Attorney Resume Examples | Job Descriptions, Resume Summary  & Templates

Attorneys are certified professionals who offer legal advice and represent clients on legal matters including both criminal and civil cases. In many countries, the terms attorney and lawyer are commonly used interchangeably.

An attorney practices law in court and a lawyer, meanwhile, may or may not. A lawyer, by definition, is someone who is learned and trained in law and provides advice and aid on legal matters.

Whether you are writing an entry-level attorney resume or an experienced attorney resume, check this article out to learn how to write a winning attorney resume to secure a career in this competitive field.

Nowadays, an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) is used by most companies to scan and review job candidates' resumes before passing the most qualified ones to the hiring manager. 

Don't want your attorney resume to be rejected before the employer even gets a chance to see it?

Referring to excellent attorney resume examples on the Internet is very beneficial for your resume writing. You might learn a lot by obtaining suggestions or avoiding critical mistakes.

Keywords are the phrases or terms that describe the job responsibilities. An attorney resume that adopts keywords from the job description can help employers determine whether you understand the profession and are able to fulfill their requirements. Also, job-related keywords are an important element of an ATS-friendly resume. 

Generally, hiring managers prefer to know what you have accomplished in your previous work rather than what you were assigned to do on a daily basis. Through measurable achievements in your attorney resume, show them that you are results-targeted and actively make contributions to the company.

Attorney jobs cover a wide range of professions and require specific qualifications for each. Instead of crafting a generic attorney resume, it's better to customize it for the role you are targeting. For example, the skills and work experience highlighted in a real estate attorney resume would be different from those of a patent attorney resume or a trial attorney resume. 

Beyond that, make sure you don't mix up an attorney CV with an attorney resume. Whereas an attorney CV details all sorts of information about the applicant, the resume for attorney includes information related to the role only.

With an impressive attorney resume objective, you can grab the employer's attention effectively and lead them to go into your resume. A strong objective should be tailored for the vacancy and state where you want to be in the career. 

As an important part of the resume, a resume summary helps the employer quickly get a picture of the job seeker's qualifications and lures them to read more. 

The skills section in your attorney resume is considered a key determinant of evaluating job candidates. Whether you just started your attorney career or have been in the field for years, make sure you structure this section wisely to outperform the competition and win an interview. 

👍 10 examples of key skills for an attorney: 

You’re a fresh graduate struggling with an entry-level attorney resume?

No need to panic! Follow the advice below and you will find it “a piece of cake” to create your own attorney resume.

1. Choose the right attorney resume format.

The four standard types of resume formats include: chronological, functional, hybrid, and targeted.

The hybrid format may work well for a senior attorney resume as the job candidate can highlight outstanding accomplishments while demonstrating employment history. Meanwhile, for freshers or entry-level individuals, you can consider adopting the functional attorney resume format to draw the recruiter's attention to your skills instead of work experience.

2. Adopt a career objective.

A career objective indicates what profession within the field you’re seeking and what qualifications make you ideal for the position. 

3. Highlight your education in your attorney resume.

Since you’re a fresh graduate, it is recommended that you put the education section at the top of your attorney resume. Graduating from a reputable law school or achieving a high GPA can make you stand out among fresh graduates and win the interview.

4. Include additional information in your attorney resume.

To further expose yourself to the hiring manager, take advantage of the following if you may have:

• Certifications for attorneys and lawyers (e.g. Accreditation Council for Accountancy and Taxation, Certified Professional Landman, Credit and Collection Compliance Attorney, etc).
• Honours in Law
• Publication of a law journal
• Law-related community or voluntary work

5. Write a sincere attorney cover letter.

A great cover letter for an attorney will lead the hiring managers to move on and read your attorney resume. Take this opportunity to convince them that you are the best fit for the job.