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A strong legal writing sample is essential for attorneys today. It often gives employers their first look at how you analyze issues, organize arguments, and communicate with clients and courts. Because of this, you must treat your writing sample as a strategic piece of your job search, not as a routine attachment.

Learn more from this guide: BCG Attorney Search Legal Career Resources

Why the legal writing sample matters

To begin, employers use your legal writing sample as an objective test of your analytical skills and judgment. Résumés and interviews reveal background and personality. However, the writing sample shows how you actually think on the page. It highlights how you frame issues, select authorities, and reach clear conclusions. As a result, many hiring partners rely on the sample more than any other part of the application.

What employers want in a legal writing sample

Legal writing sample: analysis and reasoning

First, your legal writing sample must show tight, logical reasoning. Walk the reader through the facts, the governing law, and the application step by step. Then explain why your conclusion follows. Clear rule statements, organized headings, and focused paragraphs all help reviewers follow your analysis quickly.

Legal writing sample: clarity and readability

Next, employers look for clarity. Use direct language, active verbs, and precise word choices. Moreover, avoid unnecessary jargon and long, winding sentences. Transitional phrases such as “for example,” “in contrast,” and “therefore” guide the reader and signal how each point connects to the last.

Legal writing sample: presentation and format

In addition, the document must look professional. Choose a readable font, consistent margins, page numbers, and clean spacing. If you include an excerpt, attach a short cover note that explains the context, the procedural posture, and whether anyone else edited the work.

How to Refine and Prepare Your Top Writing Piece

First, select a recent piece that you primarily drafted yourself and that reflects the kind of work you want to do briefs for litigation roles, contracts or memoranda for transactional positions. Then, confirm that you have removed or disguised any confidential information.

After you choose the piece, revise it more than once. Cut redundant sections, tighten wordy sentences, and update any outdated citations. Furthermore, proofread carefully for grammar, citation format, and typographical errors. A single obvious mistake can raise questions about the care you bring to client work.

Finally, convert the document to PDF before you send it, so your formatting stays intact on every device.

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid sending a sample that is too long or far outside the requested page limit. Do not submit a document that partners or colleagues heavily rewrote without explaining that fact. Also, never overlook redaction of client names or sensitive facts. Each of these missteps can make employers question your judgment rather than admire your skills.

Learn more from this guide: BCG Attorney Search Legal Career Resources

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