Senior Attorney Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this Senior Attorney resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
Lawyers are called upon to handle some of the most complex, high-stakes cases out there. They research precedents, draft legal documents, and advise clients on how best to navigate the legal system.
If you’re looking to break into this competitive field or want to advance your career, you’ll need a resume that showcases your relevant experience and skills. Follow these tips and resume example to write a lawyer resume that hiring managers will love.
How to Write a Senior Attorney Resume
Here’s how to write a resume of your own.
Write Compelling Bullet Points
When it comes to writing bullet points, the more specific you can be, the better. Rather than saying you “provided legal counsel,” you could say that you “provided legal counsel on behalf of major tech company in patent infringement lawsuit, resulting in favorable settlement agreement worth over $10 million.”
The second bullet point is much more interesting and provides a clear sense of what you did and the outcome of your work. It also provides a number to help quantify the impact of your work.
Identify and Include Relevant Keywords
Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are used by many companies to help manage the influx of resumes they receive. When you submit your resume online, the ATS will scan it for specific keywords related to the job opening. If your resume doesn’t include enough of the right terms, the ATS might not forward it to a recruiter.
The best way to make sure your resume makes it past the ATS is to include relevant keywords throughout all sections of your document. Here are some common senior attorney keywords to get you started:
- Legal Advice
- Litigation
- Legal Research
- Corporate Law
- Commercial Litigation
- Corporate Governance
- Dispute Resolution
- Intellectual Property
- International Law
- Legal Writing
- Due Diligence
- Legal Consulting
- Arbitration
- Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)
- Labor and Employment Law
- Contract Negotiation
- Public Speaking
- Strategic Planning
- Civil Litigation
- Consumer Law
- Contract Law
- Criminal Law
- Trials
- Mediation
- Legal Issues
- Negotiation
- Criminal Litigation
- Appeals
- Family Law
- Personal Injury Law
Showcase Your Technical Skills
As a senior attorney, you will be expected to have a high level of proficiency in the use of technology in the legal field. This includes having experience with specific programs, like Microsoft Office Suite, Westlaw, and LexisNexis, as well as being comfortable using a variety of legal research databases. Additionally, senior attorneys are often expected to have experience with case management software and e-discovery platforms.
Including your technical skills on your resume will show recruiters that you have the ability to use the latest technology in the legal field and that you are comfortable working with a variety of software programs.