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5 Top Tips for the Ultimate GDL Personal Statement

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The GDL is a particular type of legal course. Therefore, it requires a particular type of personal statement during the application stage. The admissions tutor for your chosen provider will be looking for evidence of qualities that suggest you will be able to deal with the specific demands of this course. This article sums up 5 key components of a great GDL personal statement.

1. The Motivation for Converting to Law

Your GDL personal statement must address why you want to covert to law. Most applicants will have undergraduate degrees in different subjects. You need to show what has motivated you to read law on the GDL. My top tip for this is to try and map what you enjoyed on your undergraduate degree to study on the GDL. For example, if you studied Mathematics or a Science subject then you might say that you enjoyed the logical approach to the course and the opportunities to problem solve and evaluate your solutions. Further, that you recognise on a law degree you will get opportunities to problem solve through problem questions. You may have studied English or History. You might include that you enjoyed evaluating sources and looking at articles to engage with critical opinion. This is a skill that is needed in law and you can use the soft skills you have developed on these courses to thrive on a law degree.

You should also include where the GDL fits in your career plan. The usual path is to complete the GDL and then onwards to the LPC to train as a solicitor or BPTC to train as a barrister. You are not expected to have your exact career plan mapped out at the application stage. Although if you have a precise pathway in mind (perhaps you have secured a training contract) then show that the GDL is your pathway to achieving this end goal.

2. Evidence of dealing with a demanding workload

You will study several core modules on the GDL including contract, crime, tort, land law, equity and more. Each module will involve a considerable number of lectures, seminars, assessments, independent study and opportunities to develop your legal skills. One of the most demanding elements of the course is to manage the assessment workload. Most GDL providers assess students at the end of the course. Exams can come thick and fast and it is not unheard of to have 6-8 exams over 2-3 weeks. This intensity can create problems for students who like to ‘cram’. The GDL does not lend itself easily to cramming and you need to demonstrate on your application that you can balance your workload throughout the year in order to reach your potential in the end of year exams.

There are many great ways of demonstrating this skill:

• Perhaps your undergraduate degree had a similar approach. If so, describe your undergraduate workload and how you managed to stay on top of things. The more specific the better. Did you use spreadsheets or a Word document to keep track of deadlines? Or perhaps your calendar on Outlook? Did you dedicate time to work as you would a 9-5 job leaving your evenings and weekends free?
• Evidence drawn from work experience is good as well. It does not matter where this experience comes from. It is more important to demonstrate clear evidence of how you have balanced competing priorities. The person reading your application is interested in how you balance your workload!

3. Use the STAR technique when giving specific examples to support your application

You will boost your chances of acceptance if you give specific examples in your application. GDL personal statements that contain generic text are boring and can frustrate those responsible for deciding if you get a place or not. The STAR technique is a great way of providing a precise and structured example to support what you say in an application. It stands for:

Situation (one sentence describing the context of your example)

Task (one sentence to describe your individual role)

Action (2-3 sentences on exactly what you did)

Result (one sentence describing the outcome)

Let’s take an example. You might want to give an example of how you have balanced different priorities in a part time job. Applying the STAR method, you might write something like this:

I work as a part time customer service agent at a call centre at University.

My role involves phoning alumni from the University to seek donations between £5-£100 by telephone.

During Christmas 2018, I was responsible for a unique campaign targeting alumni in the US. I had to manage my workload by using the internal database system to keep track of calls made and successful donations. I also had to log my work time on the call reporting system. I also had to read high volumes of legal and regulatory material on the company intranet to keep up to date with regulations for cold calling in the US. I managed my workload by using handwritten to-do lists. I also used the internal database to check my progress on the project and if I was falling behind on calls, I could take action to increase call volume and recover by the end of the day.

At my January 2018 review with my manager I was awarded an Exceeded Expectations rating for the work on this project.

This example brings your experience to life. It makes the example interesting to read and clearly shows your ability to juggle competing interests. It is more impactful than stating something generic like ‘I have had to balance different priorities in my role, and I have been able to do this successfully.

4. Conduct an audit of your accomplishments

We all have accomplishments. Some are recognised with certificates and awards. Some involve achieving an excellent outcome e.g. running a charity marathon, volunteering. Think back a few years and list out all of your accomplishments, awards and certificates. However, instead of simply listing these in your application, make sure to clearly state how they demonstrate evidence that you can survive and thrive on the GDL. For example, you may have been awarded a subject award at secondary school or your undergraduate degree. That demonstrates your academic ability and fitness for the GDL. Perhaps you have been awarded a scholarship to study at university or on the GDL itself after a competitive application process. This shows that you have been identified as a student that is exceptional and can do well. Brainstorm all of your accomplishments. Then underline those that can show evidence that you can do well on the GDL.

5. The institution chosen

The GDL market is fiercely competitive. There are several private providers and universities to attend. Every provider is truly different. The private providers such as BPP and University of Law tend to have more of a practical focus on the law. Their recruitment requirements, for example, stipulate that tutors on all the modules should be qualified solicitors or barristers. Established universities have more of an academic approach. The advantage here is that you will gain a more critical appreciation of the law in context. This approach might suit applicants wanting to enter academia or a law and policy position. Make sure you make it clear why you are choosing each institution. Do not simply copy facts and figures you have found on the website. Some of the best application answers I have read as a law tutor have included:

• An applicant including research on existing students of an institution by reaching out to them on LinkedIn to see exactly what it is like to be a student at that provider.
• Asking to observe or audit a class before making an application to get a feel for how classes are run and what is involved and then including your observations in the application
• Mentioning key interactions and conversations with staff from the institution at on campus events like recruitment and careers events.

Good luck with your GDL application!

Chris Mallon is a Law Tutor at Chris Mallon Law Tutor . He writes extensively on legal skills and careers in order to help law student better understand law and the career paths available to them.

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Writing A Personal Statement for GDL: Effective Guide

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Writing a great  personal statement for GDL  (Graduate Diploma in Law) can be arduous and overwhelming. The immense pressure to craft something unique that will stand out from other applicants makes it easy to get lost in the process. 

However, you can make your statement genuinely unforgettable with some helpful tips and examples. This guide will give you professional advice on how to present yourself memorably to the admission committee.

What Is a GDL Personal Statement?

Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) is a postgraduate legal qualification that provides an intensive introduction to the study of law for non-law graduates. 

A GDL personal statement is a written document that conveys an individual’s experience, qualifications, and intentions in pursuing the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL). It should be crafted with clear, concise language that reflects the writer’s expertise while also expressing emotion. 

When appropriate, include factual examples to provide further context to the narrative. You may also use colloquial language and varied sentence structure to give your piece a unique tone. Furthermore, each sentence must contain at least one uncommon word for emphasis and creativity.

Luckily, writing a personal statement is easier than it seems. You can use the GDL Personal Statement to present yourself to admissions officers in a very competitive environment.

Purpose of writing a Graduate Diploma in Law Personal Statement

The purpose of writing a graduate diploma in personal law statement is to demonstrate your knowledge, experience, and passion for the legal field. Through clear and concise language, you can show that you have the necessary skills, qualifications, and dedication to succeed at this level of study. 

The statement should provide evidence of your understanding of the topic and any relevant practical experiences or knowledge you possess. 

Tips for Writing the Perfect GDL Personal Statement

Here are some helpful tips for crafting the perfect GDL personal statement .

1. Start by brainstorming

When it comes to crafting a great GDL personal statement, brainstorming is a sure win. Think about your passions, achievements, and experiences that have shaped you into who you are.

2. Begin with a strong introduction.

Your introduction is the first opportunity you have to make an impression on the admissions’ committee, so make sure it’s strong. Start by introducing yourself and stating your reasons for wanting to attend law school.

3. Describe what you’ve discovered about the practice of law.

Mentioning how you volunteered at Citizens Advice or watched a lawyer in action will reveal your interest in the law. Additionally, it will demonstrate that you know what law entails and whether it is the best career choice for you.

Even if you lack any legal professional experience, you may have read extensively on the subject. Highlight what you discovered from your research to intrigue the admission officers further.

4. Illustrate your interest in the field

Discuss your passion for legal studies and how you developed this passion. This could be anything from volunteering at a local law firm to helping on a case study group project. It could also be by reading a book, attending a conference, or participating in a law-related activity. 

5. Showcase your critical thinking ability

Give examples of how you used analytical reasoning, research methods, and problem-solving skills to overcome challenges. Demonstrate the actual thought process behind each situation and explain how it made you a better candidate for the GDL program. 

5. Be creative with language.

Instead of boring clichés and generic phrases, use vivid language and imaginative phrasing to bring life to your essay. Avoid buzzwords and technical jargon. 

6. Incorporate uncommon words

Choose uncommon words when appropriate to add complexity to your writing. These can give depth to your paper without sacrificing clarity of meaning. 

7. Proofread for errors

Before submitting your statement, proofread for spelling and grammar mistakes. Get someone else to look over your work as well. The second pair of eyes may often see minor errors that were missed during editing.

What Topics Should You Avoid in a GDL Personal Statement?

Avoid the following topics altogether, if possible:

• The one-time community service project you did. 
• Too much detail about your school awards and prizes.
• Anything too cynical or negative.
• What a party animal you are. 
• Traumatic personal experiences.

Personal Statement for GDL Examples

I have had a passionate interest in law for many years, having studied the subject extensively, both academically and independently. My astute understanding of criminal, corporate, and contract laws and jurisdictional regulations makes me fit for this program.

I can offer different perspectives on any given legal issue with my in-depth knowledge. My flair for critical thinking has been honed through numerous court observations and shadowing attorneys over the past few years. I am also capable of communicating complex ideas to non-experts in an easily understandable manner.

Furthermore, I am deeply motivated by the challenge of navigating difficult laws while respecting the profession’s ethical boundaries. Therefore, I have fully utilized my efforts to develop robust skills in this field.

I have always been drawn to the intricacies of law, which is why I seek admission into a Graduate Diploma in the field. Throughout my career, I have diligently worked to understand the nuances of legal principles and apply them to practical situations. By advocating in courtrooms and negotiating agreements outside of litigation, my knowledge of laws has been applied with precision. 

My experience has provided me with invaluable insight into how different stakeholders interact within the realm of justice. Through careful evaluation of case studies, I learned to craft persuasive yet fair arguments. Through moot court competitions and student publications, I learned how to identify creative solutions beyond university studies. 

After discovering the complexities of the law, I began working at reputable firms, which allowed me to understand the legal field better. As a result, I realized that giving legal counsel needs to take a comprehensive approach. I tried to balance principled considerations with pragmatic ones. 

This graduate diploma will enable me to combine my education and experience thus far to become an effective lawyer. With firm resolve and determination, I look forward to being a part of your esteemed institution and contributing to its legacy.

The  personal statement for gdl  is a valuable tool for any student looking to make their application stand out . Your statement should be reflective of your unique experience and knowledge. It should be written with clarity and emotion using familiar language. 

A varied sentence structure will keep readers engaged while ensuring the statement conveys all relevant information interestingly. By carefully crafting a personal statement, you can clearly illustrate why you’re the perfect candidate for the desired program.

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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I Got a Full-Ride to Law School Using This Personal Statement

Law school admissions certainly are intimidating, especially when it comes to the rather daunting task of writing a personal statement with no real prompt. Generally, law schools will ask for no more than two pages of basically whatever you would like to talk about.

However, there are a few well-established principles for writing a successful personal statement. Here are 4 principles, along with my own personal statement, to help you hit a home run:

The personal statement should only drive your application forward. If it is holding it back in any way, it is not ready.

Your personal statement should explain your interest or purpose for studying the law.

This does not have to be the backbone of the entire piece, but it should be at least mentioned somewhere. It should also avoid legal jargon and should not be some sort of showcase for legal knowledge. It also should not be a regurgitation of your resume. The committee will already have your resume, so the personal statement serves as a supplement to it.

Spend the time making your personal statement better.

To get a competitive offer from whichever law school you may be applying to, it all starts with a good application package. The admissions committee is going to want to see a good LSAT score , a strong GPA, some recommendations, and a well-written personal statement. That much is clear. Your personal statement may never feel like it is just right, but it can only become better with consistent time and effort spent drafting it again and again.

Research examples of well-written personal statements.

To get some ideas about what a good personal statement could look like, I did a preliminary search to read a few successful ones. The University of Chicago had a few essays posted on  their site  from admitted students that gave me a good point of reference. Although there is tremendous flexibility in writing the personal statement, it should not be so wacky as to discourage the admissions committee in your abilities as a writer or in your seriousness about attending law school.

Take advantage of the resources around you to make your statement the best.

For my statement, I went through a couple of potential concepts and decided to do one on my life’s motto. And, no, it was not some cliché that I pretended was my motto; I picked words that I truly lived by and continue to live by to this day. I spent many hours writing and rewriting my personal statement. Thankfully, I had the invaluable help of my roommate, who is a strong writer himself, and he gave me useful feedback on many of my drafts (I promised him a nice dinner if I ended up getting admitted with a full-ride to somewhere). When I got close to a final draft, I took it to my school’s writer’s workshop to have someone I had never met before read it aloud. It allowed me to hear where someone might misunderstand something so that I could make changes accordingly for the final product.

Beginning in the spring, picking up in September, accelerating further in October, and finishing in November when I sent my applications out, the whole process produced something that I thought gave me a very strong shot at success. So here it is. Enjoy:

“Ball: outside!” declared the umpire.

“Come on now! Get ahead, stay ahead, kid!” demanded my coach.

I checked the sign: fastball. That pitch was just not there; I shook my head no. My catcher gave me the next sign: curveball. Yes, the get-me-over-curve, my signature pitch. I stepped back to begin my windup.

“Steeeeeriiike! One and one,” the umpire grunted.

“That’s the way, Duff! Just like that!” my coach exclaimed.

My catcher fired that ball back to me. I toed the rubber and focused on his signs: he flashed two fingers and motioned to the right—curveball, outside. I nodded affirmatively. He and I were on the same page. I began my windup again, picked up the leg, and spun my big overhand curve to the plate.

“Two! One and two.” The batter stood motionless as he watched my back door hook clip the outer edge of the strike zone.

“One more now, Duff! Come on, kid!”

The pitch count, or the current amount of balls and strikes in a given at bat, is perhaps the most impactful construct of baseball. After every pitch, the umpire declares it to be a ball or strike, subsequently adding it to the count. If the batter reaches four balls, he earns a walk, or a free pass to first base; if he gets three strikes, the batter is out. The batter’s goal is to reach a base before three strikes. The pitcher does everything that he can to stop that.

As I got the ball back, I knew I was in the driver’s seat. The batter was at a tremendous disadvantage and would have to react to my pitches on two strikes rather than just being able to lock in on one. I leaned in for the sign: one finger, right, up—fastball, high and outside. I liked it. Even though it was not my best pitch that day, I understood that I could still use it effectively to keep batters off balance since I was ahead. I stepped back into the windup and let the pitch fly.

The batter flailed at the pitch. “Three!” shouted the umpire, raising his fist in the air to call him out. He was sitting on the big, slow curveball and not the fastball, but he could not be selective because he was down in the count. On to the next one.

“Atta kid! That’s what happens when you get ahead!”

Get ahead, stay ahead.

While my organized baseball playing days may be over, that fundamental is still strong. A picture of all-star pitcher Max Scherzer hurling a baseball towards the plate sits above my desk with that same motto in bolded letters:  Get Ahead, Stay Ahead .

What does getting ahead provide? For one, it gives the peace of mind that comes with flexibility; there’s room to react in case something goes off course. In baseball, it gives the pitcher more room to work within the count because he has more options when the batter must play defensively. In short, he can do what he wants. One of the key differences between baseball and life, however, is that baseball has a simple, predetermined goal: score more runs than the other team! Life, on the other hand, allows for enormous flexibility in choosing a goal. Rather than be content with the usual four-year bachelor’s track, I pushed forward as hard as I could to graduate in three years. Many people are surprised when I tell them about my efforts to graduate early; they often wonder why I chose to accelerate my education. I usually explain that it saved me a significant amount of money while expanding my room for error. Most importantly, I tell them, by efficiently reorganizing my schedule, getting ahead actually  gave  me time to think.

