Law Clerk Resume—Examples, Job Description & Guide

The time has come—you need to state your case. The HR department will judge and rule on your law clerk resume. That’s why it needs to be impeccable. 

Good thing you have an ace up your sleeve! 

In this article:

• A law clerk resume sample that gets jobs.
• How to ace your law clerk job description on a resume.
• How to write a resume for a law clerk that gets the interview.
• Expert tips and examples to boost your chances of landing a law clerk job.

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Law Clerk Resume Sample

Law clerks are the backbone of every law firm or court. They prepare legal documents, conduct legal research and analysis, and compile case materials. The purpose of your law clerk resume is to show you have the legal expertise and organizational skills needed for the job. 

Here’s how to write a law clerk resume:

1. Start With the Right Law Clerk Resume Format

A good court argument has an introduction, main points, and a summary. This structure is easy to follow and lets you logically present the arguments. The same rule holds for a law clerk's resume. How to structure your resume correctly?

Law Clerk Resume Format

• Choose the reverse-chronological format for your resume. 
• Use a professional resume font, for example, Helvetica or Times New Roman. 
• Set your resume margins to one inch on every side. 
• Plan your content to fit everything on one page—that’s the best resume length for law clerk positions. 
• Use these resume sections: header with your contact information, summary, experience, education, skills, and additional. 

One more important thing—save your resume as a PDF file. This will make sure it looks the same on every device and make your application ATS-friendly. The only exception is when the job ad specifically asks for a different format (most commonly .docx—a Word document). 

2. Write a Catchy Law Clerk Resume Objective or Summary

You’re used to summarizing pages and pages of text into one digestible message, so this will be the easy part for you! 

To introduce your experience and catch the reader’s attention, you need to include a resume profile section—a short paragraph at the top of your resume giving the recruiter a quick overview of your application. 

If you already have some experience, write a resume summary that condenses your best achievements into an impactful paragraph. Use this formula:

1. Anadjective (diligent, passionate, detail-oriented)
2. Job title (Law Clerk)
3. Years of experience (1+, 2+)
4. What you have to offer (conduct extensive legal research)
5. Your most impressive 2–3 achievements (legal expertise helped litigation lawyers win over 95% of their cases)

Check out the law clerk resume up top to see an example of a resume summary written according to this formula. 

If you’re writing an entry-level resume and have no work experience to boast of just yet, write a resume objective statement instead. Use the same formula, but focus on your transferable skills from other experience and achievements from school, internships, placements, shadowing, or volunteering. Make sure to show how motivated and enthusiastic you are, too! 

Expert Hint: One of the qualities many legal employers look for is appreciation of the opportunity to work with a specific firm. Make sure you mention the firm to which you’re applying by name in your profile. This shows you care about working with them specifically, not just with anyone.

3. Add Specific Law Clerk Job Description and Skills Sections

The work experience section, is just for showing employers where you worked before, right? Wrong. 

It’s for convincing the recruiter you’re the perfect candidate for this position and that your experience matches their requirements perfectly. And you’ll achieve that by targeting your resume to the job ad, like this:

How to write a job description for a law clerk:

1. Read the job ad. 
2. Highlight the resume keywords—skills, and requirements listed in the ad. 
3. Think about examples where you showcased those skills. 
4. List your top professional achievements using bullet points; use numbers and action words where possible.

What else can you do to distinguish your law clerk resume? Include a tailored skills section! Choose 5–10 of your most relevant skills that are mentioned or hinted at in the job ad. Here’s a list to get you started: 

Law Clerk Resume Skills

• General Law
• Tax Law
• Family Law
• Corporate Law
• Research Skills
• Organizational Skills
• Online Research Tools
• Detail-oriented
• Self-starter
• Interpersonal Skills
• Leadership Skills
• Communication Skills
• Computer Skills
• Critical Thinking Skills
• Time Management Skills

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4. Turn Boring Education into a Reason to Hire You

The education section is a no-brainer. As a law clerk, you must state your degree on your resume. If you’re still studying, as is likely the case, here’s what to include in your education section, in order: 

• The details of your in-progress education: the degree, the name of the institution, and your projected graduation date
• The details of your completed education, like your high school diploma or your previous college degree

If you’ve completed your education for now, limit yourself to the highest completed degree. Also, in the absence of much professional experience, you can beef up your education section to show more of your skills and potential. 

Add bullet points with anything that makes you stand out: extracurricular activities, relevant coursework, projects, academic achievements, and your GPA (but only if it’s 3.7 or higher). 

5. Include Extra Sections on Your Law Clerk Resume

To showcase your human side, add extra sections, for example:

• Additional Activities
• Foreign Languages
• Awards
• Hobbies and Interests
• Volunteering
• Certifications
• Professional References

How can you add a bit of extra information and state your case? Write a cover letter to go with their resume. Many recruiters expect to get to know the candidate better before deciding who to invite for an interview. A cover letter will do the trick.

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Key Points

For a law clerk resume that lands the job:

• Use the right format to highlight your strengths and make your application easy to navigate. 
• Write a compelling resume summary or objective to get the hiring manager hooked. 
• List your proudest achievements from previous jobs. 
• Add a list of the most relevant skills your potential employer is looking for. 
• Attach a cover letter to your resume to showcase your skills and achievements and make a case for your candidature. 

Do you have any questions about how to write a law clerk resume? Or do you have any insider tips and tricks? Leave a comment below. We’d love to chat!

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