Resume Writing Tips

Your resume is often your first impression with employers. After reviewing thousands of attorney resumes and working with firms, we've learned what works. Here's how to create a resume that opens doors.

Essential Sections Your Resume Must Include

Contact Information:

Include your full name, phone number, and a professional email address. If your current email is something like "morecowbell@," create a new one that's more formal. You can add LinkedIn or other professional social media profiles, but only if they're polished and appropriate. One poorly thought-out post can cost you an interview.

Professional Summary:

This is your opening statement. In three to four sentences, introduce yourself as an attorney, highlight what you bring to the table, and explain why you're qualified for this particular role. Think of it as your written elevator pitch.

For example: "Corporate transactional attorney with five years of experience representing private equity sponsors and portfolio companies in middle-market acquisitions. Led diligence teams on transactions ranging from $50M to $500M across technology, healthcare, and manufacturing sectors. Strong track record of managing complex deal timelines while maintaining direct client relationships."

Bar Admissions and Credentials:

This section is straightforward but often formatted incorrectly. Follow these guidelines:

  • For admitted attorneys: "[Jurisdiction]: Bar Admission, Good Standing"

  • If you passed but haven't been sworn in: "[Jurisdiction], (bar admission pending)"

  • If results are pending: "Candidate for [month]/[year], [jurisdiction] bar exam (results pending)"

  • If you're inactive for any reason, use your jurisdiction's official language for your status

Professional Experience:

This is where most resumes fall short. Don't just list your responsibilities—show what you actually do and what you've accomplished.

  • Be specific. Instead of "Draft and negotiate contracts," write "Draft and negotiate commercial agreements for Fortune 500 clients in the technology and manufacturing sectors, including supply agreements, distribution agreements, and licensing arrangements."

  • Quantify when possible. Include deal sizes, number of matters handled, or types of clients represented. For litigators, mention case values, number of depositions taken or defended, or motions drafted and argued.

  • Show progression. If you've taken on increasing responsibility, make that clear. "Lead associate on three patent infringement matters" tells a different story than "Assisted partners with patent litigation."

  • Use action verbs. Start bullet points with: advised, negotiated, drafted, managed, led, represented, argued, secured.

  • List positions in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent role. Include the firm name, your title, dates of employment, and your accomplishments.

If you're a recent graduate or career changer without extensive attorney experience, still include what you have. Be proud of the work you've done, even if this section is shorter than you'd like.

Academic Experience:

This goes beyond just listing your law school. Include:

  • Law school name, degree, and graduation year

  • GPA (only if you graduated within three years and it's above 3.5)

  • Class rank if it's in the top third

  • Law review, moot court, journals, or other significant activities

  • Academic honors and awards

  • Notable research projects or papers

For your undergraduate degree, list the institution, degree, graduation year, and any significant honors. If you graduated more than 10 years ago, you can omit your GPA.

Publications and Speaking Credits:

Include this section only if you've been published, presented, or contributed to relevant legal or industry publications. Prioritize recent work. For numerous entries, use a separate addendum to avoid cluttering your resume.

Pro Bono and Volunteer Experience:

The ABA recommends lawyers provide 50 hours of pro bono service yearly. Including this highlights your commitment, skills, and recognition of broader professional and community duties

Length and Format

  • Keep it concise: one page for associates under five years, two for mid/senior associates, and up to three for partners, with every line justified.

  • Use clean, professional formatting with standard fonts (Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, Garamond) in 10-12 pt. Avoid complex layouts, multiple columns, or creative designs. Your resume should resemble a legal document, not graphic art.

  • Make it scannable. Use bullet points where appropriate. Keep paragraphs short. Recruiters and hiring partners often spend less than 30 seconds on an initial review—make it easy for them to find what matters.

What to Skip

  • References. Keep a list ready; no need to state availability.

  • Irrelevant info. Exclude high school achievements and old college activities unless outstanding.Generic skills. Basic Word or Outlook proficiency is assumed and need not be listed.

  • Personal details like age, marital status, photo, or disability status aren't required. Request interview accommodations when scheduling.

  • Unexplained gaps raise questions. If you took time off for family, a clerkship, or other reasons, explain it directly to avoid leaving hiring managers guessing.

Tailoring Your Resume

Here's something many candidates overlook: you should have multiple versions of your resume. If you're applying to both plaintiffs' firms and defense firms, highlight different parts of your experience for each. If you're considering both transactional and litigation roles, you'll need separate resumes.

This doesn't mean lying—it means highlighting what's most relevant for each opportunity. Your bankruptcy work might be front and center for one application and relegated to a single bullet point for another.

Common Mistakes That Kill Candidacies

  • Typos and grammatical errors. There's no excuse. None. Proofread multiple times. Have someone else review it. One typo can eliminate an otherwise strong candidate.

  • Vague descriptions. "Worked on various corporate matters" tells me nothing. What kind of corporate matters? For which clients? What was your role?

  • Including every matter you've touched. Focus on substantive experience that shows your capabilities. The three-hour research memo on an obscure issue probably doesn't belong.

  • Overly formal or stiff language. Yes, this is a legal resume, but it should still sound human. You're not writing a brief.

  • Inconsistent formatting. If you bold one job title, bold them all. If you use periods after bullet points in one section, use them throughout. Inconsistency suggests carelessness.

The Final Check

Before you submit your resume, ask yourself:

  • Would I interview this person based on what I'm reading?

  • Does this accurately represent my strongest qualifications?

  • Is everything here true and verifiable?

  • Have I made it easy for the reader to understand my experience quickly?

  • Does this tell a clear story about who I am and where I'm headed?