Law School Application Resume Examples
Years of Experience
- Example #1
- Example #2
- Example #3
Mark Watney
(384) 492-4029
[email protected]
812 Ridge Avenue, Mars, PA 14052
Profile
Recent college graduate with high academic honors and strong legal internship experience.
Education
Bachelor of Science (BS) in Sociology, Pre-Law Concentration, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA | 2022
- 3.8 GPA | magna cum laude
- Honors Thesis: “Environmental Considerations of Transnational Corporate Law”
Co-Curricular Activities
Pre-Law Club | 2018 to 2022
- Vice President (2021 to 2022)
- Member (2018 to 2022)
Writer / Assistant Editor, The Legal Brief | 2020 to 2022
[Monthly newsletter produced by the CMU Pre-Law Department for students, faculty, and staff.]
Volunteer, Pre-Law Department Job Fair | 2019 to 2022
Work Experience
Legal Intern, Roth, Mayhern & Associates, Pittsburgh, PA | January 2022 to May 2022
[Small firm focused on international law.]
- Reviewed discovery documents for principal lawyers
- Attended and observed court sessions with firm’s head litigator
- Researched and wrote a well-received court memorandum on environmental violation case
- Helped research and write 3 finding summaries
Office Assistant, Bertolli & Mathers, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA | January 2019 to December 2021
[Large corporate law office.]
- Filed documents and correspondence for past and current cases in the firm’s law library
- Assisted front desk staff with clerical duties such as copying, answering email queries, and directing phone calls
Key Skills
- Legal Research & Analysis
- Task Prioritization
- Teamwork & Collaboration
- Time Management
- Writing, Editing & Proofreading
Mary Russell
(203) 384-0394
[email protected]
221 Baker Street, San Francisco, CA 10394
Profile
Paralegal with 8+ years of experience. Well-versed in legal terminology, with broad knowledge of procedures of law and court practices.
Education
Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA | 2017 | 3.7 GPA
- Coursework included American Foreign Policy; American Political Processes; International Relations; Legal Frameworks for Change
Associate Degree in Paralegal Studies, Bryant & Stratton College, San Francisco, CA | 2014 | 3.6 GPA
- Coursework included Civil Litigation; Contract Law; Criminal Law & Procedures; Law Office Management & Technology; Legal Research & Writing
Credential
Paralegal CORE Competency Exam (PCCE) Certification, National Federation of Paralegal Associations | 2019
Professional Experience
Paralegal, Cohen & Sons LLC, San Francisco, CA | September 2016 to Present
- Draft various legal materials including client letters, pleadings, and memoranda
- Read, analyze, and interpret legal documents, case law, and statutory law
- Conduct legal research, gather data, and prepare reports for use in presentations and court
- Attend court hearings, and assist the firm’s principals as needed during trials
Paralegal, Miltock & Benson, Inc., San Francisco, CA | June 2014 to September 2016
- Researched, analyzed, and summarized past cases related to corporate and business law
- Maintained calendar and other confidential materials for senior partner
- Collaborated with business office manager to process and maintain billing and accounts receivable
- Helped draft and file legal documents and correspondence in support of upcoming cases
- Reported directly to firm’s senior partner
Key Skills
- Legal Documentation
- Legal Research & Analysis
- Public Speaking & Presentations
- Task Prioritization
- Writing & Proofreading
Alona Twelvetrees
(584) 394-3029
[email protected]
Helena, MT 10928
Profile
Administrator with 13+ years of experience in Montana state government. Passionate about upholding the sovereignty and legal rights of Native Americans. Naturally curious and committed to learning new legal topics and concepts.