The most successful people throughout history have all had an overarching goal, no matter how grand; with the time from getting ahead, I chose mine. Andrew Carnegie sought to provide affordable steel, Henry Ford wanted to create a universal automobile, and Elon Musk aims to put a city on Mars. After seeing their success, I think about how I can do the same. Simply put, I want to be a leader in sustainable real estate. More specifically, I want to make green living universal. Whenever I get the same surprised looks from this claim as when I tell someone that I am graduating early, I clarify that there are already some pioneers designing revolutionary apartments with trees planted on all of their floors, working to clean the air in polluted cities. Stefano Boeri, for example, has designed a thirty-six-floor building covered with trees on terraces jutting out from its sides, dubbed the “Tower of Cedars.” I want to take this premise further: my mission is to expand clean living to all, not just the elite who can afford it. The law is one of the most important tools that I will need to achieve this. The complexities of environmental and real estate law will be major challenges. Regardless, to lead the industry, I must get ahead. When I start my business, I will reflect on my experience in running the Trial Team as its president, the perspective on efficient business systems that I gained with American Hotel Register, and the tips that the CEO of Regency Multifamily shared with me for optimally running a large real estate firm, among many other things. But I will always be looking forward. While history shows that there are answers in the past, only the future knows them. Thankfully, controlling the present by getting ahead can make the future that much more certain.

I stepped back into the windup, again. As I drove off the rubber towards the plate, I extended out as far as I could to get as much control and power as possible. The big hook landed firmly over the outer third of the plate, right into my catcher’s mitt with a solid  phwump .

“Steeeeeriiike! Oh-and-one.”

“Atta kid!” My coach was elated to see my pitch command this inning.

Are you inspired to get ahead? Don’t you just feel a sudden urge to admit me into your program? Well thankfully, it made an impression on someone. I did my best to show my ambitions while showing a bit of my personality. The greatest risk that I took was that some of the baseball jargon may have been hard to understand for someone unfamiliar with the sport, but I made sure that it would not detract from the overall meaning of the piece. It served as a useful supplement to the rest of my application.

As of 2018, I am enrolled at Chicago-Kent College of Law with a full tuition scholarship. While it is no Ivy program, it is a respectable school with a strong regional reputation. The great thing about having the financial burden of law school off my shoulders is that I can now focus on getting the most out of my studies, rather than stress to figure out how I am going to pay off the debt that would have financed my education. And if it turns out that the program is not the best option for me, I can walk away with no financial strings attached.

The personal statement should only drive your application forward. If it is holding it back in any way, it is not ready. Keep it professional but do be creative and show the reader more of your personality than a resume alone would give. You are selling them your brand as a student, so do not let them gloss over your application without much of a thought.

Jack graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in May 2018 with a degree in Economics and History, and he currently works in property management while attending Chicago-Kent College of Law on a part-time basis. He hopes to use his law degree to enhance his career in commercial real estate and eventually lead sustainable large-scale real estate developments nationwide.

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Only discuss your neurodivergence with your professors to the extent that you are comfortable. If there are things you are concerned about related to your neurodivergence, it can be beneficial to make your professors aware at the beginning of the semester. Whether you are worried about cold calling or need a topic broken down, most professors love opportunities to discuss their area of law! They can’t know that you may need help if you don’t let them know. This is especially important if you aren’t successful in getting accommodations from your school’s Disability Services.

As a neurodivergent student, you may not fit the traditional mold of all the things a law student is “supposed to do” in order to be successful. You have been in school for years, and now is the time to trust yourself and not be afraid to be an “outside of the box” law student. There is no harm in trying new study methods, but never fear going back to your personal basics. If you need help figuring those out, see if your law school has a learning center or faculty member that can assist you.

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Your go-to secondary source, finding an a.l.r. (american law reports) article covering your topic is a great starting point for research. you'll get a quick summary of the legal issue you're researching and a table of cases, laws, and rules to see the law across all jurisdictions. you can also use annotations to find additional secondary sources, such as legal encyclopedias, treatises, and periodicals. no wonder they're nicknamed already done legal research see it in action: the legal discussion to compensate student athletes is heating up. check out this alr article to see how the legal picture for tomorrow’s student athletes comes together in one place., keycite graphical history, procedural history made easy, are you reading a case and not sure how you got there procedurally reversed, remanded or otherwise, we got you. just sign into westlaw and follow the steps below... 1. grab one of the citations you see in your case book and type it into the search box on westlaw . (ex. 480 u.s. 102), 2. click on your case in the drop-down menu., 3. click on the history tab to see your procedural history., keycite graphical history works best when you have a federal case and a complex issue. check out some additional examples from your classes below. contracts - koken v. black & veatch const., inc. - lamps plus, inc. v. varela civil procedure - national equipment rental v. szukhent - helicopteros nacionales de colombia, s.a. v. hall torts - palsgraf v. long island r. co. - kentucky fried chicken of cal., inc. v. superior court, law school resource center, flowcharts, overviews & more..

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2. click on copy another class, 3. enter your copy code, set your options, click copy course, determining whether a federal court has subject matter jurisdiction over a non-class action case..

If the case arises out of the U.S. Constitution, U.S. laws, rules or regulations, or a treaty signed by the U.S., and the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction, then the case must be litigated in federal court.

If the case does not arise out of the U.S. Constitution, U.S. laws, rules or regulations, or a treaty signed by the U.S., and there is not complete diversity between the plaintiffs and defendants (a.k.a they are both from different states or one is a citizen of a foreign country), then the case must be litigated in state court.

Restatement of Contracts 2d

Counter-offers.

(1) A counter-offer is an offer made by an offeree to his offeror relating to the same matter as the original offer and proposing a substituted bargain differing from that proposed by the original offer.

(2) An offeree’s power of acceptance is terminated by his making of a counter-offer, unless the offeror has manifested a contrary intention or unless the counter-offer manifests a contrary intention of the offeree.

Negligence Defined

Restatement (second) of torts 282.

In the Restatement of this Subject, negligence is conduct which falls below the standard established by law for the protection of others against unreasonable risk of harm. It does not include conduct recklessly disregardful of an interest of others.

Black’s Law Dictionary (10th ed.2014)

Demurrer: A means of objecting to the sufficiency in law of a pleading by admitting the actual allegations made by disputing that they frame an adequate claim. Demurrer is commonly known as a motion to dismiss.

(2) An offeree’s power of acceptance is terminated by his making a counter-off, unless the offeror has manifested a contrary intention or unless the counter-offer manifests a contrary intention of the offeree.

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How to write a law school personal statement + examples.

Reviewed by:

David Merson

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

Reviewed: 3/18/24

Law school personal statements help show admissions committees why you’re an excellent candidate. Read on to learn how to write a personal statement for law school!

Writing a law school personal statement requires time, effort, and a lot of revision. Law school statement prompts and purposes can vary slightly depending on the school. 

Their purpose could be to show your personality, describe your motivation for attending law school, explain why you want to go to a particular law school, or a mix of all three and more. This guide will help you perfect your writing with tips and examples.

The Best Law School Personal Statement Format

Unfortunately, there’s no universal format for a law school personal statement. Every law school has a preference (or lack thereof) on how your personal statement should be structured. We recommend always checking for personal statement directions for every school you want to apply to. 

However, many law schools ask for similar elements when it comes to personal statement formats. These are some standard formatting elements to keep in mind if your school doesn’t provide specific instructions: 

• Typically two pages or less in length 
• Double-spaced 
• Use a basic, readable font style and size (11-point is the smallest you should do, although some schools may request 12-point) 
• Margins shouldn’t be less than 1 inch unless otherwise specified 
• Left-aligned 
• Indent new paragraphs 
• Don’t return twice to begin a new paragraph 
• Law schools typically ask for a header, typically including your full name, page number, LSAC number, and the words “Personal Statement” (although there can be variations to this) 

How you format your header may be up to you; sometimes, law schools won't specify whether the header should be one line across the top or three lines. 

This is how your header may look if you decide to keep it as one line. If you want a three-line header, it should look like this on the top-right of the page: 

 Remember, the best law school personal statement format is the one in the application instructions. Ensure you follow all formatting requirements!

How to Title a Personal Statement (Law) 

You may be tempted to give your law school statement a punchy title, just like you would for an academic essay. However, the general rule is that you shouldn’t give your law school personal statement a title. 

The University of Washington states, “DON’T use quotes or give a title to your statement.” Many other schools echo this advice. The bottom line is that although you're writing your story, your law school statement doesn't require a title. Don't add one unless the school requests it.

How to Start a Personal Statement for Law School 

Acing the beginning of your personal statement is essential for your narrative’s success. The introduction is your chance to captivate the admissions committee and immerse them in your story. As such, you want your writing to be interesting enough to grab their attention without purposefully going for shock value.

So, how do you write a personal statement introduction that will garner the attention it deserves? The simplest way to get the reader involved in your story is to start with a relevant anecdote that ties in with your narrative. 

Consider the opening paragraph from Harvard Law graduate Cameron Clark’s law school personal statement : 

“At the intersection of 21st and Speedway, I lay on the open road. My leg grazed the shoulder of a young woman lying on the ground next to me. Next to her, a man on his stomach slowed his breathing to appear as still as possible. A wide circle of onlookers formed around the dozens of us on the street. We were silent and motionless, but the black-and-white signs affirmed our existence through their decree: BLACK LIVES MATTER.”

The beginning lines of this personal statement immediately draw the reader in. Why was the writer lying on the road? Why were other people there with him, and why was a man trying to slow his breathing? We're automatically inspired to keep reading to find out more information. 

That desire to keep reading is the hallmark of a masterful personal statement introduction. However, you don’t want to leave your reader hanging for too long. By the end of this introduction, we’re left with a partial understanding of what’s happening. 

There are other ways to start a personal statement that doesn't drop the reader in the middle of the action. Some writers may begin their law personal statement in other ways: 

• Referencing a distant memory, thought, feeling, or perspective
• Setting the scene for the opening anecdote before jumping in 
• Providing more context on the time, place, or background 

Many openings can blend some of these with detailed, vivid imagery. Here's a law school personal statement opening that worked at the UChicago Law : 

“I fell in love for the first time when I was four. That was the year my mother signed me up for piano lessons. I can still remember touching those bright, ivory keys with reverence, feeling happy and excited that soon I would be playing those tinkling, familiar melodies (which my mother played every day on our boombox) myself.”

This opening references a distant memory and feeling, mixed with vivid imagery that paints a picture in the reader's head. Keep in mind that different openers can work better than others, depending on the law school prompt. 

To recap, consider these elements as you write your law school personal statement’s introduction: 

• Aim for an attention-grabbing hook 
• Don’t purposefully aim for shock value: it can sometimes seem unauthentic 
• Use adjectives and imagery to paint a scene for your reader 
• Identify which opening method works best for the law school prompt and your story
• Don’t leave the reader hanging for too long to find out what your narrative is about
• Be concise 

Writing a law school personal statement introduction can be difficult, but these examples and tips can help you get the attention your writing deserves.

How to Write a Law School Personal Statement

Now that you’re equipped with great advice and tips to start your law school statement, it’s time to tackle the body of your essay. These tips will show you how to write a personal statement for law school to captivate the admissions committee. 

Understand the Prompt

While many law schools have similar personal statement prompts, you should carefully examine what's being asked of you before diving in. Consider these top law school personal statement prompts to see what we mean: 

• Yale Law School : “The personal statement should help us learn about the personal, professional, and/or academic qualities an applicant would bring to the Law School community. Applicants often submit the personal statement they have prepared for other law school applications.”
• University of Chicago Law : “Our application does not provide a specific topic or question for the personal statement because you are the best judge of what you should write. Write about something personal, relevant, and completely individual to you.”
• NYU Law : “Because people and their interests vary, we leave the content and length of your statement to your discretion. You may wish to complete or clarify your responses to items on the application form, bring to our attention additional information you feel should be considered, describe important or unusual aspects of yourself not otherwise apparent in your application, or tell us what led you to apply to NYU School of Law.”

Like all law personal statements, these three prompts are pretty open-ended. However, your Yale personal statement should focus on how you’d contribute to a law school community through professional and academic experience and qualities. 

For UChicago Law, you don’t even need to write about a law-related topic if you don’t want to. However, when it comes to a school like NYU Law , you probably want to mix your qualities, experiences, and what led you to apply. 

Differing prompts are the reason you’ll need to create multiple copies of your personal statement! 

Follow Formatting Directions 

Pay extra attention to each school's formatting directions. While we've discussed basic guidelines for law school personal statement formats, it's essential to check if there is anything different you need to do. 

While working on your rough drafts, copy and paste the prompt and directions at the top of the page so you don't forget. 

Brainstorm Narratives/Anecdotes Based on the Prompt

You may have more wiggle room with some prompts than others regarding content. However, asking yourself these questions can generally help you direct your personal statement for any law school:

• What major personal challenges or recent hardships have you faced? 
• What was one transformative event that impacted your life’s course or perspective? 
• What are your hobbies or special interests? 
• What achievements are you most proud of that aren’t stated in your application? 
• What experience or event changed your values or way of thinking? 
• What’s something you’re passionate about that you got involved in? What was the result of your passion? 
• How did your distinct upbringing, background, or culture put you on the path to law school? 
• What personal or professional experiences show who you are? 

Keep in mind that this isn't an exhaustive list. Consider your personal and professional experiences that have brought you to this point, and determine which answers would make the most compelling story. 

Pettit College of Law recommends you "go through your transcripts, application, and resume. Are there any gaps or missing details that your personal statement could cover?” If you've listed something on your resume that isn't further discussed, it could make a potential personal statement topic. 

Do More Than Recount: Reflect

Recounting an event in a summarized way is only one piece of your law school personal statement. Even if you’re telling an outlandish or objectively interesting story, stopping there doesn’t show admissions committees what they need to know to judge your candidacy. 

The University of Washington suggests that “describing the event should only be about 1/3 of your essay. The rest should be a reflection on how it changed you and how it shaped the person you are today.” Don’t get stuck in the tangible details of your anecdote; show what the experience meant to you. 

Beth O'Neil , Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at UC Berkeley School of Law , said, "Applicants also tend to state and not evaluate. They give a recitation of their experience but no evaluation of what effect that particular experience had on them, no assessment of what certain experiences or honors meant." 

Consider What Qualities You Want to Show

No matter what direction you want to take your law school personal statement, you should consider which qualities your narrative puts on display. Weaving your good character into your essay can be difficult. Outwardly claiming, "I'm a great leader!" doesn't add much value. 

However, telling a story about a time you rose to the occasion to lead a group successfully toward a common goal shows strong leadership. "Show, don't tell" may be an overused statement, but it's a popular sentiment for a reason. 

Of course, leadership ability isn't the only quality admissions committees seek. Consider the qualities you possess and those you'd expect to find in a great lawyer and check to see the overlap. Some qualities you could show include: 

• Intelligence 
• Persuasiveness 
• Compassion 
• Professionalism 

Evaluate the anecdotes you chose after your brainstorming session and see if any of these qualities or others align with your narrative. 

Keep Your Writing Concise

Learning how to write a personal statement for law school means understanding how to write for concision. Most prompts won't have a word limit but ask you to cap your story at two pages, double-spaced. Unfortunately, that's not a lot of space to work with. 

Although your writing should be compelling and vibrant, do your best to avoid flowery language and long, complicated sentences where they’re not needed. Writing for concision means eliminating unnecessary words, cutting down sentences, and getting the point quickly.  

Georgetown University’s take on law school personal statements is to “Keep it simple and brief. Big words do not denote big minds, just big egos.” A straightforward narrative means your reader is much less likely to be confused or get lost in your story (in the wrong way). 

Decide the Depth and Scope of Your Statement 

Since you only have two (or even three) pages to get your point across, you must consider the depth and scope of your narrative. While you don’t want to provide too little information, remember that you don’t have the room to summarize your entire life story (and you don’t have to do that anyway). 

UChicago Law’s advice is to “Use your discretion - we know you have to make a choice and have limited space. Attempting to cover too much material can result in an unfocused and scattered personal statement.” Keep the depth and scope of your narrative manageable. 

Ensure It’s Personal Enough 

UChicago Law states, "If someone else could write your personal statement, it probably is not personal enough." This doesn't mean that you must pick the most grandiose, shocking narrative to make an impact or that you can't write about something many others have probably experienced. 

Getting personal means only you can write that statement; other people may be able to relate to an experience, but your reflection, thoughts, feelings, and reactions are your own. UChicago Law sees applicants fall into this pitfall by writing about a social issue or area of law, so tread these topics carefully.

Mix the Past and Present, Present and Future, Or All Three 

Harvard Law School’s Associate Director Nefyn Meissner said your personal statement should “tell us something about who you are, where you’ve been, and where you want to go.” 

Echoing this, Jon Perdue , Yale Law School's Director of Recruiting and Diversity Initiatives, states that the three most common approaches to the Yale Law School personal statement are focusing on: 

• The past: discussing your identity and background 
• The present: focusing on your current work, activities, and interests 
• The future: the type of law you want to pursue and your ideal career path 

Perdue said that truly stellar personal statements have a sense of “movement” and touch on all or two of these topics. What does this mean for you? While writing your law school personal statement, don’t be afraid to touch on your past, present, and future. However, remember not to take on too much content! 

