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How to write a lawyer resume?

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Good lawyers know the law, great lawyers know the judge. . and fantastic lawyers know how to get shortlisted for the legal job everyone's after!!

You've probably done a great job at representing people in courtrooms, cracked the toughest of cases, and maybe, even taken up a lot of pro-bono projects. And now, you want to work for the most badass legal firm in town.

What do you do?

While your professional experience and past association with reputed firms look fantastic on a resume, that's not the only thing you will need to get the coveted job in the prestigious law firm that you have been dreaming to go to.

You will need to communicate the right things in your legal resume. You'll need to show the promise of showmanship. You'll need to demonstrate that you fit right in.

And to do this, you will need a highly relevant, well-written resume that hits the right notes.

Here, you will be able to write entry-level attorney resumes, attorney resumes, law school resumes - basically, you will be able to write legal resumes irrespective of the career stage you are in.

That's not all.

You will also learn:

• How to write a perfect summary of your attorney resume.
• How write professional experience to make an articulate lawyer resume?
• How to add personal information in a legal resume cover letter?
• Should you discuss your legal resume bar admission?

. . . All so you can get shortlisted for the legal job of your dreams.

Read on to uncover the top legal resume tips to help you write the best legal resume.

Watch out for the 10+ legal resume samples and legal resume examples to get a better idea of how each section is to be perfected.

What is a Legal Resume & why do you need it?

A legal resume is a resume that is designed for to-be-lawyers and lawyers in all stages of their career such as:

• An advocate resume is a legal resume for advocates.
• A law student resume is a legal resume for law students.
• A general counsel resume is a legal resume for general counselors.
• An entry-level attorney resume is a legal resume for entry-level attorneys.

They are all legal resumes for different legal professionals.

You need a legal resume to get shortlisted for your dream job. But given the onset of the ATS (applicant tracking system) and it’s rampant use across most industries and companies for hiring, the need of the day is to make an ATS-targeted or ATS-compliant resume.

This means:

• Your advocate resume should be ATS-compliant.
• Your law student resume should be ATS-compliant.
• Your general counsel resume should be ATS-compliant.
• Your entry-level attorney resume should be ATS-compliant.

Doing this will ensure that your legal resume will have a higher scope of getting shortlisted because it will rank well in the ATS.

Legal Sample Resume

Before we begin, take a look at our legal resume sample to know what an ideal resume should look like:

• Legal Research
• Legal Proceedings
• Case Resolution
• Legal Memorandum
• Case Study & Report making
• Motion Drafting
• Document Review
• Legal Contracts
• Documentation
• Tax Compliance
• Bankruptcy Proceedings
• Corporate Law
• Dispute Resolution
• Appointed as New York State Bar member in May '12
• Languages: English (Native), Spanish (Elementary)
• Administered the drafting of pleadings, and settlement demand letters
• Supervised legal research and prepared ~5 legal memoranda on a weekly basis
• Facilitated 10+ written & oral case status reports to co-counsel and clients every month
• Conducted legal research, motion drafting , and document review to implement fact-based litigation
• Interpreted law, rulings , and regulations for 20+ businesses on a monthly basis
• Monitored company compliance with taxes, business licenses , and employment regulations
• Implemented department-based company initiatives and assigned projects to lawyers & paralegals
• Advised small & mid-size businesses in bankruptcy proceedings and corporations & partnership agreements
• Consolidated 30+ legal documents to finalize closings for high profile clients every month
• Settled landlord/tenant disputes and resolved bank discharges & title policy issues to prevent stalling of closings
• Awarded ' Most Competent Associate ' for concluding the highest number of closings per month in Jun, Jul & Sep '16
• Top 5% of the class
• Top 10% of the class

How to write a Legal Resume

Writing the perfect legal resume demands that you follow the 3 stages of resume writing that we have mentioned below:

• Stage 1: Master Legal Resume
• Stage 2: First Draft of Legal Resume
• Stage 3: Final Draft of Legal Resume

Master Legal Resume

In this stage, you have to compile all your information in one place. Doing this guarantees a reserve of information with you at all times.

Be it your educational background, the certifications you have done, the professional expertise that you have amassed, etc. - put them all in one place.

That's step 1.

This helps in the twin process of resume writing in the present & resume update in the future as the need to fish for information gets removed.

All you have to do is pick the relevant information and write or update your resume accordingly.

First Draft of Legal Resume

The second stage of resume writing involves composing the following sections:

• Personal Information
• Profile Title
• Professional Experience
• Certifications (if any)
• Awards & Recognition (if any)
• Additional Information (if any)

Final Draft of Legal Resume

In the final stage of resume-writing, your job is to conclude your legal resume.

As part of this conclusion stage, you have to compose two sections i.e. the 'key skills' section and the 'summary/objective' section.

Both these sections are composed towards the end as it becomes easy to identify your core skills and career highlights, which makes drafting these sections extremely easy.

It also saves you the much-needed time as the scope of revisiting some sections of your resume just to compose these sections gets eliminated.

Legal Resume Sections

Knowing what to put in your resume is winning half the battle. Knowing how to present this information is what helps you hit the right notes with the ATS.

The ATS often scans your resume, and when information is presented haphazardly, it reduces the ATS-compatibility of your legal resume.

Thus, as a general rule you should always arrange your information under the resume sections that we have mentioned below:

• Summary/Objective

Additionally, you can also put in the extra information regarding your work life under the below-mentioned sections:

Legal Resume: Professional Experience

Most people will tell you that the shortest route to an impeccable resume is a highly informative professional experience section. And they're right.

It is only after thoughtful evaluation of this section that a recruiter gets the best idea of your professional caliber and work history.

But, that's not the only thing.

How you present information also matters.

So here's what you can do to effectively present the details of your work experience in your sample attorney resume:

• Frame points
• Use the STAR format
• Use Bucketing & Bolding

Framing Points

Do you know that using paragraphs is counter-productive in a law student resume?

Do you know what you can do to reverse it?

One-liner points. This is the answer to all your problems.

Let us elaborate further through the legal resume examples that we have outlined below. All you have to do is observe them closely:

As part of my roles & responsibilities as a layer at Company X, I was responsible for looking after a range of important functions which mainly included handling clients and resolving cases by concluding settlement agreements. To achieve this, I interviewed and briefed clients on a day to day basis. Other responsibilities include preparing motions, affidavits, interrogatories, contracts, and negotiated contracts. I have also been accountable for the important responsibility of filing lawsuits, handling legal research and preparing for court appearances - something I did with a lot of diligence.

