What should a legal CV look like?

Apr 05, 2022

Written By Dana Drozina

Although many firms are steering away from hiring on the basis of a CV alone, having an updated version is still sensible. Your CV is a personal advertisement highlighting your skills and accomplishments, and can bring you one step closer to an interview, so let’s look at what your legal CV should look like.

There are numerous ways in which you can write your legal CV. Remember to think about what you can do to communicate the most important information about yourself quickly, easily, and logically. Recruiters will be grateful if a legal CV is easy to read and allows them to grasp the key information in less than a minute, so try to limit your CV to two pages at a maximum.

In addition to using a well-thought-out layout and appropriate formatting, following the structure and tips below might also help you write an effective legal CV.

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Start with a header

Stick your full name in large bold face type at the top of your CV,adding your current address, phone number and email address below your name. Avoid embarrassing email addresses at all costs.

If you feel like you’re using up too much space, feel free to put all contact information on a single line.

Education section

List your education in a reverse chronological order. It is imperative that you include your school’s name and location, any degrees received and dates of (anticipated) graduation.

If you are a recent graduate looking for your first legal job, it is a good idea to include your A-level results tool, since employers often want to know about them. You may also list all scholarships and academic awards you received as a student in this section.

Tip: If you are an international student, you may state your IB results, as many employers (particularly international law firms) are familiar with them.

Positions of responsibility

Is there a student society or activity at university which you helped to run, or were especially involved in? If so, mention it in a separate section reserved for your positions of responsibility.

State your title, summarise your duties, and state when and for how long you held that position.

Experience section

As in the education section, use reverse chronology here. List the name and location of the employer, your title, and the dates of employment. Below that, describe your duties.

In the descriptions, focus on highlighting our responsibilities and the skills you developed. Be as concise and clear as possible. It will help if you begin all descriptions with an action verb, such as “achieved”, ‘devised” or “negotiated”. This will help your descriptions not only look clearer but also more uniform. Finally, avoid puffery.

Word of caution: If you are contemplating whether to include an experience, ask yourself if the experience demonstrates transferable skills, personal qualities and knowledge relevant to the potential employer. For example, if you decide to include non-legal experience, try to highlight the skills that are transferable to law practice.

It is important to remember that all experience can be relevant if you present it in a way which highlights how it has helped develop skills that the potential employer is looking for.

Check this list for transferrable skills and qualities that legal employers most often like to see in CVs:

Research skills

Analytical skills

Writing skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Ability to prioritise

Ability to work under pressure

Team player

Fast learner

Attention to detail

Enthusiasm

Initiative

Pro bono/volunteering section

Pro bono work and volunteering experience says a lot about a candidate. It is your call whether to include them in the previous or in a separate section. In any case, follow the same structure as in the experience section.

Other information

This section will inevitably look different to the next candidate’s. Here, you have the most freedom regarding what to include, from other skills to relevant hobbies and interests.

A popular skill to include in this section is languages. If you include languages, it is a good idea to also state your level of fluency. If you have any certifications, add those too.

Traditionally, people have also included computer skills in this section, but today’s recruiters assume a certain level of computer literacy so the space on your CV might be better used for other information If you have any hobbies or interests that make you stand out from the crowd, include them here: you will be surprised how many times these will spark a conversation during an interview.

That said, do not forget that you can be asked to discuss anything on your legal CV during an interview, from education to volunteering, so make sure you are prepared for questions on the entire document.

Finally, remember that the main purpose of your legal CV is to highlight your strongest selling points. As someone who wants to work in the legal profession, your CV should demonstrate your impeccable written communication skills. Once it’s written, make sure you proofread as many times as necessary to eliminate all mistakes.

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