Drafting a Law Resume - Career & Professional Development Office - California Western School
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Drafting a Law Resume
Career & Professional Development Office
As you already know from your Legal Skills and other classes, to write a good paper or
pleading, you need to think, write, revise, rethink and rewrite. The same principle applies to a
well-drafted resume. It is an evolving document that improves with time and effort.
350 Cedar Street, 2nd Floor | San Diego, CA 92101 | (619) 525-7087 | www.cwsl.edu/career
Courtney Miklusak, Esq., Assistant Dean
Matthew Lab, Esq., Director, Access to Law Initiative (ALI) & Professional Development
Jocelyn Salvatori, Esq., Associate Director – Noelle Dorman, Assistant Director, Projects & Employer
Development – Drew Lautemann, Esq., Assistant Director, Pro Bono & Public Service
Robin Lake, Esq., Graduate Career Advisor – Heidi Weaver, Esq., Career Advisor
Efa Akutekha, Department Coordinator – Riley Davis, Administrative Assistant
Revised June 2017DRAFTING A LAW RESUME
WHAT IS A LAW RESUME?
(Samples Follow)
A resume is an individual expression of who you are. It is also your one chance to make a
great first impression. The idea is to set yourself apart as a professional from the rest of the
crowd, while still maintaining the traditional professionalism required in the field of law. It is
an interest-piquing summary of your background containing powerful “sound bites” of your
academic and work experiences, and your skills.
A law resume is your marketing tool. As with all legal documents, a law resume has a
distinct, uncomplicated format that makes it easy for the reader to quickly locate the
substantive information he or she is looking for to hire you. Your goal is to present that
information in a concise, easy to read and interesting way that captures your readers’
interest.
The resume is not a complete autobiography! Its main goal is to convince prospective
employers to contact you for an interview. Your resume is a sample of your writing and
persuasion skills, and it must be drafted carefully.
I. CHOOSING A RESUME FORMAT
Most law students will use a reverse chronological resume format. See samples that follow
this section. However, in a rare instance, a law student might use a functional resume
format. If you are not certain which suits your situation best, please ask a Career Advisor for
assistance.
A. Reverse chronological. The legal community generally expects a traditional, reverse
chronological format, by end date, ordering your education and other relevant
experience by date within each section (Education, Experience, etc.), with the most
recent occurrences (your current education) listed first. See samples that follow.
Most law students are best served using this format.
B. Functional. This resume works well for people who have a great deal of varied prior
experience and who need to demonstrate how that background merges with law. For
example, for someone with a career before law school, a functional resume could be
used to combine similar positions in a career of substantial length (e.g. professional
nursing experience, teaching experience, etc.) into one description. A functional
resume can also organize your background by skill categories that clearly show the
prospective employer the skills you will bring to the job (e.g., “Negotiation,” “Oral
Advocacy,” “Contract Writing,” etc.). Each category is then further described by listing
concrete examples of your use of those skills.
Choose the format best suited to your situation.
3II. GENERAL GUIDELINES
A. One page.
Unless you have an extensive career history before law school, or you are seeking a
public interest position and have extensive public interest volunteer work in your
background, limit your resume to one full page. You must communicate your particular
suitability for the position quickly and immediately. This is a sample of your ability to write
efficiently and succinctly.
However, if you do have an extensive background which is significant and relevant to the
position you are seeking, you may need to use a two-page format. Reviewers of your
resume will skim your resume quickly; be sure to draft your resume so as to provide a
strong picture of your qualifications on the first page and lead the reviewer to look at the
second page. If you do use a two-page format, place your full name on the first line,
and “Resume, Page 2" on the second line of the second page. Also, be sure to fill your
second page. A second page with a large portion of white space looks unprofessional.
B. Easy to read.
Your resume must be an inviting document to read. Do not present an employer with a
dense, confusing document printed in a small font size. Rather, encourage an easy
reading of your resume through an effective use of concise formatting, white space and
carefully selected language.
Avoid ornate or decorative styles. Use effective combinations of CAPITAL letters, bold
or italic typefaces, and underlining for name, schools, employers and position titles to
enhance readability. Be judicious as overuse of these tools can result in a confused look.
Italics are often used for honor designations (e.g., “B.S., magna cum laude, Biology,
2012") and underlining is often used for publications. Also, be consistent within
categories. If you present one position title in bold caps, type all position titles in bold
caps. Be consistent with abbreviations. For example, if you use J.D. instead of Juris
Doctor, use B.A. instead of Bachelor of Arts, etc.
Choose an easy-to-read typeface. Times New Roman 12 point font or Arial 11 or 12 point
font are both good choices. Use a larger font size for your name.
C. Focused.
Tailor each resume you send to each individual employer so that the employer identifies
most with your background and skills. By highlighting experiences and skills relevant to
the particular employer, you will create a resume that causes you to stand out from the
pack. Presenting different combinations of your experiences and skills may cause you to
stand out more for one employer than for the next.
For instance, if you have experience in both criminal and civil practices, you should
consider including more detail about the criminal experience and the skills you derived
from that experience for application to the Federal Public Defender than you would for
application to a corporate securities law firm. Similarly, if your undergraduate study
included focused coursework in accounting and geology, you may want to consider
4highlighting the former for application to an estate planning practice and the latter for
application to an environmental law practice. You should always tailor your resume to
the particular employer.
D. Some Basics to Avoid.
Do not use the resume templates that come with most word processing software
packages or online. These templates confine your ability to set your resume up to your
best advantage and restrict your ability to add future employment experience due to
space limitations. They also often contain features not appropriate for a law resume,
e.g., an “Objective” section. Rather, construct your own format from a blank word
processing document.
