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Do I need a personalized reference letter to every articling employer?


sarcasticlemon

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sarcasticlemon
  • Law Student

Hi Guys, sorry if this is an obvious question.

So I'm asking people for reference letters for the Toronto recruit and one asked the name of the firm/person I'm applying to, so they can address it to them. I was kinda hoping to use a general letter for multiple employers. Is this bad? Should I be trying to get a personalized letter for each firm?

Edited by sarcasticlemon
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chaboywb
  • Lawyer

Are there many firms asking for reference letters? I feel like it was a very small number that did when I applied a few years ago.

I would ask them to write a letter addressed generically. That's what my references did.

Edit: I was thinking of OCIs. I can see more firms asking for a reference for the articling recruit.

Edited by chaboywb
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halamadrid
  • Law Student

It really is annoying the amount of reference letters that we'll need to submit

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QueensDenning
  • Articling Student
1 hour ago, sarcasticlemon said:

Should I be trying to get a personalized letter for each firm?

No 

One letter addressed generally is fine. 

Edited by QueensDenning
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toastedguac
  • Law Student
On 5/23/2023 at 2:47 PM, QueensDenning said:

No 

One letter addressed generally is fine. 

How does this work? Dont you have to change the address line, the "ATTENTION" line, for each one? Rn Im sending out so many apps to so many places that need reference letters that I need to cycle through my references so that they dont get constantly spammed with requests lol.

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QueensDenning
  • Articling Student

I submitted the exact same reference letters to every employer (I asked my references to tailor their letter to full service big law firms so this might not be the best advice if your applying to boutiques/smaller firms). 
 

I think it’s more important for your cover letter to be individualized for each employer, but even then, mine were all basically the same. For cover letter, certainly ensure it’s addressed to the correct firm/person. 

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capitalttruth
  • Law Student

This is an aside but I really dislike the requirement that I have to submit a photocopy of my official transcript for some of my articling applications. Seems unnecessary when I can just submit the unofficial one online.

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CleanHands
  • Lawyer
10 hours ago, capitalttruth said:

This is an aside but I really dislike the requirement that I have to submit a photocopy of my official transcript for some of my articling applications. Seems unnecessary when I can just submit the unofficial one online.

This is probably a holdover from a time before unofficial transcripts on online student portals became basically universal.

(You're not wrong though)

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  • 1 month later...
Ribbons
  • Law Student

I get individualized letters but I also don't apply widely (e.g. applied to 1 1L job, 1 2L job, and 1 articling position and got all 3). My personal approach has been to invest all my time in one application instead of spreading my (mental) resources thin and applying to many. Obviously this approach is risky, so if I had the energy I would get individualized letters for me top choices and general for my others. 

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