By Chinua Asuzu
Begin your application emails or letters with “You”, “Your”, or “[the name of the firm]”, rather than “I”.
Say, “Your law firm has distinguished itself in the Nigerian legal-services marketplace by …” or “Aluko & Oyebode is a leading commercial law firm with expertise in …”.
Then segue into your own strengths and show how they would fit into the firm’s practice.
Say boldly that you’d be a useful addition to the firm. Explain how.
Match your skill set with the firm’s likely staffing needs.
Forget “I hereby apply”.
Without the word “hereby”, nobody would think you meant “thereby”.
Research the firm on- and offline.
Your laudatory introductory paragraph must ring true. Borrow ideas and words from the firm’s mission and vision statements, and from their website generally. Tug at their heart. Address their self-image.
But don’t be obsequious or unctuous.
