Justice Scalia LOR Help or Hurt? Forum

[Paraflam]

Was talking to my uncle the other day about applying to law school, and apparently the owner of his company is good friends with Scalia and the three of them play golf together pretty often. He said if I need someone to put in a good word for me, he could probably get Scalia to write me a LOR. I'm assuming that to Adcoms this would look like a weak attempt to show them I've "got connections" or something, since obviously I have no personal relationship with Scalia and the letter would undoubtedly be generic and wouldn't contain any info specific to me personally. Would it just be better to get LORs from professors/etc that I actually have a personal relationship with?

[Knock]

Was talking to my uncle the other day about applying to law school, and apparently the owner of his company is good friends with Scalia and the three of them play golf together pretty often. He said if I need someone to put in a good word for me, he could probably get Scalia to write me a LOR. I'm assuming that to Adcoms this would look like a weak attempt to show them I've "got connections" or something, since obviously I have no personal relationship with Scalia and the letter would undoubtedly be generic and wouldn't contain any info specific to me personally. Would it just be better to get LORs from professors/etc that I actually have a personal relationship with?

It'd probably be better to get a letter from someone who actually knows you and can speak to your abilities and characteristics.

[bartleby]

Unless you get a LOR from God, an impersonal, canned LOR won't help and won't impress any admissions committee. They might get a good laugh out of it though. Like...do a double-take at the name and then show it to everyone in the office.

[soaponarope]

An LOR from a Supreme Court Justice!?!?!

Are you kidding me?!?! Take the LOR and RUNNNNNNNNNNNNN with it... this is a Supreme Court Justice. I don't think you comprehend the significance, the prestige, the clout that a SCOTUS judge has. You take that letter son. You are a very lucky person.

[AP-375]

Just get a copy for the heck of it and frame it on your wall.

[071816]

It'd probably be better to get a letter from someone who actually knows you and can speak to your abilities and characteristics.

[bhan87]

It won't help as much as you would suspect... If the letter is super-generic, the adcomms will quickly realize that you don't really have any personal relation to Justice Scalia

[glitter178]

i would think you'd get the LOR from professors but keep in touch with him to use him down the line for employment purposes.

[plenipotentiary]

trollin'

[Cupidity]

Unless you get a LOR from God.

Scalia is just as good in Law School.

Do it.

Fuck what everyone else is saying.

And if they still reject you.... have him write another and sign it, "I respectfully dissent."

[09042014]

1) Trolling
2) He wouldn't do it
3) Yes you morons it'd probably help him.

[AreJay711]

Just get a copy for the heck of it and frame it on your wall.

I actually like this idea. Either way, I can't see the LOR hurting you and it could definitely help, a lot.

[fatduck]

taxguy's son got a recommendation from Kennedy, but it didn't help: all that matters is your LSAT and GPA.

[Paraflam]

I'm really not trolling, and I realize that it's not a guarantee that Scalia would actually write it but my uncle made it sound like it'd be a done deal. I don't know what kind of relationship his boss and Scalia have but apparently they're pretty close.

I was just worried that if I COULD get a LOR from him, Adcoms would look at it as some kid trying to impress them or something, since it obviously wouldn't speak to any of my specific abilities that would make me successful in law school.

[plenipotentiary]

I'm really not trolling, and I realize that it's not a guarantee that Scalia would actually write it but my uncle made it sound like it'd be a done deal. I don't know what kind of relationship his boss and Scalia have but apparently they're pretty close.

I was just worried that if I COULD get a LOR from him, Adcoms would look at it as some kid trying to impress them or something, since it obviously wouldn't speak to any of my specific abilities that would make me successful in law school.

Networking/having connections is a specific ability that could make you successful as an attorney.

You're still totally trolling, though.

[jtemp320]

1) Trolling
2) He wouldn't do it
3) Yes you morons it'd probably help him.

1-3 are the TCRs

But if for some reason this isn't trolling and he actually would do it then let me give the generic famous person LOR advice:

Try to meet with them and impress them as to your character, accomplishments etc. (although, I imagine Scalia would be a hard guy to impress - are you a Rhodes scholar or a Navy Seal?) and leave them a copy of your resume to make it easier to customize the letter. Waive your right to see the letter but if they offer to show you it then take a look - if its two sentences and generic and you have 2-3 shining letters from people who actually know you then use those instead - but if it seems decent and the person really is impressive then use it, if its from a Supreme Court Justice...it will stand out.

That said - I think the Justices know the power of writing a letter for an applicant and if this not trolling it may not be as easy to impose on Scalia's time and get him to use his name in support of his golf buddies' subordinates' son as your Uncle thinks because of the golf buddy connection.

[fatduck]

I'm really not trolling, and I realize that it's not a guarantee that Scalia would actually write it but my uncle made it sound like it'd be a done deal. I don't know what kind of relationship his boss and Scalia have but apparently they're pretty close.

I was just worried that if I COULD get a LOR from him, Adcoms would look at it as some kid trying to impress them or something, since it obviously wouldn't speak to any of my specific abilities that would make me successful in law school.

there's no such thing as bad press. at least you'll stand out.

also, how the fuck does your english teacher know whether you'll be successful in law school? they'll probably figure that a Scalia rec means you'll have no problem finding employment after LS.

[fatduck]

also, in before his uncle is Alito

[Paraflam]

Networking/having connections is a specific ability that could make you successful as an attorney.

You're still totally trolling, though.

Not going to argue this, because I'm not trying to impress/get a rise out of any of you with this thread. I was just wondering what your opinions were on getting a LOR from a significant figure in the legal world who doesn't know you at all.

EDIT: In that vein, thanks everyone for the responses.

[bartleby]

lol, okay, i'm probably wrong. take the LOR and run with it, i guess.

[dkt4]

lol at people thinking this wouldn't help. also lol at people thinking this kind of stuff doesn't happen.

[AntipodeanPhil]

1) Trolling
2) He wouldn't do it
3) Yes you morons it'd probably help him.

+1

On the slim chance you're not trolling: make sure you get two good, non-generic letters from professors, and use this as your third.

As you suspect, it would look like a very transparent attempt to show that you have connections, but I can't see why that is a bad thing. Law schools want students that are going to get jobs.

[flcath]

1) Trolling
2) He wouldn't do it
3) Yes you morons it'd probably help him.

Uhhh.... duh!

Jesus Christ ppl, all 3 of these are flagrant, except maybe bullet point (1); I can see how OP might just be a clueless 0L who doesn't realize how exceptional this would be.

[Younger Abstention]

I doubt Nino would even be willing to do this for someone he's never met, knowing what I know about him. He's a no nonsense kind of guy, he's not going to waste his time.

[shoeshine]

I would like to go on record as saying that I don't think Justice Scalia would write you or anyone else he didn't know a letter of recommendation.

Either way read this answer from several T6 admissions deans about your question:
http://blogs.law.columbia.edu/admission ... s/#letters