Attorney Resume Examples
Let our Attorney resume examples lend you a helping hand during your job search! We have professional samples you can personalize to create your resume and land the job.
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Attorney resume summary examples
The first impression an employer will have of you is when they read your resume summary. You’ve got to make this section count because a recruiter will spend an average of seven seconds scanning your resume.
This section is a brief statement of your most impressive and relevant career highlights. You’ll pick professional achievements that resonate with the employer`s requirements for this job.
The most common approach for this section is the professional summary because it focuses on sharing job-relevant achievements.
On the other hand, the objective statement is the ideal approach for inexperienced candidates because it showcases your goals and the skills you have to make them possible.
Determine which approach is right for you with examples of a professional summary and an objective statement.
Good example:
“ Accomplished attorney with 8+ years of experience in litigation, corporate law, and contract negotiations. Proven track record of success in securing favorable outcomes for clients, saving an average of $1.5 million in legal costs. Highly adept in leveraging knowledge of legal principles to resolve complex disputes in a timely and cost-effective manner.”
Why this example passes:
- Feature candidate’s success statistic to grab attention. Numbers add detail about how big the results you deliver are, e.g., test scores, passing rate and more.
- Shows career length, 11 years.
- Mentions employer-desired skills: student motivation and interactive lessons.
Bad example:
“ I am an experienced attorney with extensive knowledge of the law. I have a strong commitment to justice and am dedicated to providing the best legal services. I am an excellent communicator and have a passion for advocating for my clients.”
Why this example fails:
- Doesn’t include any numbers that quantify attorney’s performance
- Uses vague descriptions and skills.
- Doesn’t include years of teaching experience.
The fastest way to write your professional summary
Impress employers by featuring must-have skills for a Attorney and achievements that make you an irresistible employee. Find the best content suggestions for your professional summary in our Resume Builder that will wow recruiters.
- 1
Enter the details about the job title you held. The builder comes preloaded with auto-suggested phrasing written by resume experts.
- 2
Then, just pick from these suggested phrases that best frame your experience and customize them to your liking!
- 3
All you have to do is choose the summary phrases that best frame your experience. It’s like having a professional do it for you!
Our Builder is the quickest and easiest tool for writing a stellar Attorney resume. However, you can also dive deeper with our professional resume-writing services. Take advantage of all the tools LiveCareer offers and start landing interviews!
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Attorney resume work experience examples
A big part of your resume’s content will live in your work experience, so you’ve got to put in the extra effort to make it stand out. This section should feature achievements that show recruiters you have what they’re looking for if you want to write a good resume.
Good example:
Johnson Consulting I Rolling Meadows, IL I 8/2018-current
- Drafted and argued motions in court on behalf of clients
- Represented clients in a variety of legal proceedings, including civil and criminal cases
- Negotiated settlements and mediated disputes between parties
- Researched and analyzed complex legal issues to provide strategic advice to clients.
Why this example passes:
- Numbers and statistics add detail and quantify the results this attorney delivers: 4% improvement and a class size of 20-25.
- Good use of strong words and active language.
- References specialized value cahier provides with “individualized lesson plans.”
Bad example:
Malone Group I Redmond, WA I 4/2022-present
- Drafted legal documents
- Represented clients in court
- Attended client meetings
- Negotiated contracts
Why this example fails:
- Lacks numbers or statistics.
- Describes general tasks, not teaching achievements or career highlights.
- Uses active verbs, but doesn’t focus on results.
Attorney resume skills examples
Here are 6 sample skills for attorney:
- Legal Research and Analysis
- Contract Drafting and Negotiation
- Case Management and Trial Preparation
- Client Counseling and Representation
- Regulatory Compliance and Risk Management
- Intellectual Property Law
You should sprinkle skills and abilities throughout your resume. Include them in your professional summary, work experience blurbs and a dedicated skills section.
Examples of additional resume sections
Your Attorney resume must include your contact information, professional summary, work experience, skills and education. You can further customize your resume with extra sections to showcase other qualifications.
Here are some examples of optional attorney resume sections that you could add to provide greater detail:
- References
- Certifications
- Languages
- Additional skills
- Overview
- Affiliations
- Accomplishments
- Professional skills
Extra sections help you accurately showcase all the qualifications that make you an excellent Attorney. Nevertheless, stuffing your resume with irrelevant details will diminish the impact of your relevant experiences.
Examples of resume formats
Every resume has a specific layout to organize all sections, also called a resume format. You’ll see examples of the three resume formats: chronological, functional and combination.
The main difference among them is whether or not they give more visual weight to your work history or to your skills section. The format you should select for your resume is based on your years of work experience as a attorney.
How to choose a resume format
0-3
Years of experience
Functional formats
- Focus on skills.
- Best for first-time attorney who lack work experience.
- Good for people re-entering workforce.
- May omit dates in the work history section.
Organization:
- Skills listed above work experience.
3-10
Years of experience
Combination formats
- Balance skills and work history.
- Ideal for mid-career attorney.
- Suitable for career changers and people seeking promotion.
Organization:
- Skills next to or above work experience.
10+
Years of experience
Chronological formats
- Put the most focus on work history.
- Best for attorney with a long, steady career.
- Most popular format.
- Preferred by recruiters.
Organization:
- Work experience listed above skills.
Once you know the best format for you, it’s easy to pick a attorney resume template. Templates are preformatted layouts created by design professionals to ensure your resume looks amazing!
Don’t forget your attorney cover letter
A cover letter works hand-in-hand with your resume to make a stronger case for why you deserve the job.
We always recommend submitting a cover letter with your resume because it’s a great way to increase your chances of getting hired.
Cover letters are a supplemental document to your resume that allows you to do many things, such as provide more context on your work experience or the achievements listed on your resume. You can share your career story and how you envision progressing. And you can even add more accomplishments you couldn’t fit on your resume!
Writing a full-page cover letter also shows your critical thinking, attention to detail and communication skills. Sure, it’s extra work, but it pays off, primarily if you use our Cover Letter Builder.
Our Builder will create a completely personalized cover letter from the information on your resume or write it from scratch considering your job title and years of experience. You’ll be done in 15 minutes or less!
If you want more examples of what to include in your cover letter, you can browse all cover letter examples available.
Don’t forget to tie it all together in a stylish yet professional design, which you can find in our cover letter templates library.
Finally, check out our blog article on How to Write a Cover Letter for a deep dive into cover letters.
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