how to build resume for law school

Application Toolkit: Resume

On this webpage, you will find our advice and guidance for approaching the resume component of the application., instructions.

We require a resume as part of the application. Please limit your resume to 1 – 2 pages in length.

The following links are sample resumes from successful applicants in prior years. You do not have to follow the formatting used in these resumes, but all three are examples of well-organized, easy-to-read drafts.

Application Insights: Resume

Blog Advice

• Visit the Admissions Blog
• View All Resume Blog Posts

Overrated/Underrated Part 3

Continuing our Overrated/Underrated series, this week, we shift our focus to highlight some of the overrated approaches that we recommend applicants avoid as they craft their applications. 

November 17, 2021

Overrated/Underrated Part 2

This week, we continue our Underrated Approaches to the Application series with some additional advice.

October 21, 2021

Overrated/Underrated Part 1

The J.D. Admissions team recently came together to offer their thoughts on some underrated and overrated approaches that applicants might take towards their HLS application. We hope you’ll find some of these nuggets useful.

September 9, 2021

Real Talk: The Resume

This week’s entry in the Real Talk series covers the resume. 

August 25, 2020

Podcast Advice

Navigating law school admissions with miriam & kristi.

Miriam Ingber (Associate Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at Yale Law School) and Kristi Jobson (Assistant Dean for Admissions at Harvard Law School) provide candid, accurate, and straightforward advice about law school admissions — direct from the source. They will be joined by guest stars from other law schools to discuss application timing, letters of recommendation, personal statements, and more.

• View All Episodes

Resume Workshop

Our Resume Workshop provides applicants with straightforward advice on how to craft their resumes with a reflective activity and guiding questions to consider.

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Law school resume tips + examples: ace your application.

Reviewed by:

David Merson

Former Head of Pre-Law Office, Northeastern University, & Admissions Officer, Brown University

Reviewed: 10/25/23

Whether you already have a resume or are starting from scratch, read on to learn law school resume tips to stand out in the admissions process. 

A law school resume summarizes your achievements, qualifications, and experiences. Your resume and cover letter can tell admissions officers much about you and your law school preparedness. We’ll outline tips for your law school resume so it’s refined and ready for submission. 

Law School Resume Format 

On your law school application, it’s best to keep the format of your law school resume simple (even if you have a penchant for graphic design). You should avoid using: 

• Distracting colors 
• Graphics, such as “skill graphs” or progress bars 
• Any other multimedia elements 

Your resume should be one to two pages long using a standard, legible font size. Stick to Arial, Times New Roman, Calibri, or another similar font, and don’t use a size smaller than 11 points. 

If you need support with your essay, law school admissions consulting can make the process easier.

What Should Go on Your Law School Resume

Putting together a law application resume can be daunting. Applying to law school is already a big task as there are many elements to consider, like personal statements and recommendation letters. 

To help you get a leg up, it’s a good idea to look at some examples of what other law school application resumes include, as well as to pay attention to what admissions counselors have to say. 

UPenn states , “Law school admissions committees are very interested in how you spend your time and energy outside of class, so it is essential that you create a strong, accurate, and flattering portrayal of yourself on your resume.” It’s crucial to summarize your experiences and candidacy succinctly. 

That being said, you have some freedom regarding what goes on your law school resume to complement its core elements. Standard sections you should include in every law school application resume include:

Source : US News

These are the main sections that every law school application resume should have. If you haven’t done much volunteer work or participated in many activities since high school, the University of Wisconsin–Madison suggests weaving any activities into your resume’s education section. 

While these are the standard pieces that every law school resume should include, you can choose to add other sections if they’ll add something new and fresh to your application: 

• Honors/Awards : If you have a laundry list of honors/awards, consider putting them into their own section. Otherwise, it’s okay to put them in your education section. 
• Research : If you have one or more research-related experiences, it may be worth adding a section to your resume. This can include a capstone project or thesis that would otherwise go in your education section, significant work in a study, or publications. 
• Skills/Interests : This section is a great way to showcase information about you that didn’t fit into your resume anywhere else. Whether you’re bilingual, an expert coder, or decorate cakes in your spare time, you can add another layer to your individuality. 

You can add whatever sections you want that best reflect your candidacy, qualities, and experiences so far. You can also rename/alter these sections as you see fit. 

Alyson Suter Alber , Associate Dean for Enrollment Planning and Strategic Initiatives at Case Western Reserve School of Law, said, “In the admissions process we are looking for experiences and activities that showcase skills an applicant will need in law school such as research, writing and analytical thinking.” 

So, highlight activities that emphasize these skills on your resume! That way, you can show admissions committees that you’re a worthy law school candidate. Take a look at some examples of law resumes down below to see how they’ve done it. 

If you’re taking a gap year before law school, don’t try and fudge the numbers.

9 Law School Resume Tips

If you’re wondering how to improve your resume for law school, look no further than these nine expert tips. 

1. Remember the Resume’s Purpose 

The first law school resume tip is crucial to follow: remember its purpose. When you formulate a resume to find work, you may write an objective at the top expressing your goals. You don’t need to include this element in a law school application resume. 

In the words of Quinnipiac University Law , “Objectives are not necessary, and sometimes highlight your desire to do something other than attend law school.” You don’t want to take the focus off your resume’s ultimate goal: helping you get accepted to your dream law school. 

To that end, you won’t include any references either. Your recommendation letters serve as the “reference” portion of your application. 

2. Be Honest 

While this sounds obvious, applicants tend to put a lot of pressure on themselves when they write law school application resumes. For example, don’t stretch the time frames of your commitments to make it look like you spent more time on your activities than you did. If you’re taking a gap year before law school, don’t try and fudge the numbers. 

Remember, integrity is a quality found in great lawyers; you don’t want to potentially get caught in an inconsistency during the application process or law school interview because you wanted to make something sound more impressive. You can always add an addendum to your application to explain something unsightly on your resume. 

Also, it’s okay if you don’t have much experience with legal work. Admissions committees don’t expect you to have a mountain of experience as a law school applicant. 

3. Keep Your Writing Simple 

Your law school resume should be two pages at maximum. You need to write concisely if you have a lot of ground to cover to effectively summarize your experiences. Don’t use long, elaborate sentences or pull words from a thesaurus. 

Writing plainly includes limiting industry jargon. While admissions committee members may understand what you’re writing about, you want to write in a way that someone from any field would understand your resume. For example: 

“Aggregated with clients in order to contrive understanding and transferable knowledge and solutions for exponential economic growth.” 

This sentence is unclear and unnecessarily wordy. A better sentence would read: “Met with clients to share information to increase profits.” This sentence is much clearer, and your reader doesn’t have to do mental backflips to understand you. 

4. Use Bullet Points 

Bullet points underneath major experiences/subheadings communicate a lot of information in less space. You can make your points uniform and more impactful by: 

• Writing each one as a full sentence, with or without closing punctuation 
• Start your points with a verb in the past tense for past activities and present tense for current ones 
• Keep your points focused on a responsibility or task that emphasizes your role/qualities 
• Be detailed and share tangible results, how many times you performed a task, or the overall time commitment 
• Focus on tasks/skills that are transferable or related to law school 
• Limit bullet points under each item to three, if possible 

Ensure you watch your tenses while you write; it’s easy to slip up and use the wrong one. 

5. Don’t Omit Experiences Not Related to Law

Although you should focus on transferable skills and tasks related to law school, don’t omit any experiences that aren’t necessarily law-related. You don’t want to leave chronological gaps in your resume: that’s a red flag for admissions committees. 

UChicago Law states that your resume should absolutely not contain only legal experiences. The school states that it wants “to see all of your work experience and activities to gain a more holistic picture of you.” Avoid these gaps and be honest about your work experience. 

6. Emphasize Leadership Experiences 

Leadership experience and capability are what every law school seeks in applicants. If you have relevant leadership experiences in employment or activities, ensure they’re in your resume. 

7. Highlight Entries That Align With Your Mission 

You’ve likely discussed your professional and career goals in your application. Your resume can complement your other application materials and narratives. For example, if you want to teach law, don’t bury your experience as a teaching assistant or tutor. 

Think about your personal mission and which experiences have contributed to helping you get one step closer to reaching your goals. 

8. See If There Are Particular Instructions for Each School 

Some schools may or may not have law school resume instructions. You should always double-check the application requirements of the schools you want to apply to. For example, UChicago Law asks, “Please include the number of hours per week spent on each employment experience or activity.” 

While you may have thought to do this on your resume anyway, it’s important not to miss any elements schools ask for. 

9. Edit, Revise, Refine

You probably already have a resume you can work off of, but it’ll take a lot of editing and reconstructing to tailor it to your law school application. Even if you’re starting from scratch, ensure you edit your resume. 

Does everything you wrote make sense? Is your language clear and concise? Are there spelling or grammar mistakes? It’s okay if it takes a few drafts to get to the finished product. You want your law school resume to make a stellar impression, so give yourself enough time to revise and refine. 

5 Law School Resume Templates 

Sometimes, it’s helpful to look at examples of what other people have done to get inspired. Below, you’ll find some resume templates for your law school applications to help you get started. 

Law School Resume Example 1

It’s important to use strategic wording to get your point across. In the following example, the applicant reframed their extracurricular/volunteer work section to reference leadership and service. Your goal is to use the right language to accurately summarize your story in a way that reflects you best. 

Take a look at this sample law school resume provided by the University at Buffalo School of Law: 

Source : University at Buffalo School of Law

Law School Resume Example 2

Although this applicant has no work experience, they’ve still put together a solid resume emphasizing their scholastic achievements and involvement in academic leadership. The experiences they’ve chosen to include demonstrate many skills relevant to studying law! 

Source: UPenn

Law School Resume Example 3

Take a look at this resume from Yale Law School. This applicant was careful to focus on their work related to academics and scholastic experience. 

This is a great example of how you can pick and choose various work and volunteer activities to highlight the skills that law school admissions committees are looking for. 

Source: Yale Law School

Law School Resume Example 4

Here’s an example resume from a student who was accepted into Harvard Law. This resume emphasizes relevant skills like technical writing and marketing. The inclusion of the “Presentations” and “Affiliations” sections demonstrates the applicant’s interests in a unique and relevant way. 

Source: U.S. News  

Law School Resume Example

In this law application example, the applicant has focused on her accomplishments, both academic and work-related, and gives strong examples of where she demonstrated leadership skills. She also includes interesting personal information that could serve as a great conversation starter during an interview. 

Source: University at Buffalo School of Law  

Download free law school resume templates below.

Law School Resume FAQs 

Do you still have questions about building or improving your law school resume? Read on to learn more! 

1.  Do Law Schools Care About Your Resume? 

Law schools like to see your real-world work experience and academic qualifications. Although your resume may not be the focal point of your application, law schools will still read it. 

2. What Skills Should I Put on My Resume for Law School? 

You can put whatever skills or interests you think the admissions committee should know about that you haven’t already discussed. Think about the things that make you unique and jot them down before you decide which points should go on your resume. 

3. Should I Put My LSAT Score or GPA on My Resume? 

It depends on what the law school asks for, but you typically don’t have to. Law schools will see your LSAT scores and GPA through your CAS report. 

4. How Long Should My Law School Resume Be? 

Your resume should be one to two pages long and shouldn’t exceed this length. 

5. What Has to Go in My Law School Resume? 

All law school resumes should include your contact/personal information, education, work experience, and activities. If you haven’t participated in many activities, you can include them in your education section instead. 

Build the Perfect Law School Resume 

Building the perfect law school resume helps admissions committees easily digest your experiences and qualifications. Using these expert law school resume tips, you can craft a stellar, attention-grabbing resume. 

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How to Write a Successful Law School Resume (+Examples)

How do you write a law school resume? 

That’s what you’ll learn today. After all, a law school resume is one of the most underestimated and underused aspects of law school applications. 

Want to learn more? Read on!

What is a law school resume? 

Your law school resume lists sections that cover your education, legal and other professional experience, and possibly categories including personal interests or community involvement. 

The length depends on your experience. But at the same time, the length of your law school resume hardly matters. 

What matters is how you  position  your resume. And that’s what you’ll learn today.

But first, let’s find out – is a law school resume the same thing as any other resume? 

How is a law school resume different from other resumes? 

