Resume

Making a Great First Impression

Your resume is one of the most important documents you will draft during law school. It and the accompanying cover letter may be your only written work the prospective employer sees. They are likely to be your only chance at making a good first impression and should reflect a certain amount of individuality.

As you work on your resume and cover letter, remember that their purpose is to:

• Help you get an interview.
• Guide the interviewer through your personal, educational and professional qualifications.
• Help the interviewer remember you once you walk out the door.

Creating a résumé that highlights your skills and abilities is the key to getting an interview. However, distilling years of education and experience into one cohesive document can be difficult. For step-by-step information on how to build your résumé, click on our Résumé Workshop webinar, then take a look at our Résumé Resources for more information.

Finding work in the public interest or public service area of the law requires a different focus in both cover letters and résumés. Click on our Public Interest Workshop webinar for help in tailoring your application materials.

Resume Resources

The Do's and Don'ts of Drafting a Resume (pdf)
How to draft the legal resume (pdf)
Use Action Words, Not Passive Words (pdf)

Sample Resume 1 (pdf)
Sample Resume 2 (pdf)
Sample Resume 3 (pdf)

Recent-graduate Resume (pdf)
Graduate Resume (pdf)

Resume for a Public Interest Position (pdf)
Law Firm Resume (pdf)
Trial Level Court Resume (pdf)
U.S. Supreme Court Clerkship Resume (pdf)

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