Keep the Focus On You 

This is a common pitfall that students fall into while writing a law school personal statement . UChicago Law cites that this is a common mistake applicants make when they write at length about: 

• A family member who inspired them or their family history 
• Stories about others 
• Social or legal issues 

Even if someone like your grandmother had a profound impact on your decision to pursue law, remember that you’re the star of the show. Meissner said , “Should you talk about your grandmother? Only if doing so helps make the case for us to admit you. Otherwise, we might end up wanting to admit your grandmother.” Don’t let historical figures, your family, or anyone else steal your spotlight. 

Decide If You Need to Answer: Why Law? 

Writing about why you want to attend law school in general or a school in particular depends on the prompt. Some schools welcome the insight, while others (like Harvard Law) don't. Meissner said, “Should you mention you want to come to HLS? We already assume that if you’re applying.”

However, Perdue said your law school personal statement for Yale should answer three questions: 

• Why law school?

Some schools may invite you to discuss your motivation to apply to law school or what particular elements of the school inspired you to apply. 

Don’t List Qualifications or Rehash Your Resume 

Your personal statement should flow like a story, with an identifiable beginning, middle, and end. Simply firing off your honors and awards, or summarizing the experiences on your resume, doesn’t tell the admissions committee anything new about you. 

Your personal statement is your opportunity to show how your unique experiences shaped you, your qualities, and the person you are behind your LSAT scores and GPA. Think about how you can show who you are at your core. 

Avoid Legalese, Jargon, And Sophisticated Terms 

The best law school personal statements are written in straightforward English and don't use overly academic, technical, or literary words. UChicago Law recommends avoiding legalese or 

Latin terms since the "risk you are incorrectly using them is just too high." 

Weaving together intricate sentence structures with words you pulled out of a thesaurus won’t make your personal statement a one-way ticket to acceptance. Be clear, straightforward, and to the point. 

Don’t Put Famous Quotes In Your Writing 

Beginning your law school personal statement with a quote is not only cliche but takes the focus off of you. It also eats up precious space you could fill with your voice. 

Revise, Revise, Revise 

Even the most talented writers never submit a perfect first draft. You'll need to do a lot of revisions before your personal statement is ready for submission. This is especially true because you'll write different versions for different law schools; these iterations must be edited to perfection. 

Ensure you have enough time to make all the edits and improvements you need before you plan to submit your application. Although most law schools have rolling admissions, submitting a perfected application as soon as possible is always in your best interest. 

Have an Admission Consultant Review Your Hard Work 

Reviewing so many personal statements by yourself is a lot of work, and most writing can always benefit from a fresh perspective. Consider seeking a law school admissions consultant’s help to edit your personal statements to perfection and maximize your chances of acceptance at your dream school!

How to End Your Personal Statement for Law School 

Law school personal statement conclusions are just as open-ended as your introductions. There are a few options for ending a personal statement depending on the prompt you’re writing for:

Some of these methods can overlap with each other. However, there are two more things you should always consider when you're ready to wrap up your story: the tone you're leaving on and how you can make your writing fit with your narrative's common thread. 

You should never want to leave your reader on a low note, even if you wrote about something that isn’t necessarily happy. You should strive to end your personal statement with a tone that’s hopeful, happy, confident, or some other positive feeling. 

Your last sentences should also give the impression of finality; your reader should understand that you’re wrapping up and not be left wondering where the rest of your statement is. 

So, what's the common thread? This just means that your narrative sticks to the overarching theme or event you portrayed at the beginning of your writing. Bringing your writing full circle makes a more satisfying conclusion.

Personal Statement for Law School Conclusion Examples

Evaluating law school personal statement conclusions can help you see what direction authors decided to take with their writing. Let’s circle back to the sample personal statement openings for law school and examine their respective conclusions. The first example explains the applicant’s motivation to attend Harvard Law. 

Sample Personal Statement for Law School Conclusion #1

“…Attorneys and legal scholars have paved the way for some of the greatest civil rights victories for women, people of color, LGBTQ individuals, and (people living with disabilities). At Harvard Law School, I will prepare to join their ranks by studying with the nation's leading legal scholars. 

For the past months, I have followed Harvard Law School student responses to the events in Ferguson and New York City. I am eager to join a law school community that shares my passion for using the law to achieve real progress for victims of discrimination. With an extensive history of advocacy for society's most marginalized groups, I believe Harvard Law School will thoroughly train me to support and empower communities in need. 

Our act of civil disobedience that December day ended when the Tower’s bells rang out in two bars, hearkening half-past noon. As we stood up and gathered our belongings, we broke our silence to remind everyone of a most basic truth: Black lives matter.” 

What Makes This Conclusion Effective 

Although Harvard Law School states there's no need to explain why you want to apply, this law school statement is from an HLS graduate, and we can assume this was written before the advice changed. 

In his conclusion, he relates and aligns his values with Harvard Law School and how joining the community will help him fulfill his mission to empower communities in need. The last paragraph circles back to the anecdote described in his introduction, neatly wrapping up the event and signaling a natural end to his story. 

This author used these strategies: the motivation to attend a specific law school, stating his mission, and subtly reiterating what his acceptance would bring to the school. The next example conclusion worked at UChicago Law: 

Sample Personal Statement for Law School Conclusion #2

“Songs can be rewritten and reinterpreted as situation permits, but missteps are obvious because the fundamental laws of music and harmony do not change.

Although my formal music education ended when I entered college, the lessons I have learned over the years have remained close and relevant to my life. I have acquired a lifestyle of discipline and internalized the drive for self-improvement. I have gained an appreciation for the complexities and the subtleties of interpretation. 

I understand the importance of having both a sound foundation and a dedication to constant study. I understand that to possess a passion and personal interest in something, to think for myself is just as important.”

What Made This Conclusion Effective

This law school personal statement was successful at UChicago Law. Although the writing has seemingly nothing to do with law or the author's capability to become a great lawyer, the author has effectively used the "show, don't tell" advice. 

The last paragraph implements the focus on qualities or skills strategy. Although related to music, the qualities they describe that a formal music education taught her mesh with the qualities of a successful lawyer: 

• A drive for self-improvement 
• The ability to interpret information 
• The ability to learn consistently 
• The ability to think for herself 

Overall, this essay does an excellent job of uncovering her personality and relating to the opening paragraph, where she describes how she fell in love with music.

2 Law School Personal Statement Examples From Admitted Students

These are two law school personal statement examples that worked. We'll review the excerpts below and describe what made them effective and if there's room for improvement. 

Law School Personal Statement Example #1

This is an excerpt of a law personal statement that worked at UChicago Law : 

“The turning point of my college football career came early in my third year. At the end of the second practice of the season, in ninety-five-degree heat, our head coach decided to condition the entire team. Sharp, excruciating pain shot down my legs as he summoned us repeatedly to the line to run wind sprints. 

I collapsed as I turned the corner on the final sprint. Muscle spasms spread throughout my body, and I briefly passed out. Severely dehydrated, I was rushed to the hospital and quickly given more than three liters of fluids intravenously. As I rested in a hospital recovery room, I realized my collapse on the field symbolized broader frustrations I felt playing college football.

I was mentally and physically defeated. In South Dakota, I was a dominant football player in high school, but at the Division I level, my talent was less conspicuous. In my first three years, I was convinced that obsessively training my body to run faster and be stronger would earn me a starting position. The conditioning drill that afternoon revealed the futility of my approach. I had thrust my energies into becoming a player I could never be. As a result, I lost confidence in my identity.

I considered other aspects of my life where my intellect, work ethic, and determination had produced positive results. I chose to study economics and English because processing abstract concepts and ideas in diverse disciplines were intuitively rewarding…Gathering data, reviewing previous literature, and ultimately offering my own contribution to economic knowledge was exhilarating. Indeed, undergraduate research affirmed my desire to attend law school, where I could more thoroughly satisfy my intellectual curiosity…My efforts generated high marks and praise from professors, but this success made my disappointment with football more pronounced.

The challenge of collegiate athletics felt insurmountable. However, I reminded myself that at the Division I level, I was able to compete with and against some of the best players in the country…After the hospital visit, my football position coach—sensing my mounting frustrations—offered some advice. Instead of devoting my energies almost exclusively to physical preparation, he said, I should approach college football with the same mental focus I brought to my academic studies. I began to devour scouting reports and to analyze the complex reasoning behind defensive philosophies and schemes. I studied film and discovered ways to anticipate plays from the offense and become a more effective player. Armed with renewed confidence, I finally earned a starting position in the beginning of my fourth year…

‍I had received the highest grade on the team. After three years of A’s in the classroom, I finally earned my first ‘A’ in football. I used mental preparation to maintain my competitive edge for the rest of the season. Through a combination of film study and will power, I led my team and conference in tackles…The most rewarding part of the season, though, was what I learned about myself in the process. When I finally stopped struggling to become the player I thought I needed to be, I developed self-awareness and confidence in the person I was.

The image of me writhing in pain on the practice field sometimes slips back into my thoughts as I decide where to apply to law school. College football taught me to recognize my weaknesses and look for ways to overcome them. I will enter law school a much stronger person and student because of my experiences on the football field and in the classroom. My decision where to attend law school mirrors my decision where to play college football. I want to study law at the University of Chicago Law School because it provides the best combination of professors, students, and resources in the country. In Division I college football, I succeeded when I took advantage of my opportunities. I hope the University of Chicago will give me an opportunity to succeed again.”

Why This Personal Statement Example Worked

The beginning of this personal statement includes vivid imagery and sets up a relevant anecdote for the reader: the writer’s injury while playing football. At the end of the introduction, he sets up a fantastic transition about his broader frustrations, compelling us to keep reading. 

The essay's body shows the writer's vulnerability, making it even more personal; it can be challenging to talk about feelings, like losing your confidence, but it can help us relate to him. 

The author sets up a transition to writing more about his academic ability, his eventual leadership role on the team, and developing the necessary qualities of a well-rounded lawyer: self-awareness and confidence. 

Finally, the author rounds out his statement by circling back to his opening anecdote and showing the progress he’s made from there. He also describes why UChicago Law is the right school for him. To summarize, the author expertly handled: 

• Opening with a descriptive anecdote that doesn’t leave the reader hanging for too long 
• Being vulnerable in such a way that no one else could have written this statement 
• Doing more than recounting an event but reflecting on it 
• Although he introduced his coach's advice, he kept himself the focal point of the story 
• He picked a focused event; the writer didn’t try to tackle too much content 
• His conclusion references his introduction, signalling the natural end of the story 
• The ending also reaffirms his passion for pursuing law, particularly at UChicago Law 

Law School Personal Statement Example #2 

This law school personal statement excerpt led to acceptance at Boston University Law. 

“She sat opposite me at my desk to fill out a few forms. Fumbling her hands and laughing uncomfortably, it was obvious that she was nervous. Sandra was eighteen, and her knowledge of English was limited to “yes” and “hello.” While translating the initial meeting between Sandra and her attorney, I learned of her reasons for leaving El Salvador. She had been in an abusive relationship, and though she wasn’t ready to go into detail just yet, it was clear from the conversation that her boyfriend had terrorized her and that the El Salvadoran police were of no help…Eventually, Sandra was given a credible fear interview. The interviewer believed that she had a real fear of returning to El Salvador, and Sandra was released from detention with an Immigration Court hearing notice in her hand. She had just retained our office to present her asylum case to the Immigration Judge.

I tried to imagine myself in Sandra’s shoes. She hadn’t finished high school, was in a completely new environment, and had almost no understanding of how things worked in the US. Even the harsh New England winter must have seemed unnatural to her. Having lived abroad for a couple of years, I could relate on some level; however, the circumstances of my stay overseas were completely different. I went to Spain after graduating from college to work in an elementary school, improve my Spanish skills, and see a bit of the world…I had to ask hundreds of questions and usually make a few attempts before actually accomplishing my goal. Frustrating though it was, I didn’t have so much riding on each of these endeavors. If I didn’t have all the necessary paperwork to open a bank account one day, I could just try again the next day. Sandra won’t be afforded the same flexibility in her immigration process, where so much depends on the ability to abide by inflexible deadlines and procedures. Without someone to guide her through the process, ensuring that all requirements are met, and presenting her case as persuasively as possible, Sandra will have little chance of achieving legal status in the United States…

Before starting at my current position at Joyce & Associates, an immigration law firm in Boston, I had long considered a career in law. Growing up, I was engaged by family and school debates about public policy and government. In college, I found my constitutional law courses challenging and exciting. Nonetheless, it wasn’t until I began working with clients like Sandra that I became convinced that a career in law is the right choice for me. Playing my part as a legal assistant in various immigration cases, I have been able to witness how a career in immigration advocacy is both intellectually stimulating and personally fulfilling. I have seen the importance of well-articulated arguments and even creativity in arguing a client’s eligibility for an immigration benefit. I have learned that I excel in critical thinking and in examining detail, as I continually consider the consistency and possible implications of any documents that clients provide in support of their application. But most importantly, I have realized how deserving many of these immigrants are. Many of the clients I work with are among the most hardworking and patriotic people I have encountered…

‍I am equally confident that I would thrive as a student at Boston University, where I would be sure to take full advantage of the many opportunities available. The school’s Asylum and Human Rights Clinic and Immigration Detention Clinic would offer me invaluable experiences in various immigration settings…Given my experiences in an immigration firm, I know that I would have much to offer while participating in these programs, but even more to learn. And while I find BU’s immigration programs to be especially appealing, I am equally drawn to the Boston University experience as a whole…I hope to have the opportunity to face those challenges and to contribute my own experiences and drive to the Boston University community.”

This statement makes excellent use of opening with an experience that sets the writer's motivation to attend law school in motion. We're introduced to another person in the story in the introduction before the author swivels and transitions to how she'd imagine herself in Sandra's shoes. 

This transition shows empathy, and although the author could relate to her client's struggles on a more superficial level, she understood the gravity of her situation and the hardships that awaited her. 

The author backpedals to show how she's cultivated an interest in law in college and explored this interest to know it's the right choice for her. The conclusion does an excellent job of referencing exactly how BU Law will help her achieve her mission. To recap, this personal statement was effective because: 

• She started her personal statement with a story 
• Although the writer focuses on an event with another person, she moves the focus back to her 
• The author’s statement shows qualities like empathy, compassion, and critical thinking without explicitly stating it 
• She connects her experiences to her motivation to attend law school 
• This statement has movement: it references the author’s past, present, and future 
• She ends her statement by explaining in detail why BU Law is the right school for her 

Although this personal statement worked, circling back to the opening anecdote in the conclusion, even with a brief sentence, would have made the conclusion more impactful and fortified the common thread of her narrative.

How to Write Personal Statement For Law School: FAQs

Do you still have questions about how to write a personal statement for law school? Read on to learn more. 

1. What Makes a Good Personal Statement for Law School? 

Generally, an excellent personal statement tells a relevant story, showcases your best qualities, is personal, and creatively answers the prompt. Depending on the prompt, a good personal statement may describe your motivation to attend law school or why a school, in particular, is perfect for you. 

2. Should I Write a Separate Personal Statement for Each School? 

Depending on the prompts, you may be able to submit the same or similar personal statements to different schools. However, you’ll likely need more than one version of your statement to apply to different schools. Generally, students will write a few versions of their statements to meet personal statement instructions. 

3. How Long Should My Personal Statement Be? 

Personal statement length requirements vary by school, but you can generally expect to write approximately two pages, double-spaced. 

4. What Should You Not Put In a Law School Personal Statement? 

Your personal statement shouldn’t include famous quotes, overly sophisticated language, statements that may offend others, and unhelpful or inappropriate information about yourself. 

5. What Do I Write My Law School Personal Statement About? 

The answer depends on the prompt you need to answer. Consider your experiences and decide which are impactful, uncover your personality, show your motivation to attend law school, or show your impressive character traits. 

6. Does the Personal Statement Really Matter for Law School? 

Top LSAT scores and high GPAs may not be enough, especially at the T-14 law schools. Due to the high level of competition, you should take advantage of your personal statement to show why you’re an excellent candidate. So yes, they do matter.

Writing A Law School Personal Statement is Easy With Juris

Writing a personal statement can be tricky, but it doesn’t have to be. Juris Education is committed to helping you learn how to write a law school personal statement with ease. We help future law school students develop their narratives, evaluate writing to ensure it’s in line with what law schools expect, and edit statements to perfection. 

A stellar personal statement helps you stand out and can help you take that last step to attending the law school of your dreams.

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18 Law School Personal Statement Examples That Got Accepted!

This blog contains law school personal statement examples written by applicants who were successfully accepted to multiple law schools after working with our admissions experts as part of our  application review programs . Your  law school personal statement  is one of the most important parts of your application and is your best opportunity to show admissions officers who you are behind your numbers and third-party assessments. Because of its importance, many students find the personal statement to be daunting and demanding of the full scope of their skills as writers. Today we're going to review these excellent law school personal statement examples from past successful applicants and provide some proven strategies from a former admissions officer that can help you prepare your own stellar essay. 

