Lawyer CV Example and Writing Guide

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When applying to law firms or in-house legal positions, your CV needs to clearly demonstrate both your academic background and your practical legal experience. Recruiters in this field look for specific details that set a strong lawyer CV apart.

Bar Admission and Licensing

Alongside standard contact details, your bar admission status (and jurisdiction, if relevant) is one of the first things reviewers look for. State this clearly near the top of your CV, either in your summary or as a dedicated line.

Order Your Education Section Correctly

List your law degree, and any LLM or further qualifications, from most recent to oldest. If you completed a clerkship or articling period, include it here or in a separate "Training" section.

Highlight Your Practice Area in the Experience Section

Instead of a generic "lawyer" title, clearly state which areas of law you specialize in (corporate, employment, criminal, real estate, family law, etc.). Back up your experience with concrete numbers - caseload, hearings attended, or matters handled.

Example: "Represented clients in commercial disputes for 3 years, managing a caseload of 50+ matters."
Example: "Drafted and reviewed contracts as part of a corporate law practice."

What to Include in the Skills Section

Alongside legal research, contract drafting, negotiation and case management, technical skills like e-discovery or case management software are worth including - they catch a recruiter's eye.

Certifications and Further Training

Mediation certifications, specialized legal training, or continuing legal education (CLE) credits deserve their own section on your CV.

What to Include in a Lawyer CV

Contact details
Qualification and admission (for example solicitor or barrister in England and Wales, or the state bar you are admitted to in the US)
A short professional summary with your practice areas
Legal experience: firm or organisation, practice area, the type of matters you worked on and your role
Education, including law school and professional training
Legal research tools and languages
Publications, moots or pro bono work, if relevant

State Your Admission Clearly

Legal employers first check whether you can practise. In England and Wales, say whether you are a solicitor (regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority) or a barrister (called to the Bar). In the United States, list each state bar you are admitted to. Trainees and students can give an expected admission date.

Example Experience Bullet Points

Example: “Drafted and negotiated commercial contracts for clients in the technology sector.”
Example: “Conducted legal research and prepared memos on employment law questions for partners.”
Example: “Prepared court bundles and witness statements in civil litigation matters.”
Example: “Supported due diligence on company acquisitions, reviewing corporate and employment documents.”

Confidentiality on Your CV

Describe the type of matter, the sector and your role rather than naming clients. Only name a client or case if it is already public and your employer allows it.

Common Mistakes

Typos and inconsistent formatting. Legal employers read CVs as a sample of your attention to detail.
Vague lines such as “handled cases” with no practice area or role.
Revealing confidential client information.
Leaving your admission status unclear.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I name clients on my legal CV?

Usually not. Describe the sector and type of work instead, unless the matter is public and your employer has agreed.

How long should a lawyer CV be?

Two pages is a common length for qualified lawyers; one page is often enough for students and trainees. Follow any limit the employer sets.

What should a law student put on a CV?

Your degree and grades, legal work experience or vacation schemes, moots, pro bono work, and skills such as research and drafting.

Should I list legal research tools?

Yes, briefly. Name the databases you have used, for example Westlaw or LexisNexis.

Conclusion

Clarity, concrete examples, and a clearly stated practice area are what make a lawyer CV stand out. Click the button below to start filling in a free CV template based on these tips.

Filled-In Example CV

A sample CV filled in for a Lawyer position, following the tips above. You can fill in your own information the same way. All names and companies are fictional, and the portrait in the photo version was generated with AI and does not show a real person. Adding a photo is optional and customs differ by country.

Filled-in example CV for Lawyer (with photo) — With photo

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