Do not include an “Objective” section on your resume. These are generally not used for
law clerk or lawyer positions. Instead, your objective will form a part of your cover letter.
Do not include a “Reference” section or a statement such as “References Available Upon
Request.” Instead, prepare a separate reference sheet. See sample in this Guide.
E. Regularly update your resume.
Include whatever experiences you have gained since you last submitted a resume. If
appropriate, consider adding courses taken, seminars or conferences attended, grades
received or projects completed since your last draft.
III. INFORMATION YOU SHOULD INCLUDE ON YOUR RESUME
The following outline is in the appropriate order for law students and recent graduates who
are seeking law clerk or first entry-level attorney positions. Once you are into your first or
subsequent job as an attorney, when you are preparing a resume to make a lateral job move,
you should reverse the order of the “Education” and “Experience” sections, and also lead off
with a “Professional” section listing bar licenses and bar associations. See sample that
follows.
The following must be included in an effective resume:
A. Name, address(es), telephone number(s) and e-mail address.
State this logistical information in an attractive letterhead-like fashion that is pleasing to
the eye. Make sure the telephone number(s) you include is accurate and will be
answered in a professional manner. Do not use a telephone number that is not always
answered in a professional manner. Do not use a telephone number where there may be
a funny or colorful message on your voicemail; you should use another number to ensure
that calls from employers are answered professionally and to ensure that you receive all
job related messages immediately and completely. Do not use an e-mail address with a
funny or colorful meaning. Stick to some variation of your name, or better yet, use your
professional-looking CWSL e-mail address. Check your e-mail and voicemail regularly;
many employers communicate this way and will expect a prompt response. Include a
“permanent address” in addition to a “current address” (e.g., school year address) only if
you are applying for positions closer to the “permanent address.” Doing so identifies your
geographic connection to the area where the employer is located.
5B. Education.
Include law school, graduate and undergraduate schools in reverse chronological order.
For each, list the official name of the school, the city and state, the degree(s) earned and
the date(s) you received the degree(s) (not the years you attended). If you are applying
for positions outside of Southern California, it is valuable to note California
Western’s accreditation with the ABA and AALS as follows: California Western
School of Law, ABA/AALS, San Diego, CA. Otherwise, do not include that information.
For students currently enrolled, state the degree and the date on which it is expected to
be conferred (e.g., “Juris Doctor expected May 2019" or “Juris Doctor candidate,
December 2018"). For all degree programs, also consider including any distinguishing
and relevant features, including, but not necessarily limited to: academic performance,
honors and awards, extracurricular activities, focus of study, independent study topics,
titles of relevant papers written, etc. You may also want to consider including an official
coursework concentration, identification of relevant courses taken, research papers
relevant to the particular employer, etc.
1. Honors and awards should be included if, for example, you graduated cum laude
from undergraduate school, or received a scholarship or award (if the title of your
award does not clearly reveal its nature, you may annotate that entry, e.g., “scholastic
honor” or “advocacy awards”). Also, you should include if you are a member of an
honor society, placed in a moot court competition (not just participated in the
competition), or engaged in a scholarly writing or publication project. You should also
consider identifying the substantive topic of your Law Review Note or Comment, Moot
Court Brief, Scholarly Writing paper, etc., when relevant to the employer’s practice.
2. Activities are important to include when they demonstrate your leadership, initiative,
personality, responsibility, interests, energy and/or desire to participate in your
community. Keep in mind there may be times when an extracurricular activity may be
more appropriately described under the “Experience” section of your resume. For
instance, if during your undergraduate years you were the student representative on a
committee of faculty members charged with improving curricula, you might want to
detail in the “Experience” section the skills you employed when you “assessed
curriculum shortcomings and needs, advocated students’ positions to committee,
negotiated compromise between competing interests, and presented resulting
curriculum changes to entire student body,” rather than simply to list that you were a
“Curriculum Committee Member.” (Note: As time passes, tangentially-related
activities during undergraduate years become less relevant and thus may be better
left off your resume.)
63. Academic performance generally (e.g., GPA, class rank and/or percentile standing)
may be important to include on your resume. If your GPA and rank are not your best
attributes, you should omit the information so your application is not immediately
eliminated on the basis of grades or rank alone. There is no hard and fast rule about
whether or not to state your academic standing on your resumes, and one approach
may be preferable for one employer, but not for the next. As with all features of your
background, assess each situation individually and make your own judgment
regarding what to include on each version of your resume. A Career Advisor will be
happy to help you determine what is best for you.
If you do state your performance, list either your GPA or class standing, but not both.
In general, class standing or Class Rank Percentile is easier for employers to
understand.
a. Class Standing. If you elect to list class standing, you must list it as issued by
the Registrar’s Office (Class Standing: 108/221). Class standing is computed
by the Registrar only. You may not compute your own mid-year class standing
or GPA.
b. Computing Class Rank Percentile. If you use your class standing to
determine your class rank percentile, you must round up to the nearest whole
number or round up carrying the percentage out one decimal place. You must
also state “based on class standing of x/y.” Using the example above, if you
divide 108 by 221 the result is .4886. If you wish to indicate class rank as a
whole number percentage, you must indicate “top 49%,” not “top 48%.” Or,
you may indicate “top 48.9% based on class standing of 108/221” (.4886
rounded up and carried out to one decimal place). Likewise, if your class
standing is 46/121, the result is .3802. If you wish to indicate class rank as a
whole percentage, you must indicate “top 39%”, not “top 38%”
(counterintuitive to what you were taught in math class where you learned to
round down if under .5). Or, you may indicate “top 38.1% based on class
standing of 46/221” (.3802 again rounded up and carried out one decimal
place).
