Law school admissions is a numbers game—until it isn't. Your LSAT and GPA get you in the door, but your personal statement determines whether you get the interview invite, the scholarship, or the waitlist letter.
Unlike college essays, your law school personal statement serves a dual purpose: it reveals who you are AND demonstrates your ability to write and argue persuasively.
The Key Insight
Your personal statement is not a "Why Law" essay. You don't need to explain why you want to be a lawyer. Instead, it should reveal something meaningful about you that isn't obvious from the rest of your application.
What Law Schools Actually Want to See
Strong Writing
This is a writing sample. Clear, concise, persuasive prose matters. No purple prose. No passive voice.
Mature Perspective
You're not 17 anymore. Show intellectual sophistication and the ability to reflect on complex experiences.
Authenticity
Admissions officers read thousands of essays. They can spot clichés and manufactured stories instantly.
What You'll Add
Law schools build communities. Show what perspectives you'll bring to classroom discussions.
Choosing Your Topic
Topics That Usually Work
Formative experiences that shaped your thinking or values
Intellectual passions explored through a specific story
Challenges overcome that demonstrate resilience
Topics to Avoid
✗ Watching Law & Order / legal TV
✗ Mock trial / debate club (unless unique)
✗ "I've always wanted to be a lawyer"
✗ Generic "overcoming adversity"
"Why Law" — Approach with Caution
Only write about this if you have a truly unique reason. "I want to help people" or "I love arguing" will hurt you.
Structure: The Narrative Arc
- 1. Hook: Drop the reader into a scene. No throat-clearing.
- 2. Context: Background needed to understand significance.
- 3. Development: The heart of your story. Show, don't tell.
- 4. Reflection: What you learned, how you grew.
- 5. Connection: Brief forward-looking statement (optional).
Opening Lines: Examples
Weak: "I have always been fascinated by the law and its power to change society."
Strong: "The translator spoke for forty-five minutes before my client said a single word."
Strong: "I was nineteen when I learned my grandfather had spent three years in an internment camp."
Writing Tips for Law School Essays
1. Show, Don't Tell
Tell: "I am a hard worker who perseveres."
Show: "I worked the closing shift until 2 AM, then drove to my 8 AM final."
2. Be Concise
Cut every word that doesn't add meaning. Most strong statements are 1.5-2 pages double-spaced (500-700 words).
3. Use Active Voice
Passive: "The decision was made by the committee."
Active: "The committee denied the appeal."
4. Avoid Clichés and Legalese
Don't use "fight for justice" or "give voice to the voiceless." Don't try to sound like a lawyer yet.
5 Common Mistakes That Kill Personal Statements
1. Starting with "I have always wanted to be a lawyer..."
The most common opening—and the most deadly.
2. Writing About Why You Want to Go to Law School
Unless specifically asked, focus on who you are instead.
3. Being Too Abstract
"Justice means everything to me" means nothing without examples.
4. Resume in Paragraph Form
Go deep on one thing instead of surface on many.
5. Over-Polished Corporate Voice
Let your personality come through. Sound like a person, not a press release.
Before You Submit: Checklist
- Does your opening hook the reader immediately?
- Does it reveal something not obvious from your application?
- Is it free of clichés, passive voice, and legalese?
- Have you shown rather than told?
- Have you proofread for grammar and typos?