How to Write a Legal Resume

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How to Write a Legal Resume

• Summary While having a well-written resume is a
  critical aspect of your job search, many
  attorneys dont know how to write one. Learn how
  to write a legal resume.

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• Getting your resume right is probably one of the
  most critical elements in your job search. As a
  general rule of thumb, employers will give each
  resume 20 to 30 seconds of their attention.
  Within that time, they have to be able to review
  your background, ascertain your main selling
  points, and determine your suitability for the
  position.Consider the following basic pointers
  when constructing your resume
• Place your most marketable features up front on
  your resume (i.e. if you did particularly well in
  law school, mention that fact on the first page).
• Often it is best to put your "Education" section
  at the beginning of your resume, noting your
  graduation year. This is helpful, as it will help
  the reader know whether he/she is dealing with a
  senior, junior or mid-level lawyer.
• Use heading and bullet-point sentences in the
  "Work Experience" section. It is important that
  you avoid long paragraphs and provide only an
  outline of your experience. If you wish to
  provide more information about your practice,
  attach a "Transaction Summary" sheet to your
  resume. The goal is to make your resume as easy
  as possible for your reader to read.

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• For lawyers, a well-presented experience section
  is much more effective than the highlights
  section which tend to be recommended by
  outplacement organizations and resume 'how to'
  textbooks.
• Cut the personal self-analysis blurb (i.e.
  "dedicated, hard-working, ambitious associate"),
  but don't be afraid of "showing off" about the
  work you have done and are particularly proud.
  Never leave the reader to assume facts.
• See 6 Things Attorneys and Law Students Need to
  Remove from their Resumes ASAP if they Want to
  Get Jobs With the Most Prestigious Law Firms for
  more information.
• Include a short, personal interest section at the
  end of your resume. Many employers look for it
  and it is often a good icebreaker at the
  beginning of the interview.
•  
• GET YOUR RESUME PROFESSIONALLY DONEwww.AttorneyR
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• Many candidates ask us how long a resume should
  be. It will differ for each candidate depending
  upon how long they have practiced and how many
  positions they have held. However, as a general
  rule you should keep it to approximately 2 pages
  (not including the "Transaction Profile
  Summary").
• If in doubt, it is a good idea to attach
  transcripts. This is especially true if you are
  applying for an associate or overseas position.
  If you know your ranking in your law school
  class, this is also helpful.
• Do not try to be too clever with resume
  presentation. Using multiple colors, fancy
  binders, or weird typeface is not going to get
  you the job. How you construct your resume
  reflects how you may present legal analysis.
• Do not try and hide facts which employers
  obviously want to know. For example, some
  applicants omit year of graduation in an effort
  to hide their seniority. This just does not work.
  It only serves to annoy the reader and cause them
  to assume the worse.

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• Whether you are looking for a job or not, you
  should always try and keep your resume up to
  date.
• Having the right resume may determine whether or
  not you're granted an interview. It may be time
  consuming to write, but will certainly be worth
  it in the end.
• This article How to Write a Legal Resume first
  appeared on LawCrossing is the world leader in
  pure monitoring and reporting of legal jobs,
  through its active and growing research into all
  legal employers throughout the world.

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