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The Ultimate Guide to Crafting a Winning Legal Resume for Attorneys and Law Students

published October 18, 2024

By Author - LawCrossing

( 3 votes, average: 2.8 out of 5)

What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.

The Ultimate Guide to Crafting a Winning Legal Resume for Attorneys and Law Students

 

Crafting the perfect legal resume is essential for standing out in a competitive market. With hiring managers typically spending only a few seconds reviewing resumes, it’s vital to ensure your resume is concise, clear, and compelling. As an attorney or law student, your resume needs to highlight your skills, experiences, and accomplishments in a way that resonates with the legal profession. Below are 20 essential tips to help you create a standout legal resume, complete with expanded advice, examples, and best practices.

1. Keep It Simple and Clean


Why Simplicity Matters

A clean, straightforward resume allows hiring managers to easily digest the most important information. Overly complex resumes with multiple fonts, colors, and unnecessary design elements can confuse and detract from your qualifications. In the legal profession, where attention to detail and precision are critical, a cluttered resume can leave a poor impression.

Example:

One senior attorney had a five-page resume with varied fonts and unnecessary details. After simplifying it down to two clean, well-organized pages, the attorney received more positive responses from potential employers.

Best Practice:

  • Use a standard, professional font like Times New Roman or Arial.
  • Stick to black-and-white formatting; avoid flashy colors.
  • Limit design elements to basic headings and bullet points.
  • Consistency is key: keep margins, spacing, and font sizes uniform throughout the document.

2. Focus on Results, Not Just Duties


Why Results Matter

Employers want to see how you contributed to your previous roles, not just a list of tasks. Demonstrating specific outcomes and achievements highlights your value and sets you apart from candidates who merely list responsibilities.

Example:

Instead of stating “Handled discovery,” a litigation attorney revised their resume to say, “Managed discovery for a class-action lawsuit, resulting in a favorable settlement.” This shift from duties to accomplishments led to more interview opportunities.

Best Practice:

  • Use metrics whenever possible (e.g., "Reduced client liability by 20%" or "Negotiated $50 million in corporate contracts").
  • Focus on the impact of your work, not just the actions you took.
  • Tailor your results to match the requirements of the job description to better align with what the employer values.



3. Tailor Your Resume to Each Job Application


Why Customization is Key

Submitting a generic resume can hurt your chances. Employers are more likely to respond to resumes that reflect an understanding of their specific needs. Tailoring your resume to each position demonstrates you’ve researched the firm and understand the role.

Example:

A law student applied to both corporate and litigation roles with the same resume, resulting in limited interest. By tailoring her resume for each type of role—emphasizing litigation experience for litigation roles and transactional work for corporate roles—she secured more interviews.

Best Practice:

  • Highlight different skills and experiences based on the job description.
  • Reorder or reframe bullet points to align with the employer’s priorities.
  • Consider adding or removing details depending on the role (e.g., emphasizing leadership for senior roles).

4. Highlight Relevant Experience at the Top

 

Why It Matters

You only have a few seconds to make an impression. Placing your most relevant and recent experience at the top increases the chances it will be noticed. Avoid burying key qualifications that match the job.

Example:

A mid-level associate shifted her corporate litigation experience to the top of her resume after initially emphasizing unrelated criminal law work. As a result, hiring managers quickly recognized her relevant qualifications, leading to more interviews.

Best Practice:

  • Create a “Relevant Experience” section to feature your best qualifications prominently.
  • Use the top third of your resume to showcase your most critical accomplishments.
  • Avoid chronological strictness if it doesn’t serve your interests; relevance trumps order.

5. Emphasize Consistency and Commitment


Why Consistency Counts

Frequent job changes can raise red flags for law firms concerned about high turnover. Law firms want attorneys who demonstrate commitment and stability. It’s important to frame any career transitions as growth opportunities rather than instability.

Example:

An attorney with several job changes in a short period restructured his resume to show career growth at each position. Instead of appearing like a job hopper, his resume highlighted how each move furthered his career development.

Best Practice:

  • Emphasize the progression of responsibilities and skills in each role.
  • Use brief explanations to clarify legitimate reasons for job changes, such as professional growth or firm restructuring.
  • Showcase long-term commitments to firms or key projects.