Here’s the thing: 

Law school resumes differ from other resumes. Your audience isn’t an employer, but instead, you’re looking to persuade the admissions committee that  you  are the applicant they want. 

And law schools want to see a broader and more diverse array of experiences than a job would. 

So there’s a big difference between a law school resume and any other resume. 

But how important are law school resumes, really? Here’s what you need to know. 

Does a law school resume matter? 

When I send back a client’s resume with a million-one edits (only slightly exaggerating), I am often asked  “Does my resume matter for law school?”  

After all, you might already have talked about your activities and work experience in your essays. So then, what’s the point of the law school resume? Why do law schools still ask for one?

Your law school resume is your opportunity to share with law schools:

• How you have spent your time
• What your qualifications are
• What kind of interests you have developed

In my opinion, the law school resume is an underused asset.

As I said, it is an  opportunity . How you structure your resume, what you decide to include, and how you describe your activities and experiences, are all strategic decisions in crafting your own personal narrative.

A well-written resume will highlight the traits, experiences, and qualifications law schools are looking for—like: 

• Analytical and writing abilities 
• Community engagement
• Self-financing your education
• Athletic talents
• Cultural or volunteer activities
• Language proficiencies
• Juggling multiple responsibilities
• Creativity & innovation 

And by having a resume that highlights these aspects of you already, your personal statement can avoid the  biggest mistake of being just a glorified cover letter .

So yes, your resume does matter for law schools. 

Now that you know what a law school resume is and why you should focus on writing one that really stands out, let’s move on to  how  to write a winning resume. 

How do you make your law school resume stand out? 

Now you might be wondering: 

What should be on a law school resume? 

The simplest explanation is this: 

Your resume is often an undervalued strategic part of your application. How you frame your experiences and organize your resume  should go to the broader theme  that you’ve curated for your entire application. 

Your resume needs to be  unique to be an asset  – in fact, I spend a lot of time with my clients figuring out how to strategically frame their resumes. 

For instance, if a client wants to go into legal academia, we organize and describe their experiences to highlight the traits and skills they need for that job. 

Overall, your resume will generally contain some combination of these main headers, depending on your background:

• Professional Experience and/or Employment
• Community Engagement
• Publications
• Accomplishments
• Skills/Interests

Let’s look at each of these below. 

Before we dive into the individual law school resume elements, how long should your resume be? 

Your resume can be  one or two pages.  Law schools don’t really care about the length, as long as you’re not using a tiny font to keep it to a single page, or adding in unnecessary details to make it two pages. 

A two-page resume is not necessarily better than a one-page resume, and vice versa. 

Also, even if you are recently out of undergrad, if you have a lot of things to include, a two-page resume is fine. 

Similarly, on the flip side, if you’ve been at the same job for the past decade, just because you’ve been out of school for a while, doesn’t mean you have to have a two-page resume.

Next, let’s take a look at what to include under each header. Scroll down to see examples of resumes, but use these sections to fill out your own template. 

Unlike other fields or jobs, law schools (and law in general) care a lot about your education, so  put this section first. 

You should include all your  degree institutions  and  certificates , but you do not need to include things like every summer school you attended. 

If you transferred during undergrad, you would want to include both schools. You could include a study abroad institution either separately, or under your undergraduate institution.

You will include schools in  reverse chronological order , up until high school. Remember, law schools do not care about high school so don’t include it at all!

You can see how to format this via the samples law school resumes at the end of this post, but you’ll want this section to include the following information for each educational institution:

• Name of institution, city, state
• Official name of degree (B.A., B.S., M.S., etc.), date conferred or anticipated
• Major & minor
• GPA (only if near or above the law school’s median,  if you have a low GPA , don’t include)
• Honors (such as magna cum laude, thesis title, Dean’s list semesters, honor societies, scholarships/awards received)
• Activities (this is only if you have so many activities that you don’t have room in the body of your resume. You can include minor activities here that you devoted less time to).

Professional experience and/or employment 

What you include in this section will depend on your background.

If you apply straight from undergrad or within a few years of graduating: 

You can include any jobs or internships you’ve held during (and after) college. (Just not work experience from high school.)

Even if it was just waitressing or working at the local Target, law schools want to see how you spent your time. And they will applaud the fact that you worked while also managing your college courses. 

For work experience while in college, I always suggest including the number of hours you worked per week. You can see one of the samples at the end of this blog post on how to format it. But law schools really value this kind of work ethic and real-world experience.

If you apply after working for a while: 

You can leave some jobs out that don’t necessarily fit within your field. Though generally, you’ll still want to include most jobs in order to account for your time.

Consider creating two separate categories if your work experience seems to be all over the place. For instance, you could have all your internships under “Professional Experience” and your summer jobs working at Old Navy, or your during-college waitressing gig under “Other Employment” or something along those lines.

Similarly, if you’ve had more than one main career, divide up your headers by career topic, rather than strictly going in chronological order. So if you had a career as an educator and then shifted, you might write your headers as “Teaching Experience” and “Biotechnology Experience.”

How to describe your work experience

Even “unglamorous” jobs will boost your application. 

Law schools don’t only care about applicants with “professional” work experience or those with prestigious internships. Applicants who had to support themselves by working at the local coffee shop or scooping ice cream in the summer are seen as applicants who have grit and determination.

Admissions officers also focus mostly on  what  you did in your role. So don’t talk about the company selling billions of dollars in x widgets, but instead, how you managed an account of x clients by doing xyz. Get as specific as you can about the tasks you performed there.

Instead of saying something like “acquired the skills of managing and leading,” you want to show how you acquired those skills through action descriptors. So you would want to instead write, “Supervised two field canvassers across 20 districts.”

What to include 

Include the following information for this section:

• Employer name, job title, city, state, dates of employment.
• One to four bullets describing accomplishments and responsibilities. Start each bullet with an action word (e.g., led, supervised, coordinated, planned).
• If the purpose of the organization/company isn’t obvious to the admissions officer, explain it.
• If employment while also in school, include the number of hours worked per week.

Include your college and post-college extracurricular activities, and a description of your involvement and responsibilities for each. Do not include anything from high school (have I said this enough?!).

The point of this section is to demonstrate your interests and passions, and most importantly, to show that you had focus and commitment. If your level of involvement wasn’t enough to have much to say, then include it under your Education section as a single bullet. (See the sample law school resumes below). 

If you were only involved in an activity for a short period of time, you can help it not look like just a resume filler by describing how you participated extensively. You might say something about how you “attended weekly events” or “assisted in planning weekly events for fellow students.”

Community engagement 

You could also title this “Community Service,” or “Volunteer Work” whichever you think most applicable. This can include volunteer activities, involvement in religious organizations, fieldwork for elections, and so on. 

Your community engagement doesn’t have to be something official to be worth including on your resume. If you, on your own, volunteer at the local library every weekend, even if it’s not part of some organization, definitely include that!

If you’ve only volunteered for a single day, like Relay for Life, or if you’ve only done one or two community service events organized by your sports teams or your fraternity/sorority, don’t include that volunteer work as a separate section.

You can put that you did this under your Greek life description (if Greek life even merits its own entry in the body; often I tell clients to just put it under your Activities section as a single bullet). 

If you don’t have any volunteer work, don’t try to exaggerate something. It will only bring attention to the fact that you don’t have much volunteer experience. Let admissions officers instead focus on what you do have, not what you’re missing or what your weaknesses are.

Publications 

If you did research or wrote a paper that got published, where you were the author or a co-author, include the citation and if the title doesn’t make it obvious what it is about, include a single bullet briefly describing the project.

I’ve also had clients use this section to note podcasts they’ve won awards for, or significant speeches they’ve given.

If you have a series of publications, list them separately like you would on a CV, even if that means your resume has a third page.

Skills/interests 

Skills and interests typically go in a single section and include just one or two lines. 

For skills, you can include things like language fluency (and listing out your level of competency), musical abilities, computer languages, etc. Do not include things most other applicants will know how to do (e.g., word Office, social media, Adobe, etc.). 

For interests, make these very specific. Don’t just say general (cough, boring) interests like “reading, traveling, cooking.” What specific kind of books do you like to read? What things do you cook? 

Your interests should be ones that you consider significant, and it is ok to demonstrate that you have a specific religious or political affiliation. Think about things that make you unique, memorable, and likable, and include those.

What mistakes should you avoid when creating your law school resume? 

What are the top mistakes you should avoid on your resume? Let’s find out. 

First and foremost, your law school resume isn’t the same thing as a job resume, so skip: 

• An Objective
• Summary of Qualifications
• Relative Coursework 

Your resume also has to be readable. Don’t use a font size that’s smaller than 11 pt or make margins tiny. 

You can narrow margins  slightly , but only if you have to. Instead, try to be more concise in your descriptions.

Also, you don’t have to stick with a chronological order of your experiences or activities. You can be creative with how you group your different experiences. 

For instance, I had a client who had two very involved passion areas: education and gender violence. 

So instead of going in chronological order of when she did all the activities, we instead made two separate headers (“Education” and “Gender Violence”). Within each header, we then put her activities in chronological order. This showed her focus and well-built passion, instead of just making it look like she had scattered interests.

Language 

Don’t use jargon or acronyms (unless they’re obvious) when describing your roles and responsibilities. You want to make sure that no matter the background of the admissions officer, he/she knows what you’re talking about.

Also, don’t embellish your experiences. Any embellishment will set off an admission officer’s alarm bells and undermine your entire application. 

If you did something above and beyond, by all means, include it. But don’t try and make your filing work as a front desk associate sound like you were the one drafting the files.

A common mistake is to include high school activities and experiences. But law schools do not care about what you did in high school. You are applying for a professional degree now. They want to see you are mature and can thrive without the support of your parents or high school teachers. 

So unless you did something extremely out of the ordinary for your age in high school—like were in the Olympics at age 16 or part of a professional adult symphony, —leave off your high school experiences.

On that same note, don’t include skills every law school applicant will have. Every law school applicant can use Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. Every law school applicant can type. You don’t need to tell law schools you have these (or other similarly obvious) skills.

Now you know what to include and what not to include in your resume.

But what are some real-world examples of law school resumes? Here you go!

Law school resume examples

These law school resume examples are real examples of some of my clients’ resumes. 

Use what we talked about above to understand why they’re written and formatted the way they are.

   The college senior with a lot of experience

  The applicant with over a decade of professional experience

  The college senior with more minimal experience

Helpful resources

Finally, here are a few helpful resources – top law school resume pages: 

• University of Pennsylvania
• Harvard Law School
• Stanford University
• Yale Law School
• University of Chicago 

Over to you!

There you have it! Now you know how to create a law school resume. 

What it comes down to is using your resume as an opportunity to build on your application and stand out from the masses.

Want to get a curated strategy for getting into law school, even if you don’t have the perfect GPA, LSAT score, or resume? 

Read more about working with me here.  

Learn more: 

How to Write a Law School Personal Statement

How to Write a Diversity Statement for Law School

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How to Stand Out & Get Admitted to the Law School of Your Dreams

Resume Advice & Samples

Resume advice and samples.

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• Review your resume with a CDO counselor prior to applying to jobs. 
• Your resume is a sales tool, not an autobiography. When making decisions about what to include, consider recency and relevancy to the job for which you are applying.  
• Be prepared to discuss everything on your resume in an interview. 
• Be scrupulously honest. Exaggerations or misrepresentation will damage your reputation and professional relationships. 
• Make your resume visually clean and clear. What will an employer see in 30 seconds? 5 seconds? 
• Keep your resume to one page.
• Use a standard font such as Times New Roman or Garamond.
• Select a font size of 11 point or 12 point.
• Create margins no smaller than .5 inches on all sides.
• Use bold, underlining, and italics consistently to enhance readability.
• Make deliberate style choices, then stick to them throughout.
• Ensure your resume is error free.
• Follow our advice, “ Resume Formatting: How to Use Tabs & Styles ” to give your resume a professional look.

Resume Construction

• Include your name, mailing address, cell number, and Yale email address.
• If you do not have a mailing address in New Haven, that is fine, as mailing addresses are becoming optional.
• Add your permanent mailing address to emphasize ties to that area when applying to positions nearby.
• List your gender pronouns if you wish.