• Handled cases, interviewed clients, and prepared briefs daily
• Prepared motions, affidavits, interrogatories, contracts, and negotiated contracts
• Filed lawsuits and handled various aspects of legal research & preparation for court appearances
• Studied case files and signed settlement agreements to resolve client disputes

Framing Points: Analysis

The legal resume examples that we have given above brings us to the following conclusions:

• Both attorney resume examples are communicating the same message.
• While Law Resume Example 1 uses one long bulky paragraph to talk about the applicant's roles & responsibilities, Law Resume Example 2 uses one crisp one-liner point which helps demonstrate the applicant's work experience optimally.
• Law Resume Example 2, which uses one-liner points, also has the added advantage of being reader-friendly. It is both easy to read & comprehend vis-a-vis Law Resume Example 1 which uses paragraphs.
• It also uses action verbs which give your sample lawyer resume the much-needed tone of assertiveness & professionalism.
• Our advice? You should use one-liner points instead of paragraphs to communicate the details of your work experience.

STAR Format

Next up is the STAR format.

What is its importance? Let's find out!

But before we do, here's what the STAR stands for:

• The Situation or context of your contributions.
• The Task you were assigned in the given situation at work.
• The Action or strategy you have deployed to execute the assigned task.
• The Result or outcome of your work or actions using performance figures.

Performance figures are numbers using which you can showcase the extent of your contributions in your workplace. It helps you show the importance of your professional skills in your chosen industry.

It helps you demonstrate how your efforts helped scale a business.

Thus, adding numbers make your actions more meaningful and relevant. It helps a recruiter understand your professional abilities which enhance your shortlist chances.

Bucketing & Bolding

Now that you know how to enhance the readability and effectiveness of your sample attorney resume, the next thing in your to-do-list is to ensure that your work experience details get read .

This is where the bucketing & bolding comes handy.

Mentioned below are two lawyer resume examples showcasing how bucketing & bolding helps you enhance the visibility of your sample attorney resume:

• Interpreted law, rulings, and regulations for 20+ businesses on a monthly basis
• Implemented company initiatives and assigned projects to a team of 5+ paralegals
• Prepared 10+ legal memorandums and conducted legal research every week
• Administered the drafting of pleadings, discovery, and settlement demand letters
• Facilitated 10+ written & oral case status reports to clients every month
• Conducted legal research, motion drafting, and document review to implement fact-based litigation
• Regulated company compliance with business licenses, taxes, and employment regulations

Legal Compliance & Bankruptcy Proceedings

• Interpreted law, rulings, and regulations for 20+ businesses every month
• Regulated company compliance with business licenses, taxes , and employment regulations

Legal Research & Memoranda

• Administered the drafting of pleadings , discovery , and settlement demand letters
• Facilitated 10+ written case status reports to clients every month

Bucketing & Bolding : Analysis

The above-mentioned legal resume examples present us with the following information:

• Law Resume Example 1 uses one-liner points to communicate the details of your work experience using points. It is extremely readable but it doesn't do enough to get your law resume get read.
• Law Resume Example 2 uses bucketing & bolding to organize each one-liner point by organizing similar points under relevant subheadings & marking the important career highlights in bold.
• By using bucketing & bolding, you can easily divert the recruiter's attention to your key responsibilities and skills as it becomes next to impossible to ignore them.
• Thus, you should use bucketing & bolding alongside one-liner points to ensure that your resume projects your career highlights effectively.

Legal Resume Sample for Professional Experience

It is embedded with experienced attorney resume samples to help you effectively illustrate your professional caliber in the professional experience section of your resume.

Moreover, make a healthy habit of picking the right resume format for your lawyer resume. The legal resume format you choose will significantly impact the receptiveness of your resume as it prioritizes the elements in your resume for maximum effectiveness.

The reverse chronological resume format is the industry choice for drafting attorney resumes. Use this format as it is both ATS-compliant & recruiter-friendly resume (a win-win!).

The lawyer resume sample that we have attached below shows you what this section should ideally look like once you follow the legal resume tips that we have explained for this section:

Legal Resume: Key Skills

The whole point of writing a lawyer resume is to demonstrate your professional skills. To do this, make a separate ' key skills ' section highlighting your core skills.

Add your 'technical skills' if you are writing a resume for a technical profile.

Since a lawyer resume does not fit into this category, you don't have to make a separate 'technical skills' section.

For best results, compose this section only after you have concluded the professional experience section. Doing this helps you curate an impeccable 'key skills' section without missing out on an important point.

Here's a sample law resume showcasing what the skills section should ideally look like in your legal resumes.

Legal Resume Summary or Objective?

Whether you write a legal resume summary or a legal resume objective depends on the number of work experience with you. If your work experience transcends 3 years, write a summary, and if you have less than 3 years of work experience, write an objective.

Both ways, the goal of both is to endorse your skills to ensure that you get shortlisted for a job in the legal industry. It has to be impactful and highly effective.

Here's a list of what you should do to write impactful summaries & objectives:

• When you compose your resume summary/objective after concluding the rest of your resume, it helps you write effective summaries and objectives as you simply have to pick the highlights of your career and present them here.
• The idea is to endorse your legal resume skills in the most pro-active way.
• Unnecessarily bulking up your resume summary or objective would be counterproductive. So as a general rule of thumb, try to keep your legal resume summary/objective limited to a 3-5 lines paragraph.

Here's a lawyer resume sample showcasing what an ideally composed summary for your lawyer resume should look like.

Legal Resume: Header

Your lawyer resume header needs to be composed while keeping in mind its importance. Its goal is to give your resume an individual identity of its own.

This is why writing 'CV' or 'Resume' is frowned upon because it is obvious that you are submitting a resume.

You don't have to announce such obvious facts to the world.

This is why you should personalize this space and make a habit of writing your real full name as the resume header.

Do this and position it at the extreme top part of your lawyer resume and write it in the largest font size of 16-20 points to enhance its visibility. Doing this will tell the recruiter that this resume belongs to you.

We have attached a legal resume sample below. It illustrates what the perfect resume header should look like:

Legal Resume: Personal Information

This section of your lawyer resume should communicate important contact-specific information about you such as:

• Your mobile number
• Your Email ID
• Your Location

Make sure that you don't unnecessarily flood this section with irrelevant and extremely personal details such as your sexual orientation or religious beliefs unless explicitly asked for. Doing this will make you prone to biased hiring and you don't want that!

Mobile Number

Are you writing your contact information correctly on your law resume?

Have you been composing it the wrong way this whole time?

Read on to find out:

• Use your country’s ISD code as a prefix before your mobile number.
• Put a plus sign (+) before the ISD code.
• Eg: +1 37648 21511.

Do not mention more than one mobile number in your law resume and makes sure that this mobile number is active. Recruiters tend to get in touch with you over the phone, so any mismatch would mean that you would miss out on a potential job offer or shortlist announcement.

