Law schools require you to submit your LSAT scores, letters of recommendation, and an outstanding personal statement. In addition to this, you need to have a law school resume that showcases the qualifications that the school requires.
If you don’t know where to start, our law school resume examples will help you write a resume that gets the admissions committee’s attention. You can also consider using a law school resume template which will help you organize your resume and ensure you do not leave out any important sections.
Our guide will also give you some writing tips that will allow you to write an outstanding resume that gets you a position in your dream school.
Additional Information About The Law School Resume
Employment of lawyers is expected to grow four percent from 2019 to 2029, about as fast as the average for all occupations (U.S Bureau of Statistics).
The industries with the highest levels of employment of Lawyers include legal services, local government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation), State government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation), Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation), Management of companies, and enterprises.
The average yearly salaries for an attorney/lawyer, including tips, bonuses, and overtime pay, are as follows:
- Entry-level $63,000
- Early-career $74,000
- Mid-career $97,000
- Late-career $112,000
- Experienced $128,000
The average salary for an Attorney or Lawyer is $86,000 (Payscale).
Example of a Law School Resume
Eric Julius
Law School Candidate
659-897-323
ericjulius@gmail.com
Omaha, NE
linkedin.com/in/ericjulius
Energetic and detail-oriented writer with a B.A. in English Literature seeking to excel at Yale Law School. Excellent communication skills and exceptional ability to deliver intelligent and first-rate stories that capture the public’s attention. Proficient in case analysis and adept at legal research and writing.
Education
B.A. in English Literature
Creighton University
May 2014
Coursework
- Linguistics
- Creative writing
- Renaissance literature
- Stylistics
- Literary and cultural theory
Professional experience
Cuddigan Law
Legal Intern
June 2016-December 2018
- Prepared case reports for clerks and judges after attending trials and kept detailed notes.
- Wrote new proposals, agreements, and contracts as warranted by existing circumstances after researching the history of previous contracts.
- Wrote legal documents describing complaints, summons, and interrogation summaries.
Ablex Publishing
Writer
September 2014- May 2016
- Collected and verified information about stories to be submitted for publication by utilizing interviews, observation, and research.
- Informed readers of fresh and new insights of previously reported articles to keep them updated.
- Effectively adhered to tight deadlines and wrote news stories that were accurate, concise, and engaging.
Skills
- Analytical
- Excellent communication
- Negotiation
- Google Analytics
- SEO proficiency
- Copyediting and proofreading
- Report writing
- Research databases
Additional activities
Volunteer work
Volunteered at the local youth court after my classes all through high school and assisted with preparing the case reports.
Publications
Article on Women in Law published in Law Daily newspaper.
How to make a Law School Resume
A law school resume is not the same as an employment resume. Law school resumes should have the information that the admissions officers will want to see. This means that you have to personalize yours to suit the requirements of the school you want to get into.
Some of the ways you can personalize your law school resume include:
- Using the right resume format to ensure it is easy to read and understand.
- Using the required font and font size for your resume. The most common fonts are Times New Roman, Calibri, and Cambria, and the size is 10-12pt.
- Focusing on showcasing any educational qualifications and relevant professional experiences that make you a unique candidate.
- Adding an objective that will interest the board in reading the rest of your resume.
The layout of the Law School Resume
It should follow the following layout:
- It should be one page long.
- It should be clear and concise.
- Pick the right font and size. Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, and Cambria are good options. The size should be 10-12pt
- Use single or 1.5 line spacing.
The structure of the Law School Resume
The structure of your law school resume should have the following sections:
- A header section
- Resume summary/objective
- Education
- Work experience
- Skill section
- An additional section (volunteer experiences, interests, languages, awards/honors, certifications, conferences, and publications)
The best law school resume format is the functional resume which allows you to showcase your academic achievements and skills.
Start with the Header of your Law School Application Resume
The header section will have your full name, job title, contact information, mailing address, and a link to your Linkedin profile or website (optional). This information has to be accurate because the admissions officers will use it to reach you.
