Attorney Resume Example

Also called Attorney, Associate Attorney, Counsel.

Legal employers read an attorney resume for bar admission, practice area, the kind of matters you handled and how much responsibility you carried. Precision matters, and vague claims undermine you.

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What this example does well

  • Bar admissions are listed with years, which every employer checks.
  • Responsibilities are specific and countable: depositions, motions, trials.
  • The clerkship is included with the court, a valued credential for litigators.

Updated

Jonathan Weiss

Commercial Litigation Associate

Summary

Litigation associate with six years of experience in commercial disputes. Takes and defends depositions, drafts dispositive motions and has second-chaired two jury trials. Admitted in New York and New Jersey.

Experience

Associate, Litigation, Hudson & Park LLP

Sep 2020 – Present · New York, New York

  • Represent companies in contract, partnership and business tort disputes in state and federal courts.
  • Took or defended 30 depositions and drafted summary judgment motions granted in full in four cases.
  • Second-chaired two jury trials, including examining five witnesses.
  • Supervise two junior associates and three paralegals on document review and discovery.

Judicial Law Clerk, Superior Court of New Jersey, Civil Division

Aug 2019 – Aug 2020 · Newark, New Jersey

  • Researched and drafted bench memoranda and opinions on civil motions.
  • Attended hearings and conferences and managed the judge's motion calendar.

Education

Juris Doctor, Fordham University School of Law

2016 – 2019 · New York, New York

  • Staff member, law review
  • Moot court competition semifinalist

BA History, Rutgers University

2012 – 2016 · New Brunswick, New Jersey

Skills

Commercial litigation, Depositions, Motion practice, Trial preparation, Legal research and writing, E-discovery, Westlaw and Lexis

Certifications

  • Admitted to practice, New York — 2020
  • Admitted to practice, New Jersey — 2020
An example: Jonathan Weiss is not a real person, and the details show the kind of thing to write rather than a real career. Shown in the Vellum template. Words that postings for this job often use are marked in yellow.

How do you write a summary for an attorney resume?

Two to four lines at the top that say what you do, for how long, and what you are best at. Here is one for each stage of a career.

  • Entry level

    Recent law graduate admitted to the New York bar in 2026. Clerked for a state trial judge, served on law review and worked in a legal clinic representing tenants in 12 housing court matters under supervision. Strong researcher and clear writer.

  • Experienced

    Litigation associate with five years of experience in commercial disputes. Drafts motions, takes depositions, manages discovery and has substantial courtroom experience.

  • Senior

    Partner with fifteen years of experience leading complex commercial litigation. Has tried eight cases to verdict, manages a team of ten attorneys and develops client relationships across the financial services industry.

How to write a resume summary, with more examples

What are good bullet points for an attorney resume?

Each starts with a verb and says what was done. Change the details and numbers to your own; a number you cannot explain in an interview is worse than none.

  1. Drafted motions, briefs and pleadings in state and federal court.

  2. Took and defended depositions of fact and expert witnesses.

  3. Managed discovery, including document review and privilege logs.

  4. Second-chaired jury trials, examining witnesses and preparing exhibits.

  5. Advised clients on litigation strategy and settlement options.

  6. Negotiated settlements that resolved disputes before trial.

  7. Researched complex legal questions and wrote clear memos.

  8. Supervised junior associates and paralegals.

  9. Appeared at hearings and conferences on behalf of clients.

  10. Handled pro bono matters for low-income tenants.

Which skills should a lawyer put on a resume?

Pick the ones the job posting asks for and that you can back up with an example from your work.

Hard skills

  • Legal research and writing
  • Motion practice
  • Depositions
  • Discovery management
  • Trial advocacy
  • Contract drafting and review
  • Negotiation
  • Legal research tools (Westlaw, Lexis)

Soft skills

  • Judgment
  • Persuasion
  • Composure
  • Client communication
  • Attention to detail

Licenses and certifications

  • State bar admission
  • Federal court admissions
  • Board certification in a specialty, where available

Which keywords belong on an attorney resume?

The words recruiters and applicant tracking systems search for.

  • litigation
  • depositions
  • motions
  • trials
  • commercial
  • discovery
  • state and federal courts
  • summary judgment
  • clients

Use the ones that are true for you, written the way the posting writes them, and put each where it shows something you did. A list of keywords with nothing behind it helps nobody. To keep them readable by software, choose an ATS-friendly template, and read how applicant tracking systems read a resume.

What goes at the top of an attorney resume?

Your bar admissions, practice area and years of experience. Firms and legal departments check admissions first, then look for experience that matches their work.

For recent graduates, education carries more weight: law school, honors, law review and clerkships.

How do you show legal experience without breaching confidentiality?

Describe matters by type, size and your role, without naming clients unless the representation is public. "Represented a manufacturer in a $30 million contract dispute" is a common and acceptable form.

Countable responsibilities, such as depositions taken or motions drafted, show experience without revealing anything privileged.

What do legal employers look for in a resume?

  • Be exact about admissions, practice areas and the kind of matters you handled. Precision is what the reader is testing for.
  • Never name clients or give details that are confidential. Describe the matter by type and size instead.
  • A plain, conservative layout suits this field. One column, a serif typeface and no color is a safe choice.

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Questions about an attorney resume

Should a lawyer resume be one page?

Often one page for junior lawyers and two for experienced ones. Some firms also ask for a separate deal or case list.

Where do bar admissions go?

In a separate section near the top or bottom, with the jurisdictions and years.

Should I include my law school GPA?

For the first few years, if it is strong, along with class rank or honors.

Which template suits a lawyer?

A conservative one-column layout with a serif typeface. This example uses Vellum.

Make this attorney resume yours.

Start from the example, swap in your own jobs and numbers, and switch to any template without retyping a word.

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