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

Article Contents 44 min read

Law school personal statement example #1.

When I was a child, my neighbors, who had arrived in America from Nepal, often seemed stressed. They argued a lot, struggled for money, and seemed to work all hours of the day. One day, I woke early in the morning to a commotion outside my apartment. Police officers were accompanying my neighbors out of the building. They were being deported. In my teens, I was shocked to see that our kind, friendly neighbors had exhausted their last chance to stay in America as they lost a court appeal. 

Since that time, I have worked closely with the many immigrant families in my neighborhood, and now university town. I began by volunteering at a local community center. Together with social workers, I served food and gave out clothes to new arrivals. My diligent work ethic led to more responsibility, and I received training in basic counseling techniques, first aid skills and community services. Soon, I was tasked with welcoming new community members and assessing their health and social needs. I heard the many difficult stories of those who had traveled thousands of miles, often through several countries, risking everything to reach a safe, welcoming country. I was proud to contribute in some small way to making America welcoming for these individuals.

The community center is where I had my first formal contact with legal aid lawyers, who were a constant source of knowledge and support for those who needed assistance. I was struck by the lawyers’ ability to explain complex legal processes to nervous and exhausted incomers: law, I realized, was about more than procedure. I decided that I, too, would strive to balance a wealth of technical knowledge with my caring, compassionate personality.

As soon as I enrolled in university, I knew I had the chance to do so. In my very first week, I signed up to volunteer at the university’s legal aid center, where I worked closely with law professors and students on a range of cases. Academically, I have focused on courses, such as a fourth-year Ethics seminar, that would help me develop rigorous critical reasoning skills. More importantly, I knew that, given my experience, I could be a leader on campus. I decided to found a refugee campaign group, Students4Refugees. Together with a group of volunteers, we campaigned to make our campus a refugee-friendly space. I organized a series of events: international student mixers, an art installation in our student commons, and concerts that raised over $5,000 for the charity Refugee Aid. I am proud to say that my contributions were recognized with a university medal for campus leadership.

I have seen time and again how immigrants to the United States struggle with bureaucracy, with complex legal procedures, and with the demands of living in a foreign and sometimes hostile climate. As I plan to enter law school, I look back to my neighbors’ experiences: they needed someone who knew the law, who could negotiate with the authorities on their behalf, who could inform them of their rights—but they also needed someone who would provide a caring and compassionate outlet for their stresses. I know that Townsville University’s combination of academic rigor, legal aid services, and history of graduates entering labor and non-profit sectors will allow me to develop these skills and continue making contributions to my community by advocating for those in need.

• Thematic consistency: It focuses on just one theme: justice for immigrants. Each paragraph is designed to show off how enthusiastic the student is about this area of law. Personal statements—including those for law school—often begin with a personal anecdote. This one is short, memorable, and relevant. It establishes the overall theme quickly. By constraining their essay’s focus to a single general theme, the writer can go into great depth and weave in emotional and psychological weight through careful and vivid description. The personal statement isn’t a standard 3-paragraph college essay with a spotlight thesis statement, but it conveys similar impact through presenting a central focus organically, without resorting to simply blurting out “the point” of the piece.   
• Shows, rather than tells: Connected to this, this statement focuses on showing rather than telling. Rather than simply telling the reader about their commitment to law, the applicant describes specific situations they were involved in that demonstrate their commitment to law. “Show don’t tell” means you want to paint a vivid picture of actions or experiences that demonstrate a given quality or skill, and not simply say "I can do X." Make it an experience for your reader, don't just give them a fact. 
• Confident, but not arrogant: Additionally, this personal statement is confident without being boastful—leadership qualities, grades, and an award are all mentioned in context, rather than appearing as a simple list of successes. 
• Specific to the school: It ends with a conclusion that alludes to why the applicant is suitable for the specific school to which they’re applying and points to their future career plans. Thoroughly researching the law school to which you’re applying is incredibly important so that you can tailor your remarks to the specific qualities and values they’re looking for. A law essay writing service is really something that can help you integrate this aspect effectively. 

What Should a Law School Personal Statement Do?

1.      be unique to the school you’re applying to.

Students are always asking how to write a personal statement for law school, particularly one that stands out from all the rest. After all, advice from most universities can often be quite vague. Take this zinger from the  University of Chicago : “Write about something personal, relevant, and completely individual to you… Just be yourself.” Every school will have different requirements or content they want to see in a personal statement. This is why it’s a good idea to review specific guidelines for the school to which you’re applying. For example, you can read Yale Law School personal statement examples , Stanford Law personal statement examples , and an NYU personal statement to get an idea of what these schools look for.

2.      Demonstrate your skills and capabilities

For motivated students with the world at their fingertips, it’s a tough ask to narrow your character down into a few hundred words! But this is exactly the point of such generic guidelines—to challenge aspiring law students to produce something unique and convincing with minimal direction by the university. Law is, after all, a profession that demands your language to be persuasive, and the personal statement is merely one of many exercises where you can demonstrate your language skills. 

3.      Meet basic requirements

While the law school personal statement is about far more than just following essay directions, you still need to keep basic formatting and length restrictions in mind. Most law schools ask for a 2-page personal statement, but lengths can range from 2-4 pages. Georgetown Law School , for instance, recommends a 2-page personal statement but explicitly states that there is no official minimum or maximum. In general, length does not make a personal statement better. Rambling, meandering sentences and tiresome descriptions will only hurt the impact of your ideas, especially considering how many thousands of pages admissions committees have to churn through each year.  

In short, keep to 2 double-spaced pages, and only go below or above this is if you absolutely have to, and if the school to which you're applying allows it. You want to keep things as widely applicable as possible while drafting your personal statement, meaning that you don't want to draft a 4 page letter for the one school that allows it, and then have to significantly rewrite this for your other schools. Stick to 2 pages. 

4.      Embody what the school is looking for

Lastly, many law schools won’t offer hyper-specific prompts, but will give you general law school admissions essay topics to follow. For instance, the University of Washington’s law school provides a number of topics to follow, including “Describe a personal challenge you faced” or “Describe your passions and involvement in a project or pursuit and the ways in which it has contributed to your personal growth and goals.” These topics may feel specific at first, but as you begin drafting, you’ll likely realize you have dozens of memories to choose from, and numerous ways of describing their impact. While drafting, try to explore as many of these options as possible, and select the best or most impactful to use in your final draft.  

Want to write the perfect law school personal statement? Watch this video:

Law School Personal Statement Example #2

In my home community, the belief is that the law is against us. The law oppresses and victimizes. I must admit that as a child and young person I had this opinion based on my environment and the conversations around me. I did not understand that the law could be a vehicle for social change, and I certainly did not imagine I had the ability and talents to be a voice for this change. I regularly attended my high school classes because I enjoyed the discussions and reading for English and history, and writing came easily to me, but I wasn’t committed to getting good grades because I felt I had no purpose. My mindset changed as I spent time with Mark Russell, a law student who agreed to mentor and tutor me as part of a “high school to law school” mentorship program. Every week, for three years, Mark and I would meet. At first, Mark tutored me, but I quickly became an “A” student, not only because of the tutoring, but because my ambitions were uncorked by what Mark shared with me about university, the law, and his life. I learned grades were the currency I needed to succeed. I attended mock trials, court hearings, and law lectures with Mark and developed a fresh understanding of the law that piqued an interest in law school. My outlook has changed because my mentor, my teachers, and my self-advocacy facilitated my growth. Still, injustices do occur. The difference is that I now believe the law can be an instrument for social change, but voices like mine must give direction to policy and resources in order to fight those injustices.

Early in my mentorship, I realized it was necessary to be “in the world” differently if I were to truly consider a law career. With Mark’s help and the support of my high school teachers, I learned to advocate for myself and explore opportunities that would expand my worldview as well as my academic skills. I joined a Model UN club at a neighboring high school, because my own school did not have enough student interest to have a club. By discussing global issues and writing decisions, I began to feel powerful and confident with my ability to gather evidence and make meaningful decisions about real global issues. As I built my leadership, writing, and public speaking skills, I noticed a rift developing with some of my friends. I wanted them to begin to think about larger systemic issues outside of our immediate experience, as I was learning to, and to build confidence in new ways. I petitioned my school to start a Model UN and recruited enough students to populate the club. My friends did not join the club as I’d hoped, but before I graduated, we had 2 successful years with the students who did join. I began to understand that I cannot force change based on my own mandate, but I must listen attentively to the needs and desires of others in order to support them as they require.

While I learned to advocate for myself throughout high school, I also learned to advocate for others. My neighbors, knowing my desire to be a lawyer, would often ask me to advocate on their behalf with small grievances. I would make phone calls, stand in line with them at government offices, and deal with difficult landlords. A woman, Elsa, asked me to review her rental agreement to help her understand why her landlord had rented it to someone else, rather than renewing her lease. I scoured the rental agreement, highlighted questionable sections, read the Residential Tenancies Act, and developed a strategy for approaching the landlord. Elsa and I sat down with the landlord and, upon seeing my binder complete with indices, he quickly conceded before I could even speak. That day, I understood evidence is the way to justice. My interest in justice grew, and while in university, I sought experiences to solidify my decision to pursue law.

Last summer, I had the good fortune to work as a summer intern in the Crown Attorney’s Office responsible for criminal trial prosecutions. As the only pre-law intern, I was given tasks such as reviewing court tapes, verifying documents, and creating a binder with indices. I often went to court with the prosecutors where I learned a great deal about legal proceedings, and was at times horrified by human behavior. This made the atmosphere in the Crown Attorney’s office even more surprising. I worked with happy and passionate lawyers whose motivations were pubic service, the safety and well-being of communities, and justice. The moment I realized justice was their true objective, not the number of convictions, was the moment I decided to become a lawyer.

I broke from the belief systems I was born into. I did this through education, mentorship, and self-advocacy. There is sadness because in this transition I left people behind, especially as I entered university. However, I am devoted to my home community. I understand the barriers that stand between youth and their success. As a law student, I will mentor as I was mentored, and as a lawyer, I will be a voice for change.

What’s Great about this Second Law School Personal Statement?

• It tells a complete and compelling story: Although the applicant expressed initial reservations about the law generally, the statement tells a compelling story of how the applicant's opinions began to shift and their interest in law began. They use real examples and show how that initial interest, once seeded, grew into dedication and passion. This introduction implies an answer to the " why do you want to study law? ” interview question.
• It shows adaptability: Receptiveness to new information and the ability to change both thought and behavior based on this new information. The writer describes realizing that they needed to be "in the world" differently! It's hard to convey such a grandiose idea without sounding cliché, but through their captivating and chronological narrative, the writer successfully convinces the reader that this is the case with copious examples, including law school extracurriculars . It’s a fantastic case of showing rather than telling, describing specific causes they were involved with which demonstrate that the applicant is genuinely committed to a career in the law. 
• Includes challenges the subject faced and overcame: This law school personal statement also discusses weighty, relatable challenges that they faced, such as the applicant's original feeling toward law, and the fact that they lost some friends along the way. However, the applicant shows determination to move past these hurdles without self-pity or other forms of navel-gazing.  Additionally, this personal statement ends with a conclusion that alludes to why the applicant is suitable for the specific school to which they’re applying and points to their future career plans. The writer manages to craft an extremely immersive and believable story about their path to the present, while also managing to curate the details of this narrative to fit the specific values and mission of the school to which they’re applying.

What’s Great About This Third Law School Personal Statement? 

• Description is concise and effective: This writer opens with rich, vivid description and seamlessly guides the reader into a compelling first-person narrative. Using punchy, attention-grabbing descriptions like these make events immersive, placing readers in the writer's shoes and creating a sense of immediacy. 
• Achievements are the focus: They also do a fantastic job of talking about their achievements, such as interview team lead, program design, etc., without simply bragging. Instead, they deliver this information within a cohesive narrative that includes details, anecdotes, and information that shows their perspective in a natural way. Lastly, they invoke their passion for law with humility, discussing their momentary setbacks and frustrations as ultimately positive experiences leading to further growth. 

Want more law school personal statement examples from top law schools?

• Harvard law school personal statement examples
• Columbia law school personal statement examples
• Cornell law school personal statement examples
• Yale law school personal statement examples
• UPenn law school personal statement examples
• Cambridge law school personal statement examples

Law School Personal Statement #4

What’s great about this fourth law school personal statement.

• Engaging description: Like the third example above, this fourth law school personal statement opens with engaging description and first-person narrative. However, the writer of this personal statement chooses to engage a traumatic aspect of their childhood and discuss how this adversity led them to develop their desire to pursue a career in law.  
• Strong theme of overcoming adversity: Overcoming adversity is a frequent theme in personal statements for all specialties, but with law school personal statements students are often able to utilize uniquely dramatic, difficult, and pivotal experiences that involved interacting with the law. It may be hard to discuss such emotionally weighty experiences in a short letter but, as this personal statement shows, with care and focus it's possible to sincerely demonstrate how your early struggles paved the way for you to become the person you are now. It's important to avoid sensationalism, but you shouldn't shy away from opening up to your readers about adverse experiences that have ultimately pointed you in a positive direction. 

Why "show, don't tell" is the #1 rule for personal statements:

Law School Personal Statement Example #5

What’s great about this fifth law school personal statement  .

• Highlights achievements effectively: This writer does a fantastic job of incorporating their accomplishments and impact they had on their community without any sense of bragging or conceit. Rather, these accomplishments are related in terms of deep personal investment and a general drive to have a positive impact on those around them—without resorting to the cliches of simply stating "I want to help people." They show themselves helping others, and how these early experiences of doing so are a fundamental part of their drive to succeed with a career in law.   
• Shows originality: Additionally, they do a great job of explaining the uniqueness of their identity. The writer doesn't simply list their personal/cultural characteristics, but contextualizes them to show how they've shaped their path to law school. Being the child of a Buddhist mother and a Hindu father doesn’t imply anything about a person’s ability to study/practice law on its own, but explaining how this unique aspect of their childhood encouraged a passion for “discussion, active debate, and compromise” is profoundly meaningful to an admissions panel. Being able to express how fundamental aspects of law practice are an integral part of yourself is a hugely helpful tactic in a law school personal statement. 

If you\u2019re heading North of the border, check out list of  law schools in Canada  that includes requirements and stats on acceptance. ","label":"Tip","title":"Tip"}]" code="tab2" template="BlogArticle">

Law School Personal Statement Example #6

What’s great about this sixth law school personal statement .

• Weaves in cultural background: Similar to the writer of personal statement #5, this student utilizes the cultural uniqueness of their childhood to show how their path to law school was both deeply personal and rooted in ideas pervasive in their early years. Unlike the writer of statement #5, this student doesn't shy away from explaining how this distinctiveness was often a source of alienation and difficulty. Yet this adversity is, as they note, ultimately what helped them be an adaptable and driven student, with a clear desire to make a positive impact on the kinds of situations that they witnessed affect their parents.  
• Describes setbacks while remaining positive: This writer also doesn't shy away from describing their temporary setbacks as both learning experiences and, crucially, springboards for positively informing their plans for the future. 

What’s Great About This Seventh Law School Personal Statement? 

• The writer takes accountability: One of the hardest things to accomplish in a personal statement is describing not just early setbacks that are out of your control but early mistakes for which you must take responsibility. The writer of this personal statement opens with descriptions of characteristics that most law schools would find problematic at best. But at the end of this introduction, they successfully utilize an epiphany, a game-changing moment in which they saw something beyond their early pathological aimlessness, to clearly mark the point at which they became focused on law.  
• The narrative structure is clear: They clearly describe the path forward from this moment on, showing how they remained focused on earning a law degree, and how they were able to work through successive experiences of confusion to persist in finishing their undergraduate education at a prestigious university. Of course, you shouldn't brag about such things for their own sake, but this writer makes the point of opening up about the unique feelings of inadequacy that come along with being the first person in their family to attend such a school, and how these feelings were—like their initial aimlessness—mobilized in service of their goal and the well-being of others. Their statement balances discussion of achievement with humility, which is a difficult but impactful tactic when done well. 

Law School Personal Statement Example #8

What’s great about this eighth law school personal statement .

• Shows commitment to the community: Commitment to one’s community is a prized value in both law students and law professionals. This writer successfully describes not only how they navigated the challenges in their group environments, such as their internship, the debate team, etc., but how these challenges strengthened their commitment to being a positive part of their communities. They don’t simply describe the skills and lessons they learned from these challenging environments, but also how these challenges ultimately made them even more committed to and appreciative of these kinds of dynamic, evolutionary settings.  
• Avoids negative description: They also avoid placing blame or negatively describing the people in these situations, instead choosing to characterize inherent difficulties in terms neutral to the people around them. In this way, you can describe extremely challenging environments without coming off as resentful, and identify difficulties without being accusatory or, worse yet, accidentally or indirectly seeming like part of the problem. This writer manages to convey the difficulty and complexity of these experiences while continually returning to their positive long-term impact, and though you shouldn’t seek to “bright-side” the troubles in your life you should absolutely point out how these experiences have made you a more capable and mature student. 