6. Minimize Gaps in Employment


Why It Matters:

Employment gaps can raise red flags for hiring managers, especially in the legal profession, where consistency and commitment are highly valued. Unexplained gaps may cause concerns about your reliability, work ethic, or professional stability. It’s crucial to address any gaps directly to avoid creating doubt.

Example:

I worked with an attorney who had taken a two-year break to care for her family. Initially, her resume simply showed the gap without any explanation. By adding a brief note that she had taken time off for family responsibilities while staying engaged through Continuing Legal Education (CLE) courses and legal volunteer work, we addressed the gap. As a result, employers were more comfortable, and she secured multiple interviews.

Recommendation:

Be transparent about any employment gaps and explain them in a way that highlights your continued commitment to the profession. If you’ve stayed active through CLEs, pro bono work, or other professional activities, mention this to demonstrate that you maintained your legal knowledge and skills during the break.

Best Practice:

If possible, include a brief explanation in either your cover letter or in parentheses on your resume. For instance: "Took time off for family care while maintaining active legal education." This clarifies the situation without drawing too much focus to the gap itself.


7. Showcase Relevant Skills, Not Just Practice Areas


Why It Matters:

Many attorneys make the mistake of listing only their practice areas without emphasizing the specific skills they’ve developed within those areas. However, hiring managers want to see what practical skills you bring to the table. Demonstrating a range of relevant, transferable skills gives employers a clearer picture of your expertise and value.

Example:

An employment law attorney I worked with had only listed “Employment Law” as a practice area. After revising her resume to include specific skills—like “Handled wage and hour disputes for major corporations” and “Advised Fortune 500 clients on compliance with federal labor laws”—her resume stood out. As a result, she started receiving offers from top firms.

Recommendation:

Alongside your practice areas, include detailed bullet points that describe the specific legal tasks you performed and the skills you honed. For instance, if you practiced corporate law, mention drafting contracts, conducting due diligence for M&A transactions, or negotiating agreements.

Best Practice:

Think about the skills that each job posting emphasizes and align your resume with those. For example, if a firm is seeking someone with strong negotiation skills, highlight your role in negotiating favorable settlements or terms in deals. This targeted approach makes your resume more appealing to specific firms.


8. Include Law School Achievements, but Keep Them Brief


Why It Matters:

For newer attorneys, law school accomplishments can be a key selling point. But as you progress in your career, your professional experience becomes far more important than your academic achievements. Employers are more interested in your practical legal skills and work history.

Example:

I worked with a third-year associate who prominently featured her law school accomplishments (law review, moot court) at the top of her resume, despite having gained several years of valuable work experience. After moving her law school activities lower on the resume and focusing on her professional experience, she started receiving more positive feedback from firms.

Recommendation:

If you are a recent graduate, highlight your academic achievements like law review, moot court, or top class rankings. But as you gain more work experience (typically after three to five years), these should take a backseat to your professional achievements. At that point, law school accomplishments should take up only a small section, if included at all.

Best Practice:

Attorneys with more than five years of experience focused primarily on professional milestones rather than law school. You might reduce law school achievements to a single line or move them to the education section at the bottom of your resume.


9. Avoid Overly Long Resumes


Why It Matters:

In the fast-paced legal world, hiring managers have limited time to review resumes. A resume that is too long can make it difficult for them to quickly identify your most important qualifications. Moreover, a lengthy resume may give the impression that you lack the ability to prioritize and edit, which are critical skills in the legal profession.

Example:

A senior attorney I worked with had a five-page resume that included every job, project, and case from the past 20 years. After we streamlined his resume to two pages, focusing on his most recent and relevant experiences, he saw an immediate increase in interview requests from top firms.

Recommendation:

Limit your resume to one or two pages, even if you have decades of experience. Focus on your most recent and relevant positions, and remove outdated or irrelevant information. Doing so demonstrates that you can distill important information clearly and effectively.

Best Practice:

Use concise language and avoid listing every minor responsibility from past jobs. For senior attorneys, focus on leadership roles, significant cases, and major achievements in the past 10-15 years. By prioritizing the most impactful details, your resume will remain readable and engaging.


