18 Law School Personal Statement Examples That Got Accepted!

Law School Personal Statement Example #1

When I was a child, my neighbors from Nepal often seemed stressed. They argued frequently, struggled for money, and worked long hours. One morning, I woke to a commotion outside my apartment: police officers were escorting my neighbors out of the building. They were being deported. In my teens, I was shocked to learn that our kind, friendly neighbors had exhausted their last chance to stay in America after losing a court appeal.

Since then, I have worked closely with immigrant families in my neighborhood and university town. I began by volunteering at a local community center, distributing food and clothing to new arrivals. My diligent work ethic led to increased responsibilities, including training in basic counseling techniques, first aid, and community services. I welcomed new community members, assessed their health and social needs, and listened to their stories—stories of risking everything to reach a safe haven. Contributing to these efforts, however small, made me proud to help create a welcoming environment for those seeking refuge.

At the community center, I met legal aid lawyers who were a constant source of support for those needing assistance. I was struck by their ability to explain complex legal processes to nervous and exhausted individuals. I realized that law is more than procedure—it is a tool to empower and uplift. I decided to pursue a career that combines technical knowledge with my caring, compassionate personality.

When I enrolled in university, I sought opportunities to develop these skills. In my first week, I began volunteering at the university’s legal aid center, working with law professors and students on a variety of cases. Academically, I focused on courses like a fourth-year Ethics seminar to hone my critical reasoning skills. Beyond academics, I saw an opportunity to lead. Drawing on my experience, I founded Students4Refugees, a campaign group dedicated to making our campus a refugee-friendly space. I organized international student mixers, an art installation in the student commons, and concerts that raised over $5,000 for Refugee Aid. My contributions earned a university medal for campus leadership, a recognition of the impact we made as a community.

Throughout my experiences, I have seen how immigrants to the United States struggle with bureaucracy, complex legal systems, and the challenges of adapting to a foreign and often unwelcoming environment. Reflecting on my neighbors’ experiences, I know they needed someone who not only understood the law but could advocate on their behalf with compassion and care. I believe Townsville University’s combination of academic rigor, legal aid services, and history of producing graduates who champion labor and non-profit causes will equip me to continue making meaningful contributions to my community and advocating for those in need.

What’s Great About This First Law School Personal Statement?

1. Thematic consistency: It focuses on just one theme: justice for immigrants. Each paragraph is designed to show off how enthusiastic the student is about this area of law. Personal statements—including those for law school—often begin with a personal anecdote. This one is short, memorable, and relevant. It establishes the overall theme quickly. By constraining their essay’s focus to a single general theme, the writer can go into great depth and weave in emotional and psychological weight through careful and vivid description. 
2. Shows, rather than tells:  Connected to this, this statement focuses on showing. Rather than simply telling the reader about their commitment to law, the applicant describes specific situations they were involved in that demonstrate their commitment to law. “Show, don’t tell” means you want to paint a vivid picture of actions or experiences that demonstrate a given quality or skill, and not simply say "I can do X." Make it an experience for your reader, don't just give them a fact.
3. Confident, but not arrogant: Additionally, this personal statement is confident without being boastful—leadership qualities, grades, and an award are all mentioned in context, rather than appearing as a simple list of successes. 
4. Specific to the school: It ends with a conclusion that alludes to why the applicant is suitable for the specific school to which they’re applying and points to their future career plans. Thoroughly researching the law school to which you’re applying is incredibly important so that you can tailor your remarks to the specific qualities and values they’re looking for. A law essay writing service is really something that can help you integrate this aspect effectively. 