Example of a Law School header
Here is an example
Marilyn Jackson
Law school candidate
546-876-954
marilynjackson@gmail.com
Los Angeles, CA
linkedin.com/in/marilynjackson
Example of a bad header for Law School
Marilyn Jackson
Law school candidate
546-876-954
marilynjackson@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/marilynjackson
2713 Harvest Lane
House number 24
Los Angeles, CA
Date of birth 08/07/1988
Is a photo required in the Law School Resume?
You don’t need a photo on your resume. The same way a photo can discriminate against a candidate for a job is the same way it can work against you as a candidate looking to get into law school.
Choosing your Law School Title
Every application should have a personalized title depending on the school you are applying to. If you use one title for all your applications, you will miss out on getting into your dream school.
Professional summary for Law School
A professional summary introduces your law school resume to the admissions board. It also highlights your top achievements and academic qualifications that will get the board’s attention and interest them in reading the rest of your resume. This section is sometimes optional because the admissions board is more interested in your other qualifications, especially your academic performance.
Dedicated graduate with a B.A in Political Science with extensive experience in legal research to support litigation cases. Proficient in case analysis, mediation, and preparing briefs, seeking an opportunity to excel at Harvard law school.
New Political science graduate seeking to join Harvard law school. Diligent professional with previous experience working on various client cases.
Work Experience in the Law School Resume
The work experience section is essential to your law school application resume. Admissions committees use this section to understand your professional experiences, work skills, and achievements at each workplace. You can check out our resume examples to help you with this section.
Describe your professional experiences on your Law School Resume
If you have relevant employment experiences, you’ll add them to this section. When listing your employment experience, the reverse-chronological order works best where you start with your most recent professional experience. If you don’t have any relevant experience, you can add volunteer or internship experiences that help to showcase your skills and achievements.
When listing your employment in this section, you will start with the company’s name, the job title, and the years of service.
Examples of professional experiences for Law School
Westford Law Group
Legal Intern
August 2014-June 2015
-
- Prepared reports from the information gathered and observed, and took notes during client interviews.
- Preparation and presentation of all materials and supporting documentation to be used as exhibits.
- Documented information and case details received from witnesses, clients, and legal professionals.
Examples of work experience for Senior Law School
California Realty Group
Real Estate Agent
July 2018-December 2020
-
- Negotiated contracts and agreements and collaborated with attorneys, lenders, and inspectors.
- Ensured the completion of all legal requirements and signatures on documents before the closing dates of the transaction.
- Responsible for listing houses and lots for sale and communicating with potential purchasers by scheduling appointments.
Education in the Law School Resume
The education section on your law school resume is vital. Admissions committees look for candidates with strong academic accomplishments, so you should not leave out any relevant educational qualifications. Your LSAT score and any other pre-law courses should also be added here. If you have any study abroad experiences, you should add them to this section because they will help your resume stand out.
Should you start with education or work experience for a Law School Resume?
You will start with your education because it is an important section. The experience will follow but ensure you add the most relevant experience. You can review some law school resume samples to help you with structuring your resume.
How to properly list your education in a Law School Resume?
You will start with the name of the degree or course taken, the name of the school, and the graduation year. Since this is a critical section, don’t shy away from adding some of your achievements and including some relevant coursework.
Law School Resume Example of the Education Section
An example can be found here
LSAT score
2017
LSAT score:170
Bachelor in Psychology
University of California, Los Angeles
December 2014
Coursework
- Organizational psychology
- Stereotyping and Prejudice
- Organizational Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Decision-making/problem-solving.
Achievements
Dean’s List 2014
Law School Resume Example of Skills Section
The skills section should contain the key skills relevant to your future career as a lawyer. You’ve probably seen a law school resume example that has omitted this section, and this is also okay. If you list your professional experience and include all the relevant abilities, you may not have to add this section to your law school CV. If you add these unique abilities, you should use bullet points to make it easy for the admissions board to see them.
What are the main skills sought for in Law Schools Resume?
