Attorney Resume Example

How to write a attorney resume summary

Write 3 or 4 sentences. Start with your practice area and years of experience. Then give your scope: the type of cases or deals, the courts, and the amounts. Add one result, such as a trial, a motion, or a closed deal. End with your bar admissions.

1. 1Title and years of experience
2. 2Setting and scope
3. 3One result with a number
4. 4Certifications or licenses

Attorney resume bullet points

Start each bullet with a verb. Describe the matter by type, court, and amount, and then give your role and the result. Put trial work, depositions, and the motions you argued first, because these show the most responsibility. Use exact verbs: "took" or "defended" a deposition, "argued" a motion, "second-chaired" a trial.

Use only numbers that are true. If you do not know an exact number, give a range or a frequency, such as “10–15 per day”. Do not put the names or private details of patients, clients, or students in a bullet.

Skills for a attorney resume

Certifications and licenses

Make a section called "Bar Admissions". Write each state and each federal court on its own line, with the year of admission. You do not need the bar number, because an employer checks your status with the state bar or the attorney registration agency. Before the exam, write "Registered for the February 2027 Illinois bar exam". After the exam, write "Sat for the February 2027 Illinois bar exam; results pending".

State bar admission

Every attorney job requires an active license in at least one US jurisdiction. Most states require a law degree, a bar exam, and a character and fitness review. Write the state and the year.

Federal court admissions

Each federal district court and court of appeals admits lawyers separately. A litigator lists each one. Write the full court name and the year.

Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE)

Most states require it for admission. A law student or a new graduate can write "MPRE passed" before admission.

Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) score

Many states use the UBE. You can transfer a score to another UBE state within the time limit that the state sets. Write "UBE score transferable" when you apply in another UBE state. Check the rules in your state.

Registration with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

Patent prosecution jobs require it. You pass the USPTO registration exam, often called the patent bar, which requires a science or engineering background. Write "Registered Patent Attorney, USPTO".

Board certification in a specialty

Optional. Some state bars and organizations accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) certify lawyers in a field, such as civil trial law. Do not say that you are certified as a specialist unless an approved organization certified you, and name that organization. Some states, such as Illinois, also limit the word "specialist" and require a disclaimer. Check the rules in your state.

ATS keywords for a attorney resume

An applicant tracking system (ATS) is the software that employers use to collect and sort applications. Recruiters search it for words from the job posting. Job postings for this role often use the words below. Use a word only when it is true for you.

• litigation
• commercial litigation
• civil litigation
• legal research
• legal writing
• motion practice
• discovery
• depositions
• e-discovery
• summary judgment
• trial preparation
• brief writing
• case strategy
• client counseling
• contract disputes
• settlement negotiation
• Westlaw
• Lexis
• bar admission
• pro bono

Tips for a attorney resume

1. 1

   Put bar admissions where a reader sees them

   A recruiter checks your license status first. Put the "Bar Admissions" section near the top for a new graduate, or after your experience for an experienced lawyer. Until you are admitted, write the exam date and "results pending".

2. 2

   Describe matters without client names

   Lawyers have a duty to protect client information. Describe each matter by type, court or forum, amount, and result. Name a client or a case only when the matter is public and your firm agrees.

3. 3

   Show your level of responsibility

   A hiring partner wants to know what you did alone. Write "took" or "defended" for depositions, "argued" for motions, and "first-chaired" or "second-chaired" for trials. For corporate work, give the number of deals and the deal size, and say if you ran the deal or one part of it.

4. 4

   Add a matter list for a lateral move

   A senior associate or a partner who moves to another firm often adds a list of representative matters. Put it on a separate page after the resume. Keep the resume itself to 1 or 2 pages.

5. 5

   Shorten the education details over time

   Firms look at law review, moot court, class rank, and honors for junior associates. After about 5 years, keep the honors but remove most course and clinic details. Put experience above education when you have more than 2 years of practice.

Frequently asked questions