shows what makes you unique and why a school should admit you. The personal statement should focus on you, your background, and your goals more broadly. Make sure that it adds something new to your application materials – the school already has your transcript, resume, etc. Think about what you really want the application committee to know about you.

Before anything else, a quick clarification: the law school personal statement is different from an optional essay , which can take on a variety of forms. This could include diversity statements, addendums, or other essays. Here are some examples of law school personal statements that may help you understand the task at hand better.

How do you format a law school personal statement?

In brief, here’s what your law school personal statement will need in terms of format:

• Overall : No title, 11- or 12-point Times New Roman font, one-inch margins.
• Header : Your name, your LSAC number, and “Personal Statement” with a page number, formatted as either one or three lines. Check with your school’s requirements.
• Body : Double-spaced, left-aligned (or justified), paragraphs indented 0.5 inches and not separated with an extra line, single space after periods.
• Ending : End as you would a normal essay. This isn’t a letter; no signature is needed.

Personal Statement Header

The header of the personal statement deserves a closer look. There are two ways of formatting this: either on one line, or on three. One line gives you more space on the page, but can look busy. Three lines have the opposite effect. Weigh the pros and cons based on the length of your statement, then format accordingly.

If you choose the one-line format, be sure to space your information out equally or separate it with punctuation (commas, dashes, and slashes work well) so that it reads clearly.

If you use a three-line format, separate information by line like this:

Name, Page Number LSAC # Personal Statement

Law School Personal Statement Format: FAQs

What should be included in a law school personal statement.

• Who you are. Show readers that you’re an interesting person who brings experiences and skills that will benefit not only the campus community, but the larger legal community.You’re applying in a pool of thousands of candidates, so be sure to highlight what makes you stand out from your peers.  
• Your true voice. There’s a reason why the personal statement isn’t just called a statement or an essay. Sometimes applicants feel that they should write pieces about public policy or social issues, but these too often fall short of showing an applicant’s true voice. Have someone you know well review your personal statement objectively. If they can’t tell you were the one who wrote it, it’s probably time for a rewrite .  
• Specific information about that school. It’s not sufficient to say that you want to attend Santa Clara Law School for its good curriculum, strong faculty, and numerous clinic opportunities. Notice how you could replace “Santa Clara Law School” with any other law school’s name, and the sentence could still make sense? That tells Santa Clara admissions officers that you don’t know very much about their school. Which leads us to our next point…  
• Research on the school itself. Figure out what makes the schools you’re applying to different from others. This is a great opportunity to reach out to alumni, and talk to the admissions staff! You can also use the Internet, visit your local bookstore and check out some guide books, or search around on online forums. Some schools are known for their strength in a certain area of law (think international law or intellectual property law ). Some schools are known for their commitment to pro bono work . Some schools’ faculty are renowned for their research in a specific discipline. Others offer distinctive programs or fellowships to their students. Identify what really interests you about the school, and tie that back to the academic and career interests you discuss in your personal statement.  
• Reflections on the school’s environment. Perhaps you’re looking for a collegial law school environment that mirrors your own undergraduate experience at a small liberal arts school. Or perhaps you’re looking for a large law school so you can take advantage of the network and breadth of resources and alumni that a law school of that size can offer. And don’t forget about the environment outside the school building! Is it important that you have access to hiking trials? Or a ski slope to enjoy over winter break? Environment is often a key factor students consider when deciding on a particular law school, so don’t forget to mention it as a way to express your interest!  
• Concise writing. Check your school’s website to determine how long your personal statement can be, and take it seriously. Law schools are not only looking at whether you can write concisely and effectively, but also whether you can follow posted instructions. Most schools only allow 2-5 pages for personal statement submissions. As a lawyer, you’ll need to write briefs and be able to clearly present client cases. Now’s the time to show that you are capable of honing your communication skills.  
• Authenticity. Law schools aren’t asking you to establish your own NGO or be an Olympic athlete. Rather, they’re looking for candidates who help round out a class and contribute positively to their school. Plenty of people get admitted to law school each year who aren’t superhuman, so don’t feel a need to pretend you’re more accomplished than you are (or stretch the truth). Be yourself – and view this as part of helping the reader understand who you are.  
• Correct writing. Maybe for class assignments, you’ve been able to submit the first draft you write as final. Or maybe one edit is typically sufficient for you to call an essay complete. For the law school personal statement, you want to commit at least two rounds of edits to perfecting your writing. Not only should you review your work, you should also ask both a friend and a fully objective reviewer (like a career center counselor or a campus writing tutor) to give feedback. Once you have at least two rounds of edits, read it out loud to yourself. This will help you identify any awkward phrases and typos. The more time you spend editing your writing, the more confident you’ll be in the strength of your personal statement.

What should you not write in a personal statement for law school?

• Repetition . If your resume shows that you were vice president of your college’s botany club, general secretary of Basket-Weavers Anonymous, and founder of a campus-wide Pizza Appreciation Day, your personal statement need not repeat these things. Now, if founding Pizza Appreciation Day was such a transformative experience for you that you need to highlight it in your personal statement, be sure you’re telling admissions officers something new that your resume doesn’t already tell.  
• Your autobiography . Admissions officers don’t need a play-by-play of your entire life’s events from day one. Autobiographies become long and rambling – two things your personal statement shouldn’t be. Focus on aspects of your life that truly differentiate you from others in a meaningful way.  
• Academic issues . Law schools offer you space in a separate essay to explain academic discrepancies. Your personal statement is your chance to focus on the positive and show admissions officers you’d be an asset to their school. Don’t use your personal statement to go into detail about how your dog’s unexpected chronic migraines prevented you from getting a good GPA during your first year of college.  
• Legal jargon . No, you’re not a lawyer yet – and law school admissions officers are not going to be impressed by legal jargon that’s used incorrectly or used as a way to show off. Keep your tone and language simple. Remember that your personal statement is meant to show your own voice.  
• Cliches . Don’t be the student who bores admissions officers with another essay about how you want to be a lawyer because you like to argue. Avoid clichés – by definition, they’re overused and don’t add value. They make your personal statement generic, and you’ll fall flat when compared with other candidates.  
• Other people . Your personal statement should keep the focus on you. It’s great if you want to write about how your famous lawyer uncle inspired you to join the legal profession, but make sure the essay remains true to your story – not your uncle’s.  
• Slang . Admissions officers view the personal statement as a showcase of your best writing – so slang and casual English are best left behind. While you want your tone to be friendly, you don’t want to sound like you’re chatting with a best friend on a Friday night. Keep things professional.

How do I write a statement for law school?

There are three main steps to the writing process, and they’re no different here! Namely: brainstorm, write, and edit. In this case, though, we’ll add a fourth step: format and proofread.

• Brainstorming is one of the most crucial things you can do for your personal statement. You want to make sure your ideas are strong, following the guidelines above. It can be helpful to spend a little quiet time alone or in a cozy coffee shop to start brainstorming. Check out some of our law school personal statement examples to spark ideas!  
• Once you’ve brainstormed and organized your ideas, the writing itself will go pretty quickly. After you’ve written the first draft, leave the personal statement aside for a day or two (a week or more is better!). Then, come back. What parts don’t flow well? What ideas need more (or less) elaboration? Cut—and add—brutally! Editing is not the same as proofreading; this is the point at which you ensure the ideas themselves are sound.  
• Now, it’s time for the final line edit-format-proofread. In a line edit, you’ll work to make sure you’re using the best possible words correctly, rephrasing and rewriting as needed. Then, use the law school personal statement format discussed above to organize the writing. Finally, read through for errors in spelling, grammar, and formatting.