Your email ID is just as important as the mobile number in your law resume as it is the official mode of communication between two professionals - the recruiter and the applicant.

Thus, you mustn't use childish email IDs that spell unprofessional.

All you have to do is write your name followed by the domain name i.e. [email protected] . Example: '[email protected]'.

Your location is another important element of your law resume. It gives the recruiter a fair idea of the place of your residence, which further helps him/her identify if you would be up for a job-switch in another city or state.

Point is, locations are important.

Do yourself a favor and don't excessively complicate it.

Simply mention your city & state if you're applying for jobs in the country you are based in. For job applications in other countries, simply mention the city & country of your residence.

Legal Resume Sample for Personal Information

To know what an ideal personal information section should ideally look like, take a look at the sample attorney resume below.

Legal Resume: Profile Title

Your profile title is important as it communicates important career-relevant details about you.

Be it your functional industry, your seniority level in it, or your job title; your profile title says it all!

This is why it is important to illustrate them in your law resume with maximum visibility.

Here's what you should do to enhance the visibility of your law resume:

• Write it in the second-largest text in your sample legal resume.
• Write it in the font range of 14-16 points.

Given below is a lawyer resume sample illustrating the perfect profile title for your law resume.

The key is to truthfully present this information without exaggeration.

Legal Resume: Education

Most people tend to overlook this section.

This is where they are making a grave mistake. The education section of your resume is a must-include-section and should not be missed.

Your educational details are important. Thus, you must make a separate 'Education' section in your law school resumes.

It should have the below-mentioned information:

• The schools or universities you went to.
• The courses you pursued in the universities you went to.
• Location of your school/university.
• Detailed information of your enrolment & graduation in month & year format.

Here's a sample legal resume showcasing what this section should look like once you have followed the legal resume tips for the 'Education' section.

Legal Resume: Certifications

Is your lawyer resume up to mark? If it isn't, follow the legal resume tips we have mentioned below:

• Make a certifications section in your lawyer resume.
• Furnish it with important certification-centric information.
• Put down the certification name, certificate-issuing body, location of the institute and enrolment & completion date in month & year format .

After you do this, arrange these points horizontally in the below-mentioned format:

{Name of Certification} | {Affiliating Institution} | {Location} | {Date} (month & year format)

Legal Resume Bar Admission

Your legal resume bar admission is important and should find a place in your resume.

Not only does it tell a recruiter that you are educationally equipped, but it also shows that you have stepped it up a notch and passed the bar exam.

Showcasing this in your resume helps you demonstrate that you are qualified to practice law.

Here's a lawyer resume sample demonstrating how you should inculcate your legal resume bar admission details in your resume:

Legal Resume: Additional Information

If you have extra information that you'd like to put in your lawyer resume, but don't know where to put them, list them down in the 'Additional Information' section of your resume.

But while we say this, make sure that you make this section only if it helps you advance your job application in any way.

The sample law school resume that we have attached below perfectly demonstrates what this section should look like in your law student resume:

Key Takeaways

• Keep your lawyer resume simple and informative. Stick to a one-page resume if your work experience is limited to 10 years.
• Write a legal resume summary only if you have a minimum work experience of 3 years. If you don't, write a legal resume objective.
• Make a 'key skills' section to talk about your legal resume skills. Doing this will help a recruiter identify your proficiency areas in one go.
• Instead of blatantly stating that you're skilled in this and that, show the visible extent of your contributions using numbers. For eg:' Conducted legal research to resolve 10+ cases in one week'.
• Don't use paragraphs in your lawyer resume. Instead, use crisp one-liner points to communicate your roles & responsibilities.
• Use action verbs to begin each point in your professional experience section. Doing this gives your resume a tone of confidence & professionalism.
• Use the month & year format for dates across all sections of your lawyer resume.
• Use the city/state code format if you are looking for job applications in the country of your residence. If you're looking for opportunities outside your home country, use the city/country code format .

You can either follow these steps or use Hiration's Career Building Platform to frame a professional legal resume. This AI-powered platform comes with 24/7 chat support to provide you a smooth user experience. Additionally, you can also discuss your career related issues with our experts at [email protected] .

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Legal Resumes

This guide contains some basic suggestions about preparing resumes, and includes samples for you to consult. If you would like to have a Career Development Office attorney-counselor review your draft resume, send it to the career email box, [email protected] . The resume process, from start to finish, can take much longer than you anticipate. Start early, and give yourself plenty of time .

A. What is a Resume?

B. effective resumes, c. writing your resume, d. resume suggestions, e. finalizing your resume.

• Sample Resumes – Students (These are included as a pdf to preserve formatting, an essential element of effective resume-drafting.)
• Suggested Action Words for describing experiences
• “1L Resume Workshop” Presentation (10/2023)

A resume is a marketing device whereby you present the most attractive, true picture of yourself with the goal of convincing an employer to meet with you. During an interview, you may be asked questions about any entries on the document. For lawyers, the resume also is a writing sample that shows your ability to communicate clearly and concisely and your attention to detail.

Your resume is often your first contact with a potential employer and will probably determine whether your qualifications and background warrant an interview or serious consideration for a job. While employers do not usually hire on the basis of a resume alone, they may decide not to interview an applicant on the basis of a poorly prepared or presented resume. Therefore, excellent content and presentation are vital. Employers assume that your resume represents your best work and is indicative of your general work product in terms of clarity, organization, accuracy and appearance.

Most decisions about what to include and how best to present information in your resume are based on your personal assessment of your strengths, the kind(s) of position you are seeking, your own taste and style, and your knowledge of how resumes in the legal profession traditionally look and read. Consider having more than one resume to emphasize different things for different types of prospective employers.

Resumes for public interest organizations. For these employers, a demonstrated commitment to public interest work will be a key factor. Evidence of your commitment can take the form of extracurricular activities, journals, internships, clinics and volunteer work, all of which should be included on your resume. Consider including substantive clinical work or student organization activities (e.g., CARC) in your “Experience” section, where you can elaborate on your tasks and responsibilities. If your experience justifies it, you may consider creating an additional section entitled “Community Service” or “Volunteer Activities” to list your volunteer or community activities that will emphasize the extent of your dedication to public interest issues. In addition, languages can be very important to public interest/public sector employers, depending on the communities they serve or the work you can do for them. Unlike resumes aimed at private sector employers, public interest resumes can go over one page if your experience requires it; however, it is still critical to use concise language and efficient formatting.

Resume Rules. There are a few absolute rules for writing resumes. Your resume must be:

• scrupulously honest;
• conservative (graphically and linguistically, not necessarily politically);
• selective (because your resume is not your whole life history, perhaps not even your entire employment history);
• visually appealing so it will be easy to read rapidly;
• absolutely free of typos, grammatical errors, and inconsistencies.

