A resume is your unique marketing and sales tool that summarizes that you’ve done to distinguish you from other applicants.
The primary goal of a law resume is to get you an interview. It cannot and should not, however, tell the employer everything there is to know about you. Instead, it should entice the reader to want to learn more. You may tailor your resume differently for different kinds of employers.
Standard Content
Identifying Information: Include name, current address, e-mail address and a telephone number where a caller may reach you or leave a message.
Education: Include law school, graduate and undergraduate schools in reverse chronological order. List name of school, city and state; degree(s) earned and date(s) received. Include grades, academic honors and activities in this section, under the school to which they relate.
Grades: For many employers, law school grades are a major hiring criterion. Because each law school follows different grading curves and standards, and because the relationship between class rank and GPA changes each year, academic performance is most easily understood by employers when stated in terms of class rank or standing.
Note: Do not round off your GPA. Rounding is a violation of the Law School
Honor Code. A 3.36 is a 3.36, is not a 3.40.
Honors: Honors include academic achievements, such as graduating cum laude, scholarships, moot court or journal participation. Honors are listed under the schools to which they relate.
Activities: Extracurricular activities may be listed in this section or, if they indicate significant skills or interests, in the Employment/Experience section. Some activities demonstrate leadership, initiative, responsibility and energy level. Activities often give an employer a sense of your potential, as well as your personality.
Employment/Experience: In this section, summarize your work history of both paid and unpaid positions. Include employer, city and state, your title, dates of involvement and a brief description of duties and responsibilities.
Organizing your information: You want to attract attention by first listing positions that will be most meaningful to a prospective employer. For example, your volunteer positions may make you more marketable to a certain employer than your paid positions. Or, your most recent legal positions may be more important. Tailor your resume to fit your audience.
Optional Content
Special Skills/Languages: Include skills that may be of interest to a potential employer, such as proficiency in languages, computer skills (if relevant), etc.
Community Service: Demonstrated commitment to public service is important to public sector employers and a plus to many law firms. List organization, title, duties and tenure. Extensive volunteer work that demonstrates transferable skills may be described under Experience, if appropriate.
Publications: List legal and non-legal work that has been published.
Licenses and Professional Affiliations: List relevant professional licenses and certificates, such as CPA or Real Estate Broker. List affiliations, including name of organization, title and tenure.
Military Service: Many employers give preference to veterans, so listing service involvement is recommended. If military experience includes transferable skills, such as research, writing, supervision, organizational skills or management, you may want to list it under Employment or Experience.
References: The preferred method is to list your references on a separate sheet that carries the same identifying information as your resume. Provide full name, title, address and contact information for two to three references. Always ask permission before listing someone as a reference and always ask if the person will give you a positive reference. Do not include the statement, “References available upon request,” on your resume. Current and former employers are the most effective references. Faculty may be used if they can speak to the quality of your work and are always used when applying for judicial clerkships.
Basic Layout Elements
The legal community expects a traditional resume.
Format: Most employers prefer outline form.
Length: A two-page resume is acceptable if your experience warrants it.
Typeface/Fonts: Select an easy-to-read typeface. Avoid ornate or decorate styles and do not use multiple fonts and type sizes. Use bold typefaces for emphasis and be consistent.
Paper: Use white or ivory paper; pastels or bright colors are not acceptable. Resume and cover letter paper should match.
Writing a Job Description
A resume is not an autobiography! Do not include every accomplishment or job you have ever held, and do not list every job duty or project you were responsible for in a given position.
Instead, include those jobs and accomplishments—and those projects and tasks within a particular position—which best exemplify your skills and show an employer that you can do the job for which you are applying.
List your work experience in reverse chronological order. Depending on the extent and nature of your experience, you may want separate sections for LEGAL WORK EXPERIENCE, OTHER WORK EXPERIENCE, and VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE. Do not make distinctions between paid and unpaid work—you should include all law-related positions, both paid and volunteer.
Highlight your accomplishments, special projects you worked on, and specific things that distinguished you from other employees. Describe what you did (or do) using action verbs (see list of action words at end of this guide).
For non-law-related positions, spend some time crafting your experience in a form that is relevant to a legal employer. Highlight skills that are transferable to law—such as experience in public speaking, communication, problem-solving, negotiation, research and writing. Use plain English. Avoid industry and technical vocabulary, acronyms, or jargon that would be unfamiliar to a legal employer.
You may present your skills descriptions in paragraph form or bullet form (or both). Bulleted formats work better when you have less content and you need to fill up the page; paragraphs are better suited for getting more content in less space.
Examples:
Ozone Publications, LLC, Jackson, Mississippi
Editor, Legal and Business, September 20xx – July 20xx
Co-creator of start-up magazine focusing on the impact of global warming on corporate, legal and public sectors. Responsible for hiring, training, and supervising three full-time writers, five freelancers, and support staff. Presented at public health conferences in Seattle, New York, and Mexico City. Collaborated with company president on market research and business development. Helped generate $100,000 advertising revenue in first year.
OR
Ozone Publications, LLC, Jackson, Mississippi
Editor, Legal and Business, September 20xx – July 20xx
Co-creator of start-up magazine focusing on the impact of global warming on corporate, legal and public sectors.
- Hired, trained, and supervised three full-time writers, five freelancers, and support staff.
- Presented papers at public health conferences in Seattle, New York, and Mexico City.
- Collaborated with company president on market research and business development. Helped generate $100,000 advertising revenue in first year.
Do not exaggerate your job title, duties, or contributions. If you would not feel comfortable showing the description of your past work to the employer for whom you performed the work, then do not include that description on your resume.
When describing internships or jobs in law firms or judicial chambers, be specific about the legal issues you worked on, the legal documents you prepared.
Research
- Identify areas of law you researched
- Distinguish among research in federal, state or local laws
Writing
- Drafted legal memoranda
- Drafted pleadings, motions, complaints, answers
- Prepared summaries of testimony
- Drafted client correspondence
- Drafted legal opinions, bench memos
- Summarized depositions
Trial Preparation and Participation
- Assisted and prepared attorneys for trial
- Assisted with discovery
- Assisted with document production
- Participated in hearings, trials or depositions
Analytical Skills
- Identified pertinent facts, issues
- Analyzed case facts
- Analyzed and summarized evidence
- Analyzed, explored and researched all pertinent issues and prepared a comprehensive report.
Consultation
- Consulted with attorneys
- Suggested courses of legal actions under supervision of attorney
- Briefed attorneys on case issues
- Met with attorneys to obtain or exchange factual information concerning cases.
Interviewing
- Interviewed potential witnesses
- Conducted client intake interviews
Trial Experience
- Observed motions and oral arguments
- Assisted in witness preparation
Case Management
- Briefed clients on case status
- Handled cases from initial interview through settlement negotiations.
Resume Tools
Action Words (pdf)
Sample Resume 1L, no GPA, some experience (pdf)
Sample Resume 2L, no GPA (pdf)
Sample Resume 3L (pdf)