Voila! Your law school personal statement is now ready. If you’re planning to send it off to a T14 law school, check out our post on the top law schools for more tips and information. And no matter what, check out our post on how to get into law school !

Need more help?

Improve your LSAT scores with Magoosh LSAT , you can choose between a live cohorted class with an instructor (which includes all our lessons and practice questions) or access to the self-study option by itself.

Rachel is one of Magoosh’s Content Creators. She writes and updates content on our High School and GRE Blogs to ensure students are equipped with the best information during their test prep journey. As a test-prep instructor for more than five years in there different countries, Rachel has helped students around the world prepare for various standardized tests, including the SAT, ACT, TOEFL, GRE, and GMAT, and she is one of the authors of our Magoosh ACT Prep Book . Rachel has a Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature from Brown University, an MA in Cinematography from the Université de Paris VII, and a Ph.D. in Film Studies from University College London. For over a decade, Rachel has honed her craft as a fiction and memoir writer and public speaker. Her novel, THE BALLERINAS , is forthcoming in December 2021 from St. Martin’s Press , while her memoir, GRADUATES IN WONDERLAND , co-written with Jessica Pan, was published in 2014 by Penguin Random House. Her work has appeared in over a dozen online and print publications, including Vanity Fair Hollywood. When she isn’t strategically stringing words together at Magoosh, you can find Rachel riding horses or with her nose in a book. Join her on Twitter , Instagram , or Facebook !

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Harvard law personal statement: how to write + example.

Reviewed by:

David Merson

Former Head of Pre-Law Office, Northeastern University, & Admissions Officer, Brown University

Reviewed: 03/03/23

‍ If you’re applying to Harvard Law School, it’s essential to write an impactful personal statement. Read on to learn how to write a Harvard law personal statement that sets you apart from the crowd. 

The Harvard Law personal statement is an important part of the application process. It provides an opportunity for you to showcase your unique qualities and experiences to the admissions committee. You can communicate your motivations, passions, and goals for pursuing a legal education at Harvard Law School through the personal statement.

To have a good chance of getting into Harvard Law , you need to stand out from the thousands of other applicants. By presenting a compelling personal statement, you can make a positive impression on the admissions committee and increase your chances of admission.

Keep reading to learn how to write a personal statement that distinguishes you from other applicants and demonstrates your fit with Harvard Law School's values and culture. 

This guide will cover the requirements and tips you need to know to write a well-crafted Harvard Law personal statement. We’ll also go over a successful Harvard Law personal statement example and why it works!

Harvard Law School Personal Statement Requirements

To write a successful personal statement that demonstrates your value as an applicant, you need to ensure you stick to the requirements. The admissions committee is looking for applicants who show they care about the application process and pay attention to detail. 

Not adhering to the requirements could suggest a lack of attention to detail and negatively impact your chances of being admitted. Following the requirements ensures that your personal statement is well-organized and focused so that you can effectively communicate your message to the admissions committee.

Here are the requirements for the Harvard law personal statement:

Length: Your personal statement must be no more than two pages in length, double-spaced, with a font size no smaller than 11-point, and one-inch margins. 

Content: It should provide insight into who you are as a person and as a potential law student. Use this space to tell a story that illustrates your strengths, passions, and goals. You can also discuss any challenges you’ve overcome or experiences that have shaped your unique perspective.

Format: Your personal statement should be saved as a PDF and uploaded to the application portal . Your name and LSAC account number should be included on each page of the personal statement.

Additional Information: In addition to the personal statement, you may also choose to submit a supplementary statement about any factors that may have affected your academic performance or a diversity statement that describes your unique perspective and experiences. 

Paying attention to these requirements is key, as failing to do so can result in an incomplete or disqualified application. Adhering to the guidelines and word count ensures that your personal statement is concise and tailored to the expectations of the admissions committee. 

It's also important to note that while the personal statement is a crucial component of your application, it's not the only factor that Harvard Law School considers. Your academic record, test scores, letters of recommendation, and other factors will also be evaluated.

Crafting a Winning Personal Statement for Harvard Law School

Harvard Law is one of the most prestigious law schools in the world. So, it’s important to make sure every element of your application is top-notch. A well-written personal statement can make you a memorable candidate and increase your chances of getting in. 

To put your best foot forward, it’s helpful to learn what’s worked for other applicants. So, refer to this guide when you need to brush up on the Harvard Law personal statement requirements or need a bit of inspiration. It’s been designed to help you write a personal statement you can be proud of. Let’s get started. 

Start by Brainstorming

Before you begin writing your personal statement, take some time to brainstorm your ideas. Consider your experiences, accomplishments, and goals, and think about how they relate to your desire to attend Harvard Law School.

Brainstorming helps generate ideas, clarify thoughts, and identify key themes or concepts. It’s a process of free-flowing, non-judgmental thinking that allows for creative exploration and problem-solving. It can help you organize and prioritize ideas and content. 

By brainstorming, you can uncover unique and compelling aspects of your experiences or qualifications that might have gone unnoticed. It also provides a foundation for the writing process and can help to streamline and focus your message. Overall, brainstorming can bring a lot of value to a Harvard Law personal statement.

Develop a Thesis Statement

Once you have a sense of the main ideas you want to convey in your personal statement, develop a thesis statement that encapsulates your main message. This should be a single sentence that highlights the central theme of your personal statement.

A strong thesis statement is essential for your personal statement because it serves as the central message or argument that you’re trying to convey in your writing. It should be concise and clear, and highlight the main theme you want to communicate to the admissions committee.

A thesis statement helps to focus your personal statement and gives it a clear sense of direction. It also helps to ensure that your writing is coherent and organized, which is important for making a strong impression on the admissions committee.

In addition, your thesis statement can help you to stand out from other applicants. It allows you to demonstrate your unique perspective and approach to the law and helps to highlight what makes you a strong candidate for Harvard Law School.

Overall, having a well-thought-out thesis statement provides a sense of direction throughout your personal statement, helps to make your writing more focused and organized, and allows you to communicate your unique perspective and strengths as a law school candidate.

Tell a Story

Rather than simply listing your accomplishments, use your personal statement to tell a story that illustrates your strengths, passions, and goals. Use specific examples and anecdotes to bring your story to life.

Storytelling can have a powerful impact on a personal statement for Harvard Law School. By telling your story, you can help the admissions committee get a better sense of who you are as a person and as a potential law student.

When done effectively, storytelling can help your personal statement stand out from the thousands of other applications that the admissions committee receives each year. It can make it more memorable, engaging, and can help create an emotional connection with the reader.

Storytelling can also help demonstrate skills and qualities that law schools are looking for, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication. Using examples from your experiences to illustrate these skills, you can show the admissions committee why you would be a valuable addition to their community.

Storytelling can be a powerful tool in a personal statement for Harvard Law School. By using concrete examples and narratives to illustrate your strengths and goals, you can create a compelling case for why you would be a strong candidate for admission. 