Difficult Issues. Some items you might include in your resume may reveal political leanings, religious beliefs, ethnicity, disability, and/or sexual orientation, which, depending on the prospective employer, could work against you or in your favor. (This is true regardless of the legality of taking such factors into account.) The decision whether to include such information is a personal one. First, consider how important the inclusion of such information is to you, and whether you would want to work for an employer who would use it in making a decision whether to hire you. If you choose not to include this information, you still have the option of bringing it up in an interview, or later in the hiring process. If you are unsure about whether to include items of this kind in your resume, contact a CDO attorney-counselor.

Accuracy of Resume Information and Verification of Resumes. It is imperative that all information presented on your resume be scrupulously honest and free of embellishment. The potential for misrepresentation of academic or work performance is of great concern to employers; they typically verify this information. Berkeley Law has established practices to ensure the fair and accurate presentation of students in the placement process, including procedures for the verification of statements concerning grades, journal membership, or other law school achievements that a student has made in a resume or other document. By making such statements to an employer in writing, a student consents to the Law School verifying the substance of these statements at the employer’s request. (Berkeley Law’s Registrar will inform the employer whether written grade information is accurate, but will not provide the correct grade information to the employer without the student’s prior consent.)

Any falsification or misrepresentation of law school grades or other records, recommendations, or other qualifications is a violation of the Academic Honor Code.

First, brainstorm. Inventory your background and accomplishments and list everything which helps to distinguish you individually, professionally, and as a student. You might ask for input from family or friends because you may overlook some basic but important areas. Remember to focus on what you bring to the table based on your experience. What will make the employer interested in you?

Name and Contact Information

This information should go in large (font size 14-16) bold face type at the top of your resume. If you choose to include both your school address and your permanent address you should indicate which is which. (Students often include an out-of-area address in order to show that they have a connection to an area outside of Northern California.) Always include your phone number and email address, but only one of each. (Your email address, as well as your voicemail greeting, should be professional.)

List your education in reverse chronological order (law school first). Include basic information on schools attended, degrees received and dates (or anticipated dates) of graduation, and major field(s) of study.

Under your undergraduate school heading, include major and minor areas of study and thesis topics, if applicable. Be consistent. If you use the term “J.D,” then use “B.A.” Alternatively, if you write out “Juris Doctor” then write out “Bachelor of Arts.” Other than law schools, you need not include schools from which you transferred and did not graduate. No need to include your high school. If you acquired a degree which employers might not recognize by its abbreviation, spell out the degree name.

For your law degree, you can either list it as “J.D. Candidate” with your expected graduation date, or you can list “J.D.” and the date as “Expected May 20XX.”

A Special Note for Transfer Students : If you transferred here from another law school, put Berkeley Law first, followed by the other law school, for at least your first year at Berkeley Law. If you received honors at the other school, put them under that law school’s section. If you were invited to join law review at your former school and didn’t because you transferred here, indicate that you were invited to join and explain why, e.g., “Invited to join University of San Diego Law Review on the basis of high academic achievement.”

Joint Degree Students : If you are pursuing a joint degree program, be sure to list both schools under your education section.

Honors and Activities. Honors attached to your degree should appear in lowercase after the degree awarded, e.g., B.A., summa cum laude , June 2006. (If the honors are in Latin, they should be italicized.) Other academic honors are listed separately below your degree, along with school activities.

If you have extensive undergraduate honors and activities, you might consider listing only a representative number of them. Make sure it is clear which activities are at which institutions. If you were involved during school with an activity not related to the school, it should go under a different section of your resume.

For law school, list all honors and activities of importance such as law review, participation on other journals, moot court, trial advocacy, clinics, fellowships, scholarships, committees, student organization membership, and academic awards.

If an activity in college or law school was or is especially involved or relevant, consider putting it under the Experience section. For example, if you are a public interest student, your participation in CARC could go under Experience, with a description of the work you did on your asylum case.

Grades, Rank and LSAT Scores. Because Berkeley Law does not use a traditional grading system, students do not have GPA’s. Berkeley Law does not rank its students (except for the sole purpose of clerkship applications), and Berkeley Law faculty policy provides that students must not include any representation or estimate of class rank on a resume or in a cover letter. LSAT scores should not be listed on your resume, as they are designed to predict law school performance only, and are not an indicator of professional performance.

Use reverse chronology. You can list a brief summary of your most important duties, or list the skills you have developed at the job so that the employer can see what you can bring to the table. Your experience is worth including not for what you did, but for what it says about you and what you can do in the future. 

List the name and location of the employer, your title, the dates of employment, and a brief summary of your most important duties. Emphasize law-related work in any area, but do not struggle to make your experience appear more law-related than it really is; many students come to law school with no legal experience whatsoever, and employers know this. Three or four phrases are usually all you need, but elaborate further if you have the space and believe that your duties were especially interesting, responsible, and/or relevant to your legal career.

• If the name of the employer is inadequate to convey the nature of the business, try to incorporate a description of the employer in your job duties, e.g., “prepared marketing materials and sales analysis for start-up company selling online pet products.”
• Avoid insider jargon.
• Use present tense verbs to describe your current job and past tense verbs with all former positions.
• Provide specific information about actions and responsibilities (e.g., budget, percentage of increase in revenues or sales, number of staff supervised, direct work with clients, etc.) Many skills obtained in non-law jobs are transferable to law practice (e.g., attention to detail, meeting deadlines, writing, research and analytical skills, working under pressure, working with individuals from diverse backgrounds, etc.). Try to highlight such skills.
• If you were at one job for a long time, show promotions and increased responsibility, if applicable.
• If you had many part-time or temporary jobs while in school, consider summarizing them, e.g., “Worked part-time during undergrad to finance education.” (Employers will value the fact that you have worked while going to school, particularly if you were still able to do well academically.) For certain jobs, such as in retail or restaurants, or as a ski instructor, it can be appropriate to omit the description altogether, as most people know roughly what this work entails.
• Include summer jobs to avoid time gaps on your resume.
• If a prior job is your only link to a prospective employer’s city, include it.
• Any experience can be relevant, regardless of whether or not it was paid, so if your volunteer or community service is substantial, include it in the main body of your resume, especially if you are applying for public interest positions. Volunteer work can also be presented in a separate Community Service section, or at the end or your resume under a heading such as “Other Information.” Jobs are usually assumed to be full-time and paid unless you indicate otherwise; be sure not to appear to overstate your experience.

Other Categories.

