This guide helps you write a clear, practical cover letter for an internship as a contract attorney. You will find a focused structure and example phrases to highlight your coursework, drafting experience, and attention to detail.
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💡 Pro tip: Use this template as a starting point. Customize it with your own experience, skills, and achievements.
Key Elements of a Strong Cover Letter
Start with a specific reason you want this internship and mention the firm or organization by name. This shows you did your research and helps you stand out from generic applications.
Highlight contract drafting, review, or research you completed in class, clinics, or prior internships. Focus on concrete tasks and the skills you used, such as spotting ambiguous terms or organizing contract clauses.
Mention relevant courses like Contracts, Commercial Law, or Negotiation and explain how they prepared you for the role. Pair coursework with hands-on examples so hiring managers see practical readiness.
Explain why the firm is a good place for you to learn and contribute, citing a project, practice area, or value the firm emphasizes. End with a clear call to action that invites follow up, such as expressing interest in an interview.
Cover Letter Structure
1. Header
Header: Include your name, contact information, law school and expected graduation date, and the date of the application. Keep formatting clean so a reader can quickly find your details.
2. Greeting
Greeting: Address the letter to a specific contact whenever possible, using their name and title. If you cannot find a name, use a neutral greeting that references the hiring committee or internship program.
3. Opening Paragraph
Opening paragraph: Start with a concise hook that states the position you want and why you applied, mentioning the firm by name. Add one line that summarizes your most relevant qualification, such as prior contract drafting or clinic experience.
4. Body Paragraph(s)
Body paragraphs: Use one or two short paragraphs to give concrete examples of your experience, focusing on outcomes and skills you used. Show how your work reduced risk, clarified terms, or improved a process, and keep each paragraph tight and specific.
5. Closing Paragraph
Closing paragraph: Reiterate your interest and how the internship fits your goals, and offer to provide writing samples or references. End by thanking the reader and requesting a chance to discuss your candidacy in an interview.
6. Signature
Signature: Close with a professional sign off such as Sincerely or Best regards, followed by your full name. Below your name include your phone number and email for easy contact.
Dos and Don'ts
Do tailor each letter to the firm and role, mentioning a specific practice area or project that appeals to you.
Do open with a strong, specific statement of interest and one key qualification within the first paragraph.
Do provide concrete examples of contract work, such as clauses you drafted, problems you identified, or research you performed.
Do keep the letter to one page and use short paragraphs that are easy to scan on a busy reader's schedule.
Do include an offer to provide writing samples or references and invite the reader to arrange an interview.
Don’t repeat your entire resume line by line, instead highlight two or three items that directly relate to contract work.
Don’t use vague phrases about being a team player without concrete examples of collaboration or outcomes.
Don’t overuse legal jargon or case names that do not add clear value to your qualifications.
Don’t submit a generic cover letter without the firm name or role, as that signals a lack of effort.
Don’t forget to proofread for grammar, punctuation, and consistent formatting before sending.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Focusing only on coursework without showing how you applied those concepts in practice can make your letter feel theoretical. Pair courses with concrete examples from clinics, internships, or drafting exercises.
Using long dense paragraphs makes it hard for readers to pick out your strengths, so break content into short 2-3 sentence paragraphs. This keeps the letter scannable for busy hiring managers.
Failing to explain the value you brought in past roles leaves readers guessing, so describe what you improved or clarified in contracts you worked on. Quantify impact when possible, such as reducing review time or clarifying liability terms.
Neglecting the firm’s focus or culture can harm your fit argument, so reference a recent matter, practice area, or the firm’s stated values to show alignment.
Practical Writing Tips & Customization Guide
Lead with a one-line summary of your strongest qualification to grab attention within the first 100 words.
Attach or offer a short writing sample that shows contract drafting or redlining, and label it clearly in your application.
If you lack formal experience, describe clinic work, moot transactions, or pro bono drafting that demonstrates similar skills.
Ask a mentor or career counselor to read your letter aloud with you to catch tone issues and unclear phrasing.
Cover Letter Examples
Example 1 — Recent Graduate (Transactional Focus)
Dear Hiring Manager,
I am a rising 3L at Columbia Law School with a 3. 7 GPA and concentrated coursework in Contracts, Commercial Law, and Corporate Transactions.
During a 10-week clinic, I drafted and negotiated more than 25 commercial agreements for small businesses, cutting average turnaround time from 10 days to 7 days by introducing a clause checklist and standard template language. I also researched and wrote 12 client memoranda on contract remedies and indemnity, two of which informed client negotiations that avoided litigation.
I am proficient with Westlaw, Microsoft Word advanced drafting tools, and ClauseBase for clause libraries.
I am excited to join your firm’s contract team because of your emphasis on high-volume transactional work and mentorship for junior attorneys. I will bring precise drafting skills, a tested clause library, and the ability to learn fast under pressure.
