Associate Attorney Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this Associate Attorney resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
Associate attorneys are the backbone of most law firms. They handle a wide variety of cases and represent clients in courtrooms across the country.
Here at Endeavor, we’re looking for talented attorneys who are passionate about their work and dedicated to providing exceptional service to their clients. If you’re ready to put your legal skills to work in a fulfilling role that offers room for growth, here’s what you need to include on your resume to land the job.
How to Write an Associate Attorney Resume
Here’s how to write an associate attorney resume of your own.
Write Compelling Bullet Points
Bullet points are the most important part of your resume because they’re the first thing recruiters and hiring managers will see. And they’re the best way to showcase your experience and qualifications.
But many lawyers use bullet points to simply list their responsibilities or duties. That’s not enough to catch a recruiter’s attention. Instead, you should use bullet points to tell a story about your work. And that story should be about how you helped your clients or contributed to the success of your organization.
Related: What Is an Associate Attorney? How to Become One
Identify and Include Relevant Keywords
When you apply for an associate attorney role, your resume is usually scanned by an applicant tracking system (ATS) for certain keywords. If your resume doesn’t include enough of the right terms, your application might not make it past the initial screening process.
The best way to make sure your resume contains all of the right keywords is to read through job postings and take note of the terms that are used most frequently. Then, make sure to use those same terms on your resume. Here are some examples:
- Litigation
- Legal Advice
- Civil Litigation
- Legal Writing
- Legal Research
- Legal Writing
- Trials
- Legal Document Preparation
- Mediation
- Litigation Management
- Criminal Law
- Westlaw
- Corporate Law
- Appeals
- Hearings
- Commercial Litigation
- Labor and Employment Law
- LexisNexis
- Dispute Resolution
- Family Law
- Labor and Employment Law
- Legal Issues
- Document Drafting
- Arbitration
- Intellectual Property
- Research
- Contract Law
- Negotiation
- Teamwork
- Microsoft Access
Showcase Your Technical Skills
As an associate attorney, you need to be proficient in a variety of software programs and systems in order to do your job. Many law firms now use social media platforms to market their services, and attorneys who are familiar with these platforms will be better equipped to take advantage of this growing trend. Additionally, you should list any other technical skills that are relevant to your field, such as experience with legal research databases or case management software.
Related: How Much Does an Associate Attorney Make?
Remember The Basics
As you write your resume, it’s important to keep a few basic rules in mind.
Make Sure Your Resume Is Easy to Scan
There are a few things you can do to make your resume more readable and easier to scan, such as left-aligning your text, using a standard font, and keeping your bullets concise. You should also try to use formatting sparingly, and leave some white space on the page to make the document less overwhelming.
Be Concise
A resume should typically be one or two pages long, depending on how much experience you have. A one-page resume is ideal for recent graduates or those with less than 10 years of experience. The most important thing is to tailor the resume to the specific role and to focus on the most relevant information. When in doubt, less is more.
Proofread
Proofreading your resume is important in order to make sure it looks professional and error-free. Spell checking is a must, as are punctuation and grammar checks. It is also helpful to have someone else proofread your resume for you, as they may catch mistakes that you have missed. Beware of easily confused words, and make sure that your tense is consistent throughout the resume.
Consider a Summary
If you’re looking to land a new job, a resume summary statement can be an extremely valuable tool. It allows you to quickly and effectively communicate your skills and intentions to potential employers, and can be a great way to show that you are a perfect fit for the role you are applying for. When writing your own, be sure to focus on your relevant skills and experiences, and try to keep it to just a couple of lines.
Related Resume Examples