Professional Experience
Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs, Montana State Capitol, Helena, MT | October 2009 to Present
Assistant to the Director (September 2015 to Present)
- Promoted to serve as liaison between state and tribal governments, attending and speaking at meetings for both
- Research and write white papers, reports, memoranda, and more on issues of Native American sovereignty and legal rights to be presented to the governor and other state officials
- Work with director and other state officials to resolve individual complaints and legal issues faced by tribes
- Seek consensus among tribes, and work toward including their shared goals in state initiatives
Office Manager (October 2009 to September 2015)
- Public-facing role focused on addressing all in-person visitors’ questions and concerns
- Handled phone queries and mail correspondence including letters from constituents
- Helped director troubleshoot and resolve issues consistently and fairly
- Proposed system improvements that raised filing efficiency by 50%
Education
Associate Degree in Criminal Justice, Legal Studies, Blackfeet Community College, Browning, MT | 2009
- 3.6 GPA | cum laude
- Coursework included Federal Indian Policy & Government; Legal Research & Writing; Tribal Criminal Law & Procedure
- Completed office management internship at Blackfeet Tribal Government Headquarters (Browning, MT)
Common Key Skills and Action Verbs for Law School Application Resumes
The law school you apply to is looking for certain characteristics in their future students and if you can indicate that you have these characteristics you may be in a better position to be accepted. How do you know what they’re looking for? One way to find out is to carefully read the institution’s promotional materials, such as viewbooks or web pages, to see what terms come up repeatedly. Working those terms into your resume may help elevate your resume to the top of the pile. Be sure to include both your educational accomplishments as well as any professional experiences or skills that might help. Here are some key words and phrases to help get you started.
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Advocacy | Client management |
| Collaboration | Flexibility |
| Leadership | Management |
| Mediation | MS Office Suite |
| Multitasking | Negotiating |
| Oral and written communication | Problem-solving |
| Public presentation | Research and documentation |
| Teamwork | |
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Advise | Analyze |
| Assist | Attend |
| Collect | Draft |
| Gather | Handle |
| Interpret | Lead |
| Manage | Negotiate |
| Perform | Prepare |
| Represent | Research |
| Resolve | Review |
| Serve | Shadow |
| Support | |
Tips for Writing a Better Law School Application Resume
Highlight education requirements (degree, program, school)
This is even more important for your law school application than it might be for a job. Law schools are looking for students who stand out from the crowd and who possess the skills to succeed in their program. Anything you can do to highlight your academic successes and interests can be helpful.
Example #1
Good
Bachelor of Science in Sociology; minor in Pre-Law, graduated magna cum laude
Bad
BS in Sociology; pre-law minor
Example #2
Good
Boston College
- Bachelor of Science in Criminal Studies
- GPA: 3.7/4.0
- Graduated cum laude
- Coursework: Litigation, The Criminal Mind, American Legal Justice, Law Enforcement Administration
- Four-year member, Pre-Law Club
Bad
Boston College
- Bachelor of Science in Criminal Studies, cum laude
List your honors, volunteer work, and scholarships
You should also list any special accomplishments that you earned in college. This will help you stand out from the competition — indeed, it just might make the difference between you getting the job rather than another similarly qualified applicant. Such accomplishments can include club leadership, volunteer work, scholarships, and Dean’s list awards.
Example #1
Good
Four-year member of Pre-Law Club; President in senior year; responsible for planning and running meetings, leading committee work, spearheading club initiatives and events, and liaising with faculty advisors
Bad
Member, Pre-Law Club; President in senior year
Example #2
Good
Volunteer, Habitat for Humanity, 2017 – Present
- Worked with a team of contractors and other professionals to build houses for those in need, at a rate of three per year
- Team leader, 2019-present — responsible for deploying volunteers to tasks that are appropriate for their skills, while working to ensure that the building process goes smoothly for both volunteers and contractors
Bad
Volunteer, Habitat for Humanity, 2017-present; team leader, 2019-present
Proofread and follow instructions
Give the attention to your resume that you would to a court brief or other professional communication. Proofread it carefully and have someone else read it too, if possible, to ensure that you’re not missing anything.
Read the directions carefully before submitting your application materials. Something that might seem like a small mistake or omission to you could be enough to eliminate you from competition in a tough field. You should feel confident that there are absolutely no errors in your final submission.