Watch this for more law school personal statement examples!

Law School Personal Statement Example #9

What’s great about this ninth law school personal statement  .

• The writer effectively describes how their background shaped their decision to pursue law: Expressing privilege as adversity is something that very few students should even attempt, and fewer still can actually pull it off. But the writer of this personal statement does just that in their second paragraph, describing how the ease and comfort of their upbringing could have been a source of laziness or detachment, and often is for particularly well-off students, but instead served as a basis for their ongoing commitment to addressing the inequalities and difficulties of those less comfortable. Describing how you’ve developed into an empathic and engaged person, worked selflessly in any volunteer experiences, and generally aimed your academic life at a career in law for the aid of others—all this is incredibly moving for an admissions board, and can help you discuss your determination and understanding of exactly why you desire a career in law.  
• The student shows adaptability, flexibility, and commitment: Additionally, this writer is able to show adaptability while describing their more prestigious appointments in a way that’s neither self-aggrandizing nor unappreciative. One of the big takeaways from this statement is the student’s commitment and flexibility, and these are both vitally important qualities to convey in your law school personal statement.  

Law School Personal Statement Example #10

What’s great about this tenth law school personal statement .

Shows passion: If you’re one of the rare students for whom service to others has always been a core belief, by all means find a novel and engaging way of making this the guiding principle of your personal statement. Don’t overdo it—don’t veer into poetry or lofty philosophizing—but by all means let your passion guide your pen (well…keyboard). Every step of the way, this student relates their highs and lows, their challenges and successes, to an extremely earnest and sincere set of altruistic values invoked at the very beginning of their statement. Law school admissions boards don’t exactly prize monomania, but they do value intense and sustained commitment.  

Shows maturity: This student also successfully elaborates this passion in relation to mature understanding. That is, they make repeated points about their developing understanding of law that sustains their hopefulness and emotional intensity while also incorporating knowledge of the sometimes troubling day-to-day challenges of the profession. Law schools aren’t looking for starry-eyed naivete, but they do value optimism and the ability to stay positive in a profession often defined by its difficulties and unpredictability. 

Every pre-law student blames their lack of success on the large number of applicants, the heartless admissions committee members, or the high GPA and LSAT score cut offs. Check out our blog on  law school acceptance rates  to find out more about the law school admission statistics for law schools in the US . Having taught more than a thousand students every year, I can tell you the REAL truth about why most students get rejected: 

Need tips on your law school resume?

8 Additional Law School Personal Statement Examples

Now that you have a better idea of what your law school personal statement should include, and how you can make it stand out, here are five additional law school personal statements for you to review and get some inspiration:

Law school personal statement example #11

According to the business wire, 51 percent of students are not confident in their career path when they enroll in college. I was one of those students for a long time. My parents had always stressed the importance of education and going to college, so I knew that I wanted to get a tertiary education, I just didn’t know in what field. So, like many other students, I matriculated undecided and started taking introductory courses in the subjects that interest me. I took classes from the department of literature, philosophy, science, statistics, business, and so many others but nothing really called out to me.

I figured that maybe if I got some practical experience, I might get more excited about different fields. I remembered that my high school counselor had told me that medicine would be a good fit for me, and I liked the idea of a career that involved constant learning. So, I applied for an observership at my local hospital. I had to cross “doctor” off my list of post-graduate career options when I fainted in the middle of a consultation in the ER.

I had to go back to the drawing board and reflect on my choices. I decided to stop trying to make an emotional decision and focus on the data. So, I looked at my transcript thus far, and it quickly became clear to me that I had both an interest and an aptitude for business and technology. I had taken more courses in those two fields than in any others, and I was doing very well in them. My decision was reaffirmed when I spent the summer interning at a digital marketing firm during my senior year in college and absolutely loved my experience. 

Since graduating, I have been working at that same firm and I am glad that I decided to major in business. I first started as a digital advertising assistant, and I quickly learned that the world of digital marketing is an incredibly fast-paced sink-or-swim environment. I didn’t mind it at all. I wanted to swim with the best of them and succeed. So far, my career in advertising has been challenging and rewarding in ways that I never could have imagined. 

I remember the first potential client that I handled on my own. Everything had been going great until they changed their mind about an important detail a day before we were supposed to present our pitch. . I had a day to research and re-do a presentation that I’d been preparing for weeks. I was sure that I’d be next on the chopping block, but once again all I had to was take a step back and look at the information that I had. Focusing on the big picture helped me come up with a new pitch, and after a long night, lots of coffee, and laser-like focus, I delivered a presentation that I was not only proud of, but that landed us the client. 

Three years and numerous client emergencies later, I have learned how to work under pressure, how to push myself, and how to think critically. I also have a much better understanding of who I am and what skills I possess. One of the many things that I have learned about myself over the course of my career is that I am a fan of the law. Over the past three years, I have worked with many lawyers to navigate the muddy waters of user privacy and digital media. I often find myself looking forward to working with our legal team, whereas my coworkers actively avoid them. I have even become friends with my colleagues on the legal team who also enjoy comparing things like data protection laws in the US and the EU and speculating about the future of digital technology regulation. 

These experiences and conversations have led me to a point where I am interested in various aspects of the law. I now know that I have the skills required to pursue a legal education and that this time around, I am very sure about what I wish to study. Digital technology has evolved rapidly over the last decade, and it is just now starting to become regulated. I believe that this shift is going to open up a more prominent role for those who understand both digital technology and its laws, especially in the corporate world. My goal is to build a career at the intersection of these worlds.

Law school personal statement example #12

The first weekend I spent on my undergrad college campus was simultaneously one of the best and worst of my life. I was so excited to be away from home, on my own, making new friends and trying new things. One of those things was a party at a sorority house with my friend and roommate, where I thought we both had a great time. Both of us came from small towns, and we had decided to look out for one another. So, when it was time to go home, and I couldn't find her, I started to worry. I spent nearly an hour looking for her before I got her message saying she was already back in our dorm. 

It took her three months to tell me that she had been raped that night. Her rapist didn't hold a knife to her throat, jump out of a dark alleyway, or slip her a roofie. Her rapist was her long-term boyfriend, with whom she'd been in a long-distance relationship for just over a year. He assaulted her in a stranger's bedroom while her peers, myself included, danced the night away just a few feet away. 

I remember feeling overwhelmed when she first told me. I was sad for my friend, angry on her behalf, and disgusted by her rapist's actions. I also felt incredibly guilty because I had been there when it happened. I told myself that I should have stayed with her all night and that I should have seen the abuse - verbal and physical harassment- that he was inflicting on her before it turned sexual. But eventually, I realized that thinking about what could, should, or would've happened doesn't help anyone. 

I watched my friend go through counseling, attend support groups, and still, she seemed to be hanging on by a thread. I couldn't begin to imagine what she was going through, and unfortunately, there was very little I could do to help her. So, I decided to get involved with the Sexual Assault Responders Group on campus, where I would actually be able to help another survivor. 

My experience with the Sexual Assault Responders Group on campus was eye-opening. I mostly worked on the peer-to-peer hotline, where I spoke to survivors from all walks of life. I was confronted by the fact that rape is not a surreal unfortunate thing that happens to a certain type of person. I learned that it happens daily to mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, and friends. I also learned that most survivors try to manage this burden on their own, afraid of judgment and repercussions and fearful of a he-said-she-said court battle.

I am proud to say that I used my time in college to not only earn an education, but also to advocate for survivors of sexual assault. I protested the university's cover-up of a gang rape that took place in one of the fraternity houses on campus. I spearheaded a 'no means no' campaign to raise awareness about consent on campus. I also led several fundraising campaigns for the Sexual Assault Responders Group that allowed us to pay for legal and mental health counselors for the survivors who came to us for support. 

One of the things that this experience helped me realize is that sexual assault survivors often do not know where to turn when the system tries to tell them that it'd be best to just keep quiet and suffer in silence. My goal is to become one of those people that they can turn to for counsel and support. I believe that a law degree would give me the knowledge and tools that I need to advocate for survivors on a more significant scale. 

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Law school personal statement example #13

I grew up in two different worlds. My world at home was full of people of various skin tones and accents. It was small, loud, and often chaotic in the best ways. I remember walking home and getting to experience music from across the world before I got to my apartment building. Loud reggaeton and afrobeat were always playing somewhere in the distance. Aunties and uncles usually stopped by unannounced and slipped money in your palm when they hugged you goodbye. And the smell of fried plantains was almost always present. 

My other world was in school. It was a much quieter, more organized world with white hallways, navy blazers, and plaid skirts. It was full of people who did not look or sound like me and teachers who thought my hair was "interesting." It was also full of great books and engaging debates about everything from foreign policy to the influence of Jazz on hip hop. 

I lived in these two worlds because I was born and raised in Xtown, but I went to a private school in a much richer neighborhood. I loved both of my worlds, but I hated that I had to act differently in both of them. When in school, I had to "code switch" to sound like I belonged there. When I was at home, all the people who shared the interests I was developing in school were either working or in college, so I had no one to talk to about them. 

My words never felt more divided until I started considering a career in law. I remember telling one of my uncles that I wanted to become a lawyer and his response was, "So you want to become the man, huh?" 

I wasn't surprised by his response, or at least I shouldn't have been. One of the things that I know for sure about the first world I lived in is that many of its inhabitants do not trust the law. I had believed this for so long simply because of the conversations that I would hear around me. However, in my second world, I was learning about all of these great freedoms and rights that the law was designed to give all Americans, and I wanted to bring those to my community. 

I started working on this during the summer before my final year of high school. I got an internship with the legal aid office in my neighborhood and spent three months learning from people who, like me, had grown up in Xtown and wanted to help people. During my time in the legal aid office, I understood that the people in my community did not trust the law for two main reasons: 1. They did not understand a lot of it, and 2. It had been used against people like us many times. 

I remember one particular case that Ms. Sharma - the lawyer I was learning from then and who still mentors me today - handled that summer. It was the case of a young mother who had received a notice of eviction from her landlord two days after refusing his advances. The man claimed that she violated her contract because she made homemade shea butter that she sold on Etsy. Ms. Sharma had me look through her rental agreement. After she confirmed that I was right in determining that the young mother had not violated her contract, she contacted the landlord to advise him that what he was doing was intimidation and sexual harassment. 

My experiences in the legal aid office with Ms. Sharma opened my eyes to the disgusting behavior of human beings, but it also gave me the opportunity to see that the law was my opportunity to use what I learned in my second world to help the community that I was raised in. I returned to school with a new motivation that followed me to college. In addition to completing my bachelor's degree in sociology and African American studies, I spent most of my college years participating in legal internships and community outreach programs. 

I believe that these experiences have given me the foundation I need to be a successful law student and, eventually, a lawyer who can truly be an advocate for members of his community. 

Law school personal statement example #14

One day, my parents noticed that the other children in my age group had been speaking and communicating, but I had not. At first, they thought that my lack of speech was just me being shy, but eventually, they realized that on the rare occasions that I did speak, my words were practically incomprehensible. It wasn't long before they took me to a specialist who diagnosed me with a severe phonological disorder that hindered my ability to verbalize the basic sounds that make up words.

I started going to speech therapy when I was three years old. I saw numerous speech therapists, many of whom believed that I would never be able to communicate effectively with others. Lucky for me, my parents did not give up on me. I went to speech therapy thrice a week until the 8th grade, and I gave every single session my all. I also spent a lot of time in my room practicing my speech by myself. My efforts paid off, and even though I didn't become a chatterbox overnight, I could at least communicate effectively. 

This was a short-lived victory, though. A year later, my speech impediment was back, and my ability to articulate words was once again severely limited. This complicated matters because it was my freshman year of high school, and I was in a brand-new school where I did not know anyone. Having been bullied in middle school, I knew first-hand how vicious kids can be, and I didn't want to be the butt of any more jokes, so I didn't try to speak at school. I knew that this was preventing me from making new friends or participating in class and that it was probably not helping my impediment, but I was not ready to face the fact that I needed to go back to speech therapy. 

Eventually, I stopped resisting and went back to speech therapy. At the time, I saw it as accepting defeat, and even though my speech improved significantly, my self-confidence was lower than it had ever been. If you ask any of my high school classmates about me, they will likely tell you that I am very quiet or timid – both of which are not true, but they have no way of knowing otherwise. I barely spoke or interacted with my peers for most of high school. Instead, I focused on my studies and extracurricular activities that didn't involve much collaboration, like yearbook club and photography. 

It was only when I was getting ready for college that I realized that I was only hurting myself with my behavior. I knew I needed to become more confident about my speech to make friends and be the student I wanted to be in college. So, I used the summer after my high school graduation to get some help. I started seeing a new speech therapist who was also trained as a counselor, and she helped me understand my impediment better. For example, I now know that I tend to stutter when stressed, but I also know that taking a few deep breaths helps me get back on track. 

Using the confidence that I built in therapy that summer, I went to college with a new pep in my step. I pushed myself to meet new people, try new things, and join extracurricular organizations when I entered college. I applied to and was accepted into a competitive freshman leadership program called XYZ. Most of XYZ's other members were outgoing and highly involved in their high school communities. In other words, they were the complete opposite of me. I didn't let that intimidate me. Instead, I made a concerted effort to learn from them. If you ask any of my teammates or other classmates in college, they will tell you that I was an active participant in discussions during meetings and that I utilized my unique background to share a different perspective.

My experience with XYZ made it clear to me that my speech disorder wouldn't hold me back as long as I did not stand in my own way. Once I understood this, I kept pushing past the boundaries I had set for myself. I began taking on leadership roles in the program and looking for ways to contribute to my campus community outside of XYZ. For example, I started a community outreach initiative that connected school alumni willing to provide pro bono services to different members of the community who were in need. 

Now, when I look back at my decision to go back to speech therapy, I see it as a victory. I understand that my speech impediment has shaped me in many ways, many of which are positive. My struggles have made me more compassionate. My inability to speak has made me a better listener. Not being able to ask questions or ask for help has made me a more independent critical thinker. I believe these skills will help me succeed in law school, and they are part of what motivates me to apply in the first place. Having struggled for so long to speak up for myself, I am ready and eager for the day when I can speak up for others who are temporarily unable to. 

“ You talk too much; you should be a lawyer.” 

I heard that sentence often while growing up because Congolese people always tell children who talk a lot that they should be lawyers. Sometimes I wonder if those comments did not subconsciously trigger my interest in politics and then the law. If they did, I am grateful for it. I am thankful for all the experiences that have brought me to this point where I am seeking an education that will allow me to speak for those who don’t always know how to, and, more importantly, those who are unable to. 

For context, I am the child of Congolese immigrants, and my parents have a fascinating story that I will summarize for you: 

A 14-year-old girl watches in confusion as a swarm of parents rush through the classroom, grabbing their children, and other students start running from the class. Soon she realizes that she and one other student are the only ones left, but when they both hear the first round of gunshots, no one has to tell them that it is time to run home. On the way home, she hears more gunshots and bombs. She fears for her survival and that of her family, and she starts to wonder what this war means for her and her family. Within a few months, her mother and father are selling everything they own so that they can board a plane to the US.

On the other side of the town, a 17-year-old boy is being forced to board a plane to the US because his mother, a member of parliament and the person who taught him about the importance of integrity, has been executed by the same group of soldiers who are taking over the region. 

They met a year later, outside the principal’s office at a high school in XXY. They bonded over the many things they have in common and laughed at the fact that their paths probably never would have crossed in Bukavu. Fast forward to today, they have been married for almost two decades and have raised three children, including me. 

Growing up in a Congolese household in the US presented was very interesting. On the one hand, I am very proud of the fact that I get to share my heritage with others. I speak French, Lingala, and Swahili – the main languages of Congo – fluently. I often dress in traditional clothing; I performed a traditional Congolese dance at my high school’s heritage night and even joined the Congolese Student Union at Almamatter University. 

On the other hand, being Congolese presented its challenges growing up. At a young age, I looked, dressed, and sounded different from my classmates. Even though I was born in the US, I had picked up a lot of my parents’ accents, and kids loved to tease me about it. Ignorant comments and questions were not uncommon. “Do you speak African?” “You’re not American! How did you get here?” “You don’t look African” “My mom says I can’t play with you because your parents came here to steal our jobs”. These are some of the polite comments that I heard often, and they made me incredibly sad, especially when classmates I considered my friends made them. 