Education Section

• List degrees in reverse chronological order.
• Include all courses of study: past, present, and future.
• List each educational institution, location, degree, and degree date (expected date if currently enrolled).
• Do not include high school or LSAT score.
• Think strategically about how much space you devote to each degree. What message are you sending to employers?
• Include at your option with a strategic mindset.
• YLS awards few Honors.
• Moot court/mock trial awards and paper prizes are Honors.
• List Yale Law Journal as an Honor, due to the competitive admission process. List other journals as Activities or create a separate Journal sub-section under Yale Law School.
• List those that are not based solely on financial need and are awarded through a competitive process.
• If space permits, provide a very brief description of the selection criteria.
• Examples: Tilman Scholarship; the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans; and the NAACP LDF Earl Warren Civil Rights Scholarship.
• List scholarship or fellowship awards that are associated with summer or post-graduate employment with the position in the Experience section.
• Do not list need-based scholarships and fellowships, including SPIF funding, summer Mary McCarthy funding, and Kirby Simon travel grants.
• List the following positions as Activities or in the Experience section: Coker Fellow, Research Assistant, Orientation Leader, Community Leader, Student Representative, Tsai Leadership Program Fellow, and CDO Student Advisor.
• Use this section to emphasize relevant skills and interests including research and writing skills, oral advocacy, teamwork, and leadership.
• Narrow the list, if necessary, by selecting only one of several activities that are of the same genre.
• If applying for public service positions, include as many of your service-related activities as space permits to demonstrate your commitment to service.
• Move particularly relevant, intensive, or skills-enhancing activities to the Experience section. Example: clinics.
• Be clear about the timing of future commitments, however, describing the exact timing of past activities is not strictly necessary.

Optional Sections

• Create a Select Courses sub-section to highlight courses that reflect your interest in a practice area.
• Tailor this section depending on your target employer(s).
• List courses you have already taken and courses you intend to take in the future (with a parenthetical indicating that the course is expected).  
• Create a Study Abroad sub-section in your undergraduate education listing.  
• Create a Thesis sub-section in your undergraduate education listing.
• Include especially if the topic relates to the law.

Experience Section

• List experiences in reverse chronological order.
• Include experiences to which you have committed, but not yet begun; describe using future-tense verbs.
• Dates can be general (e.g., Summer 20XX).
• Omit job titles if unimpressive or do not clarify your responsibilities, however, be consistent about including/excluding titles throughout.
• List experiences that demonstrate knowledge and skills in areas relevant to legal employers, especially research, writing, and analysis.
• Emphasize professional skills including organizational ability, leadership, initiative, creativity, communication skills, common sense, and intellectual ability.
• List both paid and unpaid experiences.
• Include work associated with a scholastic experience, including legal clinic experience, research for a professor, and extensive work for a student organization.
• Rewrite past descriptions written for different industries and audiences. Eliminate jargon and terminology unfamiliar to a general audience.
• Summarize smaller or less relevant positions to fill gaps. E.g., “Held various positions as salesclerk, server, and receptionist while in college.”
• Be prepared to discuss significant gaps at interviews.
• Think strategically about the amount of physical space devoted to each experience. More space = greater emphasis.
• Use action verbs and rich detail in descriptions. E.g., “researched and wrote memoranda on issues of jurisdiction and venue,” rather than “involved in assisting attorneys in the researching and writing of…”
• Languages: List if relevant and/or skill level is high. May be useful to delineate written vs. spoken proficiency. Be scrupulously honest regarding skill level.
• Think strategically about employers’ impressions. Publications show writing skills, but a long list of publications may signal interest in an academic career which may not be well received by non-academic employers.
• Consider selective list or summary if publication list is long.
• Use Bluebook citation format.
• Be clear about co-authored pieces.
• Interests: Include a few special interests that may be compelling and serve as icebreaker topics during an interview.
• Other skills: list only relevant skills, eliminating those which are universal (e.g., MS Word) or unrelated to legal employers’ needs (e.g., C++ programming).

Do Not Include

• Objective or introductory statements.
• Personal information (e.g., marital status, parental status).
• Salary requirements.
• “References available on request.”

Think Ahead to Your Next Resume

Develop your skills and knowledge through career-related experiences

• Summer employment
• Student organizations
• Research Assistant positions
• Leadership positions

Sample Resumes PDF   Sample Resumes Word

Jump to: First Year Student Examples | Second Year Student Examples | Third Year Student Examples

Law School Application Resume Examples and Templates for 2024

Law School Application Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples

1. write a dynamic profile summarizing your law school application qualifications, 2. outline your law school application experience in a compelling list, 3. list any education and certifications relevant to law school applications, 4. include a list of skills and proficiencies related to law school applications, how to pick the best law school application resume template, frequently asked questions: law school application resume examples and advice.

• Entry-Level
• Senior-Level

Mark Watney (384) 492-4029 [email protected] 812 Ridge Avenue, Mars, PA 14052

Recent college graduate with high academic honors and strong legal internship experience.

Bachelor of Science (BS) in Sociology, Pre-Law Concentration, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA | 2022

• 3.8 GPA | magna cum laude
• Honors Thesis: “Environmental Considerations of Transnational Corporate Law”

Co-Curricular Activities

Pre-Law Club | 2018 to 2022

• Vice President (2021 to 2022)
• Member (2018 to 2022)

Writer / Assistant Editor, The Legal Brief | 2020 to 2022

[Monthly newsletter produced by the CMU Pre-Law Department for students, faculty, and staff.] 

Volunteer, Pre-Law Department Job Fair | 2019 to 2022

Work Experience

Legal Intern, Roth, Mayhern & Associates, Pittsburgh, PA | January 2022 to May 2022

[Small firm focused on international law.]

• Reviewed discovery documents for principal lawyers
• Attended and observed court sessions with firm’s head litigator
• Researched and wrote a well-received court memorandum on environmental violation case
• Helped research and write 3 finding summaries

Office Assistant, Bertolli & Mathers, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA | January 2019 to December 2021

[Large corporate law office.]

• Filed documents and correspondence for past and current cases in the firm’s law library
• Assisted front desk staff with clerical duties such as copying, answering email queries, and directing phone calls
• Legal Research & Analysis
• Task Prioritization
• Teamwork & Collaboration
• Time Management
• Writing, Editing & Proofreading

Mary Russell (203) 384-0394 [email protected] 221 Baker Street, San Francisco, CA 10394

Paralegal with 8+ years of experience. Well-versed in legal terminology, with broad knowledge of procedures of law and court practices.

Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA | 2017 | 3.7 GPA

• Coursework included American Foreign Policy; American Political Processes; International Relations; Legal Frameworks for Change

Associate Degree in Paralegal Studies, Bryant & Stratton College, San Francisco, CA | 2014 | 3.6 GPA

• Coursework included Civil Litigation; Contract Law; Criminal Law & Procedures; Law Office Management & Technology; Legal Research & Writing

Paralegal CORE Competency Exam (PCCE) Certification, National Federation of Paralegal Associations | 2019

Professional Experience

Paralegal, Cohen & Sons LLC, San Francisco, CA | September 2016 to Present

• Draft various legal materials including client letters, pleadings, and memoranda
• Read, analyze, and interpret legal documents, case law, and statutory law
• Conduct legal research, gather data, and prepare reports for use in presentations and court
• Attend court hearings, and assist the firm’s principals as needed during trials

Paralegal, Miltock & Benson, Inc., San Francisco, CA | June 2014 to September 2016

• Researched, analyzed, and summarized past cases related to corporate and business law
• Maintained calendar and other confidential materials for senior partner
• Collaborated with business office manager to process and maintain billing and accounts receivable
• Helped draft and file legal documents and correspondence in support of upcoming cases
• Reported directly to firm’s senior partner
• Legal Documentation
• Public Speaking & Presentations
• Writing & Proofreading

Alona Twelvetrees (584) 394-3029 [email protected] Helena, MT 10928

Administrator with 13+ years of experience in Montana state government. Passionate about upholding the sovereignty and legal rights of Native Americans. Naturally curious and committed to learning new legal topics and concepts.

Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs, Montana State Capitol, Helena, MT | October 2009 to Present

Assistant to the Director (September 2015 to Present)

• Promoted to serve as liaison between state and tribal governments, attending and speaking at meetings for both
• Research and write white papers, reports, memoranda, and more on issues of Native American sovereignty and legal rights to be presented to the governor and other state officials
• Work with director and other state officials to resolve individual complaints and legal issues faced by tribes
• Seek consensus among tribes, and work toward including their shared goals in state initiatives

Office Manager (October 2009 to September 2015)

• Public-facing role focused on addressing all in-person visitors’ questions and concerns
• Handled phone queries and mail correspondence including letters from constituents
• Helped director troubleshoot and resolve issues consistently and fairly
• Proposed system improvements that raised filing efficiency by 50%

Associate Degree in Criminal Justice, Legal Studies, Blackfeet Community College, Browning, MT | 2009

• 3.6 GPA | cum laude
• Coursework included Federal Indian Policy & Government; Legal Research & Writing; Tribal Criminal Law & Procedure
• Completed office management internship at Blackfeet Tribal Government Headquarters (Browning, MT)

How To Write a Law School Application Resume

Writing a law school application resume is similar to writing a resume for a job. Start by determining key characteristics the law school might be looking for in students. Look at your own experience and accomplishments, and present those facts in a way that aligns with the law school’s focus or mission.

This guide provides actionable advice about creating professional experience and education sections. It also discusses the type of format and template you might want to use and what skills and action verbs might be relevant.

Your profile section may be your first introduction to an admissions officer or panel. This short blurb — keep it to four or fewer sentences — can serve a few purposes. It should highlight some of your best qualities or most impressive achievements, teasing them to persuade someone to read more of your resume or application.

Your profile can also express enthusiasm for a specific law school and hint at your reasons for wanting to attend. However, it should still be professional.

Profile Example #1

Profile example #2.

Focus on results and value in this section rather than simple lists of job duties or extracurricular activities. Use bullet points, action verbs, and actual measurements to create a story about why you’re an ideal candidate for a law school.

For example, you might write that you “contributed to research for dozens of legal briefs as an intern” or that you “suggested an updated filing process that reduced file room man-hours by 10%.”

Mine your volunteer, academic, and professional work for information for this section.

Professional Experience Example #1

Legal Intern,  Roth, Mayhern & Associates,  Pittsburgh, PA | January 2022 to May 2022

Professional Experience Example #2

Paralegal,  Cohen & Sons LLC,  San Francisco, CA | September 2016 to Present

Education credentials enhance your value as an applicant and demonstrate you have the qualifications and experience to succeed in law school. Because law schools require previous degrees, ensure your education is clearly spelled out on your resume. Find easy templates for including your degree below.

Certifications are less common for law school applicants. However, if you’re making a career change and entering law school after working in another field, your certifications might help demonstrate your work ethic, leadership capability, or other traits. For example, a project management certificate positions you as an applicant who can multitask, problem-solve, and plan for large efforts.

• [Degree Name]
• [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Year]
• Bachelor of Science in Sociology
• Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA | 2022

Certifications

• [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
• NALS Certified Professional Paralegal, The Associated for Legal Professionals, 2020

Adding relevant skills to your resume helps flesh it out and create a more impressive overall document. Pick some of your most impressive skills to list in their own section, especially if you can back them up with more information in your cover letter.

Also, work key skills into your profile summary and professional experience section. Think about how you can combine skills with accomplishments, such as “developed leadership experience as law club president” or “conducted research projects on various legal topics, including personal injury, criminal law, and labor laws.”

It might be tempting to up the ante on your resume’s wow factor with unique design elements or an eye-catching font. However, these additions tend to make resumes harder to read. Instead, look for a template that presents a clean, professional design. Simple fonts and well-aligned resume components will please most admissions panels more than distracting visual flourishes.

Find a template that offers room for academic achievements and provides creative freedom in completing various sections. This makes it easier to add volunteer work and extracurriculars to your resume, if relevant.

What are common action verbs for law school application resumes? -

Law schools know you’re attending to learn, but when you can position yourself as an active candidate who provides value to others, you may impress admissions panels. Including action verbs on your resume helps you create a more dynamic narrative about your accomplishments and experience, which can set you apart from other applicants.

The right action verbs also make your resume easier to read and scan, ensuring admissions professionals can get right to the important elements of your application.

Some action verbs to consider using on your resume include:

How do you align your resume with a potential law school? -

When sending resumes with law school applications, do a little homework to ensure your document makes the grade. Read through the law school’s brochure or website to understand what type of student tends to succeed there. Look for terms that are repeated or seem important to the faculty or school, and consider how you might work those terms into your resume naturally.

