Family Lawyer Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this Family Lawyer resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
Family law is a highly specialized area of legal practice. Lawyers who practice family law help clients navigate issues like child custody, child support, and divorce. Because family law covers such a broad range of topics, family lawyers tend to focus on one area of law—like divorce or adoption—or work in a firm that has a diverse family law practice.
Family law attorneys help clients resolve some of life’s most challenging situations with sensitivity and compassion. They’re often called upon to help clients cope with difficult situations like domestic violence or child abuse. Family law attorneys also help parents plan for the future by drafting wills, trusts, and other estate planning documents.
Because family law deals with highly sensitive matters, it’s important for attorneys to maintain client confidentiality—so confidentiality is an important part of the job. Family lawyers also need strong negotiation skills because they often have to settle disputes between parties with opposing interests.
Here are some tips and an example to help you write a compelling family law resume that will get you noticed by recruiters.
How to Write a Family Lawyer Resume
Here’s how to write a family lawyer resume of your own.
Write Compelling Bullet Points
The best way to make your resume stand out is to include quantifiable details about your experience. So rather than saying you “represented clients in divorce proceedings,” you could say you “represented clients in divorce proceedings and achieved favorable outcomes in 90% of cases.”
The second bullet point is much more specific and interesting, which will make it much easier for a recruiter or hiring manager to understand your experience. And that will help them decide whether or not to read further!
Identify and Include Relevant Keywords
Most law firms use an applicant tracking system (ATS) to manage the influx of resumes they receive. The ATS will scan your resume for specific keywords related to the position you’re applying for. If your resume doesn’t include enough of the right terms, the ATS might automatically reject your application.
To increase your chances of getting an interview, use this list of common family law keywords as a starting point to help you optimize your resume:
- Family Law
- Legal Advice
- Legal Writing
- Litigation
- Civil Litigation
- Legal Research
- Legal Writing Skills
- Mediation
- Appeals
- Divorce Law
- Commercial Litigation
- Legal Research Preparation
- Trial Practice
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Legal Advice to Small Businesses
- Contract Negotiation
- Westlaw
- Conveyancing
- Property Law
- Legal Issues
- Litigation Support
- Commercial Litigation Litigation
- Family Law Litigation
- Criminal Law
- Personal Injury Law
- Arbitration
- Commercial Law
- Criminal Defense
- Trials
- Westlaw Journal
Showcase Your Technical Skills
Family lawyers need to be proficient in a variety of software programs in order to do their jobs effectively. Programs like Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Google Suite (Gmail, Docs, Drive, Calendar), and social media platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter are all commonly used by family lawyers. Additionally, family lawyers may be called on to use specific software programs relevant to their industry, so it’s important to be familiar with as many programs as possible.