My parents did not make assimilating any easier. My mother especially always feared I would lose my Congolese identity if they did not make it a point to remind me of it. She often said, “Just because you were born in America doesn’t mean that you are not Congolese anymore.” On one occasion, I argued that she always let me experience my Congolese side, but not my American side. That was the first time she told me I should be a lawyer. 

Having few friends and getting teased in school helped me learn to be comfortable on my own. I Often found refuge and excitement in books. I even started blogging about the books I read and interacting with other readers online. As my following grew, I started to use my platform to raise awareness about issues that I am passionate about, like climate change, the war in Congo, and the homeless crisis here in XXY. I was able to start a fundraising campaign through my blog that raised just under $5000 for the United Way – a local charity that helps the homeless in my city. 

This experience helped me understand that I could use my skills and the few tools at my disposal to help people, both here in America and one day, maybe even in Congo. I realized that I am lucky enough to have the option of expanding that skillset through education in order to do more for the community that welcomed my grandparents, uncles, aunties, and parents when they had nowhere else to go. 

The journey was not easy because while I received immense support and love from my family for continuing my education, I had to teach myself how to prepare and apply to college. Once there I had to learn on my own what my professors expected of me, how to study, how to network, and so much more. I am grateful for those experiences too, because they taught me how to be resourceful, research thoroughly, listen carefully, and seek help when I need it. 

All of these experiences have crafted me into who I am today, and I believe that with the right training, they will help me become a great attorney.

Law School Personal Statement Example #16

During my undergraduate studies, in the first two years, I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to do with my career. I enjoyed doing research, but I found that I became more interested in presenting the research than the process of contributing to it. I spoke to most of my science professors to ask if I could participate in their research. I worked in biology labs, chemistry labs, and in psychology classrooms working on a variety of projects that seemed meaningful and interesting. I gained new perspectives on study habits and mental health; the influence of music on the human mind; and applications of surface tension. I noticed that I was always taking the lead when we were presenting our findings to peers and research groups. I enjoyed yielding questions and addressing the captivating the audience with engaging gestures and speech. This was what led me to consider a career in law.

I always thought that I would become a scientist, so when I discovered that there were aspects of law that could be considered “scientific”, I was all ears. Still during my second year of undergraduate studies, I wanted to join an environmental awareness group, but noticed there weren’t any active. So, I took it upon myself to create my own. I wanted to do cleanup projects across the city, so I mapped out parks and areas that we could walk or drive to. I advertised my project to other students and eventually gained approximately fifteen students eager to help out. I was struck by the pollution in the water, the negligence of park maintenance. I drafted a letter to the municipal government and petitioned for a stricter environmental compliance approach. I wanted to advertise fines to hold polluters accountable, as there were hardly any to enforce the rules. A letter was returned to me stating that the government would consider my request. I felt a sense of gratification, of purpose; I discovered that I had the ability to enact change through policy. This drew me closer to the prospect of building a future in law, so I looked at other avenues to learn more.

I still wanted to find a way to bring together my love of science and discourse/communication. As a science student, I had the privilege of learning from professors who emphasized critical thinking; and they gave me a chance to learn that on my own. I took an internship as an environmental planner. There, I helped present project ideas to various groups, updating demographic/development information, and managing planning processes. I engaged in analytical thinking by looking at maps and demographic information to develop potential plans for land use. It was also the experience I was looking for in terms of a balance between science and oral communication. Using data analysis, I spoke to other planners and review boards to bring ideas together and execute a plan.

Through science, I learned how to channel my curiosity and logical thinking; as an advocate, I learned how to be creative and resourceful. Presenting research findings and being questioned in front of a group of qualified researchers, having to be sharp and ready for anything, taught me how to be more concise in speech. Developing an advocacy group dedicated to improving my community showed me what it lacked; it opened my eyes to the impact of initiative and focused collaboration. I was eager to begin another science project, this time with the environment in mind. It was titled “determining and defining the role of sociodemographic factors in air pollution health disparities”. I compiled and summarized relevant research and sent it over to a representative of the municipal government. In a couple of weeks, my request to increase advertising of fines in public areas was agreed to.

This Juris Doctor/Master in Environmental Studies program will allow me to continue deepening my knowledge of environmental law. With my goal of developing a career in environmental affairs, overseeing policies that influence land protection/use, I know that this program will give me the tools I need to succeed. With my experience working with large groups, I also believe I will fit into the larger class sizes at your institution. I understand the value of working together and how to engage in healthy discourse. With your Global Sustainability Certification, I will equip myself the expertise I need to produce meaningful change in environmental policy.

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Law School Personal Statement #17

Growing up in a poor neighborhood, what my friends used to call “the ghetto”, I was always looking for my way out. I tried running away, but I always ended up back home in that tiny complex, barely enough room to fit all my brothers and sisters with my parents. My dad was disabled and couldn’t work, and my mother was doing her best working full-time as a personal-support worker. There was nothing we could do to get out of our situation, or so it seemed. It wasn’t until years later when I started my undergraduate degree that ironically, after I found my way out, that I began looking for a way to come back. I wanted to be a voice for people living in those bleak conditions; hungry, without work. Helpless.

Getting my degree in social work was one of the best decisions of my life. It gave me the tools to lobby for solutions to problems in poor communities. I knew my neighborhood better than anyone because I grew up there. I had the lived experience. I started working with the local government to develop programs for my clients; the people living in those same neighborhoods. We worked to provide financial assistance, legal aid, housing, and medical treatment—all things sorely lacking. My proudest moment was securing the funds and arranging surgery for my father’s bad hip and knees. I’m currently working on a large project with one of the community legislators to lobby for a harm reduction model addressing addiction in our communities.

With five years of experience as a social worker, I knew it was time for a career change when I learned that I could have more influence on public opinion and legislative decisions as a social-security disability lawyer. I knew firsthand that people victimized from racism, poverty, and injury needed more help than they were currently allotted. I knew that, from becoming and advocate and communicating with influential members of the local government, that I could do more with a law degree helping people attain basic needs like disability benefits, which are often denied outright.

This desire to help people get the help they need from local programs and government resources brought me to Scarborough, a small town outside of Toronto. I was aware of some of the issues afflicting this community, since I’d handled a few clients from there as a children’s disability social worker. Addiction and homelessness were the two main ones. I worked with children with ADHD or other physical/mental disabilities impairing their ability to attend school and function normally. I helped many of them get an IEP with the details of the special services they require, long overdue. I made sure each child got the care they needed, including special attention in school. Also noticing that so many of these families lacked proper nutrition, I organized a report detailing this finding. In it, I argued that the community needed more funds targeting lowest income families. I spoke directly with a legislator, which eventually got the city on board with developing a program more specifically for the lowest income families with residents under 18.

My goal has always been to be a voice for the inaudible, the ignored, who’ve been victimized by inadequate oversight from the ground up. Many of these groups, as I’ve witnessed firsthand, don’t have the luxury of being their own advocates. They are too busy trying to support their families, to put food on the table for their children. I’ve realized that it isn’t quite enough to work directly with these families to connect them with resources and ensure they get the support they need. Sometimes the support simply doesn’t exist, or it isn’t good enough. This is why I’m motivated to add a law degree to my credentials so I can better serve these people and communities. As a future social-security disability lawyer, I want to work with local governments to assist clients in navigating an assistance system and improving it as much as possible. This program will give me the access to a learning environment in which I can thrive and develop as an advocate.

Law School Personal Statement #18

“You’re worthy and loved”, I said to a twelve-year-old boy, Connor, whom I was supervising and spending time with during the Big Brother program at which we met. A few tears touched my shoulder as I pulled him into me, comforting him. He was a foster child. He didn’t know his parents and never stayed in one place longer than a few months; a year if he was lucky. I joined the program not expecting much. I was doing it for extra credit, because I wanted to give back to the community somehow and I thought it would be interesting to meet people. He confided in me; he told me that his foster parents often yelled at each other, and him. He told me he needed to escape. I called Child Protective Services and after a thorough investigation, they determined that Connor’s foster parents weren’t fit for fostering. He was moved, yet again, to a different home.

I wrote an op-ed detailing my experience as a Big Brother. I kept names anonymous. I wanted people to know how hard it was for children in the welfare system. Many of them, like Connor, were trapped in a perpetual cycle of re-homing, neglect, and even abuse. He and other children deserve stability and unconditional love. That should go without saying. I sent the op-ed to a local magazine and had it published. In it, I described not only the experience of one unfortunate kid, but many others as well who saw their own stories being told through Connor. I joined a non-profit organization dedicated to improving access to quality education for young people. I started learning about disparities in access; students excluded by racial or financial barriers. I was learning, one step at a time, how powerful words can be.

With the non-profit organization, I reached out to a few public schools in the area to represent some of our main concerns with quality of education disparities. Our goal was to bring resources together and promote the rights of children in education. We emphasized that collaboration between welfare agencies and schools was critical for education stability. Together, we created a report of recommendations to facilitate this collaboration. We outlined a variety of provisions, including more mechanisms for child participation, better recruitment of social service workers in schools, risk management and identification strategies, and better support for students with child protection concerns.

The highlight of that experience was talking to an assembly of parents and school faculty to present our findings and recommendations. The title of the presentation was “The Power of Words”. I opened with the story I wrote about in the op-ed. I wanted to emphasize that children are individuals; those trapped in the welfare system are not a monolith. They each have unique experiences, needs, and desires they want to fulfill in life. But our tools to help them can be improved, more individualized. I spoke about improving the quality of residential care for children and the need to promote their long-term development into further education and employment. Finally, I presented a list of tools we created to help support a more financially sustainable and effective child welfare system. The talk was received with applause and a tenuous commitment from a few influential members of the crowd. It was a start.

Although I lost contact with Connor, I think about him almost every day. I can only hope that the programs we worked on to improve were helping him, wherever he was. I want to continue to work on the ground level of child welfare amelioration, but I realize I will need an education in law to become a more effective advocate for this cause. There are still many problems in the child welfare system that will need to be addressed: limited privacy/anonymity for children, service frameworks that don’t address racism adequately, limited transportation in remote communities, and many more. I’ve gained valuable experience working with the community and learning about what the welfare system lacks and does well. I’m ready to take the next step for myself, my community, and those beyond it.

Assuredly, but this length varies from school to school. As with all important details of your law school application, thoroughly research your specific schools’ requirements and guidelines before both writing and editing your personal statement to ensure it fits their specifics. The average length is about 2 pages, but don’t bother drafting your statement until you have specific numbers from your schools of choice. It’s also a good idea to avoid hitting the maximum length unless absolutely necessary. Be concise, keep economy of language in mind, and remain direct, without rambling or exhaustive over-explanation of your ideas or experiences.

You should keep any words that aren’t your own to a minimum. Admissions committees don’t want to read a citation-heavy academic paper, nor do they respond well to overused famous quotes as themes in personal statements. If you absolutely must include a quote from elsewhere, be sure to clearly indicate your quote’s source. But in general, it’s best to keep the personal statement restricted to your own words and thoughts. They’re evaluating you, not Plato! It’s a personal statement. Give them an engaging narrative in your own voice. 

Admissions committees will already have a strong sense of your academic performance through your transcripts and test scores, so discussing these in your personal statement is generally best avoided. You can contextualize these things, though—if you have an illuminating or meaningful story about how you came to receive an award, or how you enjoyed or learned from the work that won you the award, then consider discussing it. Overall though, it’s best to let admissions committees evaluate your academic qualifications and accomplishments from your transcripts and official documents, and give them something new in the personal statement. 

When you first sit down to begin, cast a wide net. Consider all the many influences and experiences that have led you to where you are. You’ll eventually (through editing and rewriting) explain how these shape your relationship to a career in law, but one of the best things you can give yourself during the initial drafting phase is a vast collection of observations and potential points for development. As the New England School of Law points out in their, “just write!” Let the initial draft be as messy as it needs to be, and refine it from there. It’s a lot easier to condense and sharpen a big draft than it is to try to tensely craft a perfect personal statement from nothing.  

Incredibly important, as should be clear by now! Unlike other specialties, law schools don’t usually conduct interviews with applicants, so your personal statement is in effect your one opportunity to speak with the admissions committee directly. Don’t let that gravity overwhelm you when you write, but keep it in mind as you edit and dedicate time to improving your initial drafts. Be mindful of your audience as you speak with them, and treat writing your personal statement as a kind of initial address in what, hopefully, will eventually turn into an ongoing dialogue.  

There are a variety of factors that can make or break a law school personal statement. You should aim to achieve at least a few of the following: a strong opening hook; a compelling personal narrative; your skills and competencies related to law; meaningful experiences; why you’re the right fit for the school and program.

Often, they do. It’s best for you to go to the schools you’re interesting in applying to so you can find out if they have any specific formatting or content requirements. For example, if you wanted to look at NYU law or Osgoode Hall Law School , you would find their admissions requirements pages and look for information on the personal statement.

There are lots of reasons why a personal statement might not work. Usually, applicants who don’t get accepted didn’t come up with a good strategy for this essay. Remember, you need to target the specific school and program. Other reasons are that the applicant doesn’t plan or proofread their essay. Both are essential for submitting materials that convince the admissions committee that you’re a strong candidate. You can always use law school admissions consulting application review to help you develop your strategy and make your essay stand out.

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How long should a Personal Statement be? Is there any rule on that?

BeMo Academic Consulting

Hello V! Thanks for your question. Some schools will gave very specific word limits, while some will not. If you do not have a limit indicated, try to stick to no more than a page, 600-800 words. 

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Aptitude tests, higher learning, writing a personal statement for law.

A personal statement should be just that, it should be personal to you, a short statement that details your reasons and passions surrounding your decision for choosing to study law at university. However, writing one can be one of the most daunting experiences as it is a piece of writing designed to sell yourself to a university to accept you, which can be a deterministic event in regards to your professional life. Moreover, up until that point it is the first time you have written something of that nature, and you do not know what to expect. However, there are a couple of key points to bear in mind and a couple of themes to include in order to put together a successful personal statement . At bottom, what the admissions tutors want to know is why you personally want to study law and how you have demonstrated your interests and affinity in such a career.

My fundamental advice when writing a personal statement for law is that the more creative the better. Being uniquely yourself is a tall order, however, this is the most important aspect of writing a personal statement. There is a temptation to focus on what you think the university will want to hear, which can lead to generic statements and unoriginal ideas, when in reality your personal statement is one of the few opportunities you will have to differentiate yourself from other applicants. Do not be afraid to think outside of the box, one of the best personal statements for Law that I’ve seen focused on the applicant’s experience of being involved in a car accident, and all the legal implications that inspired her for a career in law from there. Do not shy away from including any personal experiences that have given you an interesting insight into a legal issue.

A winning legal personal statement will need to demonstrate the applicant’s interest in actually studying the course, and awareness for what it would entail. There are many ways that this can be done, however, there are a few staple things to include that show a real passion for law. The first would be to know particular aspects of the course that you are excited about studying. It is not enough to just say you are interested in Human Rights law, for example, instead you should be able to list courses, conferences or exhibitions you have attended or books and journals that you have read which demonstrate genuine excitement for it. Moreover, examples of work experience are crucial as this demonstrates a genuine commitment and ambition in finding out about the career of a legal professional. Even just noting that you’ve visited courts such as the Old Bailey or the Royal Courts of Justice and what you took away from the experience counts as showing a real enthusiasm for law.

The final base to cover in writing a legal personal statement is to demonstrate how you would be a valuable person in terms of contributing to university life on campus. Things to include at this point would be details of any committees or other social or sporting clubs in which you have any kind of responsibility. Any examples of helping out at school events or open days, would be good to include. Any awards prizes or particular achievements of note, such as  Duke of Edinburgh , sporting medals, etc. and what you’ve gained from these experiences would be of note the admissions tutor. Details of what you do in your spare time for example, playing musical instruments, amateur dramatics, etc. which demonstrate that you are sociable and proactive and enjoy doing things with other people.

All in all your personal statement should be a genuine and interesting account of why you are absolutely sure law is what you really want to study.

Personal Statement Preparation Tutors – Law Tutors – Law LLB Tutors

Additional resources:

10 Tips for Your Law Degree Studying Law at University Personal Statement for Law

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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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Dec 11, 2019

Written By Becky Kells

The GDL: your ultimate guide

The Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) is a one-year course taken after you graduate. It is specifically for non-law students looking to convert to law, and you might have heard it called the law conversion course before now. Here’s your ultimate guide to the GDL.

What is the GDL?

The GDL is the current course for non-law students looking to pursue a career in law. It’s designed to equip you with all the academic knowledge needed to become a solicitor or a barrister . After doing the GDL, you’ll move on to do the Legal Practice Course (LPC) and a training contract if you want to be a solicitor, or the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) followed by a pupillage if you want to be a barrister. It’s an intense course that takes you through the seven key areas of law in just one year.

Who is the GDL suitable for?