Show, Don't Tell

Instead of simply stating that you're a hard worker or a great leader, demonstrate these qualities through specific examples and anecdotes. Use descriptive language and imagery to paint a picture of who you are and what you've accomplished.

Showing qualities through the lens of your experiences makes your writing more engaging and memorable. Using specific examples to illustrate your qualities and achievements will ultimately make your Harvard Law personal statement more impactful.

Keep It Brief and On Point.

Remember that your personal statement should be no more than two pages long, so stick to your point. Remember that the admissions committee receives thousands of applications each year, and they typically have a limited amount of time to review each one. 

Ensure that your personal statement is clear and easy to read by using simple language and staying focused on your main thesis. You want to write just enough to make a strong case for why you are a strong candidate for admission to Harvard Law School. 

By focusing on your most important experiences and qualities and avoiding unnecessary tangents, you can demonstrate your value as a potential law school student and make a compelling argument for why you should be admitted.

Edit and Revise

Once you've written a draft of your personal statement, take some time to edit and revise it. Pay attention to grammar, punctuation, and spelling, and make sure your writing is clear and concise. Ask someone else to read your personal statement and provide feedback. 

A well-written and error-free personal statement can make a positive impression on the admissions committee, while a poorly edited statement can detract from your qualifications. 

Editing allows you to refine your message, eliminate errors and inconsistencies, and ensure your personal statement is crystal clear. Careful editing helps to demonstrate attention to detail and professionalism, qualities that are highly valued in the legal profession.

Pay Attention to Formatting

Finally, be sure to follow the formatting requirements for the Harvard Law School personal statement. Save your personal statement as a PDF and include your name and LSAC account number on each page.

A well-formatted statement is not only aesthetically pleasing but also shows that you took it seriously. It can make the statement more readable and easier to navigate for the admissions committee. A well-organized statement can also help to structure your thoughts and ensure that you’re effectively conveying your message.

By following these steps and putting in the time and effort to write a strong personal statement, you can increase your chances of being admitted to one of the most prestigious law schools in the world.

What to Avoid in a Harvard Law Personal Statement

When writing a personal statement for Harvard Law School, it's important to know what to avoid. Read on to learn everything you need to know.

Avoid using clichéd phrases or overused quotes in your personal statement. The admissions committee reads a ton of personal statements every year, so it's important to try to make a unique impression.

Clichés can often be vague and lack specificity, which can make it difficult for the committee to understand your message and qualifications. By avoiding cliches, you can demonstrate your individual perspective and voice. Remember, there’s only one you .

Rambling or Tangential Writing

Your personal statement should be focused and concise, with a clear thesis statement and supporting examples. 

Rambling or going off-topic can detract from the overall impact of your personal statement. It can suggest a lack of organizational skills and attention to detail, qualities highly valued in the legal profession.

To avoid rambling when writing, it is important to stay focused on the topic at hand and stick to a clear structure. Start by outlining the main points that you want to make and the supporting evidence or examples that you’ll use to illustrate those points. Use concise language and avoid unnecessary tangents or repetition.

It’s also helpful to read through your writing regularly and ask yourself if each sentence and paragraph is contributing to the overall message you are trying to convey. Finally, consider having someone else review your work to provide feedback and help identify any areas where you may be straying off topic.

While it's essential to showcase your strengths and accomplishments, avoid coming across as cocky or entitled in your personal statement. Instead, focus on demonstrating your passion for law and your commitment to making a positive impact in the legal field.

Admissions committees are looking for candidates who are not only academically qualified but who also possess the emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills necessary for success in the legal profession. 

By being humble, you show your capacity for growth, willingness to learn from others, and commitment to serving the greater good. 

Avoid focusing on experiences that paint you in a negative light. Instead, pay attention to the positive lessons you've learned and how you've grown and developed as a person and as a potential law student.

Being negative may raise concerns about your ability to work collaboratively with others. Highlighting negative events or attitudes can take away from the overall message of your personal statement, which is an opportunity for you to promote your talents, experiences, and qualifications. 

The legal profession requires the ability to work effectively with others and to maintain a positive and professional demeanor even in challenging situations. By maintaining a positive tone, you can demonstrate your resilience, adaptability, and ability to work effectively in a team-oriented environment.

It should go without saying, but be sure to avoid any form of plagiarism in your personal statement. This includes copying and pasting from other sources, using quotes without attribution, or hiring someone to write your personal statement for you.

Presenting someone else's work or ideas as your own is a form of academic dishonesty. Your personal statement is meant to express your unique background, experiences, and qualifications, and plagiarism undermines its authenticity.

Additionally, plagiarism is a violation of Harvard Law School's code of conduct and can result in serious consequences, including rejection of your application or even revocation of an already awarded admission. 

By submitting an original and authentic personal statement, you can demonstrate your honesty, integrity, and professionalism, qualities that are highly valued in the legal profession.

By avoiding these pitfalls and focusing on crafting a unique personal statement, you can increase your chances of being admitted to Harvard Law School. Remember, the personal statement is an important opportunity to show who you truly are and why you're a strong candidate, so take the time to do it right.

Harvard Law Personal Statement Example

It can help to read a Harvard law personal statement example to get a good understanding of what the admissions committee is looking for. Reading through successful examples can provide insight into what constitutes a strong Harvard law personal statement.

The following personal statement , written by Dasha Wise, is an example of a successful Harvard Law School application essay.  

"The large room was beginning to feel like a cramped interrogation chamber as we stood anxiously awaiting the next set of difficult questions. We did not have to wait long. Why were there discrepancies in our numbers? Wasn’t the retreat expense unnecessarily large? Not to mention that the submitted documents were not only late but incomplete! 

I could not help but steal a glance at the out-going treasurer standing next to me—as a newly elected executive board treasurer for Community Impact (CI), Columbia’s largest service organization, I had been invited to accompany her to CI’s annual presentation to request funding from the student councils. 

There was no doubt that she had stayed up most of the night completing this presentation, attempting to patch up holes in the financial records. 

I could not blame her for the mistakes—everyone at CI was overworked and stretched well beyond their capacity, too busy keeping up with the activities of each day to step back and tackle the organization’s underlying problems.

As she became visibly more flustered, I knew that I needed to assume responsibility for the remainder of the presentation. Standing there in defense of the organization that I had come to love, I managed to remain calm, elding critical questions to the best of my ability while swallowing the all-too-well-founded criticism along with my pride. 

As the presentation came to a close, I began to understand the systematic change that was necessary and that I would be responsible for making this change a reality.

I began immediately that summer. 

Learning as much as possible about the current system and its laws enabled me to discover that CI’s largest impediments were operational inefficiency and improper communication, the combination of which was contributing to internal frustration, ineffective resource management, and a tainted reputation. 

To establish both scale accuracy and efficiency, I reconstructed treasury procedures and devised an automated budget-tracking and request-processing mechanism that would be administered through CI’s online platform. 

Working closely with our webmaster, I designed a treasury section for CI’s website that would enable coordinators to request funding, monitor their budgets, and access key forms as well as the instructional manuals that I had written over the summer. 

To reposition CI’s public image, I insisted on transparency, persuading the staff of its importance and holding a board meeting to update important documents such as our constitution and spending guidelines. Reacting CI’s core principles and procedures, they would now be publicly displayed on our website.

