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One of the more prestigious and nationally well known partners at my firm agreed to sign a LOR for me. The only catch is I need to write it myself and submit it to him for review. I'm an administrative assistant who does very little direct work with the attorneys, so it won't make a huge difference when I start looking for summer work. But it's worth cashing in on.

I'm stuck. I really don't do anything that he'd be able to speak to except help his assistant out here and there with indexing and organization. However I want to make it as strong as possible. He wants me to generate something he can make light revisions to.


Does anyone have any ideas?

Yes, I do. Find someone who doesn't need you to ghost write the letter for them. Yes, he may be a big name. But a small name who has lots to say about you because they actually know you is worlds better than a big name that really doesn't know you from Adam and will just have generic good things to say about you. Chances are anything you write and he signs is going to sound hollow. Much better to have a letter from someone who is excited to write it for you, not just doing you a favor.

jmhendri wrote: Does anyone have any ideas?

The anonymous feature for starters

+1

Don't write it. Trust me, they'll know and you won't get in. I'm quite serious about this, follow the advice above.

I get that, I'll get one or two letters of actual substance too. I was thinking that there might be a way of avoiding making this letter sound as hollow as it's apt to be.

Xnegd wrote:+1

Don't write it. Trust me, they'll know and you won't get in. I'm quite serious about this, follow the advice above.

This will be for submitting to potential SA employers.

DerrickRose wrote:

jmhendri wrote: Does anyone have any ideas?

The anonymous feature for starters

you really think that's necessary?

Y'all are ridiculous. Having someone write their own recommendation (for the recommender) is not at all uncommon.

OP, if the person actually knows you and knows your work, write about some examples of things you worked on for them, and explain how they demonstrate your intellect/work ethic/leadership/whatever.

jmhendri wrote:

DerrickRose wrote:

jmhendri wrote: Does anyone have any ideas?

The anonymous feature for starters

you really think that's necessary?

Probably would have been. It is really easy to link TLS names to real life names, and a surprising number of law students/young associates still lurk here. (And some admins lurk too.)

Bosque wrote:

jmhendri wrote:

DerrickRose wrote:

jmhendri wrote: Does anyone have any ideas?

The anonymous feature for starters

you really think that's necessary?

Probably would have been. It is really easy to link TLS names to real life names, and a surprising number of law students/young associates still lurk here. (And some admins lurk too.)

I'm not worried about admins anymore, I'm attending LS this fall. I'm trying to capitalize on whatever benefits working in a law firm this past year might offer for next summer's employment clusterfuck.

I guess young associates could potentially out me next year, but I doubt it.

Renzo wrote:Y'all are ridiculous. Having someone write their own recommendation (for the recommender) is not at all uncommon.

OP, if the person actually knows you and knows your work, write about some examples of things you worked on for them, and explain how they demonstrate your intellect/work ethic/leadership/whatever.

Agree, this has happened to me a few times by people who know me really well. They basiclly have said i trust you, write, I'll review it, make any cnahges and add my own comments. Its actually pretty common. A horrible, gut wrenching experince to do (wroiting about your self) but still very common.

Matthies wrote:

Renzo wrote:Y'all are ridiculous. Having someone write their own recommendation (for the recommender) is not at all uncommon.

OP, if the person actually knows you and knows your work, write about some examples of things you worked on for them, and explain how they demonstrate your intellect/work ethic/leadership/whatever.

Agree, this has happened to me a few times by people who know me really well. They basiclly have said i trust you, write, I'll review it, make any cnahges and add my own comments. Its actually pretty common. A horrible, gut wrenching experince to do (wroiting about your self) but still very common.

I've done it for people, and had people do it for me. I never thought about it as being gut-wrenching; but now you're making me feel a little guilty for it.

Renzo wrote:

Matthies wrote:

Renzo wrote:Y'all are ridiculous. Having someone write their own recommendation (for the recommender) is not at all uncommon.

OP, if the person actually knows you and knows your work, write about some examples of things you worked on for them, and explain how they demonstrate your intellect/work ethic/leadership/whatever.

Agree, this has happened to me a few times by people who know me really well. They basiclly have said i trust you, write, I'll review it, make any cnahges and add my own comments. Its actually pretty common. A horrible, gut wrenching experince to do (wroiting about your self) but still very common.

I've done it for people, and had people do it for me. I never thought about it as being gut-wrenching; but now you're making me feel a little guilty for it.

Oh no, I mean it was gut wrenching for me to write about myslef. I jsut wrote one for a recoemnder, ugh I hate talking about myself like that.