The GDL is for graduates (or soon-to-be graduates) who do not have a qualifying law degree but want to become a lawyer. You need an undergraduate degree or equivalent to study the GDL, but there is no limit on what subject you studied. The minimum grade for most GDL programmes is 2:2. 

You will also need to do the GDL if:

- You completed a BA law degree or a law degree that did not cover all seven of the core modules. 

- You have a legal qualification or degree from outside of England and Wales. 

However, you might be exempt from some of the modules on the GDL if you’ve already done them. 

If you did the LLB law , you don’t need to do the GDL if you want to be a solicitor or a barrister. It’s also not a recommended course if you’re an LLB graduate looking to further your academic studies, as it will just repeat the core modules you did at undergraduate level. LLB students looking for academic postgraduate courses should check out LLMs. 

What do I study in the GDL?

On most GDL courses, there will be a module that covers the introduction to the English legal system and a dissertation/research project. In addition to that, you’ll study seven core modules that are essential for anyone hoping to practise law. They are: 

- Constitutional and administrative law

- Criminal law

- Land law 

- Contract law 

- Equity and trusts

- European Union law

- Tort law 

You’ll be assessed via a combination of written exams, multiple-choice exams and written coursework depending on the provider. 

Thinking of a career in law?

Study ULaw's PGDL and join the largest community of postgrad law conversion students (LawCAB 2021).

When should I do the GDL?

You’ll need to do the GDL before you do your LPC and training contract (for aspiring solicitors) or BPTC and pupillage (for aspiring barristers). Many students apply in the final year of their undergraduate degree, but there’s no time limit between finishing your undergraduate degree and starting the GDL.

Depending on your circumstances, you can do the GDL full-time, part-time or via distance learning. 

Sometimes, aspiring solicitors prefer to apply for their training contract before they have a GDL. This is possible because most training contracts recruit two years in advance, giving you time to do the GDL in one year and the LPC the next. In this case, the firm will often fund your GDL and select a provider on your behalf. You’ll study both courses alongside other future trainees at the firm. 

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How do I pay for the GDL? 

GDL fees start at around £7,500 and can be more than £11,500 at some London providers, but they tend to be around the £9,000 marker. Funding the GDL yourself is a tricky one. As a diploma rather than a degree, it doesn’t qualify for the standard postgraduate student loan. Luckily, you have a few options. 

Option 1: Apply for training contracts first 

This is a preferable option for many graduates who want to be solicitors as if you are successful in securing a training contract, your future firm will fund your GDL (and the LPC). If this option appeals to you, you can apply for training contracts from your final year onwards.

Option 2: Complete a postgraduate degree with an integrated GDL 

This is a new option offered by some of the specialist law course providers like the University of Law and BPP. These courses are labelled differently depending on where you study them, but their integrated nature means that you can qualify for a student loan, so long as you meet all of the standard eligibility criteria. 

Option 3: Apply for bursaries and scholarships 

If you find yourself without a training contract and don’t want to go for one of the GDL-integrated degrees, there are a variety of bursaries and scholarships available for postgraduate law students. You can apply for one or a combination of these to pay for your GDL. 

But wait—what about the SQE?

You might have heard of a new course for solicitors called the SQE which is set to replace the GDL and the LPC. It’s scheduled for launch in 2021, and the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has proposed an 11-year transition period where students midway through their legal studies can qualify under the old or new way. If you’re a non-law student who will graduate in 2021, it’s worth finding out more about the SQE . If you’re a graduate or soon-to-be graduate looking to start your legal path as soon as possible, the GDL is the one for you. 

Which universities offer the GDL?

The GDL is offered by a range of traditional universities, within their law schools—for example, you can study the GDL at City University , Nottingham Trent University and the University of Leeds , to name just a few. There are also specific providers that just offer law-related degrees. Two of the biggest are the University of Law and BPP law school. 

How competitive is the GDL?

The GDL is not a competitive course, and it is much less competitive than applying for a training contract. To get a place on most courses you need a 2:2 or higher (at some providers the minimum requirement is a 2:1). You’ll need to include a personal statement and some references in your application. Some providers do give priority to students who select them as their first choice, so it’s important to bear that in mind when making your selection. 

When should I apply—and how?

There is no specific deadline for applying for the GDL, and some courses even have multiple start dates throughout the year. You shouldn’t leave it late, though, as courses do fill up. All graduate law courses are completed via a website called the Law Central Applications Board (CAB).

To help you make up your mind about which provider to choose, you can browse through our GDL section , where there are loads of GDL courses for you to compare and contrast.

• A detailed look at the GDL
• A week in the life of a GDL student
• Can you work & do the GDL?
• Considering the conversion? Opportunities at Taylor Wessing for non-law students
• Excelling on the GDL

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A step-by-step guide to writing your PGDL personal statement

The Rookie Lawyer

Reading time: four minutes

There’s no strict deadline for the Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDL) application, so I'm relying purely on what little energy and motivation I have left after a gruelling month of final exams for my English degree. The personal statement can only be up to 10,000 characters, which is around two pages. You'd think that three years of writing 4,000-word essays every fortnight would’ve prepared me for this. But instead of tapping away speedily at my laptop, I sat and stared at an empty Word document for hours before finally – delicately – beginning the difficult process of writing what would become the first (of many) personal statement drafts. Here's what I learned in the process of planning, writing, editing (and re-editing, and re-editing, and re-editing…) the two-page document I ended up submitting.

The personal statement is submitted through a platform called LawCAB. It'll be submitted to multiple universities at once, much like a UCAS application, so the key is to keep it general. The maximum number of characters is 10,000 (including all punctuation, paragraph breaks and spaces), though most tend to be somewhere between 4000-7000, don't feel pressured to write more just to fill up space if you don't need to.

I'd suggest going through the websites of the universities you'll be applying to. Have a read through your course specifications – what sort of things will they be teaching, and what does each institution prioritise? As an example, institutions such as The University of Law and BPP University Law School , prioritise a more practical approach meaning their courses tend to focus more on law as a practice, rather than legal theory. On the other hand, other universities that offer the PGDL may have a more scholarly and theoretical approach – perfect for those more interested in legal research and academia.

The next step is to cast your mind back to the last five or so years. What sort of things did you do over the course of your undergraduate degree (and, perhaps, the final years of school)? This can include anything, ranging from societies and part-time jobs to the skills you picked up during the degree itself. Make a list of all the experiences you want to write about and list the relevant skills that they demonstrate –  keeping in mind the necessary skills of the degree. This will form the body of your personal statement.

Some other things to consider are your personal interests and motivations for getting into law - putting the 'personal' into your statement. How does your undergraduate degree facilitate a move into law? What do you envision your future legal career looking like? What about the course is appealing? And, more importantly, what is it about law as both a practice and a discipline that interests  you ?

Though this should, theoretically, be the easiest section, it was the one I found the hardest to get started on even once I had my rough plan. After the denseness of exam season, where – due to all my exams being online – I spent way too much time in my room, I decided to forgo my bedroom in favour of a local café instead. What worked for me was going there for a coffee, laptop in hand and instructing myself not to get up until I had finished a full first draft. Of course, this kind of approach only works if you can trust yourself to deliver on your promises…

Editing, editing, editing... 

Here's where my years of writing long, well-researched university essays came in handy. If there's one thing I've learned from my time as an English student at UCL, that also happens to form a strong, sturdy bridge between my undergraduate degree and law, it's the necessity of having a good, strong argument. To kill two birds with one stone, making sure your personal statement has a strong, interesting hook and introduces an argument is key. I suggest you find the part of your personal statement that would make for a strong introduction, a lens through which the rest of your points can be structured. It could be an interesting law-related book you read, a conversation you had or an experience at work or at university. As long as it exemplifies the skills and interest you're going to demonstrate and elaborate upon throughout the rest of your personal statement.

From then on, the remainder of the editing should be relatively simple. Ask a friend, teacher or mentor to proofread, re-arrange paragraphs if you need to, make sure it's within the character count and check for grammatical mistakes and spelling errors (and then, just to be safe, check again).

• FindAMasters
• Law Masters Personal Statement Sample

Written by Jennifer Bevan

This is an example personal statement for a Masters degree application in Law. See our guide for advice on writing your own postgraduate personal statement .

Over my eight-year career working in public interest law firms, I gained experience in a wide range of areas, from criminal defence to conveyancing. Throughout this time my interest in tax grew, partly due to the varied nature of the work as tax laws are completely different depending on the client, and partly due to the complicated nature of the laws. I hope to become specialised in tax law though a Masters degree and subsequently work in a private practice solely working in tax.

I began my career with an LLB in Law, from which I graduated with a first in 2010. During my degree I took a series of modules that equipped me with the essential theory behind law including criminal law, public law, and legal foundations of the European Union. I developed an interest in both tax and law around the world and so in my final year selected the modules advanced EU law, legal systems of the world and tax law. The tax law module gave me an introduction to the highly complicated taxes around individuals such as income and inheritance taxes, as well as those surrounding businesses and sales.

I was offered a training contract beginning the September after my graduation, the first year of which I completed the Legal Practice Course (LPC). Alongside learning more law theory, I developed excellent communication through written and spoken pieces. This course was more focused on the analysis and critical evaluation of legal issues. The remainder of my training contract was carried out working at the firm, which allowed me to apply the knowledge of law and the legal practice I had developed through my education to help clients. During this placement I also completed and passed the Professional Skills Course (PSC) and became a qualified solicitor.

Since qualifying I have worked in two public interest law firms, covering a range of areas. This allowed me to gain significant experience liaising with clients, working under pressure from time constraints, and solving problems such as providing a neutral outcome when representing multiple parties. Working in this role for several years has given me the opportunity to work in a huge range of legal areas, which has helped me to come to a firm decision about which area of law I would like to specialise in, which I concluded to be tax.

Having an avid interest in both tax law and European law led me to your Masters. It would be an amazing opportunity to study tax laws in depth in the city where the Double Taxation Convention treaty was signed. Your modules in EU tax law, European and international tax moot court and value added tax would provide me with the expert knowledge to pursue a specialist tax position upon graduating. My experience with legal writing, from both my degree and working life, would help me to complete the dissertation successfully.

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Future Lawyer Blog

Organising 101 for the gdl – how to start as you mean to go on….

Tags: GDL , mooting , organisation , time management .

I remember, so vividly, being sat in a lecture theatre on day one of the GDL feeling instantly overwhelmed by the amount of things that I needed to organise. As one of the many wannabe barristers on the GDL at City , I knew from the start that my GDL was focused on securing pupillage. I was keen to make a dent in the endless list of opportunities at City: mooting, pro bono, evening workshops and chambers evenings. 

As I am sure was the case for many, my undergraduate degree afforded me four modules per year whereas the GDL involves seven core modules plus three extra ones. To stay on top of work and to take full advantage of extra-curriculars, it is important to be organised. It is easy to get bogged down on focusing on an upcoming moot and totally forgetting to prep for a tutorial. With that in mind, I have come up for five top tips for staying organised on the GDL.

1. Make a study timetable … and stick to it

I devised a fortnightly time table for each term that blocked out full days to work on a particular subject. On that day, I would do the core reading and the tutorial questions – that way I knew I would get something out of each lesson, even if I had other things on. It is easy to fall behind when you have lots on and keeping up with the course eases the burden during exams. Working on a two-week schedule also allowed for buffer days to prepare for moots, write applications or undertake minis. It also sets a clear checklist so you never feel like you aren’t progressing. 

The way you organise your work does not have to be the same as everybody else – the important thing is to establish a routine. I had worked full-time for two years prior to starting the GDL which meant I was out of practice with studying. Creating this routine made studying more like a job insofar as I had short deadlines and lots to balance. Some days will be more productive than others, but I always made sure that I stuck to my routine so that I could use the teaching offered by City most effectively. 

2. Use the tutorials to your advantage 

I would start with the tutorial questions and work backwards. There is no need to know absolutely everything (even though it may feel like it!) so it’s best to understand the legal concept and use the tutorials to clarify ideas. The lecturers at City use the tutorials to go through the set questions which prompts discussion about specific cases and judicial comment. This, coupled with contributions from classmates, means that focusing on a productive tutorial can bear more fruit than simply reading a textbook. Your classmates are also in the same boat as you; working with others also helps to share the load and develops your understanding of a topic. 

For example, a criminal law tutorial might present a scenario where someone has died and there are numerous things to consider. It is important to separate these issues out. For instance, if there has been a murder and there seems to be no issue with actus reus or mens rea, you will need to consider defences to murder. Instead of jumping straight in, separate the reasons why you think there might be defences out individually: is there a recognised medical condition at play or has the defendant been provoked? Breaking down the factors (i.e. exploring an instance of sexual infidelity or a schizophrenic episode) means that you properly consider all aspects of the question. Remember: the words of the questions are chosen carefully to include a range of issues!

3. Be realistic with what you can commit to 

It is easy to spend your life doing law related things but remember that rest (and a social life) is important too. This is particularly easy to do on a course that is designed to lead to a particular career path. Many students choose City because of its reputation to law firms and sets. It is an incredibly competitive environment and the aim of a training contract / pupillage can be all consuming. It is important to make sure you have a breadth of experience without overburdening yourself. This can come in the form of practical limitation as well as time-management. 

On the first point, I picked a pro-bono project that suited my practice interests but also was flexible and regular. My project ( CommUnify ) was always on a Tuesday and I could pick when I was able to attend. I commuted throughout the GDL and so would have found it practically difficult to do projects that involved too much travel. This meant that I knew I was able to commit to attending. City offered lots of pro-bono opportunities so it was easy to find one that suited my needs. Similarly, I limited myself to two mooting competitions so that I did not detract too much from my studies. I did both with City ( Cecilia and the Internal) so that I could find my feet amongst my peers. 

On the latter point, ensuring that you do your studies, moot, undertake pro-bono, complete mini-pupillages – as well as a mountain of other things – can be incredibly burdensome. These things are important but do not need to be done simultaneously. I was fortunate enough to have completed a few minis before I started at City so they were not a priority for me whereas Mooting, of which I had done none, was.  I focused on mooting in my first term and more on pro-bono in my second. There can feel the pressure to get everything done before the pupillage deadline but, from my experience of interviews, I was asked what has changed since my application. Chambers were alive to the fact that some projects were new and/or ongoing. 

4. Take advantage of the coursework.

Extra essays often become a task that drops down your to-do list. I did not do any courseworks until March; I wish I had done. Doing the essays gives you the chance to see the level you are working at and can steer you in the right direction. I know from personal experience the impact that getting concrete feedback can have; it might soothe any fears about a particular module or give you a push to polish your knowledge of another. Getting essay practice in before exams was particularly important for those (including me) who had been employed prior to the GDL and were severely out of practice when it came to essay writing. Writing essays also gets you into a good rhythm of coming up with arguments and academics related to a topic; this is an invaluable resource when revising for exams. These arguments also apply to the mocks; I did all seven and whilst it was tiring, it gave me such a good basis for exams and meant that I knew exactly what I needed to work on during my revision. All feedback (good or bad) is constructive so use your teachers!

Demonstrating prowess as an advocate is essential to any person wanting to secure pupillage. Mooting is a really great way to develop your skills as an advocate. It gives you the chance to test your ability to deconstruct a problem and come up with a legal solution. If you do well, it is a great addition to pupillage applications to show that you are a strong advocate. I did not know what a moot was before I started at City. City had organised for 4 New Square Chambers to come in to give a talk and a workshop on mooting. This was a great introduction on how to write a skeleton argument, how to present, and a chance to meet new people on the course. It gave me the confidence to enter my first moot, which I did alongside a friend. It was an invaluable and enjoyable experience. The final display of work after weeks of preparation gave me such a rush – something that helped remind me of why I want to be a barrister – which can be forgotten when buried in work!

For those in a similar position to what I was, I would thoroughly recommend attending mooting workshops. It eliminated the initial trial-and-error issues related to what judges expect. Doing moots with City means that they are relatively spread out which means that you aren’t trying to prepare for three moots simultaneously. There is lots of support for mooting at City, particularly on Lawbore (see Mooting on Learnmore ), so take advantage!

Thanks to Lissy Verrall for this helpful piece. Lissy completed her undergraduate degree in Government and History at the London School of Economics. Following which, she worked at the Ministry of Justice. Lissy completed the GDL at City in 2019/2020. 

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GDL vs PGDL: What Does the Change Mean For You?

The route to law has seen quite a few changes over the last couple of years. Find out what the PGDL means for non-law students looking to have a career in law, and how it differs from the original GDL course.

• GDL vs PGDL
• See what the new conversion course means for non-law students
• Find out how it compares to the GDL
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Studying a non-law degree can still lead to a legal career – but you’ll often need to complete a conversion course first. The PGDL vs GDL debate is therefore one you’re likely to come across.

What is a conversion course?