In pushing for large-scale change, I knew in advance that over-seeing the process would be no easy task and that I would need to hold numerous trainings, respond immediately to student inquiries, and continue to work throughout the year to make further corrections based on feedback and my own observations. 

All this I was prepared for, and with input from my peers and CI’s staff along the way, I arrived at a product that would provide the CI treasury with structural support for years to come. 

CI’s records were accurate, and we were able to cut costs, monitor our spending, and receive approval from our volunteers, for whom the elusive red tape had now given way to simplicity and predictability. 

A system that responded to the needs of students, board members, and staff alike eliminated needless frustration, established procedural efficiency, and improved both internal and external communication. 

‍ When I found myself in front of the student councils exactly one year later, I was not met with the same mistrust and quizzical expressions. 

Our presentation, whose supporting documents had this time been submitted well in advance and verified multiple times, resulted in open gratitude for the effort that we had put in to establish scale accuracy and procedural transparency and to maintain open communication with the councils, informing them of the changes that we were making in light of their concerns. 

Unlike the previous year’s penalty and subsequent funding shortage, this time we received precisely what we requested. Yet perhaps most importantly, we received respect, not only from our own coordinators, volunteers, and other constituents but from the university as a whole. 

Although I had encountered numerous difficulties throughout my life, what I had decided to tackle at CI last year was my most significant challenge yet—not merely for the amount of effort that it required, but for the fact that my decisions now affected whether directly or indirectly, hundreds of others, from CI’s staff and student executives to our nine hundred volunteers and the nine thousand individuals that they served. 

In some quantifiable sense, this was my biggest accomplishment, the most rewarding, and among the most memorable, but it was not the first and it will not be the last. I would not have it any other way. 

To survive difficulties is one thing, but to excel in spite of them is another. Overcoming the most seemingly insurmountable yet worthy challenges is, for me, the primary means of obtaining respect from the one person that truly matters and is, at the same time, the most difficult to please— myself. 

Why this essay works: This Harvard law personal statement example checks every box. It’s personal, concise, impactful, and clearly communicates the qualities that would make Dasha an excellent lawyer. If it helps to get the creative juices flowing, reading sample personal statements can be a great source of inspiration for your writing.

FAQs: Harvard Law School Personal Statement

The Harvard Law personal statement is an important part of your law school application and needs to be carefully thought out. It makes sense to have questions, so keep reading to learn more about the Harvard law personal statement. 

1. How Long Should My Personal Statement Be for Harvard Law?

The length of your personal statement for Harvard Law School should be no more than two pages, double-spaced. Harvard recommends that applicants aim for a length of 750 to 1,500 words, which should provide enough space to effectively communicate your message while still remaining concise and focused.

2. How Important Is the Harvard Law School Personal Statement?

The Harvard law personal statement is a crucial component of the law school application and is given significant weight in the admissions decision-making process. 

The personal statement allows applicants to showcase their unique experiences, qualifications, and motivations for pursuing a legal education and to demonstrate their fit with Harvard Law School's values and culture. 

A well-written personal statement can make a positive impression on the admissions committee and increase an applicant's chances of being admitted to this highly selective law school.

3. What Should I Include in My Personal Statement for Harvard Law?

In your personal statement for Harvard Law, you should include information about your background, experiences, and achievements, as well as your motivations for pursuing a legal education. You should also highlight your skills and abilities relevant to the legal profession, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills. 

Additionally, you may want to discuss any challenges or obstacles you’ve overcome and how these experiences have shaped your goals and aspirations. Finally, it is important to showcase your fit with Harvard Law School's values and culture and to explain why you are a strong candidate for admission.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, you now have a good understanding of how to write a solid Harvard law personal statement. Remember to stay true to your voice and experiences, be authentic and sincere, and take the time to edit and revise your statement to ensure it’s polished and professional. 

By following the tips and guidelines outlined in this blog and reviewing the Harvard Law personal statement example provided, you can craft a compelling personal statement that stands out to the admissions committee and increases your chances of being admitted to Harvard Law School. 

Once you’ve written a strong personal statement, you can focus on the next steps, such as collecting letters of recommendation , prepping for a possible Harvard Law interview , or brushing up on legal terms . Good luck on your application journey!

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How to write a great personal statement

Crafting a personal statement that stands out is an important part of the UCAS process. However, it can be hard to know exactly what to include, how to write it, and how to stand out. With this in mind, we caught up with Student Recruitment Manager Richard Palmer for his tips on writing a great personal statement.

By Cara Fielder . Published 13 October 2021. Last updated 12 January 2024.

Why is a personal statement important?

Your personal statement is about much more than just meeting the grade requirements and needs to tick a few boxes to stand out. These statements are a top factor when it comes to consideration for admissions experts – but don’t see it as a chore, your personal statement provides an opportunity to communicate your unique skills and strengths to secure your place at university.

What are admissions looking for?

Students must have the appropriate qualifications and grade predictions to meet entry requirements, but this will need to be elaborated on in your personal statement. As you think of your different qualifications, accomplishments, and qualities remember to link them all together to show how this makes you suitable for your chosen course.

• Excellent spelling, grammar and attention to detail.
• Illustrate your suitability for the course by linking it to different areas of life. For example, earlier studies, extra-curricular activities, personal hobbies/experiences and work experience (if applicable).
• Your personality – not in terms of humour or sarcasm but show that you are a responsible and hardworking student.
• A strong reference that supports your application.

Our nine tips for writing your personal statement

Map out the structure.

A great way to approach this is visually: create a diagram splitting the personal statement into sections. Firstly, you want a strong opening introducing yourself. The middle section can then be split into three sub-sections: your course choice, education experience and your wider experiences (e.g. extracurricular activities and work). Then conclude with a concise summary of the points you’ve made.

Whilst the whole statement needs a good deal of work, a robust opening can hook the reader and make all the difference to an application. It’s an opportunity to briefly cover everything you’ll discuss in greater detail throughout your statement. Consider why you want to study the course, your passion for the subject, where you hope it leads and why it’s right for you.

Similarly, a strong closing paragraph can leave a positive and lasting impression. Try and consolidate what you’ve covered in your statement and reinforce why you would make a great candidate for the course.

Transferrable skills

When discussing your suitability, share how the content and skills learned from your current or previous study relate to your chosen course, and how they will help you succeed. For instance, if you studied A Level Business and apply to study accounting and finance try and highlight how your current learning will influence your degree choice.

Of course, there are many degrees where it might not be possible to study the subject before university, so you’ll need to be a little more creative and think outside of the box. For those subjects which aren’t directly related to your chosen course consider any crossover and highlight those links. For example, if you’ve chosen to study criminology and studied A Level Geography you could discuss globalisation, green crimes, or illegal pollution.

You should also discuss the wider skills you’ve developed. Consider how a variety of teaching environments, coursework, and creative projects have provided you with relevant skills to succeed in a degree such as organisation skills, time management, communication, and multi-tasking.

If you are applying for slightly different courses, remember that all your university choices will see the same personal statement. Make sure to prioritise talking about your main subject for consistency.

Be original

While it might be tempting to copy your friends or take inspiration from example personal statements online, avoid it at all costs. Plagiarism is often unintentional but the best thing you can do to avoid it is steering away from using templates or writing similar personal statements to your peers.

UCAS (for example) puts every statement through plagiarism software. If your statement has 30% similarities to others, a report is sent to all your university choices. They decide the outcome, which could be to revoke your offer. Don’t let this worry – if you honestly write an original statement and the software still picks it up by fluke the university will know what to do.