If space allows, you may choose to elaborate on one or more of the following categories, under a heading such as “Other Information” or “Interests and Activities”:

• Languages : If you include languages on your resume, state your level of fluency (e.g., “fluent,” “proficient,” “reading knowledge only” (where your fluency is very limited, it is probably not worth listing the language)). Do not overstate your level of proficiency.
• Publications : You may include a short list of publications on law-related topics, particularly if the area of research is relevant to an employer’s practice. A more extensive list of publications should be compiled as a separate document. Be prepared to discuss in interviews any publications you list.
• Professional Licensing and Affiliations : Include any relevant licenses or certifications (such as a CPA license). Include past and present memberships with your title, if any, and dates. Give the full name of the organization.
• Bar Admission : Bar membership, only applicable to graduates, should appear at the top of your resume, above the Education section. If you have a substantial amount of experience as an attorney, the Experience section of your resume should precede the Education section. If you are registered to take the bar exam or awaiting the results of a bar exam you have written, you can include that information in a cover letter.
• Keep your resume to one page, unless you have substantial working experience prior to coming to law school, or for public interest resumes.
• Do not use abbreviations, with these exceptions: the two-letter state abbreviations and academic degrees.
• List each item only once. If you list Debate Team Captain as a college activity, don’t repeat it under Other Activities at the bottom.
• Make your resume easy to read. The reader should be able to locate your graduation date, duties of employment, etc., by scanning (not reading) your resume.
• Use short descriptive sentence fragments separated by semicolons with strong action verbs to relate your job responsibilities, not sentences. (A list of “ action words ” can be found at the end of this guide.).
• Be specific about what you did at your jobs; avoid vague expressions such as “gained exposure to,” “participated in” or “assisted with.”
• List your job responsibilities in descending order of responsibility and challenge (start with the most impressive and work down to a “catch-all” item, if appropriate).
• Put your references on a separate document, and don’t include “references available on request” on your resume. Employers know to ask for them.
• Avoid extraneous information and try not to convey too many ideas at once.
• Do not include computer abilities, except as part of a job description where you used highly specialized skills.
• Do not include such personal information as age, marital status, etc.
• Do not include anything in your resume you would not want to discuss in an interview.

Resume Style. Resume styles vary, as presented by the samples found at the end of this guide.

In addition to using physical layout, take strategic advantage of the various ways to highlight important information, such as bold face, capitalization, italicizing, and underlining. Be completely consistent with the choices you make (e.g., all educational institutions in boldface, all job titles in italics), all the way down to the way you use commas, periods and spaces. For legal resumes, it is most typical to use Times New Roman font (or another similar serif font) in size 11 or 12. Look for a pleasant balance of text and white space on the page. While margins can be smaller than the standard for a term paper, you should allow at least .7″ all around.

Proofreading. Once you have your resume set up as you want it with content and layout, proofread it carefully. Look for inconsistencies in style as well as actual typos. Do not trust yourself as the only proofreader; enlist the aid of at least one other person. If you discover a typo, you must redo your resume, even if it has been already been printed; no typo is insignificant.

A few technical notes.

• If you send your resume electronically, it is preferable to convert it to a PDF file first; this way your formatting and any document history are invisible, and you can control exactly the way your resume appears and prints.
• Email addresses in your contact information should be text, like your phone number, not a hyperlink.

Sample Resumes (These are included as a pdf to preserve formatting, an essential element of effective resume-drafting.)

  Return to Contents   

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Legal Resume Examples & Writing Guide for 2024

As a legal professional, your resume is one of the most important tools you have to sell your skills and experience to potential employers. Whether you’re an attorney or a law clerk, your resume is the first impression you’ll make on a hiring manager or legal recruiter.

To help you navigate the legal hiring process, we’ve rounded up some handy tips, real-life examples, and compelling templates on how to write a legal resume that will help you get noticed. (But for all the right reasons.)

Read on and learn all about:

• Formatting your legal resume properly
• Building a compelling work experience section
• Including action verbs in your legal resume
• Showcasing knowledge of legal trends
• Highlighting legal skills in your resume
• Choosing relevant extra sections for your legal resume

1. Format your legal resume properly

Not every legal resume is equal. The expectations and roles vary, and so do your own experiences and skill set. It’s important that you’ve chosen a resume format that highlights your strengths. 

In fact, the layout and format of your resume is just as important as the actual content. If the reviewer is unable to easily parse out the most critical information, it’s unlikely that they’ll review it in depth.

Display the most relevant information prominently and use clear headings so that potential employers can easily find the information they are looking for. 

For example, if you’re a new graduate looking for their first role in the legal world, you may want to highlight your relevant education and academic accolades. If you’re a legal professional with over 10 years of experience, you will likely want to highlight the times and roles where you’ve made the biggest impact.

Writing a new resume can feel overwhelming but it’s easier than you might think. To help you land your next job in the legal industry, we’ve put together some legal resume templates and samples that you can easily adapt to your own skills and goals.

Use artificial intelligence to create your resume — FAST!

2. make your work experience section stand out.

A legal resume should be more than just a laundry list of all your past job duties and responsibilities. While it might feel more impressive to list out all the things you’ve done, a few specific legal examples will make a better impact .

Unspecific examples of resume points include phrases like, “Wrote emails and coordinated appointments” and “Filed and organized documents.” These are tasks or skills that could be related to any industry or role.

Instead, use specific examples of the legal work you have done and the results you have achieved. If possible, include the impact and the relevant practice area. The more details you can include, the better.

Here's a strong work experience section from a legal resume

Associate Attorney, XYZ Law Firm, Anytown, USA

• Conducted extensive legal research and analysis on complex cases, providing valuable insights to support strategic decision-making.
• Drafted and reviewed legal documents, including contracts, pleadings, and briefs, ensuring accuracy and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Assisted in all stages of litigation, including case preparation, witness interviews, and trial support.
• Collaborated with a team of attorneys to develop legal strategies and arguments for various cases.
• Participated in client meetings and effectively communicated legal advice, ensuring clients' understanding of their rights and legal options.
• Negotiated settlements and mediated disputes to achieve favorable outcomes for clients.

However, make sure you’re not disclosing any confidential client information.

3. Include action verbs in your legal resume

When describing your legal experience and accomplishments on your resume, use action verbs . Active verbs are powerful and clearly communicate your successes and skills on your resume.

Action verbs are effective at helping your resume tell a story. It also conveys a level of confidence in your skills to the reviewer. This is particularly important in an industry, like law, where being able to deliver successful results is incredibly valuable.

Consider some of the following action verbs when drafting your legal resume

• Represented
• Spearheaded

This will not only make your resume more interesting to read, but it will also help to demonstrate the impact you have made in your previous roles.

Workers in the legal industry need to be professional and have an eye for detail. So make sure to use the correct tenses when using action verbs in your resume.

