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Related Discussions
Can my attorney write me a letter of recommendation?
plspeer
Member
I'm currently both involved in a court case and attempting to apply to law school. My parents have told me to ask my attorney to write me a letter of recommendation, but I've said that I think this would be really weird. After all, I'm paying her, so why would the law school trust her objectivity?
BUT, when my attorney heard I'd taken the LSAT, she got REALLY excited and happy. She told me that the comments and feedback I've given on a certain document were "third-year associate level," and is thrilled that I'm planning to try for law school. So it would be really awesome if it wouldn't be weird to ask her for a recommendation, since she's both a well-respected attorney at one of the top law firms in our city, but genuinely gung-ho about my potential.
I'm 95% sure that everyone will tell me this is a terrible faux pas, but I thought I'd throw it out there.
- Can you ask your attorney to write a letter of recommendation for you?68 votes
- Yes, but only if they don't mention they're your attorney13.24%
- Yest, but only if they make it clear they're your attorney19.12%
- No way, this is bonkers to even consider!67.65%
Comments
Ignoring the impartiality aspect, I would say no on the grounds that there are better people to ask for LOR (assuming you have professors or bosses you can ask).
Personally, I would not. I believe admissions folk are looking for people who can attest to your scholastic &/or professional abilities. Someone that you hire as your advocate, IMO doesn't fit that capacity. I have hired attorneys before for a few different legal matters, and when I read your question I thought to myself would I have asked any of them for one? Again, personal opinion here but I would not do it myself. And I did not answer the poll, because I wouldn't say it's bonkers to consider. I can see where you're coming from. We try to think of everything and brainstorm as much as possible in this journey to law school. I don't know about your parents, but mine aren't savvy to the trying to get into law school life. My father suggested he write me an LOR. He said he has great things to say about me & knows me well enough. *sigh. His intentions were straight from the heart though.
No, please don't. Schools want your professors to write your LORs for a pretty important reason.
Nope. While I can see your parent's impetus for wanting the attorney to write you a letter, there's just no to value in it. The purpose of LORs are to show schools that you can perform well in an academic setting. Plus, like you said, she wouldn't be impartial since you're paying her.
I second this. Your parents probably don’t know what law schools want in LORs. A recommender should be someone who can speak about your academic ability. Admission officers don’t care about the rank of recommenders.
nah
As a paralegal, having worked with a number of lawyers, I would say no. It would be fairly uncomfortable, and might put your lawyer in an awkward position to have to say no. Plus, he might charge you for it!!!
Best to keep it to former professors or employers. If you did volunteer work or had some other association with a lawyer or judge, that would be appropriate.
No, just on on the basis on the conflict on interest.
No and not even exactly because of the conflict of interest. You really ought to have your letters written by a former teacher or employer. You are the employer of the lawyer. You could write a letter recommending the lawyer's product to others. However, while the lawyer might be glad you stayed involved in the case and asked constructive questions/made constructive comments, they didn't see much of your work product.
She sounds like a great resource to consult and ask questions about the law school process and the job market though!
No, don't ask them. It's not the right kind of relationship for an LOR. I get that your parents are well-meaning, but you may want to send them an admissions article on choosing recommenders to help them understand.
Thanks for all the feedback everybody! It turned out basically like I thought.
I'm having trouble finding recommenders, so I'm worried. I've been out of school years, and didn't have close relationships with any particular professor even when I was in school, so I don't know if I can find an academic reference. I have one reference from an employer who is really positive, but my only other professional job was bonkers crazy (my boss left, and then stopped speaking to me when I told her former boss the name of a coworker who had told my now-former boss what tasks I was working on - her former boss asked me point blank and angrily, so I felt cornered and told the truth. She then flipped out and yelled at my coworker, who is great friends with my now-former boss, so my now-former boss stopped speaking to me and would never give me a good recommendation. And that's not even the dumbest thing that happened there!).
Honestly, I hate getting recommendations. I feel like they really advantage extroverts who are able to invest time in chatting to professors after class, going to office hours, that kind of stuff, whereas I never had the same professor twice and just have no idea how to talk to professors when I don't have a reason. Soft skills, you know? Doesn't mean I wouldn't be a good lawyer, but does mean my professors don't really remember me.
Oh well, I'll figure something out! Thanks again for the feedback, it's really good to have other people confirm my gut feeling!
Law schools totally understand that if you've been out of school for a long time, you may not have an academic reference. I've even seen at least 1 advisor say that if you've been out of school 10+ years, they would prefer you to not send an academic reference since it would be so long in your past.
That said, do you possibly have a co-worker who could write a recommendation? Preferably someone you worked closely with, and in a senior position. As long as it is someone who could speak to your qualities as a worker. I think that would be acceptable as well. Just spitballing.
Good luck!
I strongly suggest not letting your parents guide your admissions process in any way unless they themselves recently went to law school. If you asked your attorney for an LOR she/he would say no that is not appropriate. If you go onto any admissions page for law schools, it says that you should not have LORs written by family friends or politicians. I know your attorney does not fit under that category but she is someone who you employeed and who you pay and that does not look good for an LOR. Your LOR is not about who you rubbed shoulders with or who you paid to work for you, it's about who you can speak on your academic work or your work at your job.
Agreed.
Man, i had the same doubts and glad to search it. Thanks a lot all you guys for your honest opinions. I don't have to go through that embarrassing situation.
Unless your attorney also is your present or former boss, no.