Please note: While there is no “formal” class standing/ranking system at the
end of your first trimester, you will receive a rough percentile ranking based on
your particular 1L class. For example, for one particular 1L class, the top
quarter percentile referred to those students who received an 82.85 and above.
Thus, if a student received an 83, she could list on her resume “Top 25% based
on first trimester grades.” If you have any questions about how to list your
percentile ranking based on first trimester grades, please consult a Career
Advisor.
7c. Grade Point Average. If you choose to list your GPA on your resume, it must
be listed exactly as it appears on your transcript or rounded down. For
example, a GPA of 86.46 may be listed as 86.46, rounded down to 86.4, but
may not be rounded up to 86.5. Always state your GPA as a fraction
identifying California Western’s 95 point scale, e.g., 86.4/95. If your GPA has
improved over time, it may be to your advantage to show a GPA for each year
or for particular years or trimesters. If you choose to list a GPA and/or class
standing other than your current cumulative GPA and/or class standing, you
must identify the corresponding year(s) and/or trimester(s) for those
GPAs/class standings listed.
If you do not state your academic performance, consider whether you might
want to highlight a particular good grade or an upward trend in your trimester
GPAs. Also consider if you are listing your undergraduate GPA, but not your
law school GPA. You probably want to list both, or not list either, but do not list
only one. An employer is sure to ask you about the one you left off.
C. Experience.
Whether you have recently graduated from an undergraduate institution or have had a
substantial prior career, it is crucial that you identify the legal and non-legal skills that will
be valuable to the particular employer. This is the section of your resume in which you
identify what practical skills and traits you will bring to an organization.
First, list the name of the employer/organization for which you worked (regardless of
whether you were paid or volunteered), the city and state in which it was located, the title
of your position(s) and dates (month and year) you held the position(s). If you did not
have a formal title, choose one that positively and accurately describes the position.
Remember that volunteer work is appropriate to include as “experience.”
Second, in narrative or “bulleted” format (whichever you choose) describe what you did
and the skills you used in a concise and interesting way. This is the challenging part.
The goal is to engage the reader and identify your skills in a way that leads the reader to
the conclusion that you can contribute to their organization. Do not assume that only
legal experience is relevant. Lawyering skills are often developed during non-legal
experiences. For example, if, as Secretary of the Soccer Club, you took minutes of all
meetings and wrote articles for the semiannual newsletter, by all means highlight those
critical listening and note-taking skills you used to keep minutes, as well as the
interviewing, factual analysis and writing skills you employed in writing for the newsletter.
The list of “Action Verbs Used to Describe Skills Employed by Lawyers” of this
Guide is extremely useful in extracting from past experiences, legal and non-legal, the
law-related skills you used. Review this list one by one and ask yourself “Did I ‘achieve,’
‘adapt,’ ‘administer,’ etc. anything during this particular experience?” Doing so will boost
the power of your resume. Then, begin each entry in your description with an action
verb. For example, as Soccer Club Secretary, you may have “Achieved goal of
increasing funding by 100%” or “Adapted procedure for scheduling games and fields” or
“Administered internal and external budget.”
8Describe current work in the present tense and prior work in the past tense. Omit the
personal pronoun "I" and articles such as "a," "an” and "the."
When describing your work, do not evaluate your own worth, e.g., "effective negotiator"
or “excellent communicator”. Instead, let the results of your efforts speak for themselves.
Report the incidents that demonstrate your worth in a factual, anecdotal manner
(“Negotiated campus-wide refund of excessive tuition charges,” or “Communicated
organizational mission and goals to government officials.”)
CAUTION: Remember that until you pass the bar and are licensed by a state to practice
law, you may not practice law. Unauthorized practice of law (before license) is a crime.
Unless you are licensed to practice law, or a certified law student (and then only under
prescribed circumstances), you cannot “advise clients,” “represent the State,” “counsel
immigrants,” or the like, regarding legal matters. However, you can “inform,” “explain,”
“describe” and “assist attorneys in” legal matters. Thus, choose your action verbs
carefully to ensure that you do not inadvertently admit to the crime of unauthorized
practice of law.
D. Specifics to Include for All Legal Experience.
1. Substantive Knowledge. Always include details about particular substantive area(s)
of law with which you have familiarity. Identify that you “researched numerous issues
including wrongful termination, wage and hour disputes and gender discrimination”
as opposed to just “researched employment law issues.” Tell the employer that you
“educated constituents about various matters including Social Security benefits,
access to public information and analysis of pending legislation” as opposed to
“answered calls from constituents.” Detail specifics of your work and use terms of art
related to the practice areas in which you worked, e.g., sentencing, felony murder,
pleas, suppression, plain view and reasonable doubt.
2. Procedural/Document Familiarity. If you have worked with a particular body of court
rules, administrative practices or particular sorts of transactions, make sure that fact is
detailed on your resume. Make sure the employer knows that you “drafted motions
to dismiss and motions in limine, instead of just “drafted pleadings,” or that you
“assessed and analyzed purchase and sale contracts, balance sheets, profit/loss
statements and income statements” rather than just “reviewed documents.”
Where possible, you should try to be even more specific in describing each experience
using a P-A-R (Problem-Action-Result) formula. Describe the Problem (or
challenge/responsibility) you faced in the position, Action(s) you took to reach an
objective/goal and the Result of the accomplishment.
9Contrast the effectiveness of these two statements:
Basic/Generic Description Using P-A-R Formula
Performed legal research and Drafted successful opposition
drafted response to motion for to motion for summary
summary judgment judgment in personal injury case
involving more than $10 million
in damages
3. Professional Contact with Various Types of People. Lawyers need to be
comfortable, professional and effective in many settings and with many different types
of people. So, to the extent you have “interviewed clients respecting strengths and
weaknesses of case, prepared expert witness for deposition, and negotiated financial
settlement with SSI caseworkers,” by all means state so. This will inform prospective
employers in detail of your ability to work in a professional setting with a variety of
individuals.