10. Don’t List Every Job You’ve Ever Had


Why It Matters:

Employers are primarily interested in your legal experience and positions that demonstrate your qualifications for the role you're applying for. Including unrelated or early-career positions can distract from your legal expertise and make it harder for hiring managers to focus on what matters.

Example:

An attorney had listed several unrelated jobs he held before law school, including positions in retail and customer service. These early jobs weren’t relevant to his legal career and cluttered his resume. After removing them and focusing solely on his legal internships and associate positions, he began receiving more interview requests.

Recommendation:

Only include legal jobs, internships, and professional positions that are directly relevant to your legal career. If you have non-legal experience that applies to the position (e.g., business experience for a corporate law role), highlight the transferable skills you gained.

Best Practice:

For non-legal experience, consider summarizing relevant skills in a “Transferable Skills” section, rather than listing every non-legal job title. This keeps the focus on your legal expertise while still demonstrating the breadth of your abilities.


11. Be Honest About Your Experience


Why It Matters:

Exaggerating or misrepresenting your experience can have serious consequences. Law firms conduct thorough background checks, and if they discover discrepancies in your resume, it can result in losing a job offer or damaging your reputation in the legal community.

Example:

I worked with an attorney who claimed to be the lead counsel on a high-profile case, but in reality, he was a junior associate who supported the team. When this exaggeration was discovered, he was disqualified from the interview process. After revising his resume to accurately reflect his role, he was able to secure a position with another firm.

Recommendation:

Be truthful and precise when describing your responsibilities and roles. If you worked as part of a team, say so. Employers value honesty and integrity and want to know that they can trust you. Accurate representation of your experience helps you build credibility and maintain long-term professional relationships.

Best Practice:

Rather than overinflating your role, focus on the skills and value you contributed, even in supporting positions. Use your resume to show how you contributed to successful outcomes, no matter the size of your role.


12. Avoid Personal Information


Why It Matters:

Including personal information, such as your age, marital status, or hobbies, is irrelevant to your ability to practice law. In fact, it can make your resume appear unprofessional. Hiring managers are only interested in your qualifications and legal experience, and personal details can unnecessarily distract from your strengths.

Example:

One attorney I worked with listed his age, marital status, and hobbies at the end of his resume. This personal information took up valuable space and detracted from his professional experience. After removing these details and focusing on his legal skills, he saw a significant increase in interview requests from potential employers.

Recommendation:

Stick to professional details on your resume. Personal information such as your age, gender, marital status, or hobbies should be omitted unless they are directly relevant to the job. For instance, if you speak multiple languages that are useful in a particular practice area, you can include this under a skills section.

Best Practice:

Limit the content of your resume to the qualifications, experiences, and skills that are directly relevant to the job. This keeps the resume focused and professional, giving hiring managers a clearer understanding of your legal capabilities.

 

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13. Avoid Using Jargon or Overly Technical Language


Why It Matters:

While it’s important to showcase your legal expertise, filling your resume with jargon or highly technical terms can alienate hiring managers who may not specialize in your practice area. Your resume should be clear, concise, and accessible to legal and non-legal professionals alike.

Example:

A securities attorney included numerous technical terms and acronyms specific to securities law on his resume. This made it difficult for generalist recruiters to grasp the scope of his experience. After simplifying the language and providing clearer descriptions of his work, he received increased interest from firms.

Recommendation:

Use clear language that’s easy to understand, even for those who may not have specialized knowledge of your practice area. Avoid excessive legal jargon and acronyms, and ensure that any technical terms you use are explained in context. This makes your resume more accessible and appealing to a broader range of employers.


14. Don’t Include Your GPA Unless It’s Exceptional

 

Why It Matters:

Your GPA is only relevant early in your legal career, and even then, only if it’s outstanding. Once you have practical legal experience, law firms are more interested in your work history and skills than your academic performance. Listing a mediocre GPA can unnecessarily draw attention to a weakness.

Example:

A recent law graduate had a GPA of 3.1 and listed it on his resume. He received few responses from firms. After removing the GPA and highlighting his clerkships and legal internships, he began getting interview requests from several firms.

Recommendation:

Only include your GPA if it’s above 3.5 or if a job posting explicitly asks for it. Instead of focusing on your academic performance, emphasize relevant work experience, legal internships, and skills that make you a strong candidate for the role.


