General Counsel Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this General Counsel resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
The role of general counsel is multifaceted, but it’s one of the most important positions in any company. As the top lawyer on staff, general counsels are responsible for advising their companies on legal matters big and small. They’re also tasked with protecting their organizations from legal liabilities, ensuring that they follow all relevant regulations and laws, and helping their companies avoid costly lawsuits.
Because of the high stakes and complex nature of this job, most general counsels have years of experience under their belts before they land their first role. And while experience is important, a resume for this role should also reflect your legal expertise, as well as your ability to manage complex projects. Here are some tips and an example to help you write a compelling general counsel resume that will get you noticed by hiring managers everywhere.
How to Write a General Counsel Resume
Here’s how to write a general counsel 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 make the mistake of using generic bullet points that don’t really tell a story or provide any context. For example, rather than saying you “provided legal counsel,” you could say you “provided legal counsel for $10B merger of two of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, resulting in no litigation or regulatory issues.”
The second bullet point is much more interesting and provides more detail about what you did and the outcome of your work.
Identify and Include Relevant Keywords
When you apply for a general counsel role, your resume will likely go through an applicant tracking system (ATS). This software scans your resume for certain keywords related to the job opening. If your resume doesn’t include enough of the right keywords, your application might not make it past the first screening.
To increase your chances of getting an interview, use these commonly used general counsel keywords as a starting point and then add in other relevant terms that are specific to your work history:
- Corporate Governance
- Corporate Law
- Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)
- Legal Advice
- Commercial Litigation
- Civil Litigation
- Legal Research
- Dispute Resolution
- Due Diligence
- Contract Negotiation
- Litigation
- Intellectual Property
- Competition Law
- Licensing
- Legal Writing
- Business Strategy
- Legal Compliance
- Privacy Law
- Privacy Policy
- Trade Secrets
- Entertainment Law
- Entertainment Industry
- Entertainment
- Contract Law
- Law
- Film
- Legal Issues
- Labor and Employment Law
- Litigation Management
- International Law
Showcase Your Technical Skills
As a general counsel, you are responsible for providing legal advice to your organization. In order to do this effectively, you need to be proficient in a variety of software programs and systems. This might include familiarity with legal research databases, case management software, or contract management tools. Additionally, general counsels need to be familiar with the laws and regulations that are specific to their industry.