4. Publications. List significant published legal and non-legal work under a separate
category (or on a separate page, if necessary) entitled “Publications.” All lawyers
need to be effective communicators, both in written and oral format. If you have been
published, that fact is proof of your abilities in this area and also in the areas of
analysis and research.
5. Licenses and Professional Affiliations. Professional licenses, certificates and
affiliations are tremendously important to many areas of law and law related work. List
your licensures (State Bar of California, CPA, Psychologist, Real Estate Broker,
Teacher) and professional affiliations (International Society of Electrical Engineers,
Lawyers Club, La Raza Lawyers) under a separate category entitled “Professional”
once you are licensed to practice. If you held a professional license before law school,
there may be reason to create this separate category entitled “Professional” before
you have your Bar license. State the name of the licensing organization, your title and
the dates of your membership (if appropriate).
6. Military Service. Some employers, government in particular, may give preference to
veterans, so listing military service can be a benefit. Also, including your military
experience as a component of your “Experience” is very useful to identify skills
developed and responsibilities discharged during your service that are relevant to the
position(s) you seek. Be sure to include your military service.
10IV. OPTIONAL CONTENT
A. Languages or Other Special Skills.
Include skills that will be of interest to a potential employer: proficiency in languages,
sophisticated or unusual computer or technical proficiency, certification in Westlaw and
Lexis, knowledge of word processing and office programs, such as Microsoft Word,
Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as other distinguishing and relevant skills.
If you are bilingual or multilingual, this information should definitely be included on your
resume in a separate “Languages” section. When stating your level of proficiency,
include whether you are “fluent” or have “conversational” or “basic” knowledge. If your
written abilities are different from your spoken language abilities, so state. Be careful
not to include languages unless you can really speak and understand to the level you
state. We have known interviewers to speak to interviewees in a language listed on
the interviewees resume, even if it is not a widely spoken language. You should be
prepared or not list it at all. If you used your bilingual abilities in any of your work
experiences, include that fact in your description of the job responsibilities.
(“Interpreted for Cantonese-speaking clients in meetings with attorneys,” or “Lectured
in Spanish on immigration rights to Spanish-speaking community groups.”)
B. Personal Information.
An “Interests” section may be included on your resume if space is available and these
interests contribute to your marketability or provide an interview "ice breaker.” Make
sure you state your interests in an interesting manner. Otherwise, they will be “bores,”
not “interests.” Do not simply say you “enjoy reading” or “sports.” Rather, identify
“14th Century Irish literature” or “Ocean Kayaking” as your interests. Never state
race, religion, sex, age, marital status or other personal data that has no relevance
to your employment qualifications. Doing so suggests you do not know, or are
insensitive to, laws prohibiting discrimination on those grounds.
V. RESUME ETHICS
You cannot make factual misrepresentations concerning degrees, grades, class
standing, academic honors, participation on scholarly publications and other relevant
experience. Doing so is an Honor Code violation. Misleading statements, even if
unintentional, can lead to serious consequences. Do not exaggerate your skills and
experience. Employers and California Western can and do verify resume information through
both formal and informal channels.
11VI. PRODUCING, PRINTING AND E-MAILING
Use a laser or high quality inkjet printer to print your resumes. Laser is preferable as ink
jet printers do not print as crisply and cleanly. After all your work on your resume, make sure
it looks as well as it reads. It is your professional portrait. Remember, you may use the
printers in the Career and Professional Development Office.
Create a PDF of all your final application materials, including your resume. NEVER send a
Word document; all of your corrections/edits may be viewable by the inquisitive. The
following PDF conversion service is FREE and easy: http://www.pdfonline.com/convert-pdf/.
You can also convert or scan your materials to PDF in our office.
Do not use resume preparation programs or services that write your resume for you.
No one knows or can express your accomplishments, strengths and skills better than you.
Do not rely on someone else’s abilities in this regard.
For hard copy applications, white, ivory or very light grey resume paper is available in a
variety of fiber contents and textures at office supply stores and in our office. Buy in bulk to
save money! Pastels, bright and unusual colors should not be used. Resume, cover letter,
reference list, writing sample cover sheet and envelope paper should all match and the
“letterhead” on all should be uniform.
VII. REFERENCE LISTS
A law resume does not list references on the resume itself, nor should a law resume include
a statement indicating “References Available Upon Request.” The employer knows you will
provide references if requested to do so.
Instead, prepare a separate list of three to five references (including your recommenders’ full
names, titles, addresses, telephone numbers, e-mail address(es) and how they know you) on
a separate sheet of paper that has the same “letterhead” as your resume (your name,
address, telephone number and e-mail address). Have copies of this reference list, a
discussion and sample available whenever you meet with an employer.
Choose your references based on their knowledge of you and your work performance.
Always ask your references in advance for their permission to include them on your list
of references. Current and former employers and law school faculty are often good
references, provided they will attest positively to your skills.
12VIII. PROOFREAD!
Nothing will kill your prospects faster than a resume, reference list or cover letter (or any of
your application materials) with typographical or grammatical errors. Do not rely on spell
checking programs or Career Advisors. Get several friends to proofread your resume.
Career Advisors usually look for format, content and obvious mistakes. Sometimes Career
Advisors miss things that could be caught by proofreading your document multiple times.
The table below includes words that are often misspelled or misused in resume writing and
cover letters. Carefully review your resume to make sure the proper words are used and that
all are spelled correctly.