The job market for attorneys is expected to grow by 8% through 2032, a pace that’s faster than average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Aligning your resume with a potential law school’s needs or mission is a small step toward joining the ranks of lawyers in the future.

What is the best law school application resume format? -

For potential law school students, the combination resume format is a good choice. This format provides plenty of room for work experience as well as skills lists. It creates a well-rounded document that captures your knowledge and the effort you put in to build it.

A combination format also leaves room for creatively capturing accomplishments. For example, you may want to include specific coursework or academic achievements, volunteer work, or experience unique to a student, such as work-study efforts.

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A cover letter allows you to show enthusiasm and passion for the next step in your career. You can use our lawyer resume cover letter examples as a guide for how to write and format this letter. Be personable but also concise and professional. In a few paragraphs, tell the admissions office or other relevant personnel why you’re a great option for their school.

Jacob Meade

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW, ACRW)

Jacob Meade is a resume writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience. His writing method centers on understanding and then expressing each person’s unique work history and strengths toward their career goal. Jacob has enjoyed working with jobseekers of all ages and career levels, finding that a clear and focused resume can help people from any walk of life. He is an Academy Certified Resume Writer (ACRW) with the Resume Writing Academy, and a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches.

Check Out Related Examples

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Paralegal Resume Examples and Templates

Law Clerk Resume Examples and Templates

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7 Law School Resume Examples [& Templates]

Best for senior and mid-level candidates

There’s plenty of room in our elegant resume template to add your professional experience while impressing recruiters with a sleek design.

Resume Builder

Like this template? Customize this resume and make it your own with the help of our Al-powered suggestions, accent colors, and modern fonts.

Law School Resume

• Law School Application Resumes
• Law School Resume for Current Students
• Post-Law School Resumes

A career in law is both rewarding and intellectually challenging. Practicing law also offers a certain level of prestige and high earning potential.

Due to the diversity of legal practice areas, deciding what to include and omit when writing your law school resume may prove challenging. And if you’re recently out of law school, you’ll also have to write an  attorney cover letter .

We’ve reviewed numerous law school resumes to find what works and distilled what we learned into these seven law school examples.

Whether you’re applying for a full-time staff attorney role out of school, looking for your first internship, or anything in between,  these proven law school resume examples will help you get your next legal position in 2024 .

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• Metrics don’t have to be complicated, nor do they have to be 100 percent perfect. Include rough estimates regarding how much you improved efficiency, how many cases you worked on, or how many issues you resolved. The numbers are there—all you need to do is find them.
• An objective is an optional section that describes your skills and enthusiasm for your future role. Always customize this section for each job you apply for by including the employer’s name and the role you’re seeking.

Law School Application Resume

• You’re far from being done. A winning strategy here is including one or two of your school projects that underscore your research and analytical skills and an understanding of the legal landscape.

Harvard Law School Resume

• Your interactions with clients that led to them deciding to use the services of the law firm would go a long way to pave your way to success.

Law School Student Resume

• Reverse-chronological order is simply putting your most recent experience first. Usually, this means employers will see your most relevant experience first.
• If the job you’ve most recently held isn’t related to the position you’re seeking, that’s okay! Simply highlight transferable skills (preferably any keywords listed in the  attorney job description ).
• Before hitting submit, always  check your resume  for errors and inaccuracies. Make sure you have one full page of content; don’t leave too much white space!

Law Student Resume

• Using a fun  resume template  can make your resume pretty and help you structure your content, keep it to a single page, and even make it easier to read. Plus, you can adjust the template as needed to suit your needs.
• In this section, focus on what you specifically contributed to the project. Were you the founder of a club? Did you lead any community initiatives? Whatever you contributed, show off your leadership abilities and unique skills.

Law Student Recruiting Manager Resume

• Numbers naturally break up the text and are easy to spot, keeping eyes on your resume longer.
• Section headers are an industry standard, but you can improve readability by putting them in bold and adding some color.
• Keep your bullet points short and sweet. Limit them to no more than three lines, and start each one with strong action verbs.

Post-law School Resume

• Only include six to eight skills you would be comfortable talking about in an interview. If you’re not experienced with a particular skill, leave it out.
• Better yet, include metrics like reduced client wait time, increased client numbers, or the number of cases you tackled to show you’ve got the right qualifications.

Related resume guides

• Legal Assistant
• Grad School

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Law School resume examples & templates

Choosing the right resume format for law school

Include your contact information, make use of a summary, outline your legal work experience, include the relevant key skills that make you a great law student, detail your education & relevant certifications, pick the right resume layout and design for a law school resume, what type of salary you can expect in law school.

It takes more than an outstanding resume to get into law school. Your resume is not meant to be the sole law school application document, nor to replace any other. Some law schools don’t ask applicants for a resume at all, while others leave it optional.

However, experts agree that the only valid reason not to submit a resume is if you are told not to. Otherwise, it’s a self-marketing opportunity you can’t miss.

As encouraged by LSAT Engine , an online tutoring resource for law school hopefuls, a resume ideally portrays you as a well-rounded and involved member of your community. This can be beneficial when the admissions team is looking for reasons to accept, waitlist, or deny someone.

Gabriel Kuris, founder of Top Law Coach, provides this perspective : “A good resume for law school should clarify the skills and experience you bring from work, school, and other activities. It won't paint a full picture of who you are, but it should provide a frame for the admissions committees to understand the rest of the application.”

According to LawSchoolNumbers.com, an open-source database for law school applicants, resumes can have make-or-break importance . “The ideal situation is that an admissions officer comes away from your resume thinking that they would like to meet you, or read your personal statement.”

There’s no way to predict how much time or attention your law school resume will receive. But think about the edge-winning advantage you could gain over other applicants with underwhelming resumes, or none at all—even GPA and LSAT rock stars. This incentive should not be taken lightly, so your law school resume should not be given short shrift.

Learning how to write a resume takes a certain finesse. Luckily, you’ve come to the right place. Read our complete guide and take a look at our examples now.

Resume guide for a law school resume

In addition to more than 500 occupation-specific resume examples with writing guides, Resume.io offers tips and tools for virtually everyone on the career continuum, from students to retirees. There’s even a comprehensive resume builder to make crafting your resume easier than ever.

This resume guide and corresponding law school resume example will cover the following:

How to write a law school resume

• How to add your contact information
• Using summaries
• Adding your relevant experience
• Listing education and other credentials
• Picking the right resume design/layout
• What the market looks like for law students and future salary potential

Let’s get down to basics with an outline of essential law school resume sections. Your resume should contain the following elements:

• The resume header
• The resume summary (aka profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The resume skills section
• The education section

Your resume should capture the unique value you’ll bring to your fellow students and how you’ll show up in your future as an attorney. While each law school may have unique admission requirements, this formula is a great place to start: 

• Highlight your accomplishments rather than simple job duties. Anyone can list the tasks they were given, but not everyone has accomplished what you have.
• Adapt your resume to the requirements of the school. This may mean some versions go into more detail about past education, while others focus on your work history.
• Convey a studious and professional image with a resume template that’s polished without being overly formal or stuffy.

Optimize for the ATS

While it’s unlikely for a school to use applicant tracking systems (ATS) in their admissions decision, it’s worth understanding the process for your future job search. 

An ATS is software used by companies to collect and manage job applications. Advanced systems may offer a screening tool that helps recruiters and hiring managers filter resumes based on which ones best match the job posting. 

For example, a legal job might include some of the following requirements:

• “Juris Doctor”
• “Legal expertise”
• “Contract knowledge”

To include the appropriate keywords on your resume, you might add something like this to your resume’s summary: “Juris Doctor graduate with extensive legal expertise and contract knowledge.” 

To learn more about conquering the ATS, check out our article Resume ATS optimization .

Within each section of your law school resume, bullet point listings should appear in reverse chronological order . This is consistent with the most commonly best resume format for job seekers of all types. Otherwise, there’s one significant difference in the way law school resumes are organized: education comes ahead of experience, instead of vice versa in a job application resume.

When exploring the resume templates in our resume builder, simply select the format that best suits you. There are plenty of versions of various formats available as resume examples .

In terms of design, a law school resume should use a clean, clear, professional layout .

For the same reasons we emphasize the importance of a distinctive header on job application resumes, law school applicants should not overlook this detail. It makes your contact information prominent and accessible: name, phone, email and perhaps your LinkedIn profile URL.

• Full name & title . List your first and last name.
• Professional email address . Use a clean email format like [email protected] . Avoid anything silly or quirky.
• Phone number . List a number where you can easily be contacted, and be sure to set up a professional voicemail greeting.
• Location . List only your city and state . Don’t list your street address or zip code. This is already likely to be included in your application.
• LinkedIn . If your LinkedIn profile is active, relevant, and shows off any legal interests or experience, feel free to include it.

Don’t include:

• Date of birth . This may be part of your application but is not necessary on your resume itself. In general, dates of birth on a resume could potentially lead to age discrimination .
• Personal details . Marital status, social security number, passport number , etc.

Christopher Swanson

Yorktown Heights, NY 

914-324-4388

[email protected]

Christopher Swanson 129 California Street, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598, United States

The summary or profile on your resume gives you a space to provide insight into who you are as a student and future professional. In just 2-3 sentences, you’ll introduce yourself to the university as someone with the fortitude to achieve a law degree.

When crafting your summary, use action verbs to paint the picture of what you’ve achieved. Don’t just rephrase your resume; instead, pull together a narrative of what you offer.

However, because law school admissions often require a separate long-form personal statement, you may be able to exclude the resume summary altogether. This is an area where you can use your best judgment. 

For more ideas, check out these resume examples and writing guides for other legal occupations: lawyer resume sample, attorney resume example, legal assistant resume sample, paralegal resume example, claims adjuster resume sample, immigration lawyer resume sample, and legal resume sample.

You can find adaptable law school resume example summaries below:

Well-rounded, conscientious recent graduate with Bachelor’s degree in Law, Societies, and Justice eager to earn enrollment in JD program with Brown University. Achieved 3.5 GPA and volunteered with Legal Aid. 

Well-rounded, conscientious recent graduate with Bachelor’s degree in Law, Societies, and Justice and paralegal certificate eager to earn enrollment in JD program with Brown University. Achieved 4.0 GPA, consistent Dean’s List, and served as the President of the University of Washington Legal Club. 

Well-rounded, conscientious recent graduate with Bachelor’s degree in Law, Societies, and Justice and Master’s in HR eager to earn enrollment in JD program with Brown University and ultimately work in the field of employment law. Achieved 4.0 GPA, consistent Dean’s List, and served as the President of the University of Washington Legal Club in addition to completing two legal internships.

Often entitled “professional experience,” this part of your law school resume resembles the employment history section that would come first on a job application resume. Include any work experience you’ve acquired, whether in an established career or part-time jobs paying your way through school, and be sure to include internships.

In reverse chronological order, list the employer, your title, and then compose three to five bullet points describing your experiences. Be selective and don’t bore admissions officers with a kitchen sink collection of all your previous jobs. Unless it’s relevant, skip it. 

Use action verbs that speak to what you did, learned, and accomplished; avoid rattling off “responsible for” duty lists. For example, have you ever seen task-related statements like these in a resume?

• "Instructed classes.”
• “Hosted office hours to support students.”
• “Developed learning materials.”

Those statements certainly describe a job as a teaching assistant, but there’s nothing memorable or unique about them. They don’t provide any evidence of your unique talents and experience. 

Instead, replace these phrases with results-based points . Focus on specific results or numbers, even as simple as the number of students you supported or how many attendees you helped during office hours. Think about what you did that wasn’t easily accomplished by everyone else. 

Check out these reworked versions of the bullet points above:

• “Instructed weekly Introductory Logic class with over 50 students.”
• “Hosted twice-weekly office hours to provide additional student support, often assisting 5-10 students per session.”
• "Collaborated closely with Professor Timothy Jones to develop comprehensive learning materials for Introduction to Law course.”

Take a look at the law school employment history resume sample below:

Student Research Assistant at Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY  September 2019 - May 2020 

• Served as an effective student research assistant on the project: Social Analysis of Technological Human Interactions.
• Coordinated the collection of data and ensured its reliability.
• Administered strategies essential to the successful management of the research project.