Need more action verbs to help you write your resume? Here are 222 more you can use .

4. Demonstrate knowledge of legal trends 

The legal landscape is constantly changing. This includes everything from legal information to the technology used by legal professionals.

In order to be the most effective at your job, it’s essential for any attorney, law clerk, or legal assistant to keep up with the latest legal trends . Whether you have 2 or 30 years of experience, staying up-to-date can help you better serve your clients.

If you’re taking relevant courses or seminars to upskill yourself, make sure to mention them in your resume. Adding these educational opportunities demonstrates to potential employers that you are keeping up with the latest developments in the legal industry. 

Here's an example of how to effectively list courses and seminars on your legal resume

Courses and seminars

• Intellectual Property Law Seminar, Anytown Law School (2021)
• Contract Negotiation and Drafting, Legal Institute (2020)
• Legal Writing and Research Workshop, Bar Association (2019)
• Trial Advocacy Skills Training, Trial Lawyers Association (2018)
• Corporate Law Essentials, Continuing Legal Education (2017)

Find out your resume score!

5. Highlight any unique or specialized legal skills in your resume

The legal industry is an incredibly specific area of employment that requires special education. However, you may be surprised to find that there are many additional skills (outside of the legal sphere) that can make your application stronger.

Take the time to tailor your resume to the role you’re applying for. If you have any unique or specialized skills that would be relevant to the position, highlighting these will help a hiring manager take notice of your application.

Here are some examples of specialized skills or experience to include

• Proficiency in foreign languages – It can help you attract a larger client base.
• Experience in specific practice areas – from family law to insurance law
• Educational background – For example, a background in science or medicine would be beneficial if working in a healthcare legal practice.
• Client services experience – This will be helpful if your role is client-facing.
• Critical hinking:  The ability to analyze complex legal issues and formulate effective strategies is key.
• Business acumen:  An understanding of clients' industries can offer personalized and exceptional legal advice.

6. Choose relevant extra sections for your legal resume

Often, it's the additional sections on your resume that make you stand out as a top pick. Here are a few suggestions:

• Bar Admission:  In the field of law, your bar admission status is vital. Specify the state(s) where you're admitted to practice law.
• Certifications:  If you've earned any certifications beyond your Juris Doctor degree, such as Intellectual Property Law , Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP), or others, be sure to include these.
• Volunteering Experience:  Have you offered pro bono legal services or volunteered in a community legal clinic? This reinforces your commitment to the law outside of a business context.
• Publications:  If you've written legal briefs, articles, or have been published in a law journal, this can highlight your expertise and communication skills.
• Languages:  Legal work can often necessitate interaction with diverse clients. If you're multilingual, include the languages you speak and your proficiency level.

Here's an example of how to list your extra sections

Bar Admission

• Admitted to the New York State Bar (2022)

Certifications

• Intellectual Property Law Certification (Yale University, 2019)
• Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP, 2021)

Volunteering Experience

• Pro Bono Legal Consultant, Community Legal Clinic, Chicago, IL (2016 - Present)

Publications

• Co_author, "The Changing Landscape of Intellectual Property Law", Harvard Law Review, 2021
• Contributor, "Privacy Law and Internet Regulations", Stanford Technology Law Review, 2020
• Spanish: Conversational
• French: Fluent

Remember, these sections can underscore your strengths and demonstrate your diverse skills apart from essential legal competencies. Therefore, hand-pick those that best showcase your qualifications and fit the role you're applying for.

Legal Resume FAQ

In addition to basic such as contact information and education, include details about legal internships or clerkships, relevant coursework or achievements, skills pertinent to the role (such as proficiency in legal research or knowledge of legal software), and references if available.

A resume summary can be beneficial on a legal resume, particularly for seasoned legal professionals. It provides a snapshot of your legal career, highlighting significant achievements and skills. 

As a fresh law graduate or someone new to the field, focus on your education, internships, and any relevant coursework or extracurricular activities. You may also highlight skills, such as legal research or negotiation, gained from your education or internships. 

The resume length can depend on your level of experience. Generally, a one-page resume suffices for new graduates or those with less experience. However, seasoned legal professionals embarking on senior-level roles may need two pages to adequately detail their experiences and accomplishments.

Always, yes. Despite the legal sector's seeming uniformity, different firms or legal departments may look for different skills or experience. Tailor your resume to match each job description closely.

Julia Gergelova

Julia is a professional writer, translator and graphic designer. She holds degrees in translation and interpretation, and has international work experience from a number of different countries in Europe as well as China and Panama. Julia formerly taught academic writing and as a graphic designer contributed to outlets such as  The Business of Business . She has a passion for lifelong learning and good coffee.

Subcategories

• Law Clerk / Legal Clerk
• Lawyer / Advocate
• Legal Administrative Assistant
• Legal Secretary

All legal resume examples

Related legal cover letter examples

Resume guides

How to write a professional resume summary [+examples], how to put your education on a resume [+examples], how to describe your work experience on a resume [+examples], let your resume do the work..

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9 Attorney Resume Examples That Got the Job in 2024

Best for senior and mid-level candidates

There’s plenty of room in our elegant resume template to add your professional experience while impressing recruiters with a sleek design.

Resume Builder

Like this template? Customize this resume and make it your own with the help of our Al-powered suggestions, accent colors, and modern fonts.

Attorney Resume

• Attorney Resumes by Experience
• Attorney Resumes by Role

Attorney Resume FAQs

As a successful attorney in 2024, you are a stellar researcher, writer, investigator, and client confidante.

But when it comes time to  write your resume , how are you supposed to fit everything you do into one page? You also have to consider formatting, metrics, and whether to add any optional sections.

We’re here to help you handle your resume and  attorney cover letter  so you can do what you do best: practice law.

Our nine attorney resumes have helped lawyers of different specialties land jobs at top-tier law firms , so they’re perfect for beginning your resume-writing journey. We also have tips and tricks for each resume type to help you rise above the competition and get the attorney job you’ve always dreamed about in 2024.

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• To make your resume aesthetically pleasing (and easy to read) for hiring managers, use a  resume template  with two font types, separate each section with big headers, and include a splash of color.
• Hiring managers need to see your qualifications quickly, so if you have extra certifications or licenses, include them in a separate section to make them more pronounced.

Entry-Level Attorney Resume

• You can list projects, internships, and any other work experience you have, even if it’s not related to law.
• Feel free to add relevant courses from your law school to highlight your skills even further!
• As a rule of thumb, you must customize your objective for each job to which you apply.
• If you’re going to use the same objective for each application, leave it off entirely and focus on work experience or projects.

Associate Attorney Resume

• This allows you to include at least four bullet points per entry, which is just enough to learn about your accomplishments without overwhelming the reader.
• Always  check your resume  for typos, grammar errors, and other mistakes before you submit it.