Check to make sure your resume does not have any of the following
common and embarrassing mistakes:
Words often misspelled or mistyped: Words often misused or missed by spell
checking programs:
appellate affect/effect
constitutional then/than
committed/commitment apprise/appraise
criterion (plural = criteria) capital/capitol
cum laude (use lower case & italicize) my/by
liaison is/it
memorandum (plural = memoranda) complement/compliment
misspell council/counsel(ing)
precede/proceed Juris Doctor (not Doctorate)
perspective/prospective principle/principal
relevant oriented (not orientated)
trial/trail
there/their
public/pubic
you/your/you’re
of/or
way/was
ensure/assure/insure
advice/advise
form/from
13RESUME WRITING TIPS
Top 10 Do’s Top 10 Don’ts
1. Do limit your resume to one page, if 1. Don’t list personal information – your
possible. (This demonstrates your resume should be professional (e.g.,
ability to write efficiently and do not reference marital status,
succinctly.) children, religion, etc.).
2. Do tailor your resume to the specific 2. Don’t list references on your resume
employer, i.e., be sure to include skills or indicate “References Available
and experience sought by that Upon Request” (legal employers do
employer. (Different legal employers – not want to see references on your
e.g., public interest vs. civil law firm – resume). Have a separate list
do not necessarily seek the same available if requested.
skills/qualifications. You should have
several versions of your resume.) 3. Don't use personal pronouns (I, my,
me) in a resume. Instead, use
3. Do follow one of the acceptable resume “action” verbs to start all phrases.
formats. (See samples that follow.)
4. Don’t use the resume templates
4. Before including anything on your which come with most software
resume, do ask yourself this: Does this packages. (They confine your ability
information have relevance and to create your best legal resume.
significantly contribute to my And they do not put your resume in a
presentation? proper law resume format.)
5. Do make sure that the telephone 5. Don’t include an “Objective” section
number you use on your resume is on your resume (which is not
current and has a professionally generally used for law clerk or lawyer
appropriate voicemail message. (Note: positions).
background music is not appropriate
for a professional voicemail message. 6. Don’t use fancy fonts. (Times New
Also, do not forget to make your e-mail Roman or Arial are both good
address professional.) choices at 11 or 12 font, depending
on resume length.)
6. Do emphasize/prioritize your relevant
legal experiences over non-legal work. 7. Don’t lie. Emphasize your strengths,
(Grab the employer’s attention quickly.) skills, and qualifications, but never
overstate your qualifications.
7. Do make sure your resume is easy to
read, but use underlining, italics, bold 8. Don’t include your whole life history.
and bullets for emphasis without going (Remember: succinct and relevant.)
overboard or making your resume too
distracting. 9. Don’t use passive voice.
8. Do proofread (for accuracy, spelling, 10. Don’t use colorful paper (instead use
grammar, punctuation and correct standard colors such as white, buff,
telephone number and e-mail address). muted gray or beige).
9. Do have two other people proofread.
(Perfection is key!)
10. Do regularly update your resume (e.g.,
additional legal experiences, grades
received, law school competitions).
14Action Verbs Used to Describe Skills Employed by Lawyers
accomplished computed expedited modeled required
achieved conceived experienced moderated researched
acquired conceptualized explained modified restored
adapted concluded explored molded resolved
added conducted expressed monitored responded
adjusted conserved extended motivated restored
administered considered facilitated named retained
advised consolidated financed navigated retrieved
aided constructed focused negotiated reviewed
allocated consulted forecast observed revised
analyzed contacted formed obtained rewrote
annotated contracted formulated opened routed
answered controlled fostered operated scheduled
anticipated convened founded ordered searched
appeared converted functioned organized selected
applied conveyed gained originated served
appointed convinced gave outlined set
appraised coordinated gathered oversaw shaped
approved corrected generated participated simplified
argued corresponded granted perceived solicited
arranged counseled grouped performed solved
assembled created guided persuaded specialized
assessed credited handled planned specified
assigned critiqued headed predicted spoke
assisted dealt highlighted prepared started
assumed debated identified prescribed stimulated
attained decided illustrated presented strengthened
attended defended implemented presided structured
audited defined improved processed studied
authored delegated incorporated procured submitted
authorized delivered increased produced suggested
awarded demonstrated indexed programmed summarized
balanced derived influenced prohibited supervised
began described informed projected supplied
bolstered designed initiated promoted supported
briefed detected inspected proofed surveyed
brought determined installed proposed synthesized
budgeted developed instituted prosecuted targeted
built devised instructed proved tested
calculated diagnosed integrated provided trained
categorized directed interpreted publicized transferred
catalogued discovered interrogated published transformed
caught dispensed interviewed purchased translated
caused distributed introduced pursued traveled
chaired documented invented questioned tutored
changed drafted investigated qualified unified
charted earned involved quantified updated
checked edited joined raised used
chose educated judged rated verified
clarified effected kept ranked won
classified elicited lectured received worked
closed encouraged led recommended wrote
collaborated enlarged licensed recorded
collated enumerated listened recruited
collected established lobbied reduced
combined estimated maintained referred
commented evaluated managed reorganized
communicated examined marketed rendered
compared exhibited mastered replied
compiled expanded measured reported
completed executed mediated represented
composed expanded merged reproduced
15SAMPLE 1L RESUME Showing No Post Undergraduate Work Experience
HOLLY ANN MARTIN
1212 First Ave., San Diego, CA 94110
(619) 555-1212 ● hmartin@law.cwsl.edu
EDUCATION
California Western School of Law, San Diego, CA
Juris Doctor candidate, April 2019
San Diego County Bar Association, Student Member
Environmental Law Society, Member
California State University, Hayward, CA
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, May 2016
Senior Thesis: Voting Habits of the Millennial Generation
Public Service Award, 2015
EXPERIENCE
Save the Trees, Hayward, CA Summer 2016 and Summer 2017
Community Educator
Informed residents of opportunity for street tree planting at city expense.