Teaching Assistant at Vassar College, Poughkeepsie  September 2020 - April 2021 

• Worked closely with Professor Timothy Jones to develop learning materials for courses.
• Instructed a weekly class on Introductory Logic.
• Hosted office hours two afternoons per week to provide students with additional support and guidance.

How to write a law school resume with no experience 

If you are applying to law school, chances are you’ve got at least a bachelor’s degree under your belt. You probably also have some part-time work or volunteer engagements. However, you may still feel stuck writing a law school resume without direct legal experience. 

The good news is that volunteer and community service roles are sure to put law school applicants in a favorable light. Highlight that experience as well as the transferable skills you gained.

Of course, your education is paramount. Don’t just list your degree. Instead, specify any courses you took that were related to law. This will show your passion for the field as well as the foundation you’ve been building.

You may also want to list out any shadowing you’ve done with attorneys or other legal professionals. Anything that shows your interest and the steps you’ve taken toward a law career will help. 

The skills list on your law school resume should include both hard and soft skills that showcase your comprehensive expertise. 

Hard skills are those that are demonstrable and objective, like an understanding of particular legal processes or the use of specific technologies 

On the other hand, soft skills like communication skills , reading comprehension, and the ability to develop a compelling argument are necessary to succeed in law school. 

Our resume builder includes several pre-written key skills to choose from, or you can write in your own skills.

Here’s what the skills box looks like in our law school resume template. 

• Oral Communications and Listening Abilities
• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
• Knowledge of Legal Terminology
• Adaptability
• Highly Organized

However, while this section is important, it’s not the only place to add your key skills. Instead, try to weave them throughout your resume by demonstrating them in action. To further your credibility, provide specific examples and achievements. 

For example, within your work experience section and professional summary, highlight your 

• Legal knowledge by describing your relevant education, certifications, or courses.
• High achievement by sharing your GPA, honors, or Dean’s List awards
• Ability to gain knowledge by demonstrating how you’ve taken on new tasks or solved new problems

Look to the job description as a guide for what key skills to include.

The education section of a law school resume is usually more detailed than it would be in a standard job resume. Starting with your most recent degree or certification, list all college degrees in order from highest to lowest level.

Impressive GPAs belong here, along with cum laude distinctions and academic awards. Major and minor subjects might be worth mentioning too, and even coursework or thesis titles if they reflect pertinent expertise and interests. However, you do not need to include high school information.  This section is also a great place to list certifications, affiliations, or training relevant to law school. For example,

• Training and certifications . Specific law-related courses, certificates (for instance, if you’re a certified paralegal), or even webinars.
• Internships . Have you completed any legal internships ? That’s important information to add here.
• Professional development . Memberships in legal clubs or associations—or even membership in an honor society—can show your drive to learn. Even better if you’ve held leadership roles.

Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY  September 2017 - May 2021 

• Magna cum laude.
• President of the Philosophy Club.

Looking the part of a legal professional is imperative for a law school resume document. Convey readability with a resume that is immaculate, uncluttered, and orderly.

Every detail must be well thought-out, with sections flowing logically into the next, offset by proportional amounts of white space in the margins and between lines. Fonts should be carefully chosen to optimize text legibility. Don’t add graphics or color . 

Although there may not be shortcuts to a perfectly crafted law school resume, our field-tested resume templates take care of the most tedious formatting and structure tasks for you, so you can focus on exceptional content. 

Law school text-only resume example

Employment history

Law school job market and outlook

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), lawyer jobs are expected to grow 5% over the next decade. That’s about as fast as the average occupation. 

Per LSAC , “85.6% of the 2023 graduates of ABA-approved law schools were employed in full-time, long-term, bar passage required or JD Advantage jobs. This is the highest figure measured in over a decade…” 

• According to an annual summary released by the American Bar Association (ABA), 88% of the class of 2023 was employed.
• That same report stated that 2% of law graduates went on to pursue another graduate degree.
• Most graduates were employed by a law firm (49%), with 18% going into government, 14% serving the public interest, and 11% going into business and industry. Judicial clerkships made up 5% and education the remaining 3%.

While your time in law school will involve more time spending money than earning it, you’ll be set up for a high-earning career when you graduate. Per the BLS, the median annual salary for attorneys is $145,760 . The highest ten percent earned as much as $239,200.

Key takeaways for building a law school resume

Law school applicants should always submit a resume with their application unless the university specifies not to. Because its goal is to get you admitted into an educational program, a hallmark of law school resumes is the academic emphasis, with a more detailed education section preceding work experience.

Be mindful of the law school’s application requirements and instructions, and focus on including the most relevant work history and volunteer work. And apply only the highest standards for professional appearance in your resume layout and design choices.

And when you’ve made it through law school with flying colors, you can start your job search with a resume builder , but why stop there? With Resume.io’s 18 powerful tools, you can search for jobs, track your journey, prepare for interviews, and negotiate salaries—all with our all-inclusive career toolkit at your fingertips.

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Resume for Law School

Your resume is one the several components that ultimately comprise your applications to law school. Law school admissions committees are very interested in how you spend your time and energy outside of class, so it is essential that you create a strong, accurate, and flattering portrayal of yourself on your resume.

How to Convert a Job Resume to a Law School Resume

Consult this blog post for tips on converting your job resume to a law school resume that highlights your qualifications.

Law School Resume Samples

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11 Resume Rules Every Law Student Should Follow

April 27, 2021

[Learn more about how Bloomberg Law can help law students excel in class and  jump-start their careers .]

In today’s virtual world, it is even more important for law students to get their resume right.

“A bad resume is far more detrimental to your job search than a good resume is beneficial – many potential employers view bad resumes as disqualifying,” said Mike Wippler, member of the national law firm Dykema. “Your resume should look professional, be easy to read, tell an accurate and truthful story, and highlight your readiness and skills for the position.”

Learn the top resume rules from the experts to stand out from the crowd and land the legal job you want.

1. Keep It Short.

A good legal resume doesn’t need to be long. In fact, it should be one or two pages at most.

“As a hiring manager, I want candidates to be able to eloquently and succinctly articulate their experience and career goals – this is especially critical for someone who wants to be a trial lawyer,” said Noel Edlin , managing partner of San Francisco-based law firm Bassi Edlin Huie & Blum.

Similarly, “use bullet points effectively – state what you did and how you did it in a way that demonstrates your experience, skills, and the results you achieved,” said the University of Miami School of Law Career Development Office.

“For students or junior lawyers with minimal experience, try to keep it to a single page and succinctly summarize your experience, linking it to qualities that you want to highlight – for example, analytical abilities, taking initiative, [and] attention to detail,” said Katten chief talent officer Melanie Priddy.

[Register for your Bloomberg Law Academic Account for the legal content and tools that you need now and the business intelligence you need as you start your career.]

2. Keep It Traditional.

Traditional legal resumes for law students are structured in three to four sections in the following order: Heading, Education, Experience, and an additional optional section, such as Interests, Languages, or Skills, according to the University of Miami School of Law Career Development Office.

“Do not go crazy with color or design – black type on a white background is preferable, and do not include your photo or other graphics. Pick one font and stick with it,” Edlin said.

Ensure a consistent layout, too. “Use a resume format that is simple, professional, and easy to read,” Priddy said. In this vein, “Formatting should carry through the entire page – bold/italics, font, spacing, indentations, etc., should be consistent throughout.”

3. Proofread Everything.

“A resume is the first example of your ‘work product,’ and it can be hard to overcome a negative first impression if there are errors,” Priddy said. “Proofread your resume and make sure it is free of grammatical errors and typos, including the law firm [name].”

Finally, in proofreading, review abbreviations. “Use abbreviations only if they are universally understood,” said the University of Miami School of Law Career Development Office.

4. Update Contact Information.

“This seems like a no-brainer but be sure you’re providing updated contact information – full legal name, address, email, phone, and LinkedIn profile link,” Edlin said. “It helps save administrative time if we decide to extend an offer of employment.”

Similarly, “add a professional voicemail message that confirms who a caller has reached and clear your voicemail inbox regularly so employers can leave you messages,” Priddy said.

5. Boost Your LinkedIn Presence.

In parallel, “complete your LinkedIn profile and add it to the contact section of your resume,” said the University of Miami School of Law Career Development Office.

“Make sure [it includes] a banner image, a good headshot, an about section, and links to any articles you have published,” Edlin said. Similarly, “Be active on the platform by posting/liking content and recognizing the accomplishments of contacts. Try to acquire at least 500 contacts,” Edlin said. “It helps to paint a picture of who you are and stay on the radar of employers.”

[Learn more about how to network effectively and use LinkedIn to get ahead in our Essential Career Toolkit .]

6. Be Truthful.

“Do not include anything that you do not want to discuss in an interview,” said the University of Miami School of Law Career Development Office. Similarly, “do not overexaggerate your language skills – you may be asked a question in whatever language you claim fluency.”

The same holds true for hobbies. “Make sure that any hobbies or interests on your resume are truthful – interviewers will likely ask for details,” Priddy said. “Even if you get hired, it may cost you the job later,” Wippler added.

7. Do Not Assume Reader Knowledge.

“Don’t assume that everybody assumes you have technical skills – if you have them, make sure you point them out,” said Chris M. Smith, partner and co-head of DLA Piper’s New York real estate practice.

“If you’ve done anything that is a little bit different, make sure it shows on your resume,” Smith added. “And if you have a connection at the firm, have them try to put in a good word for you.”

8. Customize the Content.

“Customize your resume for different employers by highlighting experiences relevant to the particular job an employer is seeking to fill,” said the University of Miami School of Law Career Development Office. The same holds true for the cover letter.

“Add something to your cover letter that relates your application to the organization or the law firm in a way that stands out from the generic cover letter,” said Efrén Olivares, deputy legal director of the Immigrant Justice Project at Southern Poverty Law Center. “That’s going to make a difference, and it’ll send your resume to the top of the pile.”

For further customization, “include a two- to three-sentence summary at the top [of the resume] that directly aligns with the job posting,” Edlin said. “Customize this section using keywords in the job description in a way that makes it clear you are a strong candidate for the opportunity.”

9. Reach for “Power” Words.

“Replace generic words with power words and action verbs – ‘advised,’ ‘advocated,’ ‘resolved,’ ‘advanced,’ ‘enhanced,’ ‘maximized,’ ‘achieved,’” said the University of Miami School of Law Career Development Office.

“Oftentimes, your resume is being scanned by machine learning/natural language processing programs that have been programmed to search for keywords, so include keywords you’d find in the job you want,” Edlin said. “Even if your CV is being reviewed by a decision-maker, it may get a one- to two-minute scan, so leverage that time by including keywords that will stand out.”

10. Focus on Relevant Experience.

“When describing prior work experience, include details that highlight your ability to lead and work with a team, collaborate with others, and provide client service,” said Lauren Marsh, director of attorney recruiting at Akin Gump.

“Some students may assume they have no relevant skills if they did not work before attending law school – however, they should be sure to highlight the comparable experience they gained through internships or college activities,” Marsh said. “These are skills we highly value in our candidates, and an indicator they have developed skills that will enable them to be successful at the firm.”

Also, “Where you went to school is not as important to me as what you did there, how you engaged with the community, organizations, and leadership development,” said Jason Starr, litigation director of Human Rights Campaign. “A strong academic record [is important], but what else about you demonstrates a real passion and a real willingness to dig in?”

11. Be Clear About Your Licensing Status.

“Depending upon where you are in the process, you can indicate it in several different ways, and update your resume as you move from one category to the next,” said Shauna C. Bryce, who practiced law and served on a law firm hiring committee before starting  Bryce Legal Career Counsel .

“If you’ve been admitted to practice, are active and in good standing, then your bullet point is simple – something like this: ‘Bar Admission: California.’ If you have not yet applied to take the bar exam but are eligible to take it: ‘Eligible for July 2021 California bar exam.’”

“If you’ve submitted your application to sit for the exam but have not yet sat for the exam: ‘Candidate for July 2021 California bar exam.’ If you have sat for the exam but have not yet received the results: ‘Candidate for July 2021 California bar exam (results pending).’ If you have passed the exam, but not yet been sworn in: ‘California (admission pending).’