Consider your strengths

Follow this simple framework:

• What are you good at?
• How can you demonstrate that skill?
• Keep it positive

For example - “I was a debate team captain and lead in making arguments” is good, but it could have something added to it to make it pop. A great way to do this is to add positive adjectives and adverbs to build up the sentence. “I was a successful debate team captain and lead in making winning arguments”.

Everybody has weaknesses, and it’s important to recognise these too. However, be sure to frame it as a positive. Be honest and recognise areas you haven’t experienced or aren’t as confident at – and consider positive ways that you can develop in that area. 

Highlight any previous work experience

Even if it was short-term or voluntary, any experience is good and helps to emphasise your skills. Demonstrating that you have actively sought out work experience presents you as someone with initiative and independence.

Start writing it as early as possible and be aware of all the important deadlines. Draw out a timeline detailing when you aim to have your first draft done, your second draft, any reviews and submission deadlines. This will help to get you in the right mindset from the outset, because nobody likes last-minute stress.

Triple check your work

Sometimes when you have been working on something for a long time, it’s easy to overlook mistakes so it’s also helpful to ask someone else to proofread it for you. Double and triple check your work, keeping an eye out for typos. Getting family or friends to proofread your personal statement will also help to ensure that it sounds authentically you.

Stand out from the crowd

Try to think outside of the box and communicate what makes you unique. For example, if you have any creative ideas on how to improve a certain area within your chosen industry/subject, put this forward. This might tie in with your hobbies and work experience and be a good way to build on it.

Make evidence-based points

Highlighting your experiences is a crucial part of the personal statement but must be backed up with solid evidence. For example, if you have experience as a sports captain or society member, rather than just listing what you did, explain how you got there and what you achieved. Mention actions and outcomes, this shows how you strive for self-improvement and highlights an ability to clearly define goals.

If you’re still considering which degree to apply for, check out our range of undergraduate courses in law , business , criminology , policing , psychology and computer science . 

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How to Structure Your Personal Statement for Law

It’s hard enough knowing what to include in your personal statement for law before even thinking about the structure it should follow. That’s why our contributor, Devangi, has outlined a framework of just how to do that.

So before you submit your UCAS application, read on for some tips on the way your text should be laid out so that it makes sense and impresses university admissions tutors.

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1. Section One: Personal Statement Introduction

Your personal statement introduction should showcase your motivations behind pursuing a law degree . Consider the following questions:

• What inspired you to study law? Were you intrigued by political events? Did you read an interesting article or book that encouraged you to pursue it further
• What interests you about a law degree?
• Are you interested in a particular area of law ? If so, what have you done to demonstrate that interest?

Avoid starting your introduction with cheesy quotes, unless it forms part of your motivation for studying law. Often, people find writing the introduction the hardest part, so if it helps, write it last.

2. Section Two: Academic Experience/Supercurriculars

This section should comprise the majority of your personal statement for law. Bear in mind that admissions tutors are more interested in your academic experience (and suitability for the course), rather than your affinity for a particular musical instrument.

Think about the following:

• How do your A-Level subjects relate to law? For example, studying history develops essay-writing skills, while maths enhances logical reasoning skills. Tutors are interested in evidence of independent work outside of the curriculum; perhaps you read an interesting article about Charles I’s execution that got you thinking about the monarch’s role in the judicial system.
• Have you attended any summer school or taster courses? Rather than listing things you have done, instead reflect on them critically – What did you learn? What did you do to develop your interests in concepts introduced to you at these events?
• How can you demonstrate your interest in law? Have you completed an online course on an area of law you find interesting? Have you participated in any mock trials ?
• Mention any reading materials that challenged you intellectually – This could be a book, an article or a magazine. Rather than summarising the content, focus on critically evaluating the material; did you agree with it? Why (or why not)?

3. Section Three: Practical Experience

Although not essential, practical experience is a good way of demonstrating your interest in law beyond the classroom. There are a number of ways to gain practical experience:

• Work experience or vacation schemes are the standard ways of displaying practical experience. Spending time at a solicitor’s firm or shadowing a barrister can provide an invaluable insight into a potential legal career path, as well as vital exposure to contemporary legal issues.  When writing about work experience in your personal statement, avoid presenting a wide overview of what you did. Focus on the relevant skills you learned or a particular aspect (like witnessing a trial) that you were interested in and carried out further research on.
• Witnessing a court trial in person can serve as a springboard for further intellectual inquiry – Perhaps you saw a criminal trial and the theoretical dispute concerned whether the defendant had the mens rea (intent) to commit the crime. This is a great way to engage with legal questions and form an opinion on them.
• If you have had a non-legal job, that can also be useful as you may have picked up valuable skills that are relevant to law. For example, working as a tutor requires you to communicate your ideas logically and teaches you how to engage with different types of people.

4. Section Four: Extracurricular Activities

Extracurricular activities should only take up a small amount of your personal statement. Try and choose extracurriculars that demonstrate skills required in a law degree like perseverance, organisation and motivation.

• Mention any podcasts you listen to regularly that deal with current affairs or legal issues, like Today in Focus or  Law in Action . This is particularly good as it can directly be linked to law and you can discuss if you found a specific episode stimulating (and how that allowed you to do further research).
• If you play any sports, this can be a great way to demonstrate important skills like teamwork and communication.

5. Conclusion

Your personal statement conclusion should reiterate why you are a suitable candidate for law. Remember that there is no set formula for producing a perfect personal statement conclusion. It has to be tailored to what you have written in your own statement.

Instead of repeating what you have already mentioned, consider writing about what you hope to achieve on the course and/or what your future career aspirations are. This will ensure that you have a good overall structure for your personal statement.

Words: Devangi Dave

• Things to Avoid in Your Personal Statement for Law
• 4 Things I Wish I’d Known Before UCAS
• How to Write the Perfect Personal Statement for Law

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Cambridge Law School Personal Statement Examples

Your Cambridge law personal statement is a short essay which highlights why you are interested in studying law and how equipped you are for the task. Cambridge uses the UCAS system for all applicants wanting to study law at the undergraduate level, so there are no unique requirements for your law school personal statement here. In this blog, we’ll cover what Cambridge expects from your law school personal statement, important requirements you need to know, and some law personal statement examples .

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

Article Contents 6 min read

How to write a law school personal statement for cambridge law.

Cambridge law doesn’t have any specific law school admissions essays topics . The purpose of your Cambridge law personal statement is simply to share with the admissions committee why you want to study law at Cambridge and how you have prepared yourself to do so.

Your law personal statement will often be the basis of discussion during your interview, so it’s a good idea to include your most significant accomplishments or experiences in your personal statement, as well as your future career goals and interest in a specific area of the law.

Since there are no specific prompts and the personal statement can be quite open-ended, start with brainstorming. Identify 2-4 experiences or important ideas you want to convey in your personal statement. Focus on how you can demonstrate your passion and enthusiasm for legal study, and how you have prepared yourself for a career in law. While you can include early life experiences, try to focus on important experiences in the last few years at most.

