Em dashes, like Oxford commas, are pieces of punctuation that elicit strong avowals of personal loyalty. Once you’ve learned how to use them—be it for emphasis, to provide extra information, or to offer an aside to your reader—they’re hard to give up. They’re less regulated than commas, less intimidating than semicolons, and less clunky than parentheses.
It’s a peculiar feature of life in 2025 that the em dash has become a telltale sign of AI-generated writing. At some point, ChatGPT figured out em dashes are great for punching up prose in a way that feels both informal and impactful. Now they’re everywhere, and even their strongest partisans may find themselves rethinking the choice to use them just to avoid sounding like a robot.
AI and Law School Admissions
It’s no secret that AI is changing the way the world works, and nowhere is that more obvious than in the way people write (or don’t write). The legal profession in particular has witnessed some high-profile scandals where attorneys used ChatGPT, only to submit briefs with made-up cases.
While the profession is still wrestling with what new standards will emerge for how to use AI ethically and efficiently, there’s one place you can be sure you shouldn’t use it: in the personal statement for your law school application.
Your personal statement is a place to both display your skill as a writer and tell the admissions committee about yourself. Using AI thwarts both these goals. With its rote generalities, its perfectly even paragraphs, and its too-neat “not just this, but that” constructions, AI writing is the opposite of personal, and admissions committees can spot it easily.
But how should you write your law school personal statement? And how can you make it stand out in a world of neatly formulaic algorithmic prose? This blog offers advice for how to do just that.
The Purpose of Your Law School Personal Statement
There’s no magic formula for writing the perfect personal statement, but there is one important starting point: be authentically yourself. No matter how impressive your application materials, admissions committees know they’re evaluating real people with real motivations, not superheroes or courtroom prodigies.
Whatever your story is, tell it sincerely. Focus on sharing your real-world experience rather than on inflating your achievements or trumpeting your expertise in a field you’ve barely begun to study. The rest of your application will show your credentials; the personal statement should focus on who you are and why you want to get a law degree.
Go Beyond Grades and Scores
GPAs and LSAT scores are important; there’s no getting around it. However, your academic record doesn’t tell the whole story. The personal statement is your chance to share the why behind your application. What motivates you? What experiences shaped your interest in law? This is where you add context, fill in gaps, and highlight personal strengths that numbers can’t capture.
Show, Don’t Tell
Think narrative, not résumé. Effective personal statements center around a meaningful story or theme: something that gives your reader a clear sense of who you are and how you got here. It doesn’t have to be dramatic, but it does need structure, flow, and a personal voice.
Brainstorming Personal Statement Topics
The best personal statement topics come from moments in your life that felt real, raw, or gave you reason for reflection. You’re offering a window into who you are, what’s shaped your path, and how your experiences connect to a future in the legal field.
Start by thinking through your life experiences. Inspiration can come from many possible paths. Was there a moment you realized the legal system affected you or your community in a meaningful way, good or bad? Is there some legal question or debate that particularly fascinates you?
If you’re stuck, try jotting down a list of moments that challenged you or shaped your values. Don’t judge the ideas too soon; just get them down. Sometimes the most powerful essay starts with the weirdest-looking first draft. You can shape it later. The goal right now is to figure out what matters to you and how it connects to your decision to attend law school.
Remember, you don’t have to tell your entire life story. In fact, the strongest essays often zero in on one particular turning point in your life experience and explore it in depth. Focus on showing growth, insight, or a connection between your past and your future legal career.
Key Elements of the Writing and Structure
A Strong Opening
First impressions matter. Admissions committees are reading dozens of personal statements in a sitting, and you want yours to stand out. Consider starting with a hook: perhaps a pivotal moment that shaped your thinking, a shocking thing someone said, or an unusual question that motivated you to learn more. Jog your memory. Whatever you choose, ground it in detail. Specifics bring your statement to life and help the reader invest in your message.
Focus and Coherence
Your essay shouldn’t try to be all things at once. Don’t list every club, internship, and late-night debate you’ve ever participated in. Choose a central theme or narrative arc and build around that. Your personal statement should make a clear point, provide supporting evidence, and reach a conclusion that ties it all together. Rambling is the enemy. Structure is your best friend.