Hard skills
- Reviewing contracts
- Marketing communications
- Clerical writing
- Strategy development
- Transcribing oral arguments
- SEO proficiency
- Analyzing statistics
- Case analysis
Soft skills
- Leadership skills
- Critical thinking
- Decision making
- Problem-solving
- Excellent interpersonal communications
- Teamwork
- Negotiation
- Active listening
What skills for a Junior Law School?
- File/records maintenance
- Operational improvement
- Communication
- Attention to detail
- Time management
- Copywriting, editing, and review
- Account Management
- Relationship development
What skills for a qualified Senior Law School?
- Skilled mediator
- Team leadership
- Exceptional negotiator
- Lead development
- Oratory communication
- Financial recording
- Developing compliance programs
- Multi-task management
Write the Ideal Resume Hook for a Law School Resume
The competition for getting into the best law schools is high, so it’s essential to look for different ways to ensure your resume stands out. A resume hook allows you to include an additional quote, testimonial, personal description, or achievement to showcase your value proposition further.
Example of a tagline for a Law School Graduate
Recent graduate with a B.A. in Psychology with proven administrative skills and legal office procedures. Previous experience as a legal intern and educated in legal finance, civil litigation, and legal research.
Sample tagline for a senior-level Law School
Dedicated real estate paralegal seeking an opportunity at Yale Law School. Eight years of experience in legal research and statutory and regulatory interpretation to ensure compliance with laws and regulations by companies, departments, and project managers.
Additional Headings for your Law School Resume
An additional section is essential for your law school resume because it allows the admissions board to see the other qualifications that make you the best candidate. This section gives you a chance to add any other extracurricular activities and leadership positions that you may not have added in the previous sections. The perfect resume template can help you structure this section in the best way, and our resume templates are an excellent option.
Some of the sections we can consider in this section include:
Computer skills and certifications on a Law School Resume
Your computer skills and certifications should have their section to ensure the admissions board does not miss them. Proficiency in Microsoft Office and various programming languages will help your resume stand out.
A certification that will help your law school resume stand out is the pre-law certificate.
Interests in a Law School Resume
Your interests should increase your value to the admissions committee. Blogging and podcasting are great hobbies to have in your law school resume. If you love watching tv and listening to music, you might want to leave these interests out of your resume.
Languages in a Law School Resume
If you are a bilingual candidate, you should not leave it out of your resume because this skill makes you a more appealing candidate. You can use the official language reference when listing the languages as follows:
- A high score on the English IELTS (with a score of 30 points and higher)
- SIELE for Spanish
- For French, you need the DELF (with a score of 50 points and above)
Summary: Key Points for Writing a Perfect Law School Resume
The key points from this article are as follows:
- You need to use the right format for your resume.
- Your resume should be one to two pages long.
- Take your time on your education and showcase your best academic achievements to get the attention of the admissions committee
- When listing your professional experience, focus on the relevant experience.
- Choose the best layout for your resume to ensure it is easy to read and understand.
Write a Cover Letter That Goes With Your Law School Resume
Cover letters are usually sent out for job applications to accompany resumes, even though most employers don’t ask for them. The perfect cover letter template can help you write a cover letter that lands you your dream job. However, you don’t need a cover letter to accompany your law school CV. Instead, you can write a personal statement to help your application stand out.
Frequently Asked Questions for a Law School Resume
What should be on a law school resume?
Your law school CV should have a header section, resume summary/objective(optional), education section, work experience, skill section, and an additional section(volunteer work, awards/honors, interests, languages, and certifications)
How long should your law school resume be?
Your resume should be one long, at most two but only if justifiable. Most admissions boards don’t like to review resumes that are longer than one page. In fact, Yale Law School advises applicants to make their resumes just one page in length.
Do you submit a resume for law school?
You need to submit a resume for law school because it is a requirement for all students.
How can I improve my resume for law school?
- Use the right format
- Add all the relevant educational qualifications and professional experiences.
- Accompany your resume with a personal statement.
- Add the additional activities that help your resume stand out.
Check out our best example of Law School
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