Here’s some questions you can ask yourself and answer in your Cambridge law personal statement:

• What first drew you to the law?
• How did you develop your enthusiasm for the law?
• What legal questions interest you most?
• What particular areas of legal study fascinate you?
• What personal or professional experience do you have with legal matters?
• How have you prepared yourself for the rigors or law school or the practice of law?
• What are your intellectual or academic interests? How do they relate to your interest in law?
• Which aptitudes do you possess that are suited to the study of law?
• Why have you chosen Cambridge law?

Once you’ve identified a few notable experiences or accomplishments, organize them into an outline and write a draft without concerning yourself with word count. Give yourself plenty of time to rework your essay and revise it. Remember to double check for spelling and grammatical errors, and to remain under the word limit.

If you want expert help crafting or reviewing your law school personal statement, a law school admissions consulting service or law essay writing service can help you get organized and polish your drafts.

The Cambridge undergraduate law program uses the UCAS application system, so the format and length requirements for your Cambridge law personal statement will follow the UCAS requirements. UCAS allows you up to 4,000 characters, or 500 words, to complete your personal statement, or 47 lines—whichever comes first. The minimum character count for your personal statement is 1,000 characters, or around 250 words.

Cambridge law uses your UCAS personal statement as the basis for your interview, and to evaluate your academic interests and commitment to the study of law. In short, while Cambridge does not provide law school essay prompts , they are essentially asking: why do you want to study law ? Your personal statement for Cambridge should:

• Explain your reasons for wanting to study law at university
• Demonstrate enthusiasm for and commitment to the study of law
• Express any particular interests within the field of law
• Outline how you’ve pursued your subject interest in your own time

For a better idea of the format and structure of UCAS personal statement, read examples of Cambridge personal statements or Oxford personal statements as a guide. ","label":"TIP","title":"TIP"}]" code="tab1" template="BlogArticle">

Cambridge Law Personal Statement Example #1

My passion for the law was first sparked by an interest in people and their behaviours. As a child, I had a peculiar hobby, introduced to me by my father. I loved observing poker. My father taught me how to play, the two of us, and whenever he would host a friendly game with his friends, I watched and learned. I studied their behaviour, learning their tells and reading their body language. It appealed to me to puzzle out their intentions and their attempts at bluffing. Soon enough, I had a very good knack for reading other people.

As I grew older, I enjoyed watching true crime documentaries and found any crime fiction novels I could get my hands on. Each one was a puzzle that I could take apart, dissect and put back together to find the truth, the reveal. Whenever there was a real criminal court case covered on the local news, I watched with rapt attention. I pursue intellectual interests in sociology, criminology and psychology, through both fiction and scientific articles. I wanted to understand better how people thought, why they behaved the way they did.

I also pursued a side interest in theatre as a teen, as it allowed me to become more comfortable performing in front of others, and allowed me to gain self-confidence. By now, I was curious about a legal career, as it would allow me to marry my love of figuring people out with my interests in true crime and criminal law. I knew to be an effective solicitor I would need a greater presence and confidence in myself. Theatre proved to be a very effective way for me to rehearse and develop myself for the courtroom.

I was able to put my performance skills as well as my knowledge to the test when I participated in the Bar Mock Trial. I was able to banish any nerves when it came to performing in front of an audience, and theatre helped me immerse myself in the mock scenario and truly take on the role of a lawyer. Thanks to my experience with the mock trial, I began sitting in on cases in a public courtroom, once again to observe how the game was played. And just like poker, it was fascinating to me to see how real lawyers analyzed the individuals around them. This was a far more hands-on and realistic examination of people than I could find in all my books and articles. This was no longer theory but a live study of individuals in a court of criminal law. I was fascinated by the entire process.

The law is a complex and intriguing puzzle, and criminal law especially is an area that demands keen observation, sharp analysis and the ability to see beyond the surface. I look forward to the prospect of applying the knowledge I have gained so far, developing new skills and deepening my understanding of a captivating subject.

Want more tips for writing a law school personal statement? Watch this video!

Cambridge Law Personal Statement Example #2

Education, and ensuring everyone has the right to education, has been my crusade for many years. For me, the law has become a vehicle that will help me effect real change in education around the world.

I was fortunate to attend a private school in my formative years, and so I saw firsthand how exclusionary it can be to some students. There is a distinct lack of equal access to quality education for all students, and typically money and privilege are the biggest obstacles. However, around the world I know there are far larger barriers for some young students who crave access to education, and are denied it. In my private school, the few students who could attend on merit scholarships were considered lucky, but they should be able to access quality education without winning some type of lottery.

In my passion for the right to education, my initial plan was to become a teacher and bring education directly to students. But I also realized as a teacher I would not have the level of influence needed to effect real and lasting change. I decided to switch my focus, and I started volunteering with Oxfam. I took my summer off, and volunteered my time as a girls’ teacher in remote villages in Malawi. Oxfam has long been dedicated to providing access to education, and it was fulfilling to be able to help provide educational resources to students even more underprivileged than the peers I’d met in private school. To be able to witness the difference I was making every day as a teacher to young girls. Still, I had lofty goals, and I wanted to continue my humanitarian aid and continue to work towards the right to education for all students.

I delved into researching the global issues and obstacles surrounding education. It soon became clear to me that it was not always a lack of access blocking students from going to school, but a lack of educational rights. I knew I would need to pursue a career in international law, if I wanted to see through my goal of breaking down barriers to education on a global level.

For me, the law is a tool, a resource I can use to help effect change in the lives of young students eager to learn and grow. So I know I must be eager to learn and to develop my legal knowledge as well. I am committed to the studying of the law, so it might serve as my foundation in bringing education to students around the world.

Your personal statement for Cambridge law will be submitted through UCAS, so it should follow UCAS personal statement guidelines. Your personal statement for Cambridge college of law will highlight why you want to study law and what you have done to prepare yourself to become a lawyer.

Your Cambridge law personal statement should cover your motivations for studying law, your specific interests within the field, how you are suited to the study of law and independent learning you’ve done to further your passion for the law.

To write a strong personal statement, ensure it is error-free, flows naturally and is well structured. It should also demonstrate a strong enthusiasm for the study of law, an intellectual aptitude for the field and some experience with law.

Your UCAS personal statement should be no longer than 4,000 characters or around 500 words or less. At minimum, your personal statement should be 1,000 characters or 250 words.

Your law school personal statement should share why you want to study the law, what first sparked your interest in the law or a particular field of law, and what actions or pursuits you’ve taken to deepen your understanding of the law.

A law school personal statement uses a short essay format.

Yes. Your Cambridge law personal statement will be the basis of discussion at your interview, so it is important to present a well-written personal statement. While Cambridge focuses heavily on academic qualifications in applicants, your personal statement provides context and further information about you as a candidate.

Avoid using irrelevant anecdotes or personal stories, unless they provide important context to your motivation to study law. Also avoid using any cliches or often repeated phrases, informal language and merely providing a list of your accomplishments. Remember to use your word count wisely and get straight to the point!

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• How To Write Your Law Personal Statement

Last Updated: 16th September 2017

Author: UniAdmissions Blog

Table of Contents

The key to writing a good personal statement to study law lies in bearing in mind the purpose of a personal statement.

The purpose of a Personal Statement is generally to demonstrate a student’s interest in their chosen subject, and secondly, to evidence his or her suitability for the study of that subject. Admission tutors want to read an honest characterisation of you as a student and as individual. 