[Log in to Bloomberg Law to read the full article: Ask the Hiring Attorney: How do I show my bar status on my resume? ]

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The journey to becoming an attorney at law is a long, tedious, and strenuous one. It involves years of secondary education, being near the top of your class, and extreme attention to detail. However, if a candidate wishes to practice law in the United States, they’ll have to create a law school  resume  which will help them gain entry to this specialty university.

Like any other resume, the quality of your law student resume can make the difference between being denied or gaining entry. While there are several similarities between a resume for law school and any other higher-level university, sometimes it’s a good idea to review legal resume examples before you get started.

If you are wondering how to write a resume for law school, this article is for you.

In the information below, we’ll show you a law student resume that was written by using a law school resume template. We will show you which sections you should include in this resume, how to format any resume for law school and some best practices for creating the content that will help you shine over the competition.

Example Law School Resume

Today’s top-tier law schools will only admit the cream of the crop. Candidates need to showcase exceptional educational credentials, a dedication to learning the US legal code, and the ability to multitask. These skills and attributes should be articulated on your entrance resume. You can review a great sample law school resume directly below to see how our candidate Candace accomplishes these objectives.

Download this resume example - Law school

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Candace’s law school application resume is clean, neat, well-structured, and easy to read. You can see that each section is formatted using the same font, is listed in reverse chronological order (newest to oldest format) and is grammatically accurate. She used a law school resume builder to format every section in a clean and easy-to-review manner. 

She has written an opening statement in the sample law student resume specifically to the school she is applying for, versus writing one, generic objective. The law graduate resume tells a story from start to finish, showing the admissions team why she is an exceptional candidate for their prestigious law school.

Let’s break down each section included in this resume for law school application in the information below.

Law School Resume Tips: How to Make a Resume for Law School in 2024

Most law school resume examples are written quite well. However, they lack practical tips that are specific to the type of resume - or give you structure on how to write that law school graduate resume. Like any other endeavor, writing a law school admissions resume is easier when you start with a plan of attack.

The organization is the key, which is possible when you start by creating a master resume. Essentially, a master resume is a working word document, that permits you to write details about each relevant section, edit the content, organize the layout and structure, and fine-tune the content.

So – let’s start writing your law school resume.

The first item for law school resumes writing checklists is to create one. While most law schools will communicate with you about their admission requirements, there are some important sections you’ll want to include in your resume.

• Contact Information
• College Education
• Professional Experience / Internships
• Community Involvement
• Personal Hobbies & Activities

1. List Your Contact Information

Consistency in writing a legal school resume starts by listing accurate and updated contact information. This will include your full legal name (that matches your application exactly), mailing address, email address, and a good contact phone number. We recommend listing your mobile phone, as several college admissions members will send text alerts to students to inform them of their application status.

When you utilize a law school resume template, inserting your contact information will be seamless and organized professionally.

You’ll notice that we don’t recommend inserting a resume objective. There is a reason for this. When you’re applying to a specialty, higher-level educational facility, candidates invited for an interview will be selected on their qualifications. Your opportunity to sell yourself to the school will be in person. So, don’t worry about writing a resume objective or personal statement for a law school admissions resume.

2. College Education for Law School Resume

For a law school application resume, the college education section is extremely important. In most job application resumes, listing the basics about your education is good enough – simply write the location, degree earned, GPA, and date of graduation. It's also advised to include your LSAT results when submitting a resume and application to the admissions committee.

When you’re applying to admissions officers from your law school, remember this key point - they're looking for relevant information. They've likely supplied you with the requirements, so make sure you follow their lead in the education section.

The legal school admissions staff needs to verify that you’ve taken the required courses that will prepare you for the specialty education of law school. As such, your law school resume format for this section should follow our sample resume to the “T”. There is no need to include your high school – just insert the relevant information required by your law school.

How to Format this Section

When it comes to your law school application resume format, here are some specifics.

• Start with your highest degree earned. (Bonus Tip* - If you’ve graduated with great distinction or at least the top 10 to 15 percent – and have earned Magna Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude designation – a list that next to your degree, as we did in the sample resume above).
• List the location and date of graduation.
• List the awards earned.
• Showcase your affiliations. This would include honors society, Greek houses, or others.

3. Professional Experience for Law School Resume

Contrary to popular belief, the professional experience section within a law school resume template does not need to be filled with multiple law firm positions. Most law school admissions experts suggest that showcasing previous experience that focused on the candidate’s ability to articulate – both oral and written communication are just as crucial.

If you are creating a law student resume with no legal experience, focus on those jobs where you’ve showcased positive legal skills – such as written and oral communication. Work experience is important - but a law school wants to see relevant professional experience. While listing applicable legal experience is crucial – it’s not the end of the world if you don’t have that professional experience.

When you review Candace’s law student resume to Harvard Law School, you’ll notice that she focuses on two jobs – one was her law clerk position, the other is as a professional writer of online content. Within each job listing, she provides the name of the employer, dates of employment, and then bullet points of her key tasks.

The bullet points in law school application resumes will extrapolate on critical skills that are vital for an attorney at law. Some of these skills include persuasive communication, attention to detail, organizational skills, research abilities, and analytical thinking.  Formatting for this section is crucial, as you want them to review your ability to organize content.

4. Community Involvement & Extracurricular Learning

If there is one section in Candace’s law school resume example that truly stands out – it’s her community involvement and extracurricular learning. The best law schools pay a lot of attention to the extracurricular activities – or community involvement of their candidates.

Social responsibility is a crucial component of serving as an attorney in the United States – and should be a natural objective of anyone who wishes to practice law. However, those candidates who spend their time improving their understanding of the legal process, becoming advocates for others, or supporting non-profit organizations will stand above those who do not.

Your community or social involvement section should be formatted similarly to your professional experience. List the name of the organization, dates of involvement, and bullet points of your responsibilities – or tasks completed.

As you’re applying to a law school, it’s a solid idea to include several key power words or buzz terms that will showcase your soft skills (or interpersonal skills).

5. Personal Hobbies & Activities

Consider this section as an optional one – or the cherry on top of the resume for law school application sundae. Today’s attorney is personable and needs to showcase charisma, and the ability to engage in social situations. Nothing better showcases these attributes than adding some personal flair to your law school resume.

In this section, feel free to share some of the personal hobbies or activities you are passionate about participating. Keep it simple with the format, such as listing the activity, the dates, and some key bullet points of accomplishments.

6. References

The reference section is essentially an opportunity for you to share personal or professional peers that can vouch for your work ethic and personal integrity. You should select references that may have legal or professional experience. If not, make sure to gather references from undergraduate or graduate college professors, previous employers, or one listed in your professional experience section.

Like any section of your resume, consistency is crucial in the reference section of a law school resume. Always verify their contact information and ensure it’s up to date. More importantly, make sure you have their permission to be contacted if needed.

How to Format This Section

The reference section should only list the name and place of employment of your reference. You don’t want to list their private contact information on a resume – as that would be a violation of their privacy. Simply write “available upon request” and provide that information if the hiring manager requests. You can indicate on your cover letter that you have references available on request as well.

Final Points on Writing a Law School Application Resume

One of the most difficult professional schools to receive admission to is a law school. Whether you’re applying to Harvard Law, Yale, or a local law school, writing a powerful and organized law school resume is a vital component to becoming accepted.

We’ve provided a roadmap – not only with Candace’s law school resume example but also each section in the content above. The key is to use perfect grammar, the correct language, and take advantage of a law school application resume template. When you edit all your content in a master resume document, paste it in a text file, then paste in the template, you’ll save time, and ensure the resume appears clean, neat, and organized.

Beyond documenting the relevant experience and customizing your resume for the specific job you’re applying for, make sure to follow these crucial tips.

• Make sure your law school resume is reader-friendly and flows from beginning to end.
• Always write your resume on a plain white background with black font.
• Edit the document SEVERAL TIMES – through Grammarly.com and visual inspection.
• Ensure its well-spaced, organized, and professional.
• List all education, professional experience, and community involvement in chronological order.
• Verify your reference's contact information and use ones that support your resume.
• Finally, read it out loud a few times before you’re ready to paste the content into a law school resume template.

Starting the job search for an attorney at law position begins once you graduate from law school and pass your bar exam. However, you need to gain entry to the law school. Mainly - your academic achievements are going to do most of the work for you. But academic performance is not the only entrance criteria.

When you take time to review every word your write, choose the right tone, select action verbs that make sense, and ensure the document flows from start to finish, you’ll provide the admissions team with a clean and organized resume that will support your application to law school.

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12 Law School Resume Tips + Example

Law student resume example + writing tips.

The top law schools have time and resources to  handpick the best applicants for admission . The committee will pay attention to your  LSAT score, GPA, letters of recommendations, and a resume . The latter often becomes a stumbling point even for the top students. The thing is,  writing a resume for law school is different  from writing one for employment. You have to emphasize whole  different characteristics  and use a  different writing style .

Whether you are looking to get accepted in Yale, Harvard, University of Chicago or other prestigious law school, you need to refine your resume so that it meets the high standards of such schools. Today, the experts of our online resume services will reveal the tips and tricks for writing a  persuasive resume  for your school application.

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When applying for the top legal jobs, you'll be competed with candidates who are just as ambitious and accomplished as you are. Thus, a persuasive, result-driven resume can inspire the recruiter to choose you over other candidates. At ResumePerk, we create custom resumes for law students and professionals. We cater to all your needs and tailor the resume for your target position to help you get noticed faster.  Order today  with a 15% welcome discount!

Law student resume example

Here is a good example of a law student resume so you could get the idea of how to organize yours and what sections to include:

Image:  https://resumelab.com/resume-examples/law-student

Why is this a good resume?

• This resume is one page long, which is the ideal length for a student resume. It is neatly formatted, and all sections are clearly divided. Resumes with clear professional formatting have a higher chance of getting noticed.
• In the objective statement at the top, this student lists the degree in progress and academic awards. They also list professional achievements (recruiting clients worth $150,000) and career goals.
• This candidate briefly lists experience, quantifying their responsibilities whenever possible, which is valued by hiring managers. The education section includes school names, degrees, a GPA of 3.9, and relevant coursework.
• This law student resume also features relevant skills, such as legal research, deductive reasoning, and business document preparation. They also mention language proficiency.

You can use a similar law student resume template, but remember to list your unique educational background, work history, and achievements that will distinguish you from the competition. Here are some pointers to help you out.

10 Tips to write a law student resume that will get you noticed

1. use the traditional resume sections.

In a law school resume, main sections are the same as in a typical job search resume (however, it doesn't mean that the content should be the same – we'll talk about it later). These must-have sections include summary of qualifications, education, experience, and awards/accomplishments. Any other sections are optional – for instance, you may wish to include a Skills section if you have valuable or rare skills that can set you apart for the committee.

2. Capitalize on your law student skills

If there's plenty of space left in your law student resume, add relevant skills. You can find the needed skills in the job description or other industry resources. The skills section can help you pass the ATS screening, as skills often work as keywords.

The exact list of skills to include depends on your specialization and the target position. Here are some skills that are nice to have:

• critical thinking
• customer service
• legal research
• criminal law
• interpersonal skills
• legal documents
• negotiation
• corporate law
• time management

3. Highlight your academic accomplishments

What all schools pay attention to is your education section. Degrees, academic achievements, honors, scholarships, GPA, and thesis – all this adds points to your candidacy. List the degrees starting from the most advanced ones, and leave the high school information out. Include achievements such as Dean's list, honor societies, student awards and contests, and more. You might want to include some coursework (such as Federal Income Tax, International Law or Business Associations) if relevant. List accomplishments under each degree, or create a separate “Honors/Awards” section if there's plenty of them.

4. Emphasize other academic engagements

Do you have journal articles published, have you receive a grant or maybe, you were doing research work in the university and beyond? If these academic activities are relevant for your target law specialization, include them on a resume. Some schools pay attention to your academic and research background, so adding these details can influence your chance of getting admitted. If you want to achieve stellar career success, read our post where  women in business share their success tips .

5. Focus on legal experience

If you already have relevant experience (for example, as an intern or an administrative assistant), leave your irrelevant summer jobs out. Expand on your legal jobs, listing both your daily duties and achievements with figures. Have zero legal experience? Consider adding academic projects, such as doing a research for your professor, participating in student organizations, or volunteering in a law office or a non-profit organization.

If you haven't had even a law internship yet, you may add one or two irrelevant jobs. Be sure to highlight transferable skills that are important for a law firm.

