• Hey Guest, Have an interview coming up? We’ve opened new mock interview slots this week. Book here
  • TCLA Premium: Now half price (£30/month). Applications, interviews, commercial awareness + 700+ examples.
    Join →

Cover letters and CVs

Hey @TCinpipeline,

So I thought I would provide you with a few thoughts before pointing you towards some resources already on the forum.

Regarding cover letters, I tended to keep mine to a page (and preferably less). Generally I would follow a basic structure: why the firm, why law and finally why me. @James Carrabino and @AvniD may have different ideas about the specific order or indeed content of the paragraphs though!

In terms of a CV, less text is better. Try to separate different sections clearly (e.g., Education, Work Experience and Leadership/Volunteer experience) using sub-headings. If you are at university, it might help to ask your careers department for a CV template that you could use (alternatively use the ones provided below).

With regard to existing TCLA content:
  • Here is a thread including a few of @Jaysen's cover letters
  • Here are CV templates you might be able to use
Let me know if I can be of any further help!
 

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.

Get Our 2026 Vacation Scheme Guide

Nail your vacation scheme applications this year with our latest guide, with sample answers to law firm questions.