You’ve written a good email; now comes a small but surprisingly stressful question: what do you actually attach? Send too little and you seem unprepared; send a folder of ten files and you seem like you don’t know what matters. Recruiters and lawyers have a clear, simple preference here, and once you know it, this stops being a worry. Let me tell you exactly what to attach, what to hold back, and how to present it so it helps rather than hinders.
Quick answer
For most legal internship applications, attach one thing: a clean, one-page PDF CV, named properly. Add a cover letter or writing sample only if the application asks for one or if it’s genuinely relevant and requested. Do not attach certificates, marksheets, photos, or a pile of documents; they clutter your application and rarely get opened. Keep it minimal, relevant and well-formatted: your email plus a strong CV is usually the whole package.
What to attach
- Your CV, always. Send a clean, one-page, evidence-based CV as a PDF. For most internship applications, this is the essential attachment.
- A cover letter, only when needed. If the application specifically asks for one, send it. Otherwise, your email can usually serve as the cover note. A separate cover letter makes more sense for a formal or carefully targeted application.
- A writing sample, only when relevant. Chambers and research-heavy roles may value one. Instead of attaching it automatically, mention that you’re happy to share a sample and send it if requested.
What NOT to attach
This is where students overdo it. Please leave out certificates and participation letters, Class 10/12 marksheets, your photograph, ID documents, and long portfolios of everything you’ve ever done. None of these help at the application stage, and a stack of files signals you don’t know what a recruiter actually wants. If it’s not your CV (and, when relevant, a cover letter or requested writing sample), it probably shouldn’t be attached. Keep the application clean and focused.
How to name and format your files
Small details, real impression. Name your CV clearly – Firstname_Lastname_CV.pdf – not cv final final2.pdf or Document1. Send PDFs (they preserve formatting) unless the application specifically asks for Word. Keep file sizes reasonable, and double-check you’ve actually attached the file before hitting send (the classic “please find attached” with nothing attached is an avoidable slip). Clean, well-named files quietly signal that you’re organised and professional.
YLCC ACTION STEP: Before you send your next application, check three things: Is my CV a properly named, one-page PDF? Am I attaching only what’s needed (not a pile of certificates)? Did I actually attach it? Those three checks prevent almost every attachment mistake and take thirty seconds.
PLEASE DON’T DO THIS: Please don’t attach ten certificates and your marksheets “to be safe”, it does the opposite of helping. And please don’t send a badly named file like cv1.pdf from a folder of drafts. Minimal, relevant and well-named beats are comprehensive and cluttered every time.
FAQs
- What should I attach to a legal internship application? Usually just a clean, one-page PDF CV, named properly. Add a cover letter or writing sample only if asked or clearly relevant.
- Should I attach certificates and marksheets? No, they clutter your application and rarely get opened. Leave them out unless specifically requested.
- Do I need a cover letter? Often your email serves as the cover letter. Attach a separate one only if the application asks for it or it’s a considered, formal application.
- Should I send a writing sample? Offer it in your email and send it if they want it, rather than attaching it unprompted. Some chambers and research roles value one.
- PDF or Word for my CV? PDF preserves formatting and is preferred, unless the application specifically asks for Word.
Thank you for reading!
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