UVA Law Students Taking Questions Forum

[bgdddymtty]

What's y'all's thought on cover letters vis a vis email? If I'm cold calling, should I attach a cover letter, or should the content of the cover letter simply be the text of the message?

[slider]

What's y'all's thought on cover letters vis a vis email? If I'm cold calling, should I attach a cover letter, or should the content of the cover letter simply be the text of the message?

I spoke to Career Services about this. Firms like to see the cover letter in the same pdf file as the resume (as one attachment).

[bgdddymtty]

What's y'all's thought on cover letters vis a vis email? If I'm cold calling, should I attach a cover letter, or should the content of the cover letter simply be the text of the message?

I spoke to Career Services about this. Firms like to see the cover letter in the same pdf file as the resume (as one attachment).

1. One pdf?! I swear that this is the type of thing that Career Services could have broadcast publicly. I've been sending the cover letter, resume, and writing sample out as separate Word docs.

2. So what do you put in the body of the email?

[slider]

What's y'all's thought on cover letters vis a vis email? If I'm cold calling, should I attach a cover letter, or should the content of the cover letter simply be the text of the message?

I spoke to Career Services about this. Firms like to see the cover letter in the same pdf file as the resume (as one attachment).

1. One pdf?! I swear that this is the type of thing that Career Services could have broadcast publicly. I've been sending the cover letter, resume, and writing sample out as separate Word docs.

2. So what do you put in the body of the email?

1. One pdf for cover letter and resume (should use the same font for both). One separate pdf for writing sample (only if requested). So 2 pdfs max (assuming you are not sending transcript). It should not be a word doc (according to CS).

2. Body of email should include a short statement of who you are and that you are interested in the firm, the docs you are enclosing and that you look forward to speaking with them (or their recruiter). Something short. It is probably not a good idea to write out a long letter in the body of the email because firms/recruiters get a lot of emails and are unlikely to read through it if they feel it will take them too long. Career services said it's best to use a paragraph max to let them know who you are and that additional information is enclosed.

There are a lot of different ways to do it. But CS recommended this approach during a few of the break-out sessions they had late November. Though I can't imagine that a firm would disqualify anyone for not following this format. HTH.

[RVP11]

What's y'all's thought on cover letters vis a vis email? If I'm cold calling, should I attach a cover letter, or should the content of the cover letter simply be the text of the message?

I spoke to Career Services about this. Firms like to see the cover letter in the same pdf file as the resume (as one attachment).

1. One pdf?! I swear that this is the type of thing that Career Services could have broadcast publicly. I've been sending the cover letter, resume, and writing sample out as separate Word docs.

2. So what do you put in the body of the email?

It's not that big of a deal if your resume and cover letter are not in the same PDF. Don't sweat it.

[vamedic03]

What's y'all's thought on cover letters vis a vis email? If I'm cold calling, should I attach a cover letter, or should the content of the cover letter simply be the text of the message?

I spoke to Career Services about this. Firms like to see the cover letter in the same pdf file as the resume (as one attachment).

1. One pdf?! I swear that this is the type of thing that Career Services could have broadcast publicly. I've been sending the cover letter, resume, and writing sample out as separate Word docs.

2. So what do you put in the body of the email?

It's not that big of a deal if your resume and cover letter are not in the same PDF. Don't sweat it.

I agree. 1L SA positions are a complete crapshoot. If you really, really want a 1L SA position - apply to all the Alabama firms that come to spring OGI.

[Artist963]

Can you ballpark about how many people come away with employment from the "spring OGI"? It can't be very many, I'm assuming.

[jawsthegreat]

How much do the Alabama firms care about ties to the region. Ex: being from Birmingham?

[vamedic03]

How much do the Alabama firms care about ties to the region. Ex: being from Birmingham?

My understanding - it depends on your grades. If you have great Fall 1L grades, they'll try to recruit you.

[vamedic03]

Can you ballpark about how many people come away with employment from the "spring OGI"? It can't be very many, I'm assuming.

Last year, there were only 8 or 9 firms that came to Spring OGI and they were all looking for only a handful of 1L SA's.

The public interest OGI will have far more recruiting.

[BruceWayne]

Can you ballpark about how many people come away with employment from the "spring OGI"? It can't be very many, I'm assuming.

Last year, there were only 8 or 9 firms that came to Spring OGI and they were all looking for only a handful of 1L SA's.

The public interest OGI will have far more recruiting.

Are these symplicity cutoffs serious? Like top 25 percent for Troutman Sanders and top 15 percent for Brooks Pierce?

Also, for the government offices coming to the PI career week, can we just wait to bid on them via symplicity or do we need to abide by the deadlines that they actually list on their respective websites?

[RVP11]

Are these symplicity cutoffs serious? Like top 25 percent for Troutman Sanders and top 15 percent for Brooks Pierce?

That might be the case for 1Ls.

For 2Ls, the cutoffs listed on Symplicity have almost no relation to the firms' actual hiring cutoffs.

[plum]

does our school give out these CALI award things

[Cavalier]

does our school give out these CALI award things

No, we don't have CALI awards. But an A+ is basically the same thing.

[omg]

does our school give out these CALI award things

Nope

[dailygrind]

Are these symplicity cutoffs serious? Like top 25 percent for Troutman Sanders and top 15 percent for Brooks Pierce? ?

and law review/journal membership. because, ya know, we already know somehow that we're going to be on law review?

[dailygrind]

Are these symplicity cutoffs serious? Like top 25 percent for Troutman Sanders and top 15 percent for Brooks Pierce? ?

and law review/journal membership. because, ya know, we already know somehow that we're going to be on law review.

[RVP11]

Are these symplicity cutoffs serious? Like top 25 percent for Troutman Sanders and top 15 percent for Brooks Pierce? ?

and law review/journal membership. because, ya know, we already know somehow that we're going to be on law review?

Generally firms use the same "recommendation" for all schools and for both 1Ls and 2Ls.

Seriously: completely disregard what firms say they want. Ask 2L/3Ls or Dean Donovan if you want to find out how selective a certain firm actually is.

[Cavalier]

I second that. Ignore the recommendations on Symplicity.

[Cavalier]

My note title: How Cary Bennett Ruined Winter Break

[plum]

My note title: How Cary Bennett Ruined Winter Break

lol seriously it feels like it's taking forever.

[FlanAl]

Hey so I'm pretty sure i'll be applying ED either tomorrow or the next day. i've only been to monticello so I have a feel for the beauty of UVa but not a great grasp on the character (well I have a pretty good grasp from TLS and reading this thread) but I have a few questions that haven't been answered already.

1) Do any of you know if there is a surf club at UVa? I know its a bit of a drive to the beach but I plan on going at least once a semester and having a group of people to make the drive with usually makes things easier (my UG was a solid 2 hrs from the coast but I managed to go surf a few times each semester)

2) Are there any kids from California out there who'd like to tell me about the transition from the west coast to UVa?

3) Is there good bbq? (forgive my lack of southern knowledge but I honestly don't know if VA has good and easily accessible bbq)

I'll probably ask around the boards more to get a feel for the place but if there are any UVa lovers who want to give me the school in a nutshell or if anyone can refer me to another good threads I'd really appreciate it!

[whoknows12]

Do any 2L's have any input on the Accounting and Corporate Finance classes? I think they'd be really valuable but I am really bad at economics/numbers and am considering not taking these classes until 2L year. But they seem like prerequisites for a lot of interesting 2L classes...

[FeuerFrei]

.

[fouronthe4loor]

Geis, Jeffries, and another civ pro evals are up

I hope eval-posting isn't done for the day...