Planted over 100 street trees as part of team of volunteers.
Wrote articles about urban forestry for publication in donor solicitations and on website.
Provided administrative support to all facets of non-profit administration.
The Grill, Hayward, CA Spring and Summer 2016
The Red Grape, Hayward, CA Summer 2015
Server/Backwaiter
Served multi-course meals to diverse clientele in high volume restaurant.
Recommended specialties based on customer preferences.
Promoted new items on menu to increase sales.
Supported front-of-house staff in all facets of food preparation and service.
Received outstanding employee award for month of August 2011.
CSU Outreach Program, Hayward, CA Summer 2014
High School Tutor
Tutored at-risk high school students in English and Math.
Coordinated educational programs to improve individual student performance.
CSU Intramural Soccer, Hayward, CA 2013-2014
Coordinator
Developed schedule for 20 teams in an 8 game season.
Negotiated with other athletic teams and leagues for field access.
SKILLS AND INTERESTS
Certified in Westlaw and Lexis
Cross-fit training, quilting, and photographySAMPLE 1L RESUME Showing Some Post Undergraduate Work Experience,
But No Legal Work Experience
JOHN J. BOOKER
1234 Front St., #13, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 234-8518 • jjbooker@law.cwsl.edu
EDUCATION
California Western School of Law, San Diego, CA
Juris Doctor expected April 2019
Legal Skills I Course grade: A
Creative Problem Solving Scholarship Recipient, 2016
University of California at San Diego, San Diego, CA
Bachelor of Arts, with Honors, English and Political Science, May 2016
Trustee Scholarship Recipient, 2012-2016
Associated Students Award for Community Service, 2015
Founder and Vice President, Sigma Tau Delta, 2012-2015
Honors Society Faculty Liaison, Class Representative, 2012-2015
Community Service Coordinator, 2012-2015
NCAA, Division II Cross Country and Track Student Athlete, 2012-2015
EXPERIENCE
San Diego Unified School District, San Diego, CA July 2014 – December 2015
Substitute Teacher
Taught large and small groups in all subjects. Assessed student needs and prepared
corresponding lesson plans. Counseled individual students on academic and personal
issues. Maintained classroom order and decorum. Enforced school policies.
UCSD, San Diego, CA August 2012 – May 2015
Tutor and Honors Student Board Member
Tutored students in English, Communications, History and Political Science. Advised faculty
on potential academic policies and Honors curriculum offerings. Organized social and
service activities. Spoke to over 200 students as member of panel on the “Plame Incident”
and “CIA Leak Inquiry.”
San Diego Peak Performance Day Camp, San Diego, CA Summers 2010 – 2014
Director of Aquatics
Supervised other lifeguards and instructors at busy pool for summer day camp program.
Taught water safety to youth and adult students. Ensured safety and health code compliance
during operational hours.
LANGUAGES AND INTERESTS
Conversational Spanish
Distance running – San Diego Marathon and numerous shorter races
17SAMPLE 2L RESUME Showing Part-Time 1L Summer Law Clerk Experience and STEPPS
JANICE KIM (619) 444-4444
12345 Numbers Rd. San Diego, CA 92104 jkim32@aol.com
EDUCATION
California Western School of Law, San Diego, CA
Juris Doctor candidate, April 2019
Academic Excellence Award (Highest Grade in Class): Torts I
Large Group Tutor, Torts I, Fall 2017
Moot Court Honors Board, Trial Coordinator, 2017
Women’s Law Caucus, Vice-President, 2017 – Present
Business Law Society, Member, 2017 – Present
University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, English; Minor in Communications, May 2006
University Publication (scholarly publication for English majors), Founder/Editor/Writer
Outstanding academic achievement, community service award recipient (Wellesley Book Award)
Universidad de Brasil, Spanish and Portuguese intensive language session, Summer 2005
EXPERIENCE
STEPPS Program, California Western School of Law, San Diego, CA
Participant, 2017 – 2018
Completed intensive practical lawyer skills and professional responsibility training including
simulations in client interviewing and counseling, drafting client correspondence, analyzing pertinent
facts, developing case strategy, drafting pleadings, propounding and responding to motions to compel
production of documents, and preparing memorandum of points and authorities in support of motion
to dismiss complaint.
Hadsell & Stormer, Pasadena, CA
Law Clerk, June 2017 – August 2017
Researched and drafted memoranda of law regarding civil rights issues under U.S. and California
Constitutions in employment, voting rights and education contexts. Consulted with jury experts
regarding upcoming trials to evaluate trial strategy. Prepared fact summaries and timelines to assist
in preparation of clients for depositions. Observed depositions, settlement conferences and mediation
sessions.
San Diego City Attorney’s Office, Civil Division, San Diego, CA
Legal Assistant, May 2016 – August 2016
Conducted legal research and writing, drafted a variety of documents including correspondence, motions,
briefs and declarations, and reviewed, analyzed and summarized facts from case files and City
documents. Attended and assisted attorneys at client meetings, depositions, hearings, trials and City
Council meetings.
