Legal Counsel Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this Legal Counsel resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
Lawyers are highly educated, highly paid professionals who specialize in protecting their clients from legal liability. They do this by researching and interpreting laws, drafting contracts and agreements, and representing their clients in courtrooms across the country.
Because the legal field is so broad, there’s a lot of room for specialization within it. Some attorneys focus on criminal law, others on real estate or intellectual property. Some work in private practice, others in government. Some specialize in family law or tax law or immigration law. And some do it all!
In order to land a job as a lawyer, it’s important to have experience that showcases your skills and interests. And in order to write a stellar resume that will get you noticed by hiring managers, it’s important to have a clear idea of what you want to do and why you’d be great at it.
Here are some tips and an example to help you write an effective legal counsel resume that will get you noticed by hiring managers.
How to Write a Legal Counsel Resume
Here’s how to write a legal 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 Fortune 500 company in dispute with federal government over $1 billion contract.”
The second bullet point provides more detail about the nature of the dispute and the parties involved. And it also provides a specific dollar amount, which helps readers understand the significance of the case.
Identify and Include Relevant Keywords
When you submit your resume online, it’s likely that it will be scanned by an applicant tracking system (ATS) for certain keywords. These programs search for specific terms related to the job opening in order to determine whether or not you are a good fit for the role. If your resume doesn’t include enough of the right keywords, 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 and phrases that are used most frequently. Then, make sure to include those same terms on your resume. Here are some commonly used legal counsel keywords:
- Corporate Law
- Legal Advice
- Commercial Litigation
- Legal Writing
- Litigation
- Legal Research
- Civil Litigation
- Dispute Resolution
- Intellectual Property
- Corporate Governance
- Labor and Employment Law
- Due Diligence
- Contract Law
- Arbitration
- Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)
- Contract Negotiation
- Privacy Law
- Trials
- Mediation
- Family Law
- Due Diligence
- Legal Opinions
- Corporate Governance
- Negotiation
- Commercial Contracts
- Drafting Agreements
- Licensing
- Joint Ventures
- Business Planning
- Trade Secrets
Showcase Your Technical Skills
As a legal counsel, you will need to be proficient in the use of technology in order to effectively do your job. This includes being able to use legal research databases, case management software, and document management systems. You should also be familiar with Microsoft Office Suite and Westlaw. Being able to list your level of expertise in each area will show that you’re a valuable asset to any law firm.