College of Law

Legal Thank You Letters

Thank you letters were once considered to be a nice touch. Now they are fairly standard and are expected. Your thank you letter must not contain any mistakes or it could actually hurt your chances of securing the position.

Sample Thank You Letter

 
Tips

  • Thank you notes should always be written and mailed within 48 hours of an interview.  
  • In your letter, refer to the positive aspects of the interview, perhaps mentioning a particular topic you discussed with the interviewer, and confirm your interest in the employer.
  • When you have a “day” of interviews at a firm, you should, at a minimum, send a letter to the hiring partner and to the person who coordinated the interviews or otherwise played a major role in the interviews. However, it is best practice to send a short letter to each person who spent time with you; it may make a difference in the selection process.
  • We are often asked if thank you letters should be in e-mail, standard letter, or hand-written note format and our answer is, it depends. Some employers prefer receiving an e-mail or a hand-written thank you note, while others find anything less than a typed letter on letterhead unprofessional. What format you use will depend on the situation.  If you know that the employer will be making their final candidate selection quickly and/or you have been communicating with them primarily via e-mail, then e-mail may be the way to go.  In other situations, a typed letter on letterhead is often well received.
Last Updated: 6/27/22