Your law school resume is a snapshot of your journey. It will be the summary of your accomplishments, qualifications, and potential that you can present to admissions committees to help them understand why you are prepared to succeed in law school and beyond.
With the right structure and content, your resume can set you apart from other applicants. It complements your personal statement and provides a compelling narrative of your achievements. Let me guide you through crafting a resume that highlights your strengths and aligns with the expectations of admissions committees. This is where my expertise as a law school application consultant ensures your application shines brightly by showing the best of you.
Why Write a Law School Resume
Your resume serves as more than a simple list of your education and work history. It is a way for you to share your experiences and accomplishments in your law school application. Admissions committees use it as a reference to evaluate your readiness for law school. In my years of law school consulting, I’ve seen how a strong resume can make a significant difference in your application.
Role in Your Overall Application
Your law school resume works hand-in-hand with other components of your application. It supports your personal statement, which gives specific illustrations of your skills and experiences. For instance, if your statement discusses your passion for advocacy, your resume should include experiences that highlight this commitment. Together, these elements create a cohesive narrative about your readiness for law school. This is why I emphasize a tailored approach in law school application consulting sessions with my clients.
What to Include in Your Law School Resume and Why It Matters
Key Elements to Include
1. Education
List your degrees, academic honors, and any relevant coursework. Include details such as your GPA, the title of your thesis (if applicable), and study abroad experiences. Admissions committees pay close attention to your academic achievements because they indicate your ability to succeed in a rigorous law school environment. I always stress this point in my law school application consulting services.
2. Professional Experience
Include internships, jobs, and volunteer work that demonstrate transferable skills like research, analysis, and communication. Be specific about your accomplishments—quantify them when possible. For instance, instead of saying, “Assisted in legal research,” say, “Conducted legal research on 20+ cases, resulting in comprehensive reports used by attorneys.” This level of detail is something I emphasize in my law school application help session.
3. Leadership & Extracurricular Activities
Highlight your leadership roles in student organizations, clubs, or community service initiatives. Law schools value candidates who can balance academics with extracurricular responsibilities and demonstrate initiative. Through my years of law school consulting, I’ve learned how critical this section can be.
4. Skills & Certifications
Add any relevant skills, such as foreign language proficiency, legal research tools, or LexisNexis, to name a few. Certifications, like paralegal training, can also set you apart. My law school application help often includes refining this section to stand out to admissions committees.
5. Awards & Recognition
Showcase awards or scholarships you’ve received. These highlight your commitment to excellence and distinguish you as a high-performing candidate. This is an area where law school consulting can provide invaluable insights.
Additional Elements to Include:
- Schools attended (post-high school), major/minor/certificate information, grades (overall and/or by major, or last two years if trying to show an upward trend).
- Honors, honor societies, scholarships, and awards.
- Thesis topic.
- Publications.
- Employment (post-high school) and internships.
- Activities, both during and after college, including volunteer and community service, and political endeavors.
- Skills, including language skills, computer programming, etc.
- Interests, including significant artistic or athletic accomplishments.
Why Each Section Matters
Each section of your resume serves a purpose. Education demonstrates your academic foundation; professional experience shows your practical readiness and leadership activities highlight your ability to contribute to the law school community. Together, they create a well-rounded picture of your qualifications. As a law school consultant, I focus on helping applicants structure their resumes to maximize their impact.
Basic Rules of Resume Writing
Writing a resume is actually an undertaking that requires full attention to minute details and an adherence to several key principles:
- Avoid referring to yourself in the first person. For example, instead of saying, “I studied piano for 7 years,” write, “Studied piano for 7 years.”
- Use action words at the beginning of your descriptions. For instance, replace “Phone calls, files, and paperwork” with “Answered phone calls; filed and completed paperwork.”
- Use past tense to describe things you did in the past and present tense for current duties. If some duties were in the past and others are ongoing, adjust the tense accordingly.
- It’s okay to go onto a second page if it’s due to substance and not template design. However, a third page is almost never appropriate.
- Do not include high school. Your high school accomplishments helped you get into college, but now you need to emphasize your post-high school achievements. Even notable achievements like being valedictorian or an Eagle Scout should generally be left off unless they add context to later accomplishments, such as participating in national-level athletic competitions or professional symphonies at a young age.
If you want more details about resume-writing strategies, check out my book. My expertise as a law school application consultant has allowed me to provide practical advice to countless applicants.
What NOT to Include on Your Resume
You may have noticed some commonly used resume headings missing from my list: Summary of Qualifications, Objectives, and Relevant Coursework. Here’s why:
Summary of Qualifications:
Only include this if you have been working for ten years or more in multiple positions and are trying to pull together experiences that seem unrelated. For example, if you’re explaining how you’ve managed budgets and employees in both the pharmaceutical and public relations industries, a summary can provide context. However, it should include concrete statements of fact rather than generalities like “Extensive history of providing excellent customer service.” Such statements read as fluff unless supported by facts.
Objectives:
Your objective is to get into the law school you are applying to. That’s it. Instead of using space for an objectives section, use your resume to account for your time, activities, and accomplishments.
Relevant Coursework:
Your transcripts are already attached to your application. Nearly all courses are “relevant” to law school since the law interacts with everything from engineering to international relations to art. If you want to highlight specific courses because your major was unrelated to law, mention them in your personal statement or through a letter of recommendation.
Additionally, listing graduate-level coursework in fields like math can indirectly explain a lower GPA if it’s not obvious from your transcripts.
If you want more details about what to exclude or include in your resume, check out my book – The Law School Admission Game: Play Like an Expert. This is part of the personalized guidance I provide as a law school application consultant.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Overloading with Irrelevant Details
One common mistake is including too much information. Admissions committees are interested in what makes you a strong candidate for law school, not a comprehensive history of every job you’ve ever had. Focus on experiences that align with the skills and qualities law schools value. As a law school consultant, I help applicants identify what truly matters.
2. Inconsistent Formatting
A clean, professional layout is essential. Use consistent fonts, headings, and spacing throughout your resume. An inconsistent format can make your resume look unpolished. This is something I always emphasize during law school application consulting sessions.
3. Failure to Quantify Achievements
Numbers add credibility. Instead of saying, “Organized events,” specify, “Planned and executed three campus events with attendance of over 200 students each.” Quantifying your accomplishments shows the impact of your efforts.
How I Can Help You Craft the Perfect Resume
Expert Guidance
With over two decades of experience in law school consulting, I’ve helped countless applicants transform their resumes into compelling pieces of their applications. I understand what admissions committees are looking for and can provide tailored advice to highlight your strengths. My law school application helps ensure that your resume reflects your best qualifications.
Personalized Support
I offer one-on-one consulting to ensure your resume aligns with your personal statement and broader application goals. Whether it’s identifying experiences to highlight or refining your formatting, I’m here to help every step of the way. As a law school consultant, my goal is to make your application as strong as possible.
Conclusion
Creating a strong and structured resume is a vital part of your law school application. It is your opportunity to present your academic achievements, professional experiences, and leadership skills in a way that showcases your potential. As a seasoned professional in law school application consulting, I am here to guide you in crafting a resume that aligns seamlessly with your personal statement and overall application, helping you stand out to admissions committees.
Take the first step toward success today. Contact me at Law School Expert to receive personalized expert advice and ensure your application opens the door to your dream law school.