Law School Personal Statement Example #2

In my home community, the belief is that the law is against us. The law oppresses and victimizes. I must admit that as a child and young person I had this opinion based on my environment and the conversations around me. I did not understand that the law could be a vehicle for social change, and I certainly did not imagine I had the ability and talents to be a voice for this change. I regularly attended my high school classes because I enjoyed the discussions and reading for English and history, and writing came easily to me, but I wasn’t committed to getting good grades because I felt I had no purpose. My mindset changed as I spent time with Mark Russell, a law student who agreed to mentor and tutor me as part of a “high school to law school” mentorship program. Every week, for three years, Mark and I would meet. At first, Mark tutored me, but I quickly became an “A” student, not only because of the tutoring, but because my ambitions were uncorked by what Mark shared with me about university, the law, and his life. I learned grades were the currency I needed to succeed. I attended mock trials, court hearings, and law lectures with Mark and developed a fresh understanding of the law that piqued an interest in law school. My outlook has changed because my mentor, my teachers, and my self-advocacy facilitated my growth. Still, injustices do occur. The difference is that I now believe the law can be an instrument for social change, but voices like mine must give direction to policy and resources in order to fight those injustices.

Early in my mentorship, I realized it was necessary to be “in the world” differently if I were to truly consider a law career. With Mark’s help and the support of my high school teachers, I learned to advocate for myself and explore opportunities that would expand my worldview as well as my academic skills. I joined a Model UN club at a neighboring high school, because my own school did not have enough student interest to have a club. By discussing global issues and writing decisions, I began to feel powerful and confident with my ability to gather evidence and make meaningful decisions about real global issues. As I built my leadership, writing, and public speaking skills, I noticed a rift developing with some of my friends. I wanted them to begin to think about larger systemic issues outside of our immediate experience, as I was learning to, and to build confidence in new ways. I petitioned my school to start a Model UN and recruited enough students to populate the club. My friends did not join the club as I’d hoped, but before I graduated, we had 2 successful years with the students who did join. I began to understand that I cannot force change based on my own mandate, but I must listen attentively to the needs and desires of others in order to support them as they require.

While I learned to advocate for myself throughout high school, I also learned to advocate for others. My neighbors, knowing my desire to be a lawyer, would often ask me to advocate on their behalf with small grievances. I would make phone calls, stand in line with them at government offices, and deal with difficult landlords. A woman, Elsa, asked me to review her rental agreement to help her understand why her landlord had rented her apartment to someone else, rather than renewing her lease. I scoured the rental agreement, highlighted questionable sections, read the Residential Tenancies Act, and developed a strategy for approaching the landlord. Elsa and I sat down with the landlord and, upon seeing my binder complete with indices, he quickly conceded before I could even speak. That day, I understood evidence is the way to justice. My interest in justice grew, and while in university, I sought experiences to solidify my decision to pursue law.

Last summer, I had the good fortune to work as a summer intern in the Crown Attorney’s Office responsible for criminal trial prosecutions. As the only pre-law intern, I was given tasks such as reviewing court tapes, verifying documents, and creating a binder with indices. I often went to court with the prosecutors where I learned a great deal about legal proceedings, and was at times horrified by human behavior. This made the atmosphere in the Crown Attorney’s office even more surprising. I worked with happy and passionate lawyers whose motivations were pubic service, the safety and well-being of communities, and justice. The moment I realized justice was their true objective, not the number of convictions, was the moment I decided to become a lawyer.

I broke from the belief systems I was born into. I did this through education, mentorship, and self-advocacy. There is sadness because in this transition I left people behind, especially as I entered university. However, I am devoted to my home community. I understand the barriers that stand between youth and their success. As a law student, I will mentor as I was mentored, and as a lawyer, I will be a voice for change.

What’s Great About This Second Law School Personal Statement?

1. It tells a complete and compelling story: Although the applicant expressed initial reservations about the law generally, the statement tells a compelling story of how the applicant's opinions began to shift and their interest in law began. They use real examples and show how that initial interest, once seeded, grew into dedication and passion. This introduction implies an answer to the "why do you want to study law?” interview question.
2. It shows adaptability: Receptiveness to new information and the ability to change both thought and behavior based on this new information. The writer describes realizing that they needed to be "in the world" differently! It's hard to convey such a grandiose idea without sounding cliché, but through their captivating and chronological narrative, the writer successfully convinces the reader that this is the case with copious examples, including law school extracurriculars. It’s a fantastic case of showing rather than telling, describing specific causes they were involved with which demonstrate that the applicant is genuinely committed to a career in the law. 
3. Includes challenges the subject faced and overcame: This law school personal statement also discusses weighty, relatable challenges that they faced, such as the applicant's original feeling toward law, and the fact that they lost some friends along the way. However, the applicant shows determination to move past these hurdles without self-pity or other forms of navel-gazing.  Additionally, this personal statement ends with a conclusion that alludes to why the applicant is suitable for the specific school to which they’re applying and points to their future career plans. The writer manages to craft an extremely immersive and believable story about their path to the present, while also managing to curate the details of this narrative to fit the specific values and mission of the school to which they’re applying.

