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I hope I'm not beating a dead horse here, but I'm looking for some info on mass mailing for 2L Summer Associate positions, and searching through old threads I'm finding mostly incomplete or slightly conflicting information. Looking to know:

Cover Letter in the body of the email, or as a PDF attachment? (Also, is it proper to write the firm name/contract/address in an email body?)

Include transcript if grades are not top 1/3 or better?

Do people still include references?

What is the appropriate length of the "cover letter?" I'm guessing no one reads these anymore, so is it even worth my time to add a bunch of personal info. past including just school/work experience/ties/interests?

Thanks.

Just one opinion, but:

Cover letter in a PDF attachment. Short message in the email body (name, school, why you're contacting them, signature with phone number, etc.).

Always include transcript.

No references unless specifically asked or it's specifically listed on NALP or wherever you got the recruiter's contact info.

Cover letter should not be over 1 page. You can fit work experience, ties, and all that stuff in a 1-page cover letter.