Question on letters of recommendation

tausifnbashar

Hi all, I applied to some law schools last year but it didn't work out for me as I'd hoped. Now I am reapplying to some of these programs for the Fall '25 and was wondering if I need new letters of recommendations? For reference, I am fully employed but my work situation is currently more or less the same as the last time I applied. Also, I've been working for almost 3 years now, so am wondering if it's ok to include one LoR from grad school and 1 from work, or whether both should be from people who have known me recently, ie. work? Thanks in advance for answers!

ad051124

I am sort of in the same boat, but have just taken a year off. I was going to reach out the my professors from school to see if it was okay to use their letter or if they would update it.

burkeleighboyd

This is not professional advice just what i've heard and read: In general, a letter of recommendation from a school official is always valuable because it verifies your academic proficiency. However, your second letter should come from someone who can speak very highly of you and your work ethic. Ideally, this letter should be recent—within the last year or so—since your school reference letter is already a little older.

For an additional letter, consider a part-time summer internship. These typically last 2–3 months, and the application cycle for them is happening now. Look for opportunities that align with your application story—if you're writing about environmental law, for example, an environmental-focused internship would be ideal. The companies that offer internships also provide letters of recommendation upon completion.

If finding an internship is challenging because you’re not a recent graduate, volunteering can be a great alternative. Choose an organization that aligns with your application, work closely with them for a few months, and build relationships with key people who could later provide a strong recommendation.

Other options include messaging random people on LinkedIn, Reddit, Facebook or other "friend of a friend" avenues, to see who might be willing to write you a letter. This is a very common tactic for people who are not first generation law students. You could also ask your current employer for a letter, but only if you’re confident they will write a strong one. It’s generally better to have one excellent letter than three that are just average.