Law School Personal Statement Example #3

I walked quickly, head up, arms swinging, breath steady. It was 8:00 am and I was heading to my university business course. I remember the crimson leaves swirling around as I passed a large group of seniors posing for their graduation photos. A flurry of questions filled my head, “What's next for them?” “Where will they go from here?” “What will they become?” As a first-year student watching those graduation photos taking place, I dreamt of the day when I too would graduate and earn my spot as a contributing member of society.

During that summer, I was presented with a very unique employment opportunity. The pastor of a local church received a grant from the government to support a student-run needs assessment of the community services available in the City of Wilmington. I was hired and selected as team lead to interview members of the community and organizations that serve the City of Wilmington to identify a specific area of need in the community. I remember speaking with a young, single mom named Renee. She had spent the last year living on the street after she and her daughter were evicted from their apartment. I listened intently to her struggles and was shocked and angry to learn of the lack of programs and shelters available to single women in the area. Other women echoed Renee's struggle during our interviews and I knew I had to help these women. With the support of the Pastor, I joined forces with the Couchiching Jubilee House, an organization dedicated to providing transitional housing to single women. We designed a program to increase the options available to single women in Wilmington and to help those staying at the Jubilee House attain independence more quickly, allowing a greater number of women to be accepted into the program as successful women moved on. I met with the women every week, forming a support group, and I planned day trips and outings for the women and their children. I also arranged a variety of seminars and events to encourage the development of skills such as budgeting, career development, and leading a healthy lifestyle. The program was a success, with a high participation rate and a great response from the women involved. This experience was monumental as I learned that social injustices do occur, but through advocacy, I could elicit change. I felt accomplished as I witnessed women who had successfully moved on from the Jubilee House come back and volunteer to help those struggling stay motivated. It was inspiring to see the difference we had made in the lives of these women and fuelled my desire for a career focused on making a difference in the community.

This ignited passion for advocacy motivated me to find further opportunities where I could strengthen my knowledge and awareness. As a commerce student majoring in Human Resources Management (HRM), I jumped at the chance to participate in a variety of unique and challenging opportunities. In my second year, I participated in a mock arbitration put on for students by a law firm that represents employees in labor disputes with management. I was assigned to represent an employee in a wrongful dismissal case and spent weeks preparing my argument to persuade the panel. I started to gain confidence, both in my ability to gather evidence and formulate arguments. On the day of the trial, however, I struggled to hold my ground while the panel sliced through the weak points in my argument, interrupted my speech, and pelted me with questions. It was frustrating but also exhilarating. I won my case and felt driven to develop and grow as a lawyer so I could one day effectively represent the people that needed me most.

Having had my share of a small victory, I realized real-world challenges ahead are going to be far more critical and will impact people's lives. I happily reminisced about my case while I donned a black robe and a sash of red and yellow stripes. I walked around campus with my closest friends, posing for graduation photos against a background of fall leaves. I felt the excitement of knowing that it was now my turn to take the path towards becoming a lawyer. I plan to use my law degree to work in the public sector, to strive for justice and positive outcomes for clients who have been treated unfairly. Now, I eagerly await the beginning of the next stage of my life and look forward to my future legal career.

What’s Great About This Third Law School Personal Statement? 

