Five Reasons You Should Never Complain About the Legal System in Your Law School Admissions Essays

When writing your law school admission essay or statement of interest, it’s essential not to fall into the trap of sounding overly enthusiastic about reforming the legal system. While it’s true that most wannabe lawyers are motivated by the hope of correcting injustices and making changes that will improve society, using your personal statement to complain is risky.

Here are five reasons why you should find another strategy:

1) Complaining doesn’t make a good first impression.

 

An essay is usually an admission committee's first impression of an applicant. It’s a one-time opportunity to show off your assets, talents, and preparedness to enter the legal field. If you initiate the relationship with a complaint-focused statement, you may appear haughty, pessimistic, and gloomy.

Admissions committees prefer to accept strong-minded students who are optimistic and determined. You’re better off letting them see you as solution-oriented and prepared to confront challenges head-on by working within the existing legal system, warts and all. Save your lofty goals about overhauling the entire field until after you’ve been accepted; in the meantime, highlight your potential for a successful law career instead of complaining.

What not to say:

“Today’s current legal system is decrepit and out of sync with the needs of the people. Judges are corrupt, cases drag on forever, and innocent individuals are often wrongfully convicted.”

What to say: 

“When I worked as a volunteer at a neighborhood legal-aid nonprofit, I learned firsthand about the struggles faced by marginalized communities in obtaining quick, quality legal representation. My experience sparked in me a passion to advocate for and expand legal access for the underdog citizen.”

2)  Complaining comes across as naïve.

Even when you’ve had some exposure to the issues, and your criticism of the legal field is justified, you’re not a lawyer yet. Compared to more seasoned professionals, you likely don’t have enough real-world experience to comment on the complexities of law. Therefore, your critiques can seem naïve.

Legal systems are complicated entities founded upon centuries of tradition and social norms. Entering the conversation with complaints when you don’t have much more than a basic understanding of the subtleties is not a good look.

What not to say:

“The legal system is an unfair travesty that mistreats its citizens. It needs to be taken apart and refashioned from the ground up.”

What to say:

“I am an avid consumer of information about criminal justice reform initiatives, which has enlightened me on equity challenges under the law. I’m interested in finding ways to work within the system to design innovative reforms that will tackle these disparities, especially concerning sentencing methods and perpetrator rehabilitation.”

3)  Complaining focuses your essay on problems, not solutions.

One of the things that successful lawyers do best is solve problems. Attorneys are trained to consider issues from all viewpoints and identify practical solutions that fall within the limits of the law. If your essay is too focused on the problems in the legal field, particularly if you’re not providing realistic solutions, you are distracting the reader from seeing your abilities to think critically.

What not to say:

“Our current legal framework is impossibly slow and ineffective. Justice simply isn’t being served on a timely basis.”

What to say:

“When I interned in a public defender’s office, I witnessed the frustrations of long court delays. Yet, I also discovered new methods of working through the challenges of using technology to manage cases and streamline lengthy court proceedings. I hope to continue embracing innovative changes as a working attorney.”

4)  Complaining makes you seem unprofessional.

Having a professional attitude can guarantee success in the field of law. Demonstrating your strength in this area begins as early as the application process. By complaining about the legal system, especially if you do so in ways that show your lack of insight or experience, you risk being seen as unprofessional.

Law schools prefer aspirants who can gracefully, maturely, and respectfully maneuver through challenging conversations.  They seek students who can participate in productive legal discussions and work in a collaborative way with others, even when dealing with flawed aspects of the system.

What not to say:

“The legal system is rigged with corrupt judges and lawyers working against the common man. When I become an attorney, I’ll fix all these problems.”

What to say:

“I’d be lying to say that I’ve never witnessed any shortcomings in the legal system, but I’ve also seen some amazing lawyers who have dedicated their professional lives to fairness and justice. I hope to model my career after these experts and focus on ensuring that members of marginalized communities are represented.

5)  Complaining takes the focus off you.

 

Never lose sight of the fact that your admission essay or personal statement is about you and your journey. It should be focused on your motivations and aspirations for the future. True, it’s important to include statements in your essay that demonstrate your awareness of legal matters, but at the end of the day, your emphasis must be on you and your experiences and how they have shaped you into a competent law school candidate.

What not to say: 

“I don’t ever want to work in a law firm that (fill in the blank). I’ll never sell myself short.”

What to say: 

“I know there is no such thing as a perfect law firm or job because people run companies, and people aren’t perfect. But I hope to bring the best of myself to all my endeavors, beginning with law school and ending in a career where I can advocate for others and contribute to a fair legal process for my clients.”

Knowing how to frame your ideas and goals in a positive way

A passion for making impactful changes is invaluable, and most law schools want to accept students who embody this energy. So, instead of making overt complaints about the legal system, remember to use your essay to outline your comprehension of the challenges and your commitment to coming up with solutions.

Your application essay should clearly state your readiness to embrace your future as a law student and define your ability to solve problems while improving on the flaws from within the system. By staying focused on the upside instead of the downside, you’ll convince admission committees that you’re an ideal student to accept into their learning institution.