Attorney Sample
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An Attorney should have a resume to the point with the strongest skills shown (negotiation, case management, legal research). Showcasing the number of cases won, how much you earned for the organization, and how many cases you can handle at one time is a great way to show your measurable achievements.
Expert Tip
You should never use a creative resume
Many job seekers think that an eye-catching resume template will help them stand out to hiring managers and increase their chances of landing an interview. This is a myth put out by resume builders that value design over content.
The truth is that most hiring managers prefer a traditional resume format.
Creative resume templates, like the one pictured here, can actually hurt your chances of landing an interview. Instead, you should use a basic resume format that quickly communicates your basic information and qualifications–like the one included below.
Attorney resume (text format)
How confident are you feeling about your resume? If you need more help, you can always refer to the following resume sample for a position.
Name
Title
City, State or Country if international
Phone | Email
LinkedIn URL
ATTORNEY PROFESSIONAL
Dedicated bilingual/multilingual Attorney highly regarded for XX years of progressive experience providing outstanding client support in and out of court. Exemplary educational qualifications include a J.D. from XX and admission to the XX bar. Utilizes exceptional interpersonal skills to clearly and concisely communicate complex legal and precedential issues to clients. Experienced in delivering high-quality work product in a variety of subject matter areas, building effective case strategies, and negotiating high-value contracts for corporate clients.
CORE COMPETENCIES
Client Services
Legal Research
Case Analysis
Client Counseling
Problem Solving
Legal Research and Writing
Discovery
Contracting
Staff Training
Case Development
Pleadings
Case Management
Negotiation
Litigation
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Attorney
Company | City, St | Year to Present
Responsibilities
Consulted on approximately XX cases on a variety of topics including breach of contract and personal injury.
Conferred with clients and lay witnesses regarding related facts and legal issues.
Reviewed, analyzed, and summarized contracts, technical reports, and medical records.
Developed and implemented discovery plans and litigation strategy.
Conducted legal research and drafted legal memoranda.
Provided co-counsel and clients with written and oral case status reports.
Drafted pleadings, discovery, and settlement demand letters.
Attorney
Company | City, St | Year to Year
Responsibilities
Drafted and revised technology transaction agreements in areas of joint ventures and licensing.
Counseled technology startups on entity formation, incorporation, copyright, trademark, and patent strategies.
Conducted M&A transaction due diligences for technology, commercial, and retail clients.
Successfully ran, negotiated, and executed several patent portfolio transactions for clients.
Provided IP counseling and strategic prosecution of foundational patents for a TV media content delivery start-up.
Supported litigation with legal research, motion drafting, and document review.
Assistant State's Attorney, Domestic Violence Division
Company | City, St | Year to Year
Responsibilities
Served as lead attorney in misdemeanor criminal court with full oversight of trial planning, motions practice, discovery, legal research and courtroom appearances.
Prosecuted cases at trial, combining complex analytical and courtroom litigation skills to obtain convictions against defendants charged with crimes including domestic battery, violations of orders of protection, theft, assault, and criminal damage to property.
Drafted complex, persuasive pre- and post-trial motions, responded to motions and conducted critical related legal research on topics such as the admissibility of evidence.
Managed a daily caseload of XX active cases, prepared court calls, maintained case files, supervised and managed a team of XX staff attorneys.
Conducted pre-trial conferences with defense attorneys and judges, interviewed crime victims and witnesses to determine veracity of criminal allegations, and negotiated plea agreements with counsel to defendants.
Considerable experience with both bench and jury trials, including expertise with voir dire.
Conducted bond hearings, sentencing hearings, motion hearings, and order of protection hearings.
EDUCATION
Complete School Name, City, St/Country: List Graduation Years If Within the Last Ten Years
Complete Degree Name (Candidate) – Major (GPA: List if over 3.3)
Relevant Coursework: List coursework taken (even include those you are planning on taking)
Awards/Honors: List any awards, honors or big achievements
Clubs/Activities: List clubs and activities in which you participated
Relevant Projects: List 2-3 projects you have worked on
Everything you need to write your attorney resume
Now that you’ve seen an example of a job winning Attorney resume, here are some tips to help you write your own. You should always begin with a summary section. Remember to use basic formatting with clear section headings and a traditional layout. Finally, be sure to include top skills throughout your resume. We’ve included several examples common for Attorney below.
Let’s start with your resume summary section.
1. Summary
The resume summary replaces the out-of-date resume objective. A summary outlines the most impressive parts of your resume for easy recall by your potential employer, while also serving to fill in personal qualities that may not appear elsewhere on the page. Remember that summaries are short and consist of pithy sentence fragments! You can check out the Attorney resume example for more information!
Expert Tip
Always start with your most recent positions at the top of your resume. This is called reverse-chronological format, and keeps your most relevant information easy for hiring managers to review.
2. Formatting
Our experts recommend you start your resume with a resume summary, like the one above. Other common sections are Work Experience, Education, and either Skills or Core Competencies. Here are some guides from our blog to help you write these sections:
Some resumes will include other sections, such as Volunteer Experience or Technical Skills. When it comes to what sections you need to include on your resume, you will know best!
Other sections for you to consider including are foreign language skills, awards and honors, certifications, and speaking engagements. These could all be relevant sections for your resume.
3. Appropriate skills
Client Services
Legal Research
Case Analysis
Client Counseling
Problem Solving
Legal Research and Writing
Discovery
Contracting
Staff Training
Case Development
Pleadings
Case Management
Negotiation
Litigation
Intellectual Property
Client Support
Case Strategies
Legal Problem Solving
4. Experience section
Your Work Experience section should make up the bulk of your resume. This section should include your relevant job titles, companies that employed you, and the dates you were employed.
To demonstrate how to write an effective Work Experience section for your resume, let's dissect some bullet points from the example above. • Consulted on approximately XX cases on a variety of topics including breach of contract and personal injury. This bullet shows how many cases managed and a shortlist of topics, making it a strong bullet. • Provided IP counseling and strategic prosecution of foundational patents for a TV media content delivery start-up. This bullet shows specialized skills that make you stand out from the competition. • Served as lead attorney in misdemeanor criminal court with full oversight of trial planning, motions practice, discovery, legal research and courtroom appearances. This bullet shows a summary of skills and abilities, making it strong for your resume.
Let’s wrap it up!
Standout resumes will include a resume summary, a traditional reverse-chronological layout, and the skills and experience relevant to your job target. This resume example shows how to include those elements on a page. It’s up to you to insert your personal compelling qualifications.
Keep your resume format easy to scan by both humans and computers; our resume template is designed by our experts to satisfy both audiences. And be sure to include your own skills, achievements, and experiences. Job-winning resumes are resumes that successfully market you, leading recruiters and hiring managers to want to learn more!
Finally, emphasize your interest with a customized cover letter. When writing, remember that the resume and cover letter should support each other. Check out our cover letter tips and examples for more advice.
Didn’t get the specific answers you were looking for on this page? Hire a professional resume writer to get the advice you need to land your next job.
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