Of course, before you begin looking at the law-specific aspects of your Personal Statement, you should ensure that you have a firm understanding of how you should plan, structure, write and edit your statement in a general sense. If you would like to learn more about this, we would recommend checking out our Ultimate UCAS Personal Statement Guide , which will provide you with plenty of information and tips to ensure you perfect your Personal Statement.

if you’re ready to learn how you can perfect your Personal Statement for law, then let’s start with the key principles to consider when writing your Law Personal Statement.

The Two Principles of writing your Law Personal statement

There are so many things to consider when writing a personal statement that sometimes, you don’t which ones to follow or prioritise. There are two additional things to bear in mind where law personal statements are concerned:

Your interest and suitability should be demonstrated in relation to law as an academic subject - not law as a career. Principle #1

The LPC (Legal Practice Course) and the BPTC (Bar Professional Training Course) are separate courses geared towards making a student prepared for a career in law. In contrast, an undergraduate degree in law at university is not – it focuses, instead, on law as an academic subject. It is best practice to avoid speaking about your interest in the legal profession and focus instead on what it is about law as a subject that draws you to it.

For example, consider important law-related academic milestones of recent years and discuss how these have influenced you. You can mention cryptocurrency or the commercial use of drones. These topics might not seem law related at first, but the required legislation to have these elements present in society is most definitely a law problem. 

Writing the personal statement is itself an opportunity for you to demonstrate skills which the study of law would require. Principle #2

Namely, the ability to make a coherent case (in this case, for your admission), to follow a clear structure and to express yourself concisely. A fun approach you could take is to think of your personal statement as your case to prove you are guilty or innocent (in other words, deserving of a place at your chosen university). Bring some charming humour into it and make it a memorable personal statement. 

What to Do Before writing your law personal statement

You might be wondering: how can I demonstrate interest in law as a subject when I have little knowledge on what studying it at university will involve? This problem can, however, be overcome through adequate preparation before writing the statement. One way to prepare is by reading law books – that is – introductory law texts suitable for those who have never studied law before. One such text is Criminal law: the basics – by Jonathan Herring.

• Wider Reading: Discover our recommended law reading list

It is important to read these texts not to learn about Law, but to gain some insight into what studying Law involves and why you find it interesting. Articles in the news on Law-related subjects can also be useful in introducing you to controversial legal issues; for example, The Economist previously published an article on the European Court of Justice’s ruling on a discrimination case (concerning whether employers can sack employees who refuse to remove their headscarves).

Mentioning such issues in your Personal Statement, and, more crucially, explaining why they draw you to the study of Law, as well as your thoughts on how the issues should be resolved, can be a great way to demonstrate your interest. Another preparatory step to take before writing the statement is work experience.

This, however, is not essential, and any work experience you complete should only be mentioned if it somehow increases your interest in Law as an academic subject or if afforded you the opportunity to develop skills which will enable you to be a good Law student.

Don’t worry if you’re not able to find work experience: another thing you can do is go into a court to watch a court case (courts in this jurisdiction are open to all). Another worthwhile activity is undertaking an extended essay or the Extended Project Qualification at school; this can give you the opportunity to develop research skills and look into a Law-related topic over a long period of time.

Writing Your law personal statement: structure and style

A good structure to follow is to dedicate the first half of the statement to showing your interest in studying Law, and how you developed that interest through reading books, articles and doing other activities. The second half of the statement should be where you produce evidence of your suitability for the study of Law.

One thing to bear in mind whilst writing the statement is that it is best not to be dramatic; it can be tempting to use a multitude of adjectives – this should be avoided as the statement tends to start sounding silly. Besides, a better technique for producing an interesting statement is using examples to evidence statements and being as precise as possible. The link below has a great example of a personal statement for Law application. 

Success rates for students studying Law can be as low as 12% – UniAdmissions’ average success rate is 57%.

UniAdmissions Oxbridge Programmes are designed with the  sole focus  of getting you your offer. Students enrolled on our Programmes have triple the chances of success. Not applying to Oxbridge? Click here for non-Oxbridge law premium programmes . 

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Did south dakota gov. kristi noem break the law by shooting her dog what legal experts say.

• Legal Issues

Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump, left, embraces South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem at a campaign rally March 16, 2024, in Vandalia, Ohio. (AP)

It may be the most controversial dog death since "Old Yeller" — the faithful stray dog turned rabid — that had to be put down in the 1957 Disney classic film .

Republican South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem’s story about killing her dog Cricket ignited a heated debate among people of all political persuasions April 26 when The Guardian, a British news outlet, published an article excerpting Noem’s upcoming book, "No Going Back," scheduled for release May 7.

Noem, widely considered a contender to be former President Donald Trump’s running mate, described fatally shooting the 14-month-old wirehaired pointer and failed hunting dog, which she later said happened 20 years ago. She wrote that the dog had an "aggressive personality."

She isn’t the first political candidate to draw heat over treatment of a dog. Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor and current Utah senator, similarly felt dog lovers’ wrath during his 2012 presidential run over a story about him strapping his dog, Seamus , in a dog carrier to the roof of a car for a family road trip.

Although Noem’s story drew widespread backlash, experts told PolitiFact she likely would have faced no charges under South Dakota law, either now or when she said the shooting took place. 

Noem described a pheasant hunt with Cricket gone astray and an incident on the way home that sealed the pup’s fate. Noem wrote that she had stopped to speak with a family. The dog escaped from her truck and killed several of the family’s chickens, acting like a "trained assassin," she wrote, according to the Guardian’s account.

Noem wrote that the female dog tried to bite when Noem grabbed her. She also wrote that she "hated that dog," which she said was "untrainable" and "dangerous to anyone she came in contact with." It was then that Noem decided she "had to put her down." She took the dog to a gravel pit and shot her.

Noem also wrote that she then decided to shoot a "nasty and mean" male goat the same day at the same gravel pit.

Noem’s story drew fury from both liberals and conservatives. "My blood is boiling," wrote Catturd , a popular conservative X account. "The View" host Whoopi Goldberg and her colleagues found common ground on an April 29 episode. If you can’t train the dog, "give it back," Goldberg said, adding an expletive.

Noem answered her critics in an April 26 X post , sharing the Guardian article and writing, "We love animals, but tough decisions like this happen all the time on a farm. Sadly, we just had to put down 3 horses a few weeks ago that had been in our family for 25 years."

Noem posted again April 28 on X,   calling it a 20-year-old story and writing, "South Dakota law states that dogs who attack and kill livestock can be put down. Given that Cricket had shown aggressive behavior toward people by biting them, I decided what I did."

We contacted Noem for comment but received no reply.

I can understand why some people are upset about a 20 year old story of Cricket, one of the working dogs at our ranch, in my upcoming book — No Going Back. The book is filled with many honest stories of my life, good and bad days, challenges, painful decisions, and lessons… — Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) April 28, 2024

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley said in a statement to PolitiFact that his office has received numerous questions about Noem’s story, but the state’s seven-year statute of limitations has lapsed. He did not answer specific questions about how the law would have applied at the time of the shooting.

"There have been requests for the attorney general’s office to look further into the matter. In South Dakota, there is a seven-year statute of limitations on cases of this nature," Jackley said, referring to South Dakota Codified Law 23A-42-2 . "Accordingly, the attorney general’s office has no jurisdiction on an incident that occurred a reported 20 years ago and well beyond the seven-year statute of limitations."

