Cover Letters!

Dear Sir or Madam,

For electronic communications, "Re: Law Clerk Position" is better. Best is "Dear (specific person).

Please accept my application for a position in your firm. I am a recent graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law interested in pursuing a career in (your practice area).

The standard introduction and rather boring. I need something that will set me apart from other candidates. Something that will get the hiring partner to sit up straighter and read closer. The mood I'm going for is "polite but assertive." Too far would be "ridiculous and cheesy, like a used car salesman."

Possibilities:

Because you are looking for a motivated self-starter with a strong writing ability to work at your office, I believe that I could make an immediate and lasting contribution to your firm

Too many ideas are in this sentence. It's too unwieldy. I like the strong opening though. "Since you are lookng for someone good to hire, I am applying (because I am who you are looking for)." Still too unwieldy. Maybe this sentence structure doesn't work. One more try:

Since you are looking for a motivated self-starter to work at your office, I believe that I could make an immediate and lasting contribution to your firm.

Actually sounds...pretty good.
Follow it up with who you are and why they should care:

I am a recent graduate of the University of Virgina School of Law interested in interested in pursuing a career in tax law.

Slightly less snappy than the previous sentence. It's not bad. "I am a recent graduate of X" is what most employers would want to know. Having my goals up front is good as well. "Pursuing a career in tax law" is pretty mushy. Is there something more specific that I want to do?

Next I need to explain how I am a good candidate for this position, backed by specific examples of accomplishments.