Resume Tips for Experienced Attorneys
As an experienced attorney with years of legal expertise, your resume is more than a list of accomplishments—it’s your opportunity to showcase the depth of your experience, the evolution of your career, and your ability to contribute to the goals of the company or law firm to which you’re applying. Whether you’re targeting an in-house counsel role or a position within a law firm, tailoring your resume effectively can make all the difference.
At Latitude, we review legal talent resumes every day, both for short- or long-term engagement opportunities and permanent positions with our clients. Through these reviews and ongoing conversations with leaders in law firms and corporate legal departments, we’ve developed valuable insights into what employers commonly prioritize when assessing potential hires.
Lesley Henry, Vice President of Talent at Latitude, has over a decade of experience recruiting and supporting top legal talent for highly selective assignments with leading law firms and companies. She emphasizes the importance of aligning your experience with the needs of the role:
“Clearly outlining your experience and achievements, while aligning them with the specific needs of the position, demonstrates both your qualifications and your understanding of what the position values. This approach helps your resume to stand out and highlights how you will be able to best contribute to the employer’s goals.”
With these insights in mind, we’ve compiled actionable resume writing tips to help experienced attorneys craft a standout resume that captures attention and resonates with potential employers.
1. Highlight Relevant Experience with Precision
Legal employers will be looking to quickly grasp your educational background, training, and core experience. Make sure these elements are easy to find and understand.
- Use a Clean, Traditional Format. Modern designs, including pictures and color blocking, may look appealing but can distract from the subject matter. Stick to a format that emphasizes clarity and substance.
- Be Transparent About Career Timelines. List all work experiences, even for older positions. If you took time off for personal reasons or career pivots, address it succinctly in your resume or cover letter to get ahead of any potential questions.
- Quantify Achievements. Use concise bullet points with action verbs and specific metrics where possible. For example: “Negotiated a $25M acquisition agreement, reducing potential liabilities by 30% through meticulous due diligence.”
2. Tailor Your Resume to the Specific Role
A one-size-fits-all resume won’t have as much impact as one customized for each opportunity that focuses on the most relevant skills and experiences for the role.
- Research the Job. Identify key skills and qualifications emphasized in the job posting. Reorder and tailor your descriptions to align with these priorities.
- Lead with a Professional Summary. Begin with a concise summary that ties your experience and career narrative to the role.
- Incorporate Keywords and Industry-Specific Language. Include key terms or phrases that a legal recruiter or potential employer is likely to search for. Use well-recognized abbreviations and terms, such as “SaaS” for software-as-a-service. Mention specific laws, regulations, or industries relevant to your experience. This ensures your resume is search-friendly and helps recruiters and potential employers connect your skills to the role.
3. Provide Context and Detail Your Achievements
Go beyond generic job descriptions by providing meaningful details about your responsibilities and accomplishments.
- Avoid Vague Descriptions. Instead of saying, “Drafted, negotiated, and reviewed commercial contracts,” specify the type and scope of the agreements: “Drafted and negotiated 300+ SaaS agreements annually, including contracts with 9 of the 10 largest global technology companies.”
- Add Context for Past Employers. Help reviewers understand your previous work environment(s) by describing the size, focus, and clientele for your former employers. For example: “Mid-sized litigation boutique specializing in insurance defense and commercial disputes” or “Global manufacturing company with $2B in annual revenue and operations in 12 countries.”
4. Streamline Older Career Experience
While all career experiences should be included, roles from 10+ years ago don’t require extensive details. A brief mention will suffice unless the experience is directly relevant to the position for which you’re applying. An example of a concise summary for an older role might be, “Handled diverse commercial litigation matters, including contract disputes and IP claims.”
5. Polish the Details
A professional-looking resume speaks volumes about your attention to detail.
- Format for Readability. Use clear headings, bullet points, and consistent fonts. Leave white space to avoid overwhelming the page with text.
- Proofread Thoroughly. Typos and formatting errors can detract from your credibility. Consider enlisting a trusted colleague or professional editor for a second look.
- Keep it Concise. As a general rule, limit your resume to two pages. Focus on the most relevant and impactful information for the role you’re pursuing.
Final Thoughts
Your resume is often the first impression a potential employer will have of you. By highlighting relevant experience, tailoring it to the role, and ensuring clarity, you can present yourself as the ideal candidate. With hiring managers reviewing numerous resumes for each open role, you want to ensure that yours is easy to digest, impactful, and purposeful.
“In my experience, investing the effort to refine and tailor your resume—highlighting how your legal experience and successes align with the unique needs of each position—is time well spent,” Lesley explains. “This approach not only helps you stand out as a candidate and clearly demonstrates why you’re the ideal fit for the role but also provides a valuable opportunity to gain deeper insights into the organization or firm and the role itself—an asset that will serve you well if you’re invited to interview.”
Interested in exploring new opportunities? View open positions on our website and see where your experience could be the perfect fit.
