Law Career Services Presents:

Resume & Cover Letter

Writing Workshop
November 2007
Resume Introduction
 Your legal resume is your personal
marketing tool.

 It provides a snapshot of your

professional and educational
experiences. (It should not list
every job you have ever worked)
30 Seconds!!!
 Most employers spend about 30
seconds scanning a resume, so it
must be error free, pleasing to the
eye and concise.
Resume Guidelines
 The legal community is conservative and
legal employers expect to see a
traditional legal resume.
 For example, an eye-catching resume you
prepared to market yourself in the advertising
field would be ineffective when sent to a legal
employer.
 It may be desirable to create more than
one legal resume depending on the types
of employment you are seeking.
Length: One Page
 A law student’s resume should be
restricted to one-page unless the
student’s relevant experiences and
accomplishments warrant
continuation onto a second page.

 More is not always better.

Style
 Select an easy-to-read typeface. Avoid
using a font that looks like you typed your
resume on a typewriter (like Courier),
script, ornate, or overly decorative styles.

Times New Roman,
Commonly Used:
Book Antiqua, Ariel.
 Use capital letters, large and small caps,
bold or italicized typefaces for sections, to
add interest and enhance readability.
Type of Paper
 Use white, ivory, or pale cream
resume paper. Pastels, patterns,
bright colors and pictures are
unacceptable.
 The paper for the resume, cover
letter and reference page should all
match.
 Your writing sample does not need to
be printed on resume paper.
Content of a Traditional Legal Resume
 Identity and Contact Information
 Education
 Experience
 Things that May be Included:
 Skills
 Interests
 Community Involvement
 Licenses
 Military Experience
Identity and Contact Information
 On your resume, include your name,
current address, email and a
telephone number where an employer
may reach you or leave a message.

 A permanent address may be included

along with your current address if you
wish to show ties to the geographic area
of an employer with whom you are
applying.
Mary A. Smith
Current Address: Permanent Address:
123 Elm 4356 Arbor Ct.
Toledo, OH 43606 Columbus, OH 43083
419-902-4873
msmith@utoledo.edu
Objective

This section should be omitted for

97% of all law students. The only
times an “objective” is
recommended on a legal resume is
when the individual is pursuing a
second, totally disparate career.
Education
 The law school resume typically
begins with the Education Section
(whereas the resume of an alumnus
often begins with the Experience
Section).

 Everything in Reverse Chronological

Order (i.e. most recent first)
Education: Should Include….
The name of the school, city and
state where the school is located,
your degree, and the date your
degree will be completed.

The University of Toledo College of Law, Toledo, OH

Juris Doctor Anticipated, May 2010
Education: Academic Performance
 Law school grades can be central
hiring criteria for many legal
employers. (especially large firms)

 The presumption is that your GPA is

less than a 3.0 unless it appears on
your resume.
Education Issue 1: Low Grades
 If you have less than a 3.0, anticipate
that you will be questioned about your
grades, and take the time to formulate a
positive response:
 For example: “Although Civil Procedure has
been a difficult class for me, as evidenced by
my first semester grade, I have put in extra
time and work this semester and anticipate a
positive final result in the course.”
Education Issue 2: Transfers
 If you attended more than one
undergraduate institution (or law
school), we suggest the following:

The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH

Bachelor of Arts, May 2007

Owens Community College, Toledo, OH

Completed 30 credit hours toward Bachelor’s degree.
Education: Honors & Activities
 List honors and activities under the school
to which they relate.
 Honors include academic achievements,
such as graduating cum laude,
scholarships, awards, moot court, trial
team and any other club participation.
 The activities section demonstrates your
interest, leadership potential, and “well
roundedness”.
Example: Education Section

The University of Toledo College of Law, Toledo, OH

Juris Doctor Anticipated, May 2010
3.24 GPA
• Honors: Dean’s List, Fall 2007

• Activities: Public Interest Law Association (PILA),

Environmental Law Society
Experience: Should Include…
 The name of the employer, city
and state, your title, dates of
involvement and a description of
the areas of responsibility.

Legal Aid of Western Ohio, Toledo, OH

Volunteer Intake Clerk, Summer 2007
 Screened individuals at walk-in clinic.

 Conducted intake for new clients by assessing needs

and making referrals to appropriate agencies.
Experience: Transferable Skills
 Identify transferable skills that
highlight "lawyerly" experiences &
responsibilities.
 Stress tasks and responsibilities
that relate to the position you are
seeking.
 Use action words to describe skills
gained from previous employment.
Skills Legal Employers Desire:
 Ability to Communicate
 Ability to Handle Conflict
 Leadership Skills
 Willingness to Accept Responsibility
 High Energy Level
 Interpersonal Skills
 Flexibility
 Intelligence
Experience Issue 1: Non-Legal Job
 If you have no legal experience, you
are not alone.
 Emphasize traits legal employers
desire.
 Use Action Words in your descriptions.
 Instead of “Responsible for managing
client files for Medical Office” (Passive),
write “Managed client files” (Active).
I work as a Bartender….how do I make
that relevant to a legal employer?????