6. Keep the length reasonable

For students, a one-page resume will suffice. This length allows you to present professional and educational history comprehensively. Yet, if you have extensive work experience or were involved in lots of relevant student activities, go for a second page. Keep the content highly relevant, and if the second page is absolutely necessary, use it.

7. Add a law student resume objective

The objective statement is nice to have in any student's resume. It lets you introduce the highlights of your education and skills, plus it explains to employer what position you're after and how you can contribute if hired.

Remember to keep your objective to 3-4 sentences. You can add the law degree, academic achievements, and professional highlights. Don't make it all about you - instead, think about the contribution you'd like to make in the law firm.

8. Put achievements and awards above the fold

Your law student resume is supposed not only to list your degree in progress and a couple of internship. You also need to boast a few accomplishments that showcase your ability to meet the highest standards and achieve ambitious goals.

Be sure to list academic achievements, such as the Dean's List, high GPA, or a student award. If you've had internships or relevant jobs, be sure to include numbers and percentages to illustrate your contribution. If you have plenty of achievements, consider creating a separate section for them.

9. Add professional accomplishments

The descriptions of your past jobs shouldn't consist of job duties only. You also need to mention at least a few specific achievements. Instead of writing “Generated new business”, say “Increased business with existing clients by 25%”. Such specific details show your ambition and orientation on results, which is important both in the workplace and in academia. Moreover, such achievements set you apart from other applicants whose experience and education is similar to yours.

10. Attach a law student cover letter

Submitting a cover letter with your law student resume is basic etiquette. Moreover, it is a chance to express your enthusiasm and your fit for the role. Send a short-and-sweet letter expanding on your achievements in law school and the hands-on skills you've acquired on internships and entry-level position. Keep it to 3-4 sentences and absolutely relevant to the organization you are applying to.

If you're writing a resume for the first time , it will be helpful to get an external opinion about it. Send your resume to our experts, and we will critically evaluate your resume and tell what could be improved about it to maximize your chances for interview. This service is free of charge.

Tips to organize your resume

Now that you know what information to add to your law student resume, it's time to organize it effectively. Here are the formatting tips to follow:

• Put your name and contact details at the top. Avoid fancy resume builders that place these details at the bottom or don't include them at all. The hiring manager won't spend time looking for ways to contact you.
• Don't add personal info, such as marital status, age, ethnicity, or religious beliefs. In the US, it is considered unprofessional and will result in rejecting your application.
• Write in bullet points. Today, presenting your projects and achievements as a bullet point list is considered a standard. Plus, bullets make your resume easier to read.
• Use a reverse chronological order. List your degrees and jobs starting with the most recent one.
• Include hard and soft skills. Mention job-related skills like in a sample law student resume above. Make sure to adjust the skills and all resume content for the target job ad.

How to compose a law school application resume?

Writing a law school resume is different from composing a resume for a job. You should't use the resume you use for job application to apply to a law school because they have different purpose.

When applying to law school, you don't need to impress recruiters in seconds. Law school admissions evaluate candidates thoroughly and pay attention to your overall background and values, not just the skills you have. Here are some pointers to guide you.

• Emphasize any details that distinguish you, such as community engagement, research interests, and volunteer work in addition to you education and work history.
• Keep it to one page. A one-page resume is a standard length for law school application. If your school has guidelines for formatting and content to include, follow them precisely.
• Adapt to the values of your law school. All top schools have values and expectations from the prospective students. For example, some prefer admitting experienced professionals, whereas others may pay more attention to community engagements, voluntary work or athletic accomplishments. Figure out what matters most for your school – and revolve the resume content around these details.
• Leave out irrelevant experiences. While an employer might appreciate your experience in McDonalds, admission officers wouldn't be much interested.

A resume isn't the only decisive factor for a law school committee. Yet, a thoughtfully written and well organized resume will certainly attract their attention. If you need a concise and effective resume, we can help. Our writers know the specifics of writing resumes for law schools and will help capitalize on your strengths.

Bonus: How to succeed in law school?

Your study in a law school can be an extremely rewarding experience if you approach the studying process right. To become an effective student, follow the recommendations below:

1. Read all the assigned materials

More importantly, do the reading on time. Law schools have extensive curriculum, so if you delay the reading for a week or two, you'll find it very tough to catch up with your classmates. Take notes as you read – it helps you prioritize the information and remember more.

2. Revise before class

Revise the notes you've taken as you read textbooks or during the previous lectures. This will help your brain focus even before the lecture begins. As a result, you'll feel more concentrated and involved in the discussion during the lecture.

3. Pay attention and take notes

At times, lectures can be boring. Yet, procrastinating and surfing the web isn't the most effective way to spend the lecture time. Pay attention to what the professor is saying and ask questions at once if something isn't clear. Take notes of the key concepts, books and learning strategies the tutor recommends.

4. Treat networking seriously

Studying in a law school isn't all about classes. It's also a tremendous opportunity to build your professional network early on and establish your reputation. Take your time to get to know your peers, tutors and senior students better. Once you graduate, you'll find it easier to land a job or an internship if you know many professionals in your field.

5. Stay organized

The number of classes and written assignments can overwhelm. To stay on top of everything, get a planner or use an app. Keep track of your assignments, projects, exams, and other important activities. In this case, you won't forget anything and will organize the learning process effectively.

Stand out with a professional law resume

The competition for legal jobs is tough, and having an effective resume can make all the difference. If you are not happy with the way your resume looks, entrust it to professionals. Our dedicated writers will highlight the exact qualifications that employers look for, boosting your chances to be shortlisted.

Our experienced writers can create a powerful resume suitable for each position. However, you may also request a specific resume depending on the job you are applying for, thus it will be tailored individually for your profession:

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• 5 Law School Resume Templates: Prepping Your Resume for Law School

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Prepping Your Resume for Law School

Published December 10, 2018 This content is archived.

Guest blogger Ashley Wilson-Rew is Content Strategist & SEM at protocol 80, Inc.

With everything you need to submit for law school -- you shouldn’t let your resume fall through the cracks. How can you be sure your law school resume highlights your best attributes?

It may seem like there are an endless amount of materials you need to submit to get into law school --  LSAT scores, letters of recommendations, and a personal statement are just a few among them. A resume could easily get lost in the midst.

However, a resume is a crucial element to your law school application process. It’s not something that is always required, but if it is, you’ll want to take some time creating it. You won’t want to throw it together the night before it’s due.

How is a law school resume different from a career resume?

A law school resume emphasizes your academic achievements.

An important thing to keep in mind is that your audience is the admissions committee, and not a future employer. You’ll have to be careful about your specific word choice, the skills you present, and the accomplishments noted. These all need to match the qualifications that law schools are looking for.

It’s important to note your passions while illustrating how you spent your time in college. Any leadership positions, professional responsibilities, and volunteer experiences could be beneficial to highlight.

Another thing to keep in mind when writing your resume is to make sure it matches your personal statement. You want to be transparent and cohesive about who you are. Your resume and personal statement should compliment one another.

These are just a few tips to help you craft your law school resume. Below is a list of law school resume templates you can follow to help you get into your dream school!

5 Law School Resume Templates & Examples

1. this example from redrocketresume has all the necessary information to impress the admissions committee..

It includes:

• Academic experience (education AND any research, writing, or teaching experience)
• Relevant employment (including non-law employment that demonstrates desirable qualities in a lawyer)

2. This template from International Student highlights leadership experience & special skills.

Learn more about the law school admissions process and School of Law community through an individual meeting with one of our staff members.

[Learn More]

3. Here’s a fantastic example template from U.S. News & World Report.

4. The Girl’s Guide to Law School provides a before & after law school resume example.

5. This resume template from Calling All Questions goes into depth with plenty of outside experiences.

You might want to follow this if you’re already in law school or soon-to-be graduating:

Office of Admissions University at Buffalo School of Law 408 O'Brian Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260 716-645-2907 [email protected]

Submit this form to receive an application fee waiver.

How to Build a Resume for Law School Applications

August 1, 2022

Todd Carney

A law school application encompasses many components, including essays, test scores, college transcripts, and recommendations. And although you likely will spend a significant amount of time focusing on these elements, you should not neglect your resume. Customizing your resume for your law school application is vital to put your best foot forward as an applicant.

In this blog post, we at Stratus discuss how to create a strong resume for applying to law school.

Law School Resume Formatting Guidelines

A good place to start is formatting your resume with a style that meets the expectations of law schools. Today’s technology provides many creative ways to express your individuality and background through your resume. However, a law school resume should not exhibit any of that creativity and should adhere to the following guidelines:

• Use a professional font. The font should always be black, and it should be a professional style, such as Times New Roman or Arial.
• Use a consistent font size. Besides your header, all text should be the same size. Also, the font size should not be smaller than 10.5 points to ensure readability.
• Avoid small page margins. You should make the page margins no smaller than 0.75 inches. This is important because the person who reviews the resume might want to print it, and you do not want any content to be cut off.
• Do not exceed one page. Your resume should be one page. Industry standards say a resume should be one page because employers do not have time to review a long resume. This applies to law school admissions committees.
• Divide your resume into sections. Your resume should consist of several sections, highlighting such areas as your education, work experience, and personal information. These section headings should be in all caps (e.g., “EDUCATION” instead of “Education”).
• Apply formatting consistently. Using consistent formatting throughout your resume is vital, even for subjective elements such as whether to write out the month or use a number (e.g., “August 2020” versus “8/2020”). You should not list some dates numerically and spell out the month for others.
• Use bullet points. When describing your previous work experience and responsibilities, you should follow the classic style of using bulleted lists. Each bullet point should not exceed two lines, and you should aim to have three bullet points for each job. This will provide enough detail for your job, while not going overboard. You should focus on having more detail on your most recent positions. If you cannot come up with three bullet points, it is not the end of the world.
• Pay attention to punctuation. You should also review your punctuation closely. If you choose to end each bullet point with a period and you miss one, the spelling and grammar check will not catch it.
• Proofread thoroughly. Similarly, given that resumes are not usually formatted like a traditional Word document, it can be easy to miss typos. Therefore, make sure to comb through the document a few extra times.

Law School Resume Content Tips

Whether you are applying to law school while still in college or you have taken a few years off to work first, you likely have had to create a resume at some point. If this is the case, you do not need to throw out your current resume—but you should not assume that a well-crafted resume for hiring purposes is perfect for a law school application. Whether you are starting from scratch or adapting your previous resume, the following tips will help you create strong resume content:

• Avoid jargon. When writing content for your resume, be sure to use universal language that anyone can understand. Although you may be an expert in certain areas, the law school admissions staff might not be. Therefore, you should review your resume carefully to ensure it will make sense to someone without your knowledge. It might be helpful to have a friend or family member review your resume for that purpose. In addition, if you worked professionally before applying to law school, you might have crafted your resume to include certain keywords or metrics to aid in your job search. These elements will serve no use to a law school admissions reviewer and could confuse them. Again, this does not mean you have to scrap your past resume content; you might just have to tweak it.
• Write descriptively. You should write your resume content in a manner that is descriptive but concise. Beginning sentences with action verbs can help you effectively describe different aspects of your past roles on one line. Some examples of action verbs are “drafted” and “yielded.” In addition, avoid vague sentences, such as “Organized weekly meetings.” Instead, include something like “Organized five meetings per week by preparing reports to effectively describe the company’s performance versus revenue goals.” To touch on the previous bullet point, an example like this is descriptive but avoids terms that someone reviewing a law school application would not understand.
• Balance work experience with law school –related skills. Aim to strike a balance between showcasing your professional accomplishments and presenting the skills and accomplishments that will be an asset for you as a law student. Although these two areas are not necessarily mutually exclusive, your work experience might not have a lot to do with the skills needed for law school, such as research and writing. You should certainly display your skills related to law school, but do not lose sight of what on your resume makes you unique and showcases your leadership, hard work, versatility, and any other great qualities. If you have had success in your career that you can easily explain to someone outside of your industry, you should include that in your resume, as it will help differentiate you from other applicants.

