I have now taught law students abroad for a decade. I have truly lost track of the number of LORs I’ve written. It is a lot. And each year, more for schools outside the United States. LEALS has truly gone global.

I had a nice chat with a former LEALSer yesterday. The student is seeking LORs for LL.M. study in England or the United States. And shared that they could draft the first version for me to sign/use as a template.

I shared that I’d be happy to write the LOR, as I always write them myself. I told the student to send me a CV, a couple paragraphs about their goals, and a couple paragraphs about their favorite takeaways from LEALS or how the course impacted them over the last couple years.

Why Do I Write Each One? Two Main Reasons

1. From an admissions standpoint, it is very obvious when we see LORs “signed” by a faculty member. To the extent a LEALSer is applying to a competitive LL.M. program (especially for Chinese students who tend to be overrepresented in big LL.M. programs), the goal is to stand out. An LOR written by the student, even if the professor agrees with everything in it, is at least a cautionary flag.
2. There are few things I am as good at speaking about as the ability of LEALSers to perform in U.S. LL.M. programs. I’ve taught LEALS for ten years abroad, now in three countries. I’ve worked at three U.S. law schools in a variety of positions. I’ve taught LL.M. students at three U.S. law schools. I understand what my students are looking for. Me being able to share those insights is way more insightful to LL.M. teams than what a student would plan to write.

Risks

There are obviously risks. The biggest I’ve heard? What if my professor will write a bad LOR and I won’t know.

I can’t speak for everyone, but for me? I wouldn’t write a “bad” LOR (isn’t that an oxymoron?). I’ve politely told students that I don’t think I’d be able to write a particularly strong one. It’s a delicate balancing act, but admissions teams can sense an unenthusiastic LOR a mile away. I don’t want to put students in that position where an LOR from me actually hurts them.

There are some students who do not perform as well as they hoped in my LEALS courses. They tend to attract elite students with very ambitious goals. Not everyone can finish in the top 10% or top 25% or even top 50%. In those cases I work carefully to explain the positives but in the appropriate context. And I share with students that I put class grade and rank on LORs with that context and positive information (participated a lot in class, used LEALS as a head start, composition of class and where students tend to study, etc.).

Sometimes professors won’t share the LOR with you. At that point, you probably have to do a risk assessment as you decide on who to get for your LORs. But I think a very good LOR written by the recommender is stronger, at least in my opinion, than an excellent LOR written by yourself.

It’s Extra Work. But I Signed Up For It. I Hope Your Recommenders Feel the Same Way

Yes, it’s extra work to personalize LORs and write for each individual student. Something that helps me? Viewing LOR writing as much a part of LEALS as sending PPTs, holding office hours, or speaking with students who have questions. I appreciate that students are respectful of my time and the “ask.” But part of why I created LEALS was to give LL.B. students abroad a head start on their future law studies abroad. And I know that writing the strongest LORs I can for each student (depending on their performance, goals, experience, and interactions), is a big part of why LEALS is so popular. For schools to put their students in great positions for LL.M. (and even J.D.) studies.

I hope your recommenders will feel the same way!