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Law School Resume—A 2024 Guide With Examples, 25+ Writing Tips, and Expert Template

A good law school resume has to show you’re so much more than just a student with a big dream. Use this resume example to prove you’ll finish the paper chase in style.

Tom Gerencer
Tom Gerencer
Career Expert
Law School Resume—A 2024 Guide With Examples, 25+ Writing Tips, and Expert Template

You’ve got the burden of proof. Your law school resume must show you nailed your bachelor’s degree. It also has to show your character. A high GPA and LSAT scores are not enough. With enough personal and academic wins, you’ll turn heads like David Boies.

In this guide you'll find:

  • Law school resume examples better than most.
  • How to write a law school resume that proves your claims.
  • How to draft the perfect education section in a law school application resume.
  • The best law school resume tips for highlighting your skills and achievements.

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Are you writing a resume to use after law school? See our guides:

Writing a general college application resume? See these guides:

Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our Professional Resume Examples.

Law School Resume Example You Can Copy and Use

Cara Chicote

Doctor of Jurisprudence Candidate

Personal Info

Phone: 626-496-0233

Email: carazchicote@gmail.com

linkedin.com/in/carazchicote

twitter.com/carazchicote

Summary

Hard-working Doctor of Jurisprudence candidate with BS in Business Administration. Seeking to excel at Concord Law School. Skilled in accounting and technical writing. Created own paid file clerk internship at Stout & Love Law. Performed legal research for 5 cases involving foreclosures and bankruptcies. As BSA Eagle Scout, built school for disabled in Bhutan.

LSAT Score

2019

LSAT Score: 172

Education

BS Business Administration, National University

2015–2019

  • GPA 3.9
  • Minor in Accounting.
  • Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society.
  • Marsha Klenecky Award for Academic Excellence.
  • President, Intramural Ultimate Frisbee League.
  • Conducted Senior Business Project that Earned $7,500.

Professional Experience

File Clerk Summer Internship

Stout & Love

2019

  • Created and received unadvertised, unpaid legal file clerk position. Transitioned to a paid title in 2 weeks based on performance.
  • Performed legal research and wrote findings for cases involving IRS audits and investigations bankruptcies, and foreclosures.
  • Investigated facts for 3 successful cases.

Bookkeeper

Paulette Electric

2018–2019

  • Set up QuickBooks accounting for small electrical contractor.
  • Slashed past-due accounts 14% through automated notifications.
  • Worked directly with 30+ clients to ensure 95% satisfaction rate. 

The Pickled Clam

Server

  • Maintained 99% positive client scores in upscale bar.

Volunteer Work 

  • Volunteer bookkeeper, Jackson Street Animal Shelter.
  • Set up new donation processing system that saved $10,000.

Eagle Scout, BSA

  • Eagle Project - built a school for disabled children in Bhutan.
  • Led 35+ Scouts in 30+ day hikes and camp-outs.

Publications

  • Article on reading 10x more books published in Ms. JD.
  • Article on conflict resolution published in The Careerist.

Hard Skills: Accounting, technical writing, research

Soft Skills: Interpersonal skills, communication, collaboration, critical thinking, self-motivation

Here’s how to write a law school resume that gets to “yes”:

1. Use a Respected Law School Resume Format

You want in. The first step? Show you can follow the rules and make your resume format shine. A poorly-formatted law school resume will impeach your professionalism. To fix that, write a reverse-chronological resume.

Law School Resume Format

Expert Hint: Your LSAT score matters on a law school application resume. The top 25 law schools want scores above 160. Take a free version of the test first to boost your score.

2. Write a Law School Resume Objective or Summary

Bad news. The Dean of Admissions won’t read your law school resume. First readers will. Catch their eye, or the Dean won’t know you exist. Grab them with a winning resume objective. That’s a fast paragraph with your best exhibits.

Use:

  1. An adjective (hard-working, resourceful)
  2. “Doctor of Jurisprudence Candidate”
  3. Your goal (excel at Concord Law School)
  4. Best achievements (created own paid file clerk internship...)
  5. Some key skills (research, technical writing...)

Oh yeah—write it last to nuke your stress. It's easier to create a resume profile once the rest of your law school resume is already done.

Let these law school resume examples brief you:

Law School Resume Example—Objective

Good Example
Hard-working Doctor of Jurisprudence candidate with BS in Business Administration. Seeking to excel at Concord Law School. Skilled in accounting and technical writing. Created own paid file clerk internship at Stout & Love Law. Performed legal research for 5 cases involving foreclosures and bankruptcies. As BSA Eagle Scout, built school for disabled in Bhutan.
Bad Example
Law school applicant with strong work ethic and a drive to succeed. A solid collaborator who sees projects through to the end. Have a long track record of using high-level interpersonal skills. Excels at research and legal study.

Both of these law school resume examples list legal research skills. But that first one adds 5 cases and a massive personal achievement.

Expert Hint: 6.9% of applicants get into Yale law school. 28.6% get into Boston College. Tailor your law school application resume to some schools with high acceptance rates.

3. Show Competence with Education on Your Law School Resume

This is critical: Law schools look for applicants with strong academic abilityThat means GPA matters. But so do other factors, like your LSAT score, and what you did in school. That’s why your resume education section carries so much weight. Do it like this Harvard law school resume template:

Law School Resume Example—Education

Good Example

LSAT Score

2019

LSAT Score: 172

Education

BS Business Administration, National University

2015–2019

  • GPA 3.9
  • Minor in Accounting.
  • Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society.
  • Marsha Klenecky Award for Academic Excellence.
  • President, Intramural Ultimate Frisbee League.
  • Conducted Senior Business Project that Earned $7,500.

That education section is crammed like Tom Brady’s trophy case.

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4. Target Your Law School Resume Job Description and Skills Section

What skills go in a law school resume? Here’s a list of the best skills to put on a resume for law school applications:

Law School Resume Example—Skills

But you can’t just pile all those into a resume for law school. So, research your chosen law school. Find out which skills they value most. Then, tailor your resume. Watch these law school resume examples do it:

Let’s say you want to showcase these law school skills: work ethic, research, time management, collaboration, technology, problem solving.

Job Description for a Law School Resume [Template]

Good Example

Professional Experience

Legal File Clerk Summer Internship

Stout & Love Law

2019

  • Created and received an unadvertised, unpaid legal file clerk position. Transitioned to a paid title in 2 weeks based on work ethic.
  • Performed legal research and wrote findings for cases involving IRS audits and investigations bankruptcies, and foreclosures.
  • Investigated facts for 3 successful cases. Used strong time management skills to finish work 25% ahead of schedule.

Bookkeeper

Paulette Electric

2018–2019

  • Collaborated with 30+ clients to ensure 95% satisfaction rate. 
  • Used strong technology skills to set up QuickBooks accounting for small electrical contractor.

The Pickled Clam

Server

  • Recognized for strong collaboration and problem solving skills.

Now check out this poor law school application resume example:

Bad Example

Professional Experience

Legal File Clerk Summer Internship

Stout & Love Law

2019

  • Worked as file clerk in a legal firm.
  • Maintained and managed files and reports.

Bookkeeper

Paulette Electric

2018–2019

  • Set up QuickBooks accounting for small electrical contractor.
  • Reduced past-due accounts through automated notifications.
  • Worked clients to raise satisfaction rate. 

The Pickled Clam

Server

  • Provided excellent customer service.
  • Cleaned and restocked back of bar.

The second of those law school resume examