As you apply for a corporate counsel position, you've likely noticed that a compelling cover letter is often required—but writing one can be daunting. It's not about rehashing your resume; instead, pinpoint your greatest professional triumph and craft a narrative that showcases your journey to that achievement. Remember, formality is key, yet strive to steer clear of clichés. And keep it concise—your story should unfold on just one page, leaving them wanting to meet the protagonist: you.
- Some inspiration from other professionals' job-winning cover letters;
- The best structure and format for your corporate counsel cover letter;
- Insights on how to write about your best achievement to stand out;
- A creative twist on your corporate counsel cover letter intro.
Upload your corporate counsel resume to Enhancv's AI, which will quickly scan and prepare a job-winning cover letter for you.
If the corporate counsel isn't exactly the one you're looking for we have a plethora of cover letter examples for jobs like this one:
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Corporate Counsel cover letter example
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- Emphasizing relevant experience, such as playing a pivotal role in expediting and ensuring the accuracy of SEC disclosures, which underlines the candidate's proficiency in regulatory compliance critical for a fintech firm's corporate lawyer.
- Highlighting specific accomplishments in previous roles, like involvement in over 15 M&A transactions and leading refinements in the transaction process, to demonstrate a proven track record that aligns with the firm's focus on mergers and acquisitions.
- Addressing knowledge of emergent technologies, such as cryptocurrency and blockchain, to showcase the candidate’s ability to add value to the fintech sector, where such expertise is becoming increasingly important.
- Indicating adaptability to a fast-paced environment, which is essential for the dynamic nature of corporate law within the tech-driven sector the firm operates in.
What about your corporate counsel cover letter format: organizing and structuring your information
Here is one secret you should know about your corporate counsel cover letter assessment. The Applicant Tracker System (or ATS) won't analyze your cover letter.
You should thus focus on making an excellent impression on recruiters by writing consistent:
- Header
- Greeting
- Introduction
- Body paragraphs (and explanation)
- Promise or Call to action
- Signature (that's optional)
Now, let's talk about the design of your corporate counsel cover letter.
Ensure all of your paragraphs are single-spaced and have a one-inch margins on all sides (like in our cover letter templates).
Also, our cover letter builder automatically takes care of the format and comes along with some of the most popular (and modern) fonts like Volkhov, Chivo, and Bitter.
Speaking of fonts, professionals advise you to keep your corporate counsel cover letter and resume in the same typography and avoid the over-used Arial or Times New Roman.
When wondering whether you should submit your corporate counsel cover letter in Doc or PDF, select the second, as PDF keeps all of your information and design consistent.
The top sections on a corporate counsel cover letter
- Header: Include your full name, address, phone number, email, and the date, making it easy for the recruiter to identify and contact you for a potential interview for the corporate counsel position.
- Greeting: Address the letter to a specific individual, such as the hiring manager or general counsel, to show that you have researched the company and are genuinely interested in the role.
- Introduction: Start by stating your intent to apply for the corporate counsel position and briefly mention how your legal expertise aligns with the company's needs, setting the tone for the rest of the letter.
- Professional Experience and Skills: Detail your previous roles and responsibilities, emphasizing your experience in areas of corporate law that are relevant to the company, demonstrating your readiness for the position.
- Closing: End the cover letter with a call to action, such as requesting an interview or discussing how you can contribute to the company's success, and thank the recipient for considering your application.
Key qualities recruiters search for in a candidate’s cover letter
- Knowledge in corporate law: Recruiters look for solid expertise in statutes, regulations, and jurisprudence relevant to corporate operations.
- Business acumen: Understanding business strategies, market forces, and company objectives is critical for providing pertinent legal advice.
- Negotiation and drafting skills: Ability to create, review, and negotiate contracts is essential for protecting the company's interests.
- Risk management: Counsel must identify, evaluate, and provide solutions for legal risks associated with business activities.