Sincerely, Jane A.
What makes this effective:
- •Uses concrete metrics (25+ agreements, reduced turnaround by 30%).
- •Matches skills to firm needs and names relevant tools.
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Example 2 — Career Changer (Paralegal to Contract Attorney Intern)
Dear Hiring Committee,
After four years as a corporate paralegal at Brightwell Inc. , I managed a contract repository of 500+ agreements and led a quarterly review that reduced outstanding renewals by 40%.
I created a standardized review checklist that cut first-pass errors by 22% and negotiated amendment terms with vendors on behalf of the legal team. Outside of work, I completed an online Contract Drafting certificate and drafted clause libraries for three nonprofit clients.
I seek an internship to transition into attorney drafting and negotiation work. My strengths—process design, attention to clause-level detail, and client communication—will allow me to support your deal team from day one.
I welcome the chance to discuss how I can help reduce review cycles and tighten contract risk controls.
Sincerely, Alex M.
What makes this effective:
- •Demonstrates transferable results (40% fewer renewals, 22% fewer errors).
- •Shows initiative (certificate, pro bono drafting) and clear goals.
Practical Writing Tips
1. Open with impact.
Start with a one-sentence snapshot of who you are and a key result (e. g.
, “3L with 25+ commercial contracts drafted”). This immediately signals relevance and hooks the reader.
2. Quantify accomplishments.
Replace vague phrases with numbers: “reduced review time by 20%,” “managed 500+ agreements. ” Numbers show scale and credibility.
3. Match language to the job posting.
Mirror 2–3 terms from the posting (e. g.
, “contract drafting,” “NDAs,” “vendor negotiation”) to pass human and automated screens.
4. Show specific tools and methods.
Name software or systems you used (Westlaw, document automation, clause libraries) and explain one concrete improvement you made with them.
5. Keep paragraphs short.
Use 2–3 sentences per paragraph to improve readability and keep hiring teams engaged during quick scans.
6. Prioritize relevance over chronology.
Put the most job-related achievement first, even if it’s not your most recent role—hiring managers care about fit.
7. Use active verbs and clear outcomes.
Prefer “drafted,” “negotiated,” “reduced” over passive constructions to show ownership.
8. Address gaps or transitions briefly.
If changing careers, explain the transferable skill and give one example of applying it in a legal context.
9. Close with a specific next step.
Offer availability for a call or sample work (e. g.
, redlined clause) to make follow-up easy.
10. Proofread aloud and get a second read.
Reading aloud catches rhythm issues; a colleague can spot legal inaccuracies or tone problems.
Actionable takeaway: apply at least three tips to every draft—quantify, match language, and close with a next step.
How to Customize Your Cover Letter
Strategy 1 — Industry focus (Tech vs. Finance vs.
- •Tech: Emphasize speed, scalability, and IP/SAAS experience. Example: “Drafted 40 SaaS agreements and reduced SLA negotiation time by 35%.” Mention APIs, data-processing clauses, or privacy terms.
- •Finance: Highlight regulatory knowledge and precision. Example: “Reviewed 200 credit facility exhibits and flagged 12 compliance risks per quarter.” Use terms like covenants, representations, and regulatory frameworks.
- •Healthcare: Stress privacy and compliance (HIPAA, device regs). Example: “Performed HIPAA risk assessments for 5 providers and updated business associate clauses.” Show familiarity with consent and data-security language.
Strategy 2 — Company size (Startup vs.
- •Startups: Stress breadth and speed. Say you handled multiple roles: “Drafted term sheets, NDAs, and vendor agreements under tight timelines.” Show willingness to iterate and work cross-functionally.
- •Corporations: Emphasize process, risk control, and teamwork. Example: “Implemented a clause approval workflow used by 6 legal team members that cut approval time by 25%.” Mention governance, playbooks, and stakeholder coordination.
Strategy 3 — Job level (Entry-level vs.
- •Entry-level: Focus on learning, specific coursework, clinic work, and a small number of concrete wins (e.g., “drafted 8 commercial agreements in clinic”). Offer examples of quick uptake and attention to detail.
- •Senior-level: Lead with measurable impact and leadership. Example: “Led a contract remediation project covering 1,200 legacy agreements and reduced enterprise exposure by $2.4M.” Emphasize negotiation outcomes and team management.
Strategy 4 — Cross-cutting customizations
- •Mirror the employer’s metrics: If a job ad says “high-volume,” mention exact volume you handled (e.g., 100+ NDAs/month).
- •Use company signals: reference a recent deal, client type, or public goal and tie your experience to it: “I read about your Series B; I’ve helped startups in that stage with vendor contracts and cap table clauses.”
- •Offer a tangible sample: propose to share a redline or a one-page clause library tailored to their industry.
Actionable takeaway: choose 2 strategies per application—one about industry and one about company size or level—and include at least one quantified result tied to the employer’s stated needs.