What should a lawyer resume include?

Include bar admissions with jurisdiction and year, practice areas, case types and outcomes, legal tools (Westlaw, LexisNexis), education (JD, honors, journal), and clerkships.

Should I include bar admission on my lawyer resume?

Yes — mandatory. Format: 'Admitted to New York State Bar, 2021 (Reg. #123456); U.S. District Court, S.D.N.Y. & E.D.N.Y.' List pending admission as 'Admission pending, sitting July 2026'.

How long should a lawyer resume be?

One page for early-career, two pages for associates with 5+ years and published opinions. Partners/experienced can use two pages with representative matters.

Resume example · 2026 · Free template

Lawyer Resume Example

Copy-paste lawyer resume example you can customize in 5 minutes. ATS-optimized single-column layout, skills hiring managers scan for, and bullets with metrics that beat the parser. Free to use with any FreeResume.me template — no watermark, no paywall.

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Sample resume snippet — lawyer

[Your Name] — lawyer

City, State · email@example.com · LinkedIn · Phone

Summary

Build a lawyer resume that showcases your bar admission, case experience, and client outcomes. Our ATS-optimized templates highlight your practice areas and billable impact — built…

Skills

Bar admission (state & federal) · Legal research (Westlaw, LexisNexis) · Litigation & trial preparation · Contract drafting & negotiation · Client counseling & advocacy · Case management

Experience — sample bullets

• List bar admission exactly: 'Admitted NY Bar #123456, 2021; SDNY/EDNY'.
• Quantify: 'Managed 35 active litigation matters, $2.4M in dispute, 92% favorable outcomes'.
• Show research tools: Westlaw vs LexisNexis.

Full builder includes live preview, all sections, and 10 templates. Switch templates without re-entering data.

Key skills for lawyers

Copy these skills into your Skills section to pass ATS filters:

✓Bar admission (state & federal)
✓Legal research (Westlaw, LexisNexis)
✓Litigation & trial preparation
✓Contract drafting & negotiation
✓Client counseling & advocacy
✓Case management
✓Legal writing & briefs
✓Regulatory compliance
✓Negotiation & mediation
✓Pro bono & community service

How to customize this example

1List bar admission exactly: 'Admitted NY Bar #123456, 2021; SDNY/EDNY'.
2Quantify: 'Managed 35 active litigation matters, $2.4M in dispute, 92% favorable outcomes'.
3Show research tools: Westlaw vs LexisNexis.
4Include pro bono hours and clinic experience.
5Mirror legal keywords from JD via ATS checker.

Before you apply, use our free ATS resume scanner to check your resume against the job description and find missing keywords — completely free, no account required.

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Compare builder vs example: Build a lawyer resume → vs this example. Both use the same ATS-safe templates.

Frequently asked questions

What should a lawyer resume include?: Include bar admissions with jurisdiction and year, practice areas, case types and outcomes, legal tools (Westlaw, LexisNexis), education (JD, honors, journal), and clerkships.
Should I include bar admission on my lawyer resume?: Yes — mandatory. Format: 'Admitted to New York State Bar, 2021 (Reg. #123456); U.S. District Court, S.D.N.Y. & E.D.N.Y.' List pending admission as 'Admission pending, sitting July 2026'.
How long should a lawyer resume be?: One page for early-career, two pages for associates with 5+ years and published opinions. Partners/experienced can use two pages with representative matters.

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