JUSTINE M. DAVIS
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Letters of Recommendation

REQUIREMENTS FOR LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION 
​

I am happy to consider writing letters of recommendation to law school, graduate school, or programs/jobs for students who have performed well in my classes or who have served as research assistants on projects. Some suggestions:
  • To write a good letter, I need to know you well. You should thus be reaching out to me to discuss your goals and plans on a regular basis.
  • For current or past students: to request a letter, I require that you receive an A in my class. 

If this is the first time you are requesting a letter from me, please follow the guidelines below:
  1. Contact me ASAP to discuss the letter (at least THREE weeks before the letter is due!). You will need to sign-up for office hours to do so. We will discuss whether I am the most appropriate letter writer, the programs you are applying for, and your career plans. Meeting with me is mandatory and if you do not respect the three week deadline, I will unfortunately be unable to provide you with a letter.
  2. If I agree to write the letter, you will send me a Google Calendar invitation (entitled: YOUR NAME - Letter of Rec - PROGRAM) on the due date for your letter(s) with the following (also at least THREE weeks in advance):
    1. The program for which you are applying (any relevant links or descriptions)
    2. Specific instructions on where I should send the letter (do I need to send it to an email address? Upload on a website?)
    3. Any forms waiving your rights to view the letter, if applicable.
    4. A link to a Google Drive folder with the following documents:
      1. an updated CV
      2. an updated unofficial transcript
      3. A brief statement about (1-2 short paragraphs maximum, or, better yet, a few bullet points):
        1. why you are interested in the position
        2. what you hope to get from the experience
        3. how your experience in my class relates
        4. Any personal/academic qualities or contributions that you would like to be emphasized
        5. Any other details you want me to know about you or the position
  3. ​​You should send me a Google Calendar invitation for each due date with specifics for each program.
  4. Once your application cycle is finished and you start to hear back from the opportunities for which I provided a letter, please be courteous and let me know how things go! I want to be able to celebrate your successes with you, commiserate with you on rejections, and strategize on next steps! 

If I have already written you a letter, you are not required to meet with me, unless your circumstances have changed. Please complete steps 2-4, however.

​If you have any questions, please send me an email.

Photo: Jacqueville, Côte d'Ivoire
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