I hope you are enjoying what is probably the most unusual summer we have had here in Seattle in years. Between bouts in the sun (wear your sunscreen!), you should start thinking about letters of recommendation. No matter where you are at in the testing process, now is a good time to get them going. Make sure you have paid your CAS fee through LSAC. You are going to need two letters of recommendation and, if you are applying to the University of Washington, two evaluations from two different people. I recommend that you ask for 3 letters in case something goes wrong along the way. LSAC will walk you through the steps of how to get your recommenders to submit them. Because people can procrastinate, getting this going now will save you loads of headaches later.
Ideally, if you are within 4 years of graduating, law schools are going to want to hear from professors. They don't have to be law related or from your major. What is most important, they want to hear about you, so pick someone that knows you, even if they don't have a fancy title. They would rather read something written by a TA that you have had for several classes than the dean of a department but they couldn't pick you out of a line up. Once you have exhausted the professor option, then employers or volunteer supervisors are great choices. Same rules apply, knowledge of you trumps titles here.
You won't get to see the letters once the arrive in your account so pick wisely. Make sure this is someone that will be excited about doing this for you. Also, most likely it will get done in a timely manner.
Once they are in your account, you will be able to select which letters will go to which law schools. You can have the same two letters go to all of the law schools that you apply to but you have to assign them. Fortunately, the system has become pretty idiot proof and won't let you submit an application without the required number of letters attached to it.
You can do school specific letters. However, the beauty of this system is that the letter writer has to write only one letter for you. Basically, what we have heard from the law schools is that unless the letter writer is in some way connect to the LAW school or they are talking about how you are good fit for a specific program located at that law school, they are not interested in reading the name of their law school in your letter of recommendation.
This can be a complicated process so be sure to contact me with questions.