- Compliance and governance knowledge: Ensuring the company adheres to laws and ethical standards, as well as advising on corporate governance issues, is a priority.
- Strong communication: Clear and concise communication is needed for effectively conveying legal concepts to non-lawyers within the company.
How to address hiring managers in your corporate counsel cover letter greeting
Goodbye, "Dear Sir/Madam" or "To whom it may concern!"
The salutation of your corporate counsel cover letter is how you kick off your professional communication with the hiring managers.
And you want it to start off a bit more personalized and tailored, to catch the recruiters' attention.
Take the time to find out who's recruiting for the role (via LinkedIn or the company page).
If you have previously chatted or emailed the hiring managers, address them on a first or last name basis.
The alternative is a "Dear HR team" or "Dear Hiring Manger", but remember that a "Dear Ms. Simmons" or "Dear Simon," could get you farther ahead than an impersonal greeting.
List of salutations you can use
- Dear Hiring Manager,
- Dear [Name of the Hiring Manager],
- Dear [Name of the Partner/Associate],
- Dear Members of the Hiring Committee,
- Dear [Name of the Firm/Company] Recruitment Team,
- Dear [Mr./Ms./Dr.] [Last Name],
Your corporate counsel cover letter introduction and the value you bring
Moving on from the "Dear Recruiter" to your professional introduction.
Use those first two sentences of your corporate counsel cover letter to present the biggest asset you'd bring to the organization.
Don't go into too much detail about your achievement or the skill set, but instead - go straight for the win.
That is - what is your value as a professional?
Would you be able to build stronger, professional relationships in any type of communication? Or, potentially, integrate seamlessly into the team?
What to write in the middle or body of your corporate counsel cover letter
Here's where it gets tricky.
Your corporate counsel cover letter body should present you in the best light possible and, at the same time, differ from your resume.
Don't be stuck in making up new things or copy-pasting from your resume. Instead, select just one achievement from your experience.
Use it to succinctly tell a story of the job-crucial skills and knowledge this taught you.
Your corporate counsel cover letter is the magic card you need to further show how any organization or team would benefit from working with you.
Ending your corporate counsel cover letter to avoid "Sincerely yours"
Yes, this sort of closing statement may work best before your signature.
But you want to give recruiters something more with your corporate counsel cover letter ending.
Some professionals choose to go down the path of promises. In a single sentence, they map out what they'd bring about to the role (whether that's a particular technical skill set or personal traits).
Others, decide to be more concrete by thanking recruiters for their time and prompting for their next interview.
Whatever path you choose, remember to always be polite and respectful of the opportunity you've had. Good manners go a long way.
Corporate Counsel cover letter advice for candidates with no experience
If you're worried about writing your Corporate Counsel cover letter and have no professional experience, we sure have some advice for you.
Turn recruiters' attention to your transferable or relevant skills gained thanks to your life and work experience.
Instead of writing about past jobs, focus on one achievement (whether from your volunteering experience, education, etc.) and the skills it has helped you build.
Alternatively, you could focus your Corporate Counsel cover letter on your career objectives and goals. Always remember to make those relevant to the job you're applying for by detailing how you see yourself growing as part of the company.
Recruiters would be way more impressed with candidates who fit the job profile and can bring about plenty of skills and vision to the table.
Key takeaways
Writing your corporate counsel cover letter doesn't need to turn into an endless quest, but instead:
- Create an individual corporate counsel cover letter for each role you apply to, based on job criteria (use our builder to transform your resume into a cover letter, which you could edit to match the job);
- Stick with the same font you've used in your resume (e.g. Raleway) and ensure your corporate counsel cover letter is single-spaced and has a one-inch margin all around;
- Introduce your enthusiasm for the role or the company at the beginning of your corporate counsel cover letter to make a good first impression;
- Align what matters most to the company by selecting just one achievement from your experience, that has taught you valuable skills and knowledge for the job;
- End your corporate counsel cover letter like any good story - with a promise for greatness or follow-up for an interview.