Ian Fury, Noem’s communications chief, was quoted in an April 29 Guardian article and referred to two statutes from South Dakota state law 40-34 that cover dog licenses and regulations:

40-34-1 says, "It shall be lawful for any person to kill any dog found chasing, worrying, injuring, or killing poultry or domestic animals except on the premises of the owners of said dog or dogs." The statute doesn’t specify how a dog can be killed.

40-34-2 says any person owning such a dog is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor. However, Leighann Lassiter, the Humane Society of the United States’ policy director for animal cruelty, told us charges would be filed only if the chickens’ owner filed a complaint with law enforcement.

David Favre, a Michigan State University law professor and editor of the Animal Legal and Historical Web Center , said that 40-34-1 is a law from the 1930s and similar laws are found in many states. They are meant to let farmers protect animals of economic value.

He doesn’t think that particular statute applies in Noem’s case. But he added that he doesn’t believe the killing of a person’s own dog by gunshot is illegal in South Dakota. 

Regarding 40-34-1, "in South Dakota, a person would be allowed to kill a dog that comes onto their land and chases their cat," Favre said. "It is not meant to deal with a person killing their own dog, but I guess an argument might be made if the dog was in the act of doing a bad thing."

Justin Marceau, a University of Denver law professor and director of the school’s Animal Law Program and Animal Activist Legal Defense Project, also doesn’t think statute 40-34-1, which  the governor’s office cited, authorized Noem to kill the dog.

The law "seems to allow for an animal to be killed if the animal is actively ‘chasing’ or killing an animal considered livestock," Marceau said, describing Cricket’s chicken assault a "past act" at the time the dog was killed.

"The laws of South Dakota also permit, as do most states, the euthanizing of dangerous animals in certain circumstances," Marceau said. "But Gov. Noem has failed to note that determinations about whether to euthanize an animal are, by statute, assigned to peace officers and humane officers, not pet owners who determine that it would take extra work or money to properly train a young puppy."

Conley Wouters, a University of Illinois Chicago assistant law professor who practices animal law, took a different stance. He said he believes 40-34-1 "does seem to permit killing a dog who has injured or killed" another person’s livestock or poultry." Because the law was enacted in 1939, it was on the books when Noem killed Cricket, he added.

Wouters said such laws are common in Western states and states with a lot of farming and ranching; he cited laws in Idaho and Ohio that allow dogs to be killed for attacking livestock or people. The laws reflect the long-standing tension between farmers and dog owners, he said.

The laws "tend to favor livestock owners, with some of the laws setting a relatively low bar for when people are permitted to kill a dog." 

"Based on my understanding of the law, (what Noem did) was legal then and it would be legal today in South Dakota, and in many other states," Wouters said.

Anticruelty provisions govern the humane treatment of animals, and experts told us Noem likely didn’t violate those laws, either. 

Favre said no section of the state’s animal cruelty laws makes the killing by an owner illegal unless pain and suffering is involved. 

Under state law, it’s not clear that shooting your own dog would be considered cruel, Favre said. "Assuming the shot produced near instant death or unconsciousness, then the act would not be cruel," he said.

Lassiter, from the Humane Society of the United States, agreed that South Dakota’s law exempts the humane killing of an animal from its cruelty statute. A shooting that causes instant or near instant death could be considered exempt, at the discretion of local law enforcement, she said.

Many states allow an animal to be killed as long as there is no prolonged suffering and it doesn’t meet the state’s definition of torture, Lassiter said.

James Oppenheimer, the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society’s executive director, said two sections of South Dakota’s animal cruelty laws let people humanely kill animals. 

Code 40-1-17 (2) "permits the humane killing of an animal and exempts people from criminal code," Oppenheimer said. And 40-1-1 (6) defines humane killing as "to cause the death of an animal in a manner to limit the pain or suffering of the animal as much as reasonably possible under the circumstances."

Shooting an animal isn’t explicitly stated in the codes, Oppenheimer said. What Noem did is fairly common in South Dakota, although most people don’t publicize it, he said.

"In a rural setting, farmers and ranchers do euthanize their own animals. That being said, we do wish she had looked at other options," Oppenheimer said.

Oppenheimer said Cricket, at 14 months, was very young for a hunting dog and that hunting dogs "exposed to chickens will generally attack the chickens. That is a dog being a dog. If you reach in to get the dog out of there, you might get bitten." 

"Our overall take is that killing an animal with a single gunshot to the head is not illegal in South Dakota. However, this form of euthanasia is designed for large animals that get injured in the field so are difficult to transport," Oppenheimer said.

Wouters said he empathizes with the outrage about Noem’s admission, but said in the U.S., animals are "legally speaking, personal property."

"Most of us view our dog or cat as a family member, so it can be easy to forget that by and large, the law does not," Wouters said. "It sees them as simple property. So, just like you would be free to dispose of your toaster if you weren’t happy with it for some reason, you are often going to be free to destroy your dog."

Notwithstanding anticruelty provisions, he said, "the dog has the same legal status as the toaster."

Our Sources

The Guardian, Trump VP contender Kristi Noem writes of killing dog – and goat – in new book , April 26, 2024

The Guardian, Kristi Noem’s story of killing her dog points to class two misdemeanor , April 29, 2024

South Dakota Legislature, Legislative Research Council, 40-34, Dog Licenses and Regulations , April 26, 2024

South Dakota Legislature, Legislative Research Council, 40-34-1. Killing of dog lawful when disturbing domestic animals , accessed April 29, 2024 

South Dakota Legislature, Legislative Research Council, 40-34-2. Liability of owner for damages by dog disturbing domestic animals--Property subject to execution--Violation as misdemeanor , accessed April 29, 2024

South Dakota Legislature, Legislative Research Council, 23A-42-2. Seven-year limitation on other prosecutions , accessed April 29, 2024 

South Dakota Legislature, Legislative Research Council, Chapter 40-1, Cruelty, Abuse and Injury to Animals , accessed April 29, 2024

South Dakota Legislature, Legislative Research Council, 40-1-17. Exemptions from chapters 40-1 and 40-2 , accessed April 30, 2024

South Dakota Legislature, CHAPTER 194 (SB 46) Cruelty to animals, standards updated , accessed April 30, 2024

Gov. Kristi Noem, X post , April 28, 2024

Gov. Kristi Noem, X post , April 26, 2024

Email interview, David Favre, Michigan State University law professor and editor of the Animal Legal and Historical Web Center, April 29, 2024

Emailed statement, South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley, April 29, 2024

Email interview, Justin Marceau,  University of Denver law professor and director of the school’s Animal Law Program and Animal Activist Legal Defense Project, April 29, 2024

Email interview, Conley Wouters, University of Illinois Chicago law assistant professor, April 29, 2024

Email interview, Leighann Lassiter, Humane Society of the United States’ policy director for animal cruelty, April 30, 2024

Email interview, James Oppenheimer, Sioux Falls Area Humane Society executive director, April 30, 2024

Ohio Legislature, Section 955.28 | Dog may be killed for certain acts - owner liable for damages , accessed April 30, 2024

Idaho Legislature, Idaho statutes, Title 25, Chapter 28, Dogs , accessed April 30, 2024

CBS News, Who are Trump's potential VP picks? Here are some candidates who are still in the running , April 30, 2024

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