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Law Clerk Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
Cameron Malfara
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
123 Bedford Avenue, New York, NY, 12345
A Law Clerk with two years of professional experience specializing in civil law, discovery, memorandums, and attorney-client correspondence. A strong track record of drafting pretrial motions and performing legal research for a variety of cases.
Professional ExperienceLaw Clerk, Law Offices of Adams and Jones, New York, NY
May 2021 – Present
- Perform comprehensive legal research and draft opposition briefs for pending litigations, including summary judgments, motions to dismiss, and motions to discover
- Manage and maintain case documents and confidential client files, including eyewitness accounts, financial statements, and medical documents
- Draft and prepare subpoenas, motions, complaints, and witness lists for civil trials
Law Clerk, Corbin and Brown Legal Associates, New York, NY
May 2020 – May 2021
- Conducted legal research for criminal and civil cases, served as the liaison between clients and attorneys, and drafted correspondence for lead counsel
- Gathered and analyzed case documentation and sensitive client information, created witness lists, and evaluated legal precedents and history
Juris Doctor
Columbia University, New York, NY, September 2016 – May 2020
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Philosophy
Columbia University, New York, NY, September 2012 – May 2016
- Legal Research
- Pretrial Motions
- Litigation
- Civil Cases
- Discovery
How To Write a Law Clerk Resume
Landing a position as a law clerk starts with impressing a hiring manager or recruiter with a strong resume. In a crowded field of talent, making yours stand out is important, so highlight qualifications like performing legal research, drafting briefs, and specializations in specific law areas like pretrial motions. To help you get started, review our strategies and some resume examples to score a law clerk position ruling in your favor.
1. Create a profile by summarizing your law clerk qualifications
The profile section of your resume is your chance to showcase your career highlights, key skills, and areas of expertise to capture the reader’s attention. The most effective approach is to begin with your job title and years of experience and specify a few specializations you can bring to the role.
For example, if you are especially strong in analyzing data or with attorney-client correspondence, mention that – especially if it aligns with your desired role. If you’ve done work for a notable attorney or government office, those facts could also help you stand out.
Profile - Example #1
A Law Clerk with two years of legal experience specializing in federal law, legal research, pretrial motions, and data analysis. A proven history of delivering valuable legal support to lawyers and judges during civil suits and trial cases.
Profile - Example #2
A Law Clerk with two years of professional experience specializing in civil law, discovery, memorandums, and attorney-client correspondence. A strong track record of drafting pretrial motions and performing legal research for a variety of cases.
2. Create a powerful list of your law clerk experience
The experience section of your resume is where you can share the details of your background, but do your best to make each bullet point accomplishment-driven. Show the hiring employer how you’ve excelled in past positions when faced with various job responsibilities rather than just listing your duties.
For law clerks, highlight your meticulous attention to detail in research, the ability to draft various law documents such as subpoenas, and keeping case files and documents organized – and how those skills contributed to a law team’s success.
Professional Experience Example #1
Law Clerk, Judge Denise Roberts, Philadelphia, PA
May 2021 – Present
- Perform research on areas of law across the federal, state, and local levels, review facts in evidence, and provide references on laws and decisions material for legal determinations
- Deliver legal support for proceedings, pretrial conferences, motion sessions, and trials
- Attend court sessions to hear oral arguments and record necessary case information
Professional Experience Example #2
Law Clerk, Law Offices of Adams and Jones, New York, NY
May 2021 – Present
- Perform comprehensive legal research and draft opposition briefs for pending litigations, including summary judgments, motions to dismiss, and motions to discover
- Manage and maintain case documents and confidential client files, including eyewitness accounts, financial statements, and medical documents
- Draft and prepare subpoenas, motions, complaints, and witness lists for civil trials
3. List any education and certifications relevant to law clerks
For jobs as a law clerk, it’s also important to include details of your educational background as most jobs require an advanced degree. List both your bachelor’s and Juris Doctor degrees so the employer knows you meet their qualifications.
Education
Template
- [Degree Name]
- [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Year]
Example
- Juris Doctor
- Columbia University, New York, NY, September 2016 – May 2020
- Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Philosophy
- Columbia University, New York, NY, September 2012 – May 2016
4. Make a list of your law clerk-related skills and proficiencies
Listing your relevant professional skills is not only important so the employer knows you have the right attributes for the job, but it’s also necessary to get past applicant tracking systems (ATS). These databases scan for keywords to help hiring teams filter out the candidates that best match their job descriptions. Study job postings carefully to see what employers are seeking, and think about some of the important tasks you’ve done that make you a strong law clerk candidate. Here’s a list of key skills you might consider adding to your law clerk resume:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Attorney-client correspondence | Civil law |
| Client relations | Communication |
| Corporate law | Criminal law |
| Data analysis | Discovery |
| Federal law | Legal correspondence |
| Legal research | Legal support |
| Legal writing | Liability |
| Litigation | Memorandum |
| Personal injury law | Pretrial motions |
| State law | Trade law |
5. Feature specific types of cases
Although it is important never to disclose confidential details regarding cases while crafting your resume, you can paint a picture of the types of cases you worked on as a law clerk. Talking about your experience is appropriate if you aren’t disclosing specific details about an individual case. Notice how the job seeker mentions they worked on multi-million-dollar cases without disclosing explicit information regarding any individual clients. This will establish a sense of scope for prospective employers without breaching non-disclosure agreements (NDAs):
- Deliver legal support to two attorneys during pretrial motions and discovery for multi-million-dollar property, civil, and personal injury cases
How To Pick the Best Law Clerk Resume Template
The law field is still a fairly conservative profession, so avoid submitting an overly flashy resume with heavy graphics or colors. Present yourself professionally with a clean, crisp look that focuses on substance over distracting formatting. Look for templates that emphasize your career highlights and achievements but are easy to read with clear sections.
Frequently Asked Questions: Law Clerk Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for law clerk resumes?-
Avoid sounding bland or cliche when writing the experience section of a resume. That’s where a good set of action verbs comes in. To help you make your resume more compelling, we put together a list of common action verbs to describe your law clerk roles.
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Analyzed | Assessed |
| Collaborated | Conducted |
| Coordinated | Delivered |
| Determined | Drafted |
| Evaluated | Examined |
| Executed | Identified |
| Maintained | Managed |
| Oversaw | Performed |
| Provided | Researched |
| Supported | Wrote |
How do you align your resume with a law clerk job description?-
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate the average annual salary for legal clerks was $66,310 in 2022. Because law clerk positions are an important stepping stone on your path to becoming a lawyer, there is plenty of competition. To differentiate yourself from the crowded field of applicants, you must align your resume with the job description by incorporating key aspects that match the organization’s needs.
For example, suppose you’re applying for a law clerk position with a law firm specializing in personal injury or civil law. In this situation, highlight your knowledge of liability concerning these types of cases. If you’re applying for a position as a judicial law clerk, mention any experience you have with judges and opposing counsel during trials. By tailoring your resume towards individual job opportunities, you’ll significantly increase your chances of landing the interview.
What is the best law clerk resume format?-
Traditional fields call for traditionally styled resumes. For law clerks, it’s best to stick with a reverse chronological format, the most popular overall. It is the most familiar to the hiring manager and is easy for you to construct. If you lack hands-on experience within the legal field, a combination approach may be warranted, as this allows you to emphasize skills, academic experience, certifications, and formal training above your work history.
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In such a writing-heavy position as a law clerk, you will be expected to include a corresponding cover letter with your resume. To help give you some ideas on what you can include in yours, start with our cover letter examples for lawyers and paralegals. These guides can give you a sense of the information you can highlight in your letter.
