5 Tips on Writing Samples to Submit to Prospective Employers

Law firm employers (and sometimes companies) ask legal candidates for writing samples. What exactly are they looking for? Here are 5 tips:

Employers want something you wrote largely yourself. Edits by managers or partners are acceptable but should be light.
How long should a writing sample be? A few pages is great for the reader to get the gist of your style. A section you wrote from a larger piece is ok. Long samples must be perfect and cover relevant subject matter, but don’t bore your reader to death. Impress them with your crisp writing instead!
Choose a sample that covers a topic related to the job at hand. If it’s a patent job, a published patent application on relevant technology is ideal. For a litigation job, a filed motion in the field you’re applying for works (e.g., employment, commercial, securities). If it’s a compliance job you are going for, then a client alert or published talk is fine. If it’s privacy or tech trans, a sample policy or template agreement could work. You may need to provide some context (what party you were representing, what the goal was, etc.).
Make sure the sample you give contains no confidential information. Redact anything sensitive.
Choose a sample that’s been proofed and showcases excellent writing, obviously. A writing sample is a little like references –you are doing the choosing, so it’d better be good!