Law School Resume Sections

Once you understand how to format your resume and what you want to put in it, you should take the final steps of crafting your resume by building the appropriate sections:

• Name and contact information: At the top of the page, you should set your first and last name in bold. It is a good idea to make your name slightly larger than the rest of your resume text. For example, if the rest of your resume text is 10.5 points, then make your name 12 points. Right below it, list your address, phone number, email address, and LSAC number on one line.
• Education: Next, create the “ EDUCATION ” section. Set your undergraduate institution in bold, followed by the address on the same line, along with the dates you attended the school. The next line should contain your degree name, your GPA, and the month and year that you received your degree. The line under that should include your honors, and then the line under it should list your school activities.
• Experience: The next section is “ EXPERIENCE .” In this section, you should list all of your positions. If you are still in school, this will likely include only internships, club leadership roles, and part-time jobs. However, you should not feel self-conscious about any role you put down. As long as you worked at least a few hours a week at the position, law school admissions committees will be interested in your experience there. If you have worked for a few years and you do not have enough post-college work to fill up your resume, you can include jobs you have had both during and after college. You should always prioritize your most recent positions in terms of space and detail. Each position description should list your employer, its location, and the time period that you worked at the position.
• Personal: Typically, the last resume section is “ PERSONAL .” As your application essays will provide much of your personal information, this section should only consist of a line or two. In this area, you can share a few hobbies to give the admissions committee an idea of your personal interests, such as sports you enjoy playing, your favorite types of cooking, or languages you have learned. If you have mentioned your hobbies in your application essays, this can be a good place to re-emphasize those activities. Additionally, this section can provide topics for questions during your law school interview. Sometimes an interviewer will be interested in something mentioned in this section and will ask you about it, likely yielding an easy question for you to answer.

Law School Resume Sample

Bottom Line

Whether you have an existing resume or are starting from scratch, you will have to customize your resume for your law school application. But either way, you should not feel that this is a major endeavor. Your application essays will likely require a lot more work! But by creating a concise and well-formatted resume, you will add an extra shine to your law school application.

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How to Improve Your Law School Resume

If you’re required or encouraged to submit a resume with your law school application, celebrate! It gives you a chance to really market yourself to the school.

But what do you do when the school doesn’t provide any written guidelines about resume submission? Some people poke around online and take advice from supposed experts (i.e., other recently accepted law applicants). Some ask their career service office team or their pre-law advisors. Others even ask attorneys. Are you applying to Stetson University College of Law? Don’t rely on what you read elsewhere. We have the facts.

How is a law school resume different from a career resume?

If you’re applying to law school with some professional experience, you may wonder just how different your law school application should be from a traditional job application.

• Your law school resume should emphasize your academic achievements.
• Your law school resume should align with your personal statement .

The specific sections on your law school resume may also be more detailed and in a different order from your career resume. As you’ll read below, we recommend listing your education section more prominently on your law school resume, which you may usually list lower on the page of a professional resume.

Your law school resume should also be specific to law school, and not just list general experience. As Peg Cheng , author and founder of Prelaw Guru, says, “You need a resume for applying to law school. That said, turning in a generic work resume with your law school application will do nothing to improve your chances for admission. But show admissions officers a well-written, concise and engaging resume, and they will not only be impressed, they will remember you. And that’s the name of the application game: being remembered.”

What to include in your law school resume

Before you review our suggested list of what you should include in your law school resume, be sure to check the application instructions . At Stetson Law, submitting a resume with your application is optional. However, we strongly recommend submitting your resume along with your personal statement and application.

The following is a list of the sections you should include with your resume. Some may be optional, depending on what your experience involves, so use it as a guideline, not a strict template.

Contact Information

Like any resume, you should first list your contact information. This includes:

• Your full name
• Phone number
• Email Address
• LinkedIn profile (optional)
• Home Address (optional)

We highly recommend including your LinkedIn profile URL, because it allows admissions officers to learn more about you. However, make sure you clean up your social profiles, including LinkedIn, before you apply.

This is one of the most important sections of your resume for your law school application. As opposed to a regular career resume, you’ll want to provide some detail in this section, including:

• Name and location of university attended
• Graduation Date
• Type of degree received
• Achievements, awards and honors
• Thesis title if applicable

List your education in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent degree, certification, or otherwise. If you have a master’s degree or any postgraduate work, you would start with that first. And, unless your high school education is particularly relevant or impressive, don’t include that.

Providing details on coursework allows you to explain some of your areas of expertise and highlight any skills gained. Reviewing the American Bar Association’s core skills, values, knowledge and experience, and seeing how your educational experience aligns with any of those areas can be a good place to start, as far as looking for coursework to highlight on your law school resume.

In addition, list achievements, awards, and any other honors. Were you on the Dean’s List? Did you win an essay contest? Anything that distinguishes your academic or extracurricular record should be highlighted on your resume.

Professional Experience

This section should include your job or career experience, and also any internship, volunteer, or community work you have done that you’d like to highlight. If it is relevant to what you bring to the table for law school, then you should include it here. Don’t, however, make it a laundry list of everything you’ve done in your life. Instead, include the following:

• Your most relevant experience listed in chronological order
• The job title, company name and dates you worked there
• 4-6 bullet points for each position describing your relevant skills, experiences and achievements

When writing the bullet points on your resume, try to include action verbs that focus on what you actually accomplished and learned. Quantify your accomplishments and skills with percentages and numbers. Being specific in your bullet points will help you convey your

While you should have listed your skills along with your experience in the professional section of your resume, any soft or hard skills you want to showcase, definitely belong here. Again, consider what would be useful or relevant to law school before including a laundry list of skills on your resume.

Whether you have extensive professional experience or not, you’ll want to emphasize your soft skills so you can show that you have what it takes to succeed in law school. Some law school-relevant soft skills include negotiation, collaboration, problem solving, conflict resolution, written and oral communication, mediation, critical thinking, and adaptability.

If you do not have a lot of skills to highlight in this area, or if you have lengthier education and professional sections, you can potentially incorporate your skills into those sections.

Community and Volunteer Work

Have you volunteered with a specific organization? Many people go to law school to advocate on behalf of others, so showing that you care enough about your cause to volunteer can help you stand out to the admissions team.

If you have done enough community and volunteer work to necessitate a separate section (beyond your professional experience section), then you can list one. This section of your resume is the perfect spot to demonstrate what you’ve done toward the cause(s) you’ve written about in the personal statement part of your application. Include a brief description of the work you did with that organization as well as the dates and locations of your experience.

Other Potential Sections

Depending on your experience, there are a few other sections you may want to consider including on your resume:

Awards and honors You can list your awards and honors in your education section if they are all academically related. If they are not, however, you can have a dedicated section to awards and honors in your resume.

Affiliations and/or extracurricular activities Include your affiliations, professional and academic, either in your education section or as a separate section if you have many. Also, consider — is it important for us to know that you were a member?

You may also want to include your membership in certain student organizations, such as pre-law society or student government. Extracurricular activities can be a separate section from affiliations, but if most of your affiliations are school-related, it might make more sense to represent this as a combined section.

Publications Have you published any books, papers, or articles? List them in a separate section if so.

How to Format Your Law School Resume

It’s important to consistently format the content on your resume. If you have periods at the end of your bullet points, be sure to use them without. Or, if you use one font for your headings and another for your body text, make sure to apply that throughout your document.

Indeed recommends that you use headings for each section, and limit your font choices to something easy to read, like Calibri or Helvetica in 10- or 12-point font. Also, make sure you have standard one-inch margins at the top, bottom and sides of the page. Include details for each section with bullet points, and list the dates and locations for each activity. Your contact information should be at the very top in bold and/or larger font.

Finally, you’ll want your resume to be 1-2 pages long. If you want to submit something longer, then you should consider whether or not everything is absolutely necessary for the admissions team to know, and reread the application requirements. At Stetson Law, we request that students provide a comprehensive work history on their resume to align with the employment question on the Florida Bar application, the most common state in which Stetson graduates practice. So, your resume may be longer than two pages if you have a lot of work experience.

6 Key Tips For Your Law School Resume

Keep these tips in mind to create a strong, compelling resume – and to avoid common pitfalls.

1. Focus on relevancy, but tell your story

When creating your resume, focus on your relevant professional, academic and personal experiences, and see how you can make your experience part of your story. While working as a barista to support yourself through college may not seem directly related to your prospects as a law student, it shows hard work and initiative and can be made relevant to your application.

2. Keep it simple

Provide simple, easy-to-read explanations of your job and educational experiences on your resume. Use plain English and either avoid jargon and any other special acronyms or terminology, or define if necessary.

This simplicity extends to your format — your content should be what stands out, not colorful or unique formatting.

3. Don’t forget to proofread

Not proofreading your resume before you submit it is a big mistake. Copy edit your resume to ensure your spelling and grammar is correct, and ask someone else (or multiple people) to review it before applying.

4. Be Specific

Being specific in your professional accomplishments can help you stand out and showcase yourself effectively, according to LSAT prep course Magoosh . There is a big difference between “helped raise funds for charity initiatives” and “helped raise $25,000 for the Habitat For Humanity fundraiser via online fundraising event promotion.” Every bullet point on your resume should be crafted to focus on concrete tasks and highlight your personal role in the position at hand.

5. Stay Honest

Don’t make unsubstantiated claims or exaggerations — these are red flags for admissions officers. Listing skills without any evidence to support those skills is a big mistake. In addition, the law school you’re applying to will receive your transcripts, so they’ll know if you lie about your academic performance — it’s not worth it to round up on your GPA.

6. Don't be too modest

Underselling yourself is also a mistake when it comes to your resume. Even though it’s hard to write about yourself, make sure you describe your best qualities and accomplishments in detail.

The Law School Resume — Just One Part of Your Application

Your law school application includes multiple components, from the application itself to the personal statement. We’re here to provide you with helpful tidbits of information to ensure you feel confident in the application process. Explore our admissions blog and find more useful tips for future and current law school students.

Topics: Applying to Law School

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Key Principles of a Law School Résumé

Résumés have a sort of oxymoronic importance in the admissions process. On the one hand, your admissions officer probably won’t spend more than thirty seconds reading yours. On the other hand, she’ll probably read it first, and it might color her admission impression of your entire file.

What Sections Should You Include?

Most law school résumés have four sections:

1. Experience

Include both jobs and internships. Note promotions and other accomplishments. Quantify your achievements with numbers where possible.

2. Education

Include degrees, distinctions such as magna cum laude, and academic awards. You can also note if you’ve worked your way through college. If you’re still in college, Education should be your first section.

3. Activities

Include community service and other extracurriculars. If you’ve been out of college for a long time, you don’t need to include your extracurricular college activities, and this section may not be necessary at all.

4. Personal

Include skills (e.g. computer programming, piano), languages (other than English), and a couple interests or hobbies (which can help with your interview).

If you have numerous awards or publications, you may want to call attention to them separately with an Awards or Selected Publications section.

Most admissions officers don’t mind two-page résumés. That said, your reader is going to skim no matter what, and you have more control over where her eye lands if you keep your résumé to one page. A shorter résumé also makes it easier to convey a coherent story about your career.

Don’t go over two pages.

Key Principles

1. Make it scannable.

When you’re listening to a song, the rests are just as important as the notes. When you’re reading a résumé, the white space is just as important as the words.

Don’t use dense blocks of text or a microscopic font size. Let each entry breathe. Whittle away everything that’s extraneous so that your key accomplishments pop.

2. Use bullet points, but no more than three per entry.

• Bullet points make your résumé more scannable.
• But an admissions officer will probably skip a third or fourth bullet.
• If you cut a bullet, you don’t necessarily lose anything—you just redirect your reader to something more relevant.

3. Give context for each entry.

Let’s say you put the following in your Education section:

Received George Byron Waldrop Award.

If that sentence were a logical reasoning stimulus, you’d have some questions:

• What on earth is the George Byron Waldrop Award?
• How many people were eligible for the award?
• How does it demonstrate academic excellence?

It’s important to qualify and explain your achievements with context:

Recipient of George Byron Waldrop Award, given by faculty nomination to the classics major who “shows the greatest promise for future scholarship.”

4. Format consistently.

Judges and lawyers put a huge amount of stock in small details, and you want to signal to the adcom that you’ll be employable after law school. Thus, it’s incredibly important that your résumé is error-free, legible, and formatted consistently.

If you write “Sep 2013” in one entry, don’t write “Nov. 2013” or “5/2013” anywhere else. It doesn’t much matter how you format your dates, so long as you format them—and everything else—consistently.

Learn about our admissions consulting and editing services .

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