Senior Attorney Resume

• Good skills to include on your senior attorney resume are “contract review,” “ethics,” and any specific areas of law you have experience researching.
• Whatever you choose, double-check the job description to ensure you’re providing the correct information. 

Trademark Attorney Resume

• If you’ve never worked as a trademark attorney before, highlight your transferable skills. For example, have you advised clients on how to navigate prospective new legislation? Trademark law is always changing, so  knowing how to research recent litigation is a highly useful skill .
• Use similar keywords and responsibilities to reassure your future employer that you’re fit for the job.

Litigation Attorney Resume

• Don’t downplay your paralegal experience on your litigation attorney resume. It adds a degree of proficiency to your practice.

Real Estate Attorney Resume

• Devote valuable resume space to both your Bar admissions and certifications to demonstrate excellence in your field.

Contract Attorney Resume

• Tailor your  resume skills  section and work experience by including keywords mentioned in the job ad. Include just enough to show your expertise without copying everything word-for-word. Most of all, be honest about the skills you possess.
• Make sure that you list the specific types of contracts you have negotiated and managed, too!
• No matter what content you include, always  check your resume  for errors, including typos, grammatical faux pas, punctuation mistakes, and inconsistencies. Don’t let a few minor issues cost you the job!

Civil Litigation Attorney Resume

• All jokes aside, you can also include metrics related to things other than money. How many cases did you handle? How many clients did you meet? How many contracts or drafts did you review?  Odds are, most of your responsibilities involve numbers !
• Use bullet points and action verbs to cut filler, and avoid using adjectives or adverbs that take up space. 
• Symbols can also help: a $ instead of “dollars” and + instead of “more than” is both simple and effective!

Related resume guides

• Legal Assistant
• Investigator
• Cyber Security
• Security Officer

As an attorney, employers expect you’ll have passed the bar, and depending on the specific type of legal work you’re interested in, you may need more specialized certifications, such as the Certified International Trade Law Specialist or Board Certification in Criminal Law. While hiring personnel will likely request photocopies of your licenses and certifications, you should still list these on your attorney resume since it’s a quick assurance that you’re qualified for the specific role.  

List your highest education first. Start with law school and work your way down to your undergraduate degree (exclude high school). In the education section of your resume, you should list the name of the school along with the location, degree, and when you completed the degree. If you’re recently out of school, consider adding short bullet points that point to academic accomplishments, especially as it relates to legal work. 

No doubt, you’re used to pages of legalese and it’s no sweat for you to make sense of it; however, for your attorney resume, keep it to one page. This is your opportunity to quickly advertise your best law qualifications and accomplishments. Going into detail is best reserved for writing a great cover letter .  

• Law Resume Example

Resume Examples

• Common Tasks & Responsibilities
• Top Hard & Soft Skills
• Action Verbs & Keywords
• Resume FAQs
• Similar Resumes

Common Responsibilities Listed on Law Resumes:

• Research Legal Precedents : Conduct comprehensive legal research to identify cases, statutes, legal articles, codes, and other pertinent material that can be used to support arguments in court or advise clients.
• Draft Legal Documents : Prepare and draft legal documents such as wills, deeds, patent applications, mortgages, leases, and contracts.
• Advise Clients : Provide legal advice to clients on their rights and obligations, ensuring they understand the legal complexities of their situation.
• Negotiate Settlements : Represent clients in negotiations and mediations with opposing parties to reach a settlement agreement.
• Represent Clients in Court : Advocate for clients in court by presenting evidence, cross-examining witnesses, and arguing their case to the judge or jury.
• Prepare for Trials : Gather evidence, interview witnesses, and develop a strategy to defend or prosecute in court.
• Interpret Laws and Regulations : Analyze and interpret laws, rulings, and regulations to determine their impact on specific cases.
• Communicate with Clients : Maintain regular communication with clients to keep them informed about the progress of their case.
• Manage Legal Transactions : Oversee and manage legal transactions such as real estate closings, business mergers, and acquisitions.
• Develop Legal Strategies : Develop legal strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases.
• Compliance and Risk Management : Ensure compliance with all legal standards and regulations, and identify potential risks in legal matters.
• Continuing Legal Education : Stay

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Law Resume Example:

• Conducted comprehensive legal research and analysis to identify key legal precedents, resulting in the successful defense of a high-profile client in a complex litigation case.
• Drafted and negotiated settlement agreements on behalf of clients, leading to a 90% settlement success rate and avoiding costly and time-consuming trials.
• Developed and implemented a legal strategy for a corporate merger, ensuring compliance with all legal standards and regulations and facilitating a smooth and successful transaction.
• Represented clients in court proceedings, delivering persuasive arguments and cross-examining witnesses, resulting in a 75% success rate in securing favorable outcomes for clients.
• Advised clients on complex legal matters, providing clear and concise explanations of their rights and obligations, and successfully resolving legal disputes through alternative dispute resolution methods.
• Managed and oversaw legal transactions, including real estate closings and business acquisitions, ensuring all legal requirements were met and minimizing potential risks for clients.
• Prepared and drafted legal documents, including contracts and patent applications, with meticulous attention to detail, resulting in a 100% accuracy rate and minimizing the risk of legal disputes.
• Developed and implemented compliance and risk management strategies, ensuring adherence to all legal standards and regulations, and mitigating potential legal risks for the organization.
• Continuously engaged in professional development and continuing legal education, staying up-to-date with the latest legal trends and advancements, and applying new knowledge to provide innovative and effective legal solutions for clients.
• Legal research and analysis
• Drafting and negotiation of settlement agreements
• Legal strategy development and implementation
• Court representation and litigation
• Client advising on complex legal matters
• Alternative dispute resolution
• Legal transaction management
• Legal document preparation and drafting
• Compliance and risk management
• Continuing legal education and professional development
• Knowledge of current legal trends and advancements
• Persuasive argumentation and cross-examination
• Real estate and business acquisition law
• Contract law
• Meticulous attention to detail
• Clear and concise communication
• Understanding of legal standards and regulations
• Risk mitigation strategies
• Client relationship management.

Top Skills & Keywords for Law Resumes:

Hard skills.