1. Description is concise and effective: This writer opens with rich, vivid description and seamlessly guides the reader into a compelling first-person narrative. Using punchy, attention-grabbing descriptions like these make events immersive, placing readers in the writer's shoes and creating a sense of immediacy. 
2. Achievements are the focus: They also do a fantastic job of talking about their achievements, such as interview team lead, program design, etc., without simply bragging. Instead, they deliver this information within a cohesive narrative that includes details, anecdotes, and information that shows their perspective in a natural way. Lastly, they invoke their passion for law with humility, discussing their momentary setbacks and frustrations as ultimately positive experiences leading to further growth. 

More Law School Personal Statement Examples

Law school personal statement examples from top law schools:

• Harvard law school personal statement examples
• Columbia law school personal statement examples
• Cornell law school personal statement examples
• Yale law school personal statement examples
• UPenn law school personal statement examples
• Cambridge law school personal statement examples
• NYU law school personal statement examples

If you’re heading North of the border to a Canadian program (like Osgoode Hall Law School), check out a list of law schools in Canada that includes requirements and stats on acceptance!

Want more tips on your Law School Personal Statement? Watch this:

What Should a Law School Personal Statement Do?

1.   Be unique to the school you’re applying to

Because universities can provide vague information, you might struggle with how to write a law school personal statement. Take this zinger from the University of Chicago: “Write about something personal, relevant, and completely individual to you… Just be yourself.”

Every school will have different requirements or content they want to see in a personal statement. This is why it’s a good idea to review specific guidelines for the school to which you’re applying, but also get comfortable with storytelling, structuring, and brainstorming well in advance.

2.   Demonstrate your skills and capabilities

For motivated students with the world at their fingertips, it’s a tough ask to narrow down your character into a few hundred words! But this is exactly the point of such generic guidelines—to challenge aspiring law students to produce something unique and convincing with minimal direction by the university. Law is, after all, a profession that demands your language to be persuasive, and the personal statement is merely one of many exercises where you can demonstrate your language skills. 

3.   Meet basic requirements

While the law school personal statement is about far more than just following essay directions, you still need to keep basic formatting and length restrictions in mind.

Most law schools ask for a 2-page personal statement, but lengths can range. Georgetown Law School, for instance, recommends a 2-page personal statement but explicitly states that there is no official minimum or maximum. In general, length does not make a personal statement better; if anything, it gives more room for your narrative to stray and appear like a rant! Sometimes, less is more.

Our best advice is to keep you law school personal statement to 2 double-spaced pages, and only go below or above this is if you absolutely have to, and if the school to which you're applying allows it. You want to keep things as widely applicable as possible while drafting your personal statement, meaning that you don't want to draft a 4-page letter for the one school that allows it, and then have to significantly rewrite this for your other schools.

4.   Embody what the school is looking for

Lastly, many law schools won’t offer hyper-specific prompts, but will give you general law school admissions essay topics to follow. For instance, the University of Washington’s law school provides a number of topics to follow, including “Describe a personal challenge you faced” or “Describe your passions and involvement in a project or pursuit and the ways in which it has contributed to your personal growth and goals.” These topics may feel specific at first, but as you begin drafting, you’ll likely realize you have dozens of memories to choose from, and numerous ways of describing their impact. While drafting, try to explore as many of these options as possible, and select the best or most impactful to use in your final draft.

BeMo Law School Admissions Consulting Reviews

Our admissions experts can help you polish your law school application and get accepted! Here's one of our BeMo reviews from our students!

"I gained a lot of perspective regardless of the tunnel vision I had prior to the meeting. Going into it, I had a concise idea of what I wanted my personal statement to include and how to bridge it together but Ariel Peckel provided me a multifaceted approach on how to go about my paper as well as reassure me on the future planning of my law school career." - Kelsey, BeMo student.

"Today I had a brainstorming session with Nirusan Rajakulendran. I already had a draft of my personal statement written up and he was very respectful in offering suggestions to improve my writing. I’m a bit shy when it comes to sharing vulnerable experiences, but he made me feel very comfortable and clearly explained the structure of a personal statement and made sure to ask if I understood every time he brought up a new concept. I really appreciated his patience and his ability to quickly provide me with examples of how I could transition from one experience to the next. I would highly recommend him to any pre-law student looking for guidance." - Jeannette, BeMo student.

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