In law, a conversion course is an academic course of study (and the related exams) required for an aspiring lawyer with a non-law degree . For example, if you’ve achieved a BA in History and want to pursue a career as a solicitor , you’d need to complete a conversion course (then the SQE and QWE ) before going any further.

Conversion courses are designed to bring you up to speed with all the content taught during a three-year law degree. These courses, however, are much shorter (and thus more intense) – the most condensed versions can last 8 months while, with part time study, they could take up to 2 years.

Naturally, these courses are typically viewed as challenging . Students usually have three attempts to pass each module, after which point they will need to re-sit the entire conversion course. The percentages required to pass are usually around 40%, but to achieve high marks (such as a distinction), you’re looking at 70%+. Achieving particularly high grades is sometimes also met with some form of reward if you’re being sponsored! If you’re not being sponsored through law school, working hard to achieve the top grades available is an excellent way of demonstrating your academic strength when applying to opportunities post-law school.

These courses are often provided by specialist ‘law schools’ (such as The University of Law ) as well as a handful of more traditional universities. Based on the chosen institution, these courses can be offered via in-person teaching, remotely, or a combination of both. Most of these providers will be asking for at least a 2.2 in your degree (or equivalent qualification).

If you’re progressing through law school via some form of sponsorship (e.g. a training contract from a law firm), they’ll often make many of these decisions for you (typically they may pick the law school, put you onto an accelerated 8 month course and cover your fees).

The GDL (Graduate Diploma in Law) has historically been the essential conversion course that non-law graduates would complete at the start of law school. This program includes a basic introduction to key legal concepts, and includes the standard seven compulsory modules of:

• Contract Law
• Criminal Law
• Equity and Trusts

The course isn’t cheap – a full-time GDL preparation course can cost between £8,000 and £13,000 depending on your chosen provider. These costs can be partially covered by scholarships (e.g. via a training contract from a law firm sponsoring an aspiring solicitor, or via a Bar scholarship from an Inn of Court sponsoring an aspiring barrister ). The law schools themselves offer scholarships too (be sure to check with each individual institution). As already stated, it will last between 8 months and two years depending on the intensity of study chosen.

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SQE vs PGDL?

The route for solicitor qualification has recently changed – from the LPC (Legal Practice Course) to the SQE (Solicitors Qualifying Exam). There are a number of differences to be considered when choosing which path is right for you (candidates still have a choice between the two if they started a law course before September 1st 2021).

However, the specific effects of this change on the non-law route (specifically on the conversion courses) are worth noting. The SQE hasn’t technically replaced just the LPC itself – it’s replaced both the LPC and the GDL which you’d usually complete beforehand. As a result, SQE candidates don’t actually need to complete a conversion course anymore (all that’s required is a degree – in any subject). Barristers do still need to complete a conversion course.

In reality, though, jumping straight from a non-law degree into the SQE is unlikely to end well – the gap in necessary knowledge will be apparent immediately (for this reason, many training contract holders are still being asked by sponsoring firms to complete a conversion course regardless of their optional nature). Consequently, the law schools developed new (optional) conversion courses that have come into place instead of the GDL – the most well-known of which is the PGDL (Postgraduate Diploma in Law). Despite all this complexity then, we have ironically arrived back in a place where many candidates will still be completing a two-year stint at law school (with their first year a conversion courses and their second year a professional qualification course) – but the specific courses have changed from the GDL and LPC to the PGDL and SQE for aspiring solicitors.

The PGDL is similar in many respects to the GDL – both are ultimately designed to bring you up to speed with the core content you missed in a law degree, including the seven foundational areas of law. Both are also offered in a variety of formats, and have similar price ranges. However, the PGDL has been designed specifically with the new SQE qualification in mind, and so provides more focus on topics that are likely to resurface in the SQE exams ( especially SQE1 ). For example, Company Law was not compulsory on the GDL, but is for the PGDL (since that topic plays a large role in the SQE).

It’s also worth noting that the PGDL is not the only conversion course now available – courses offering masters, such as those titled ‘ MA Law (Conversion) ’ have sprung up recently, too. The key thing to remember here is that each institution will title their courses slightly differently, so it’s important to work out what you’re actually being offered at each (and the relevant pros and cons). For example, BPP’s route to achieving the PGDL is sometimes labelled as the ‘Law Foundations Course’. Thorough research comparing what’s on offer (and what suits you) is strongly advised.

In short, the PGDL and GDL are both forms of conversion course taken by non-law graduates looking to qualify into legal careers. The GDL has traditionally been the expectation, whereas the introduction of the SQE route has changed things for solicitors, who can now qualify without a conversion course, but will often still choose to complete one – the PGDL (and numerous other courses, such as MA Law Conversion courses) rose to fill that void. Aspiring lawyers deciding on which route is best for them should naturally consider the obvious factors (cost, mode of study, institutions offering the course, etc), but must also keep an eye on what they plan to do next, since the most important difference between the GDL and PGDL remains the fact that the PGDL was designed with the SQE in mind, whereas the GDL has historically suited the LPC. Both courses, however, are reliable and recognised ways for aspiring lawyers with a non-law background to begin their career.

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PGDL Personal Statement

• Thread starter caitlinayre
• Start date Jan 26, 2022

caitlinayre

Active member.

• Jan 26, 2022

Hi everyone! I am just wondering if anyone can give me some advice/tips on what to write for my PGDL personal statement? I know I should cover the basics such as 'why law' and skills but any other tips would be greatly appreciated!  

Jessica Booker

Legendary member.

caitlinayre said: Hi everyone! I am just wondering if anyone can give me some advice/tips on what to write for my PGDL personal statement? I know I should cover the basics such as 'why law' and skills but any other tips would be greatly appreciated! Click to expand...

Jessica Booker said: I’ll be honest - I wouldn’t worry about it too much, it’s more of a tick box exercise to ensure you can write reasonably well to see if there is less risk that you will fail. I have never heard of someone with reasonable academics (eg a 2.1) not getting on to a GDL course. Click to expand...

anon123456789

Valued member.

Jessica is right, it's so rare if you have decent academics not to get on. Your plan sounds absolutely fine! I'm happy to send you a copy of mine (I'm doing an MA Law which is basically a PGDL) if you need a bit more of a template. I'm not sure how to do it on here but you can connect me on Linkedin through my bio if you like! It's basically just why law and looking at the skills from my BA that I could apply to an MA as well as extra-curricular legal interests so I wouldn't stress too much about it.  

c-lear said: Jessica is right, it's so rare if you have decent academics not to get on. Your plan sounds absolutely fine! I'm happy to send you a copy of mine (I'm doing an MA Law which is basically a PGDL) if you need a bit more of a template. I'm not sure how to do it on here but you can connect me on Linkedin through my bio if you like! It's basically just why law and looking at the skills from my BA that I could apply to an MA as well as extra-curricular legal interests so I wouldn't stress too much about it. Click to expand...

stone’sthrow

Esteemed member.

• Jan 15, 2023

Hi, Would someone be able to advise me on writing a personal statement to apply for the PGDL? I’ve created an account to send the application through. I plan to put BPP and the University of Law as my first and second choice, respectively, but I have no clue where to begin with the statement. Are there any example or past statements online? Does anybody know how long it takes the course providers to respond once you have sent your application?  

anon123456789 said: Jessica is right, it's so rare if you have decent academics not to get on. Your plan sounds absolutely fine! I'm happy to send you a copy of mine (I'm doing an MA Law which is basically a PGDL) if you need a bit more of a template. I'm not sure how to do it on here but you can connect me on Linkedin through my bio if you like! It's basically just why law and looking at the skills from my BA that I could apply to an MA as well as extra-curricular legal interests so I wouldn't stress too much about it. Click to expand...

birdlawspecialist said: Hi, Would someone be able to advise me on writing a personal statement to apply for the PGDL? I’ve created an account to send the application through. I plan to put BPP and the University of Law as my first and second choice, respectively, but I have no clue where to begin with the statement. Are there any example or past statements online? Does anybody know how long it takes the course providers to respond once you have sent your application? Click to expand...

Jessica Booker said: I personally wouldn't worry about it too much - its very much a process/tick box exercise rather than anything thorough. The providers will not waste anytime in getting back to you - they tend to try and get you signed up soon as possible (there is no rush to sign up unless they are giving you a substantial discount). Click to expand...

birdlawspecialist said: Hi @Jessica Booker Thank you! When would you say is the latest to aim to apply for the PGDL? I am applying for summer vacation schemes but I want to make sure I can start the PGDL in September in case I do not secure a Training Contract this cycle. If we are given a PGDL place and but then secure a TC, does the law firm move us into different classes in order to be with their cohort? Or is the PGDL all mixed up with both non-future trainees and future trainees? I heard that LPC/SQE future trainees are grouped together but I wasn’t sure if they are grouped for the PGDL/GDL. Click to expand...

• Nov 16, 2023

caitlinayre said: Hi everyone! I am just wondering if anyone can give me some advice/tips on what to write for my PGDL personal statement? I know I should cover the basics such as 'why law' and skills but any other tips would be greatly appreciated! caitlinayre said: Thank you! This is reassuring haha Click to expand...

Lawlillie said: Hi Caitlyn, I hope you’re doing well! Would you be willing to email me a copy of the personal statement that was shared with you? I’m having the hardest time formatting/ deciding what to write about and haven’t been able to find any good examples online. would you mind sending me a private message with a copy to. I’d be so grateful! Thank you so much! Lillie Click to expand...

• Nov 20, 2023

I agree. I have seen the personal statements eg fairly recently for my two sons and I am a lawyer who asked me to glance at them (during the pandemic). Almost everyone with a 2/2 or higher who can pay the fees gets a place. So theirs were just about why they like law, their interests in it, anything they have done relating to it - One of them stayed in his university city for the PGDL so he mentioned why that city was where he needed to be, he talked about why he was interested in law, what he hoped to get out of the PGDL. It was about 600 words for each of my sons. Probably something added about why his university course gave useful skills to take over into law studies; bit about hobbies and interests and finally a bit about previous work - not necessarily law work but holiday jobs etc. This is not like the UCAS personal statement people agonise over for months. It is almost instead a box ticking exercise. I am an old lawyer and in my day places were rationed based on number of solicitors/barristers needed and I think I applied on the first day applications (on paper in those days opened). Then the system was changed to allow almost anyone who can pay who has a reasonable degree to get on the course so you really don't need to worry about the statement although it is probably a useful exercise in writing good English and setting out why you like law as you will be writing about similar things countless times in TC etc applications in due course, if not already done during a degree.  

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WASHINGTON — Following a successful filing season pilot and feedback from a variety of partners, the Internal Revenue Service announced today that it will make Direct File a permanent option for filing federal tax returns starting in the 2025 tax season.

The agency is exploring ways to expand Direct File to make more taxpayers eligible in the 2025 filing season and beyond by examining options to broaden Direct File’s availability across the nation, including covering more tax situations and inviting all states to partner with Direct File next year.

The IRS plans to announce additional details on the 2025 expansion in the coming months.

The decision follows a highly successful, limited pilot during the 2024 filing season, where 140,803 taxpayers in 12 states filed their taxes using Direct File. The IRS closely analyzed data collected during the pilot, held numerous meetings with diverse groups of stakeholders and gathered feedback from individual Direct File users, state officials and representatives across the tax landscape. The IRS heard directly from hundreds of organizations across the country, more than a hundred members of Congress and from those interested in using Direct File in the future. The IRS has also heard from a limited number of stakeholders who believe the current free electronic filing options provided by third party vendors are adequate.

The IRS will continue data analysis and stakeholder engagement to identify improvements to Direct File; however, initial post-pilot analysis yielded enough information for the decision to make Direct File a permanent filing option. The IRS noted that an early decision on 2025 was critical for planning and programming both for the IRS and for additional states to join the program. IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel recommended to Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen to make Direct File permanent. He cited overwhelming satisfaction from users and improved ease of tax filing among the reasons for his recommendation, which Secretary Yellen has accepted.

“The clear message is that many taxpayers across the nation want the IRS to provide more than one no-cost option for filing electronically,” said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. “So, starting with the 2025 filing season, the IRS will make Direct File a permanent option for filing federal tax returns. Giving taxpayers additional options strengthens the tax filing system. And adding Direct File to the menu of filing options fits squarely into our effort to make taxes as easy as possible for Americans, including saving time and money.”

State and eligibility expansion

Building on the success of the limited pilot – where taxpayers with relatively simple tax situations in 12 states were eligible to use Direct File – the IRS is examining ways to expand eligibility to more taxpayers across the country. For the 2025 filing season, the IRS will work with all states that want to partner with Direct File, and there will be no limit to the number of states that can participate in the coming year. The agency expects several new states will choose to participate.

The IRS is also exploring ways to gradually expand the scope of tax situations supported by Direct File. Over the coming years, the agency’s goal is to expand Direct File to support most common tax situations, with a particular focus on those situations that impact working families. Announcements about new state partners and expanded eligibility are expected in the coming months.

“User experience – both within the product and integration with state tax systems – will continue to be the foundation for Direct File moving forward,” Werfel said. “We will focus, first and foremost, on continuing to get it right. Accuracy and comprehensive tax credit uptake will be paramount concerns to ensure taxpayers file a correct return and get the refund they’re entitled to. And our North Star will be improving the experience of tax filing itself and helping taxpayers meet their obligations as easily and quickly as possible.”

Direct File’s role in the tax system

During the agency’s review, many taxpayers told the IRS they want no-cost filing options. Millions of taxpayers who did not live in one of the 12 pilot states visited the Direct File website to learn more about this option or asked live chat assistors to make Direct File available in their state.

As a permanent filing option, Direct File will continue to be one option among many from which taxpayers can choose. It is not meant to replace other important options by tax professionals or commercial software providers, who are critical partners with the IRS in delivering a successful tax system for the nation. The IRS also remains committed to the ongoing relationship with Free File Inc., which has served taxpayers for two decades in the joint effort to provide free commercial software. Earlier this month, the IRS signed a five-year extension with industry to continue Free File.

As the IRS works to expand Direct File, it will also work to strengthen all free filing options for taxpayers, including Free File, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA) and the Tax Counseling for the Elderly program (TCE).

Pilot analysis and feedback

In the six weeks following the close of the Direct File pilot, the IRS closely analyzed pilot data and gathered feedback from diverse groups of stakeholders, including Direct File users, state officials and representatives across the country’s tax community.

While data analysis and partner engagement are ongoing, the IRS’ post-pilot analysis has yielded three conclusions that support making Direct File a permanent tax filing solution:

1. Taxpayers overwhelmingly liked using Direct File

As detailed in the IRS Direct File Pilot: Filing Season 2024 After Action Report PDF , more than 15,000 Direct File users participated in the General Services Administration’s Touchpoints survey, which collects comprehensive user feedback about government systems:

• 90% of respondents ranked their experience as Excellent or Above Average.
• When asked what they particularly liked, respondents most commonly cited Direct File’s ease of use, trustworthiness and that it was free.
• Additionally, 86% of respondents said that their experience with Direct File increased their trust in the IRS.
• 90% of survey respondents who used customer support rated that experience as Excellent or Above Average.

For the primary quantitative measure of taxpayer opinions of Direct File, the IRS selected the Net Promoter Score (NPS) customer sentiment metric, which asks users, “On a scale from 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend Direct File to a friend or family member?” NPS scores range from -100-+100. Direct File has a NPS of +74. If compared to benchmark scores from financial services companies, Direct File would lead in eight of nine categories.

2. Direct File made the tax filing experience easier

Direct File’s users reported saving time: Filing taxes with Direct File generally took less than an hour, and many reported filing in as little as 30 minutes. Nearly half of Direct File users reported paying for tax preparation the previous year, and the Treasury Department estimates that Direct File users saved $5.6 million in tax preparation fees this filing season.

3. Direct File helps catalyze the IRS’s digital transformation

To build Direct File, the IRS assembled a team of experienced tax experts, digital product specialists, engineers and data scientists from across the federal government. The agency partnered with the U.S. Digital Service and GSA’s 18F, as well as private sector partners, who all brought critical agile technology expertise. Working side by side at IRS headquarters and collaborating with remote team members across the country, the Direct File team developed and delivered a strong technology product.

The Direct File pilot also gave the IRS the chance to test customer service innovations on a large scale.

Live Chat served as Direct File’s primary customer support channel because it could be integrated directly into the product. This allowed customer support to gradually expand in concert with the overall number of users in each phase of the pilot. The IRS is exploring how this approach could impact taxpayer service overall as the agency works to provide taxpayers with more choices in how they can interact with the IRS.

“We’re mindful that the most important decision we made during the pilot was to focus on executional certainty,” Werfel said. “We took the time to get it right. We found the right first step to test the demand and the user experience and build a strong product. We will apply that same critical lesson for next year as we take a strategic approach to expanding Direct File’s availability and capabilities.”

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