• Legal Research and Analysis
• Contract Drafting and Negotiation
• Case Management and Litigation Support
• Legal Writing and Communication
• Legal Document Review
• Trial Preparation and Strategy
• Legal Due Diligence
• Regulatory Compliance
• Intellectual Property Law
• Corporate Law
• Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Legal Project Management

Soft Skills

• Analytical and Critical Thinking
• Attention to Detail
• Research and Investigation
• Written and Verbal Communication
• Persuasion and Argumentation
• Problem Solving
• Time Management and Organization
• Negotiation and Mediation
• Teamwork and Collaboration
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Ethics and Professionalism
• Client Service and Relationship Management

Resume Action Verbs for Laws:

• Investigated
• Interpreted
• Collaborated
• Strategized

Generate Your Resume Summary

Resume FAQs for Laws:

How long should i make my law resume, what is the best way to format a law resume, which keywords are important to highlight in a law resume, how should i write my resume if i have no experience as a law, compare your law resume to a job description:.

• Identify opportunities to further tailor your resume to the Law job
• Improve your keyword usage to align your experience and skills with the position
• Uncover and address potential gaps in your resume that may be important to the hiring manager

Complete the steps below to generate your free resume analysis.

Related Resumes for Laws:

Legal assistant, legal intern, entry level legal assistant, personal injury legal assistant, compliance officer.

Resume Worded   |  Career Strategy

Legal assistant resume summary examples.

Approved by hiring managers, here are proven resume summary examples you can use on your Legal Assistant resume. Learn what real hiring managers want to see on your resume, and when to use which.

• Legal Assistant
• Junior Legal Assistant
• Legal Administrative Assistant
• Legal Analyst
• Legal Executive Assistant
• Legal Office Assistant
• Legal Research Assistant
• Legal Secretary
• Senior Legal Assistant
• Legal Assistant resume templates
• Similar summary examples

Legal Assistant Resume Summary Example

Showcase management skills.

As a legal assistant, it's important to show you can handle pressure, especially when dealing with high-volume caseloads. This indicates a high level of organization, attention to detail, and the ability to prioritize tasks effectively.

Highlight measurable results

Noting that you've increased efficiency by a specific percentage not only provides hard evidence of your competence, but also speaks volumes about your problem-solving and innovation skills. Employers love seeing tangible results.

Emphasize versatility

Working in varying environments, such as small private law firms and large corporate law departments, demonstrates flexibility. This shows potential employers that you can adapt to different workflows and office cultures.

Junior Legal Assistant Resume Summary Example

Show your impact on success.

By mentioning that you've assisted in winning 80% of cases, you're showing your direct contribution to the firm's success. This not only highlights your skills, but also your value as a team player.

Demonstrate adaptability

Having a proven ability to adapt to different legal environments is a huge plus. This shows you're comfortable with change and can thrive in any type of work setting.

A great resume can open doors to new opportunities. But a subpar one can keep you stuck in your job search. Our tool helps you create a resume that showcases your skills and experience in the best possible light. Get started now and see the difference for yourself.

Legal Administrative Assistant Resume Summary Example

Highlight coordination abilities.

Coordinating schedules for a team of 10 attorneys is a challenging task. It's also a testament to your organizational skills, time-management abilities, and capacity to manage stress.

Showcase efficiency improvements

Implementing a new filing system that reduced document retrieval time by 30% shows that you not only identify areas for improvement, but also take initiative to make those improvements.

Legal Analyst Resume Summary Example

Highlighting a key role.

By stating that they 'played a key role in winning a landmark case', this candidate positions themselves as a valuable asset to any legal team. It suggests they have the ability to make significant contributions and can handle the responsibility that comes with high-stakes cases.

Specific efficiency gains

This candidate doesn't just say they improved case preparation efficiency; they quantify it with '25%'. This again emphasizes the candidate's impact and their focus on improving processes, something that would be valuable in any legal setting.

Legal Executive Assistant Resume Summary Example

Showcase organizational skills.

Managing a complex calendar for a senior partner at a top law firm demonstrates superior organizational skills. It shows you can handle multiple tasks, prioritize, and manage time effectively.

Quantify client satisfaction improvements

Implementing a new client communication strategy that improved client satisfaction by 15% is a clear indication of your ability to assess, implement, and improve client-facing strategies.

Legal Office Assistant Resume Summary Example

Demonstrating management skills.

This summary makes it clear that the candidate is comfortable managing multiple responsibilities. By mentioning specific tasks like coordinating schedules and handling document preparation for a team of attorneys, it gives a sense of the breadth of their skills and their ability to multitask.

Measurable efficiency improvement

Again, this summary shows a candidate who actively seeks to improve processes and efficiency. The '20% increase in office efficiency' is an impressive feat and suggests that this candidate doesn't merely do their job; they also aim to elevate the entire team's performance.

Legal Research Assistant Resume Summary Example

Highlight your contribution to success.

Playing a key role in winning high-profile cases is a strong indicator of your competence, diligence, and impact. It showcases your ability to conduct thorough research and deliver results that matter.

Demonstrate innovation

Developing a system for organizing research materials that improved efficiency by 20% shows that you are an innovative thinker who can find better ways to complete tasks.

Legal Secretary Resume Summary Example

Quantifying achievements.

Instead of merely stating you've contributed to your previous office, this summary goes a step further to show by how much. The '30%' reduction in document preparation time is an impressive statistic that provides tangible evidence of the candidate's impact. It's not just about what you've done; it's also about how well you did it.

Specific experience

The phrase 'supporting litigation teams in both small and large-scale cases' speaks to versatility and ability to adapt. This individual can handle varying scales of work, and that's a value-add. It can also subtly hint at an ability to work in diverse teams and settings, which is always a plus point in the legal field.

Paralegal Resume Summary Example

Highlighting a landmark achievement.

Assisting in the successful defense of a high-profile case stands out. It not only showcases the candidate's competency, but also hints at their ability to handle pressure and high-stakes situations. This could make them more appealing to law firms dealing with high-profile clients or complex cases.

Emphasizing efficiency gains

Efficiency is king in the legal industry. By showcasing how they've improved case tracking and overall efficiency, this candidate paints a picture of a proactive, problem-solver. This isn't a person who waits for change; they create it. That's a valuable trait in any profession, but particularly in a fast-paced field like law.

Senior Legal Assistant Resume Summary Example

Streamlining = leadership.

Ability to streamline processes paints you as a proactive leader who is always looking for ways to improve the productivity of the team. It's a mark of someone who doesn't just do the job, but enhances it.

Quantify accomplishments

Reducing case backlog by a whopping 40% in just six months is a powerful achievement. By quantifying this, you make it clear to hiring managers the level of impact you can have on their organization.

Legal Assistant Resume Templates

Research assistant.

Sales Manager

Legal Resume Summary Examples

• > Attorney Summary Examples
• > Lawyer Summary Examples

Legal Resume Objective Examples

• > Attorney Objective Examples
• > Lawyer Objective Examples

Legal Resume Guides

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• > Lawyer Resume Guides

Thank you for the checklist! I realized I was making so many mistakes on my resume that I've now fixed. I'm much more confident in my resume now.