Critical Thinking and Reflection
Law schools are looking for critical thinkers, and one way to demonstrate that skill is to focus on the meaning of your experiences. Whatever story you tell, what matters isn’t just what happened; it’s what you took away from it.
If you’re describing an internship, don’t just recount your tasks—explain how the experience shaped your understanding of justice or public policy. If you’re writing about a personal struggle, don’t just tell a tale of hardship—show the admissions committee how your trials (pun intended) have equipped you to empathize with future clients.
Clarity and Concision
As Shakespeare said, brevity is the soul of wit. Admissions officers read a lot of personal statements. Yours doesn’t need to be the longest or the most poetic (no offense to the aforementioned author): it just needs to be clear and purposeful.
Aim for clean, confident prose. Avoid legal jargon or vague generalities. Say what you mean in straightforward language, then read your draft out loud, and if it sounds natural and focused, you’re on the right track.
Dos and Don’ts for Your Law School Personal Statement
The Dos
- Read each school’s instructions and tailor your statements to their specifications. Some schools might want two pages, some schools might want three paragraphs. Some schools might be entirely open-ended, while some schools may give you a very specific prompt.
- Be authentic. Speak in your own voice. Admissions committees want to know the real you. Skip the legalese and write the way you actually think and speak.
- Proofread carefully. Ironically, in the age of AI, the occasional mistake is a good sign that a human being actually wrote what you’re reading. That said, though, spelling, grammar, and tone all still matter. Read your work through carefully to check for mistakes. It really should be flawless.
- Tell a focused story. Center your statement around one or two key experiences rather than listing your entire résumé.
The Don’ts
- Don’t start with clichés. Phrases like “I’ve always wanted to be a lawyer” or “I want to change the world” don’t tell us much about you. Even an opening that feels like a hook might be tired or overplayed.
- Don’t restate your résumé. The admissions committee already has it. Use the statement to show what isn’t on your application.
- Don’t go off-topic. When you’re staring at a blank Word doc, it might feel like you’ve got lots of space to fill. But actually, these statements are all pretty short. Tangents or unrelated anecdotes will make your essay feel scattered and unfocused.
- Don’t forget the basics. Keep it within the word limit, follow each school’s guidelines, and submit the final version—not a rough draft. Follow any formatting requirements precisely.
- Don’t somehow leave another law school's name in your final draft. Tailoring your statement can strengthen it if it is done right, but leaving another school's name in a personal statement can undo your efforts to stand out.
FAQs About Law School Personal Statements
When Should I Start Writing My Personal Statement for Law School?
Start earlier than you think: ideally during the summer before you apply. That gives you time to brainstorm, write a messy first draft, and revise without the pressure of looming deadlines. The personal statement is a big piece of the application process, especially for pre-law students trying to stand out. Don’t rush it—good writing takes time (and editing).
What Is a Good Length for a Law School Personal Statement?
Most schools ask for 500–750 words, which is about one to two pages double-spaced. Check each school’s guidelines. In general, though, keep it focused and tight. Think of it as your elevator pitch to become a future law student, not your whole autobiography. If you’re using an addendum for anything like a GPA dip or LSAT gap, save those explanations for that separate section. (And see our blog about how to write diversity statements.)
What Topics Should I Avoid in My Law School Personal Statement?
Avoid anything overly controversial (unless it’s central to your story and handled thoughtfully), overly vague (“I’ve always wanted to make a difference”), or unrelated to your career path in law. Also, steer clear of rehashing your résumé or turning your statement into a list of achievements. The goal is to reflect on your experience and make a point about who you are, not to just impress.
Can I Use My Law School Personal Statement for Multiple Applications?
A strong personal statement can be used across multiple applications, especially if it focuses on your broader career path or personal motivation. But be sure to tweak it when schools ask specific questions or offer unique prompts—and be prepared to drop it and write a new statement altogether rather than shoe-horning it into a prompt that just doesn’t work.
Can I Start My Law School Personal Statement with a Quote?
You can, but proceed with caution. Quotes can come off as rote, impersonal, or cliché unless they’re truly relevant to your point. Remember, law schools want to hear your voice, not Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s or Antonin Scalia’s. If you’re using a quote to avoid jumping into your story, it's better to simply start with a real experience.
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Topics: Applying to Law School, Articles
