Some applications, especially for chambers, research roles and certain firm and clerkship positions, ask for a writing sample, and it can throw students who have never prepared one. What counts? What do you pick? How do you make it strong, and what if your best work is confidential? A writing sample is actually a great opportunity, because it shows directly what your CV only claims: that you can research, reason and write. Let me show you how to prepare one that impresses.
Quick answer
A legal writing sample is a piece of your legal writing that demonstrates your research, reasoning and writing ability, such as a research memo, a case note, a section of a paper, or a piece of legal analysis. Choose something relevant, genuinely your own, and of high quality; polish it carefully; handle any confidentiality by using non-confidential work or suitably redacting; and present it cleanly with brief context. The reader wants to see that you can think and write like a lawyer, so pick and prepare your sample to show exactly that.
What counts as a good writing sample
A strong sample shows legal thinking and clear writing. Common choices include a research memo, a case comment or note, a section of a research paper or article, a legal analysis, or a piece of drafting where appropriate. What matters is that it demonstrates your ability to take a legal question or issue, reason through it, and express it clearly and correctly. The subject can align with the role where possible (for example, a disputes-flavoured sample for a disputes role), but strong legal writing on any relevant topic works. Quality of thinking and writing matters more than the specific format.
How to choose your sample
- Relevance: where you can, choose something aligned with the role or its practice area. If not, choose your strongest piece of legal writing.
- Genuinely your own work: it must be authentically yours and something you can discuss and stand behind if asked.
- Quality: pick a piece that shows you at your best, well-reasoned and well-written.
- Appropriate length: follow any length guidance given; if none, a focused piece or a strong excerpt is usually better than a very long document.
Handling confidentiality
If your best writing came from an internship or job and involves confidential material, do not submit it as-is. Instead, use writing that is not confidential (academic work, a published or publishable piece, a sample you have prepared independently), or suitably adapt or redact so nothing confidential is disclosed, if that is even appropriate. When in doubt, prepare a fresh, non-confidential sample rather than risk disclosing sensitive material. Protecting confidentiality is itself professional, and readers understand and expect it.
Polish it before you send it
Your writing sample is a direct test of your writing, so it must be polished. Proofread it meticulously, because errors in a writing sample are especially damaging; they undercut the very skill you are demonstrating. Make sure the reasoning is clear, the structure is logical, citations are correct, and the whole piece reads cleanly. If it is an excerpt, add a brief note of context so it stands on its own. A well-chosen sample let down by typos or sloppiness does more harm than good, so invest the time to make it genuinely clean.
YLCC ACTION STEP: Prepare one strong, non-confidential writing sample now, before you need it, so it is ready when an application asks. Choose your best relevant piece of legal writing, polish it meticulously (reasoning, structure, citations, proofreading), and keep it on hand. Having a ready, polished sample means you can respond to any request immediately with your best work.
PLEASE DON’T DO THIS: Please don’t submit confidential work from an internship or job as a writing sample; use non-confidential work instead. And please don’t send an unpolished sample with typos or weak reasoning; on a writing sample, errors are especially damaging because writing is the exact skill being tested. Choose well and polish thoroughly.
FAQs
- What is a legal writing sample? A piece of your legal writing (a research memo, case note, section of a paper, or legal analysis) that demonstrates your research, reasoning and writing ability for an application.
- What should I choose as a writing sample? Something relevant where possible, genuinely your own, and high quality, following any length guidance. Strong legal thinking and clear writing matter most.
- Can I use work from my internship? Not if it is confidential. Use non-confidential work (academic or independently prepared) instead, and never disclose sensitive material.
- How long should a writing sample be? Follow any guidance given. If none, a focused piece or a strong, self-contained excerpt is usually better than a very long document.
- How do I make my writing sample strong? Choose your best relevant piece, ensure clear reasoning and structure and correct citations, and proofread meticulously. On a writing sample, polish is essential.
Thank you for reading!
If you found this article helpful, explore more resources from YLCC and continue your legal learning journey.
Thank you for reading!
If you found this article helpful, explore more resources from YLCC and continue your legal learning journey.