LANGUAGES
Fluent Korean and Spanish
18SAMPLE 2L RESUME Showing One 1L Summer Internship and Three 2L Positions
MATTHEW PARKER
7028 Hillsboro Ln., San Diego, CA 92120 ● (619) 205-1442
matthew_parker@law.cwsl.edu
EDUCATION
CALIFORNIA WESTERN SCHOOL OF LAW, San Diego, CA
J.D. expected April 2019
Top 9.4%, based on class standing of 22/234
California Western Law Review and International Law Journal, Associate Writer, 2018
Moot Court Trial Team, Honorable Mention, 2016
San Diego County Bar Association, Real Estate Section, Student Member
SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY, San Diego, CA
B.A., Latin American Studies, May 2013
GPA: 3.6/4.0
Research/Teaching Assistant, Latin American Studies Department, 2011-2012
Worked 25-30 hours per week to offset educational expenses
EXPERIENCE
PROFESSOR LAURA M. PADILLA, CALIFORNIA WESTERN SCHOOL OF LAW, San Diego, CA
Research Assistant August 2017 – Present
Research and analyze riparian rights and zoning restrictions on Native American tribal lands.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER’S OFFICE, Chula Vista, CA
Legal Intern January 2017 – April 2017
Wrote trial brief for multiple victim homicide/attempted homicide case. Researched and drafted
memoranda regarding “imperfect self-defense” and “diminished actuality.” Drafted 995 motions,
motions in limine, expungement motions and motions to return property. Conducted mock direct and
cross-examinations of witnesses in preparation for trial.
THE HONORABLE MARCIA HENDERSON, UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE
U.S. District Court, Southern District of California, San Diego, CA
Judicial Extern August 2016 – December 2016
Researched and analyzed law and motion matters involving employment, fraud, venue, and
foreclosure matters. Drafted bench memoranda with recommendations regarding court’s actions on
motions to dismiss, motions for summary judgment, discovery matters and evidentiary issues.
Evaluated writs of habeas corpus and submitted written analyses on merits of writs. Prepared jury
instructions for trials. Observed civil rights and criminal fraud proceedings and trials.
CALIFORNIA INNOCENCE PROJECT, San Diego, CA
Legal Intern April 2016 – August 2016
Reviewed and analyzed client files. Conducted interviews with inmates and witnesses to investigate
inmates’ claims of innocence. Drafted memoranda regarding investigative strategies and release of
forensic evidence. Organized and promoted fundraising events and campaigns.
LANGUAGES & COMMUNITY SERVICE
Fluent Spanish
Toussaint Teen Center, San Diego, CA, Volunteer, 2011 – Present
Habitat for Humanity, Projects in Tijuana, Mexico, Volunteer Carpenter, 2008 – 2011
19SAMPLE 3L RESUME With Several Law Clerk Experiences and Showing a Future Job
Note two addresses are given when applying to Northern California employer only.
HECTOR GOMEZ
HG1@law.cwsl.edu ● (619) 555-5666
Permanent Current
44 New York Plaza 163-B Milpitas Way
New York, NY 10004 San Diego, CA 92618
EDUCATION
California Western School of Law, ABA/AALS approved, San Diego, CA
Juris Doctor expected May 2019
California Western Law Review and International Law Journal, Associate Editor, 2016 – Present
Note Topic: “Trading with Foreign Traders: Inherent Securities Fraud?”
Top 30%, based on class standing of 93/313
Health Law Society, Member
New York University, New York, NY
Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, English, June 2016
Phi Beta Kappa
Student Senator
EXPERIENCE
U.S. Attorney's Office, Civil Division, San Diego, CA Summer 2018
Law Clerk
Will draft legal motions and briefs, including a Rule 52 motion, and a trial brief for an FTCA personal injury trial.
Will write a summary judgment motion for a medical malpractice case. Will research and write memoranda
regarding discovery for Affirmative Civil Enforcement Division.
Sullivan Smith & Johnson, LLP, San Diego, CA May 2015 – Present
Law Clerk
Draft memoranda regarding practical implications of Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 on health care providers,
including potential revisions to system-wide education, policies, and employee codes of conduct. Review and
recommend revisions to compliance policies and procedures, including conflicts of interest, gifts and gratuities
and compliance hotline. Revise compliance and HIPAA/privacy education for all students and registry
employees and draft annual education materials for all staff.
San Diego District Attorney, San Diego, CA
Certified Law Clerk January 2015 – May 2015
Assisted in criminal prosecution in the Insurance Fraud and Gangs Divisions. Conducted legal research,
primarily on admissibility of co-conspirator hearsay statements. Wrote motions on topics including suppression
of evidence, bifurcation and severance of counts and defendants, restitution requests, admissibility of hearsay
statements, and admissibility of photographs. Appeared in court under supervision of deputy district attorney for
hearings including preliminary hearings, arraignments, and a motion to reduce sentencing.
Office of the Attorney General, San Diego, CA August 2015-December 2015
Law Clerk
Oversaw felony criminal appellate case files, wrote appellate briefs, and conducted oral arguments before the
California Court of Appeal, Division II.
Mathias Law Firm, San Diego, CA
Law Clerk June 2014 – December 2014
Researched state securities regulations and drafted memorandum on licensure requirements for dealer-brokers.
Prepared successful defense to multi-count summary judgment motion in wrongful termination action. Analyzed
and created chronology of events from trial transcripts and discovery in securities fraud and breach of fiduciary
duty action to prepare for expert testimony on behalf of attorney charged with legal malpractice.
Casa Cornelia, San Diego, CA September 2011 – June 2012
Legal Intern
Conducted legal research, prepared pleadings, and participated in client outreach for this nonprofit immigration
law firm. Conducted programs focused on immigrant victims of serious crimes, including domestic violence,
unaccompanied detained and non-detained children, and asylum.