15. Use Action Verbs to Describe Your Experience


Why It Matters:

Action verbs add energy and clarity to your resume, making your contributions more impactful. Instead of passively listing tasks you were involved in, strong verbs demonstrate that you took active roles in achieving results.

Example:

A corporate attorney initially wrote “assisted with drafting contracts” on her resume. After changing it to “drafted contracts for multi-million-dollar corporate transactions,” her resume became much more compelling, and she received more interview opportunities.

Recommendation:

Start each bullet point on your resume with an action verb like "led," "negotiated," "drafted," or "represented." This approach highlights your direct involvement in significant tasks and makes your accomplishments more engaging for hiring managers.


16. Remove Objective Statements


Why It Matters:

Objective statements are outdated and rarely add value to a resume. Employers already know that your objective is to secure a legal position. Instead of wasting valuable space with a generic objective, use this area to briefly summarize your qualifications or showcase your areas of expertise.

Example:

A recent law graduate had an objective statement at the top of her resume that read, “Seeking a position in a top law firm.” After replacing it with a headline that emphasized her litigation experience and her position on the law review, she started getting more interview offers.

Recommendation:

Skip the objective statement and replace it with a summary or headline that highlights your qualifications. For instance, “Litigation Associate with Expertise in Commercial Disputes and Class Action Defense” provides a concise and targeted introduction to your resume.


17. Emphasize Leadership Roles


Why It Matters:

Leadership roles demonstrate your ability to manage, mentor, and guide others—skills that are highly valued in the legal profession, especially for senior positions or partnership-track roles. Showcasing your leadership experience helps position you as someone who can contribute at a higher level.

Example:

A senior associate had been leading a team of junior associates for years but had mentioned this only briefly at the bottom of his resume. After moving this information to the top and expanding on his leadership skills, he was offered a partnership-track role at a prestigious firm.

Recommendation:

Highlight any leadership roles you’ve held, whether it’s managing cases, leading legal teams, or overseeing junior associates. Employers are looking for attorneys who can lead teams and manage responsibilities effectively, so showcasing your leadership abilities can set you apart.


18. Proofread for Errors


Why It Matters:

A single typo or grammatical error can cast doubt on your attention to detail—one of the most critical skills in the legal profession. Even small mistakes on your resume can leave a lasting negative impression, and hiring managers may question your thoroughness in legal work.

Example:

An attorney submitted a resume that contained a typo in the name of a prominent case she had worked on. This error raised concerns about her attention to detail, and she was passed over for an interview. After revising the resume, she started receiving more positive responses from firms.

Recommendation:

Proofread your resume multiple times and have someone else review it as well. Even the smallest mistakes in spelling, grammar, or formatting can be red flags for employers. A polished, error-free resume demonstrates professionalism and attention to detail.


19. Highlight Bar Admissions and Certifications


Why It Matters:

Bar admissions are essential for practicing law, especially if you’re applying to positions in different jurisdictions. Failing to prominently list your bar admissions or certifications can cause your resume to be overlooked, as this is a key qualification for any legal job.

Example:

A multi-jurisdictional attorney had listed her bar admissions on the second page of her resume, which made it easy for hiring managers to miss. After moving this information to a prominent place on the first page, she received more interview invitations from firms operating in multiple states.

Recommendation:

List your bar admissions near the top of your resume, especially if you’re admitted in multiple states. If you hold additional certifications relevant to your practice, such as an LLM or specialization, include those as well to showcase your qualifications.


20. Quantify Your Successes When Possible


Why It Matters:

Providing concrete metrics for your achievements helps employers see the tangible impact of your work. Numbers and quantifiable results make your experience more credible and highlight your ability to deliver measurable success.

Example:

An attorney initially wrote that he had “handled corporate mergers” on his resume. After revising it to “Led corporate mergers and acquisitions totaling over $200 million,” his resume became much more compelling, and he began securing interviews with top firms.

Recommendation:

Whenever possible, quantify your achievements. This could include the value of transactions you’ve handled, the number of cases you’ve managed, or the amount of money you’ve recovered for clients. Numbers provide concrete evidence of your accomplishments and make your resume more persuasive.





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