 Instead of:
 “Mixed and served beverages”

 Try:
 “Anticipatedcustomer needs,
communicated effectively with clientele,
and resolved pressing situations in a
responsible manner.”
Skills
 Include skills that may be of
interest to a potential employer.
 Technical writing
 Language Proficiency

 Specialized computer skills (not word

processing skills or legal databases
such as Westlaw or Lexis unless
certified)
 Business/Accounting Background
Skills: Language Skills
 If language is particularly important
to the employer, a separate
category called Language Skills may
work best for you.
 If you list a language be specific
about your proficiency such as
fluent in Spanish, conversant in
French, read and write Latin,
translate Chinese.
Interests
 The Interest section enables
candidates to demonstrate that they
are well-rounded and have interests
valued by an employer.
 Can be perceived as assets in
networking or business development as
well as good conversation starter.
 Utilize as space allows.
Community Involvement
 Demonstrated commitment to public
service is very important to public interest
employers and a plus to many others.

 Extensive volunteer work that

demonstrates transferable skills may be
described under Experience or in a
Community Involvement/Service Section.
 List the name of the organization, your title
and tenure.
Licenses
 List professional licenses and
certificates, such as RN, Certified
Financial Planner, Professional
Engineer, CPA or Real Estate
Broker.
 List legal and non-legal affiliations,
including the name of the
organization and state of issuance.
Military Experience
 Some government employers give
preference to veterans, so listing
service involvement is a plus.
 **Note: If military experience includes
transferable skills, such as research,
journalism, management etc., it should
most likely appear in the Experience
section.
References
 It is an ineffective use of valuable
space to include the phrase,
"References or Writing Samples
Available Upon Request.”
 You should provide your “References”
on a separate sheet of paper that has
the same heading as your resume.
 Reference Norms: who, how many…
Cover Letter Introduction
 The cover letter is a written introduction
to your resume, professional
characteristics and attributes, enabling
you to elaborate on your most relevant
skills and explain your interest in the
position.
 A cover letter should accompany every
resume you send out unless the employer
specifically requests otherwise.
Cover Letter Content
 Salutation
 Introductory Paragraph
 Second Paragraph: Why Them
 Third Paragraph: Why Me
 Closing
Salutation
• Make your cover letter personal.
• A cover letter should not be addressed
to a generic entity such as “Hiring
Partner” or “To Whom it May
Concern”.
• Instead, call the firm or entity and
ask to whom you should send your
application materials.
Introductory Paragraph
 If you have a connection to the
employer, identify the connection in
your opening sentence.
 “At the request of Professor Davis, Professor
of Law at The University of Toledo College of
Law, I am writing to……..”
 State your intent.
 “I am writing to submit my resume for the
purpose of obtaining a Summer Associate
position with…….”
 Introduce yourself briefly.
Second Paragraph: “Why Them”
 Express your familiarity with the
employer and identify reasons you
are applying for employment.
 Draw attention to qualities you
possess or experiences that you
have had that would make you an
asset to the employer.
 Identify any geographic connection
you have to the employer.
Geographic Connections
 Acceptable Connections:
 Home State (resume should indicate a
permanent address in the state)
 Family in the area
 Spent time in the area and/or have detailed
knowledge of the area
 Unacceptable Connections:
 Girlfriend/Boyfriend in the area
 It would be a “cool” place to live
 No demonstrated knowledge of the area
Third Paragraph: “Why Me”
 Highlight relevant work experience
and/or coursework and demonstrate
how your specific experiences
translate into transferable skills which
will be of use to the employer.
 “My experience in various legal settings,
including the Securities and Exchange
Commission and the U.S. District Court, has
provided me with a broad understanding of
federal litigation which will be particularly
useful to your Litigation Team.”
 Demonstrate why you are the best
applicant for the position.
Closing Paragraph
 Close the letter and thank the reader for
their time.
 “I would be pleased to have the opportunity to
interview with you for ___ position. Thank you
for your consideration.”
 Let the employer know that you intend to
follow-up with them.
 “I will be calling within the next two weeks to
ensure your receipt of these materials and to
discuss the possibility of arranging an
interview.”
Cover Letter: Final Pointers
• Your cover letter should provide a
brief highlight of your qualifications
and accomplishments.
• It should never be longer than one
page.
• Be brief, get to the point, and then
move on.
Cover Letter: Final Pointers
• Reference language used by the
employer in the position description in
your cover letter. Give the employer
exactly what they are looking for.
• For instance, if the firm has indicated that
it seeks someone with litigation
experience, make sure you specifically
mention your litigation experience and/or
training.
Cover Letter: Final Pointers
 A cover letter allows you the opportunity
to showcase your writing & editing skills.
 It is judged as your first writing sample.
 Throughout the typical law firm hiring
process, a cover letter may be reviewed
by several members of the firm, as well as
by pre-screeners and human resources
staff. Any errors will be found and will
undoubtedly work against you.
Thanks For Coming!

 Any Questions???