20SAMPLE GRADUATE RESUME Listing Only Legal Experience
JAMES JACKSON
163-B Garnet Ave., San Diego, CA 92109 • jjackson@yahoo.com • (415) 555-5666
PROFESSIONAL
Admitted, State Bar of California, 2016
Awaiting Results of July 2016 Arizona Bar Examination
San Diego County Bar Association, Member
EDUCATION
California Western School of Law, San Diego, CA
Juris Doctor, cum laude, May 2016
Scholarly Writing Topic: Discrimination in the Workplace
Moot Court Honors Board, Chief Sophister
University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA
Bachelor of Arts, History (Minor in Political Science), June 2013
EXPERIENCE
Thompson & Stevens, LLP, San Diego, CA
Clinical Intern Fall 2014
Researched and investigated issues in labor and employment law relating to unfair labor
practices, sexual harassment and wrongful termination. Drafted legal memoranda on a
variety of legal topics, including personal injury, civil rights, medical malpractice and contracts
law. Drafted motion for summary judgment relating to constructive discharge. Researched
and drafted motion to change venue, motion for removal, interrogatories and requests for
production of documents. Wrote correspondence to clients and opposing counsel.
New Attorney’s Office, Civil Division, San Diego, CA
Law Clerk Spring 2014
Drafted memoranda on family medical leave, disability discrimination and wage and hour
violations. Drafted answers, motions to dismiss, motions for more definite statement and
motions in limine for federal employment law defense. Attended depositions, motion
hearings and settlement conferences. Summarized depositions, prepared trial notebooks
and proposed cross examination questions.
New Media Rights, San Diego, CA
Law Clerk Spring and Summer 2013
Researched copyright, trademarks, rights of publicity, and online publishing issues.
Responded to and drafted DMCA takedowns, DMCA counternotices, cease and desist
letters, and account terminations. Drafted and analyzed agreements including Terms of Use,
Privacy Policies, Assignment Agreements, and Independent Contractor agreements.
California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, San Diego, CA
Law Clerk Summer 2012
Investigated claims of employment discrimination. Analyzed and summarized employment
contracts, time records, performance reviews, witness statements and deposition testimony.
Interviewed employer and employee claimants. Researched and drafted memoranda of law
including findings of fact and conclusions of law.
21SAMPLE RESUME FOR STUDENTS SEEKING A POSITION WITH AN INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY FIRM: Note how the technical/scientific training and expertise is highlighted in a
separate statement. This sample is ONLY for students who are eligible for the Patent Bar.
Jill R. Clark, Ph.D. (619) 583-4395
4618 El Cerrito Dr., San Diego, CA 92115 ● JRClark@law.cwsl.edu
Doctorate in Molecular Neurobiology with post-doctoral experience utilizing multi-photon laser
microscopy to investigate the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases (fluorescent
reporters expressed in transgenic mouse models) and the efficacy of putative therapeutic
agents in-vivo.
PROFESSIONAL
Awaiting Results of Examination for Registration to Practice in Patent Cases before the
USPTO
Society for Neuroscience, Member
EDUCATION
California Western School of Law, San Diego, CA
J.D. expected December 2018
Academic Excellence Award (Highest Grade in Class): Torts I
Women’s Law Caucus, Member
University of California, Irvine College of Medicine, Irvine, CA
Ph.D., Molecular Neurobiology, August 2011
Teaching Fellow: Neuroanatomy Lab for medical students, UCI College of Medicine,
2005-2006
University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA
B.S., Biology, June 2004
Humanities Writing Tutor, 2003
Golden Key National Honor Society, Member
EXPERIENCE
Fish & Richardson P.C., San Diego, CA June 2015-Present
Law Clerk
Reviewed patent applications for content and accuracy. Assessed patent claims for novelty
and conformity with foreign restrictions on patents for methods of treatment. Reviewed
samples to identify documents to be made of record with the US Patent and Trademark
Office in Information Disclosure Statements. Conducted freedom to operate searches.
Managed project docket and directed workload for staff.
University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 2011-2013
Postdoctoral Fellow
22Led a study to investigate the cellular basis for Fragile-X Mental Impairment Syndrome.
Summarized findings and extensive data to present to Board. Met routinely with team of
scientists to determine status and course of action.
Jill R. Clark, Ph.D. Page 2
University of California, Irvine College of Medicine, Irvine, CA 2005-2010
Graduate Assistant
First to report lifetime cellular stability in various cortical areas of the mammalian brain
throughout adulthood using transcranial in-vivo laser microscopy. Collaborated on a
study to assay the efficacy of different pharmacological agents used to treat Alzheimer's
Disease.
TECHNICAL SKILLS
Proficient in managing and troubleshooting laser optical systems used in modern
intravital microscopy with an emphasis on cellular imaging of individual neuronal
connections in vivo.
Image analysis: ImageJ, Neuron Studio, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator.
Laboratory Techniques: PCR, pharmacology assays, immunofluorescence,
transgenic mice, randomized population studies.
Analysis / Database software: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, MySQL.
Operating Systems: Windows and Linux.
Westlaw Certified.
PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS
Co-Author, Development of long-term dendritic spine stability in diverse regions of
the cerebral cortex. 2006 Meeting on Imaging Neurons & Neural Activity, Cold
Spring Harbor, NY.
The formation of dendritic spines from dendritic filopodia in vivo. 2005 Society for
Neuroscience, San Diego, CA.
Co-Author, Development of a genetic selection for catalytic antibodies. 2003 Bioorg.
Med. Chem. Lett. 12, 2789.
Co-Author, Regulation of Gene Expression with Synthetic DNA-Binding Ligands.
2002 Chemtracts 14, 563.
LANGUAGES, VOLUNTEER & INTERESTS
Proficient in spoken and written Spanish
Brothers and Sisters in Science, Irvine, CA, 2007-2008
Taft Elementary, San Diego, CA, 2006-2007
Playing Piano and Rock Climbing
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