• Get Everything You Need to Secure a Training Contract
    Now half the price. Join TCLA Premium for £30/month and get step-by-step application support, daily commercial awareness practice, and 700+ successful examples of past applications and interview experiences. Plus so much more.
    Join Premium →
  • Ace Your Vacation Scheme Applications with Reed Smith
    10 Nov 2025 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm (UK) Zoom (registration required)
    Join Reed Smith for this practical session on how to write a strong vacation scheme application ahead of key deadlines. Understand what recruiters look for and how to get past the application review stage.
    Register on Zoom →
  • Write Winning Vacation Scheme Applications with Osborne Clarke
    11 Nov 2025 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm (UK) Zoom (registration required)
    Hear from Recruitment Advisor Patrick Fermin Ryan at Osborne Clarke on how to write a successful vacation scheme application. Gain expert advice on what makes applications stand out and how to approach yours with confidence.
    Register on Zoom →

Disclosing engagement/marital status in cover letter

Ernote182

New Member
Sep 30, 2020
1
0
Hi,

this might be a strange question:

I am applying to a law firm abroad and wonder whether disclosing personal information such as engagement or marital status with a person of that country is something that I can put in my cover letter? As an example, mentioning something along the line of “Due to my Klingon fiancé, I am well aware of the Klingon culture ...”.

I am quite torn and not sure whether this is totally irrelevant and perhaps unprofessional or whether it could highlight to the recruiters that I am aware of the country's culture, especially given that it is a country with culture rather different from the UK one.

Thanks for any input!
 

Alice G

Legendary Member
Future Trainee
Forum Team
M&A Bootcamp
Nov 26, 2018
1,731
4,184
Hi,

this might be a strange question:

I am applying to a law firm abroad and wonder whether disclosing personal information such as engagement or marital status with a person of that country is something that I can put in my cover letter? As an example, mentioning something along the line of “Due to my Klingon fiancé, I am well aware of the Klingon culture ...”.

I am quite torn and not sure whether this is totally irrelevant and perhaps unprofessional or whether it could highlight to the recruiters that I am aware of the country's culture, especially given that it is a country with culture rather different from the UK one.

Thanks for any input!
I personally wouldn’t say this is too personal to write into a cover letter and it is a very genuine reason behind your application.
 

TCLA Community Assistant

Legendary Member
TCLA Moderator
Gold Member
Graduate Recruitment
Premium Member
Forum Team
Aug 1, 2019
15,526
21,762
Hi,

this might be a strange question:

I am applying to a law firm abroad and wonder whether disclosing personal information such as engagement or marital status with a person of that country is something that I can put in my cover letter? As an example, mentioning something along the line of “Due to my Klingon fiancé, I am well aware of the Klingon culture ...”.

I am quite torn and not sure whether this is totally irrelevant and perhaps unprofessional or whether it could highlight to the recruiters that I am aware of the country's culture, especially given that it is a country with culture rather different from the UK one.

Thanks for any input!

You can say partner rather than being engaged or martial status. Firms can be a bit cautious of personal information like this, not because of what status you are, but because they don't want it on applications (they don't want any claims for discrimination - same reason they don't want your age spelt out to them).
 
  • ℹ️
Reactions: Alice G

About Us

The Corporate Law Academy (TCLA) was founded in 2018 because we wanted to improve the legal journey. We wanted more transparency and better training. We wanted to form a community of aspiring lawyers who care about becoming the best version of themselves.

Newsletter

Discover the most relevant business news, access our law firm analysis, and receive our best advice for aspiring lawyers.