When applying for law school, every document you submit is carefully scrutinized by the admissions committee, especially your resume. Your law school resume is often the first impression you make, and it significantly impacts your application’s success.
The Art of Applying® has helped a lot of law school applicants since 2010. This comprehensive guide provides a detailed law school resume template, practical tips, and key insights to help your resume stand out in the highly competitive field of law school admissions.
Importance of a Well-Crafted Resume for Law School Application:
A strong resume for law school application showcases your qualifications, academic achievements, leadership experiences, and extracurricular involvement. The admissions committee uses your resume to evaluate your overall suitability, commitment, and potential to succeed in law school.
A clear, organized, and accurate resume highlights your unique attributes, making it easier for committee members to quickly assess your profile. Your law school application resume should also complement other application components, such as your personal statement and letters of recommendation.
Key tip: Be honest and avoid any misrepresentation. Admissions officers can and do verify the information provided.
Key Components of a Law School Resume:
A strong law school resume typically includes the following sections:
- Contact Information
- Education
- Honors and Awards
- Work Experience
- Volunteer Work and Extracurricular Activities
- Publications
- Skills and Certifications
- Additional Relevant Qualifications
Each section should be concise yet detailed enough to showcase your most impressive and relevant achievements.
Resume Format and Contact Information:
Begin your resume with accurate, professional contact information: your full name, phone number, email address, and mailing address. Ensure it is easy to locate at the top of the page and consistently formatted. Save your resume as a PDF to preserve formatting across devices.
Tip: Include your email address and phone number prominently so the admissions team can easily contact you if needed.
Education Section:
Your undergraduate education details are among the most critical components of your law school application resume. Include:
- Institution name
- Degree obtained
- Graduation date
- GPA (if 3.5 or above)
- Honors (e.g., Dean’s List, magna cum laude)
If you participated in a notable program, such as a summer session at Yale Law School, highlight it under Education or as a separate entry.
Example:
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
University of Texas, Austin
Graduation: May 2024
GPA: 3.87, Dean’s List (6 semesters)
Work Experience Section:
List your employment history in reverse chronological order. For each position, include:
- Job title
- Employer’s name and location
- Employment dates
- Bullet-pointed responsibilities and accomplishments
Use strong action verbs such as “researched,” “drafted,” “analyzed,” or “coordinated.” Quantify your accomplishments where possible (e.g., “Managed a team of 10 volunteers for a legal clinic event”).
Focus on:
- Legal-related roles, such as internships, research assistant positions, or work at law firms.
- Leadership positions in any industry that highlight skills relevant to law school success.
Volunteer Work and Extracurricular Activities:
Committees want to see evidence of your leadership and commitment to community service. In this section:
- Highlight involvement in student organizations, student government, or advocacy groups.
- Include volunteer work, especially in public interest law or nonprofit organizations.
Example:
Volunteer Advocate
Public Interest Law Clinic, Chicago, IL
- Provided pro bono advocacy support for low-income clients.
- Assisted attorneys with case preparation and client interviews.
Tip: If you participated in a clinic or a public interest organization, be sure to emphasize this valuable experience.
Honors, Awards, and Publications:
Showcase your honors and awards, such as:
- Scholarships (e.g., merit-based awards, leadership scholarships)
- Fellowships
- Honor societies (e.g., Phi Beta Kappa)
- Moot court or mock trial accolades
List any publications you have, particularly those relevant to the legal field. If you contributed to a law journal, highlight that experience.
Example:
Publications:
- Smith, Jordan. “Building Resilient Legal Communities.” Journal of Public Interest Law, Vol. 10, No. 2, 2023.
Skills, Certifications, and Additional Qualifications:
This section helps the admissions committee understand your additional qualifications. Include:
- Language proficiency (e.g., Fluent in Spanish)
- Certifications (e.g., Certified Mediator)
- Technical skills (e.g., legal research software proficiency)
Mentioning a second language or specialized certification can give you a competitive edge.
Essential Tips for Creating an Engaging Law School Resume:
Be Accurate and Scrupulously Honest:
Admissions committees expect you to be fully transparent. Misrepresentation, embellishment, or typos can seriously damage your chances. Your resume must reflect scrupulous honesty.
Highlight Relevant Experience:
Prioritize legal experiences, but also include non-law experiences that demonstrate critical skills such as leadership, research, advocacy, or public speaking. Every experience included should be relevant to your future in law school or the legal profession.
Pay Attention to Formatting and Length:
Your law school application resume is typically one page long. Only go to two pages if you have substantial professional experience. Use consistent formatting and keep it easy to read.
Tip: Consult your undergraduate Career Development Office (CDO) or pre-law advisor for guidance on resume formatting best practices.
Use Strong Action Verbs and Quantifiable Accomplishments:
Instead of listing duties, emphasize what you achieved. For example:
- “Developed and led a workshop attended by 200+ students on law school admissions.”
- “Conducted 30+ client interviews for a nonprofit legal services provider.”
Proofread Carefully:
Avoiding typos and grammatical errors is essential. After editing your resume yourself, have a career counselor, writing tutor, or mentor review it.
Tailor Your Resume to Your Audience:
Each law school has a unique culture and mission. When possible, subtly align your resume to reflect the qualities your target school values—without fabricating or stretching the truth.
Common Mistakes to Avoid on Your Law School Resume:
- Including LSAT scores (these are submitted separately).
- Adding unrelated hobbies unless directly relevant.
- Leaving out your email address or phone number.
- Listing generic job titles without describing accomplishments.
- Overstuffing your resume with too much information and poor formatting.
Tip: Admissions officers often have only a few minutes to review each resume. Make sure yours quickly communicates why you would be an asset to their program.
Additional Law School Resume Tips:
- Avoid using “I” statements.
- Save the document as “FirstName_LastName_LawSchoolResume.pdf.”
- When listing activities, prioritize those that show leadership, responsibility, advocacy, or public interest work.
- For public interest applicants, emphasize community involvement, volunteer work, and leadership in advocacy efforts.
- If you are applying for public interest scholarships, highlight public interest experience prominently.
- If you have a list of publications, include it after your Honors section.
- If you have completed a clinic or research assistantship, feature it under “Work Experience.”
Law School Resume Template:
Below is a structured resume template you can use for your law school application:
[Your Name]
[Phone Number] | [Email Address] | [Mailing Address]
Education:
- Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, University of California, Berkeley
- Graduation: May 2023
- GPA: 3.89, Honors: Dean’s List, Phi Beta Kappa
Work Experience:
- Legal Intern, Johnson & Smith Law, San Francisco, CA (Summer 2022)
- Conducted legal research and drafted memos for employment law cases.
- Assisted attorneys with deposition preparation.
- Research Assistant, Professor Thompson, UC Berkeley (2021–2022)
- Contributed to research projects on public interest law.
Volunteer Work and Extracurricular Activities:
- Volunteer Advocate, Bay Area Public Interest Law Center (2021–2022)
- President, Undergraduate Pre-Law Society, UC Berkeley (2020–2021)
Honors and Awards:
- Public Interest Fellowship, Bay Area Legal Aid
- First Place, Undergraduate Moot Court Competition, 2022
Publications:
- “Policy Reform in Employment Law,” Berkeley Journal of Law and Social Justice
Skills and Certifications:
- Fluent in French
- Certified Mediator, National Association of Certified Mediators
Conclusion:
Your resume is a critical component of your law school application. A thoughtfully crafted law school resume that follows a clear format, highlights relevant experience, and presents your achievements with strong action verbs will make a significant difference in your application. Use the sample resume for law school provided here as a template, and be sure to consult your university’s Career Development Office (CDO) for personalized guidance.
At The Art of Applying®, we are committed to helping you present the strongest application possible. If you have any questions about building your law school resume or would like more personalized guidance, consult with one of our expert admissions consultants today.
Ready to take the next step toward your dream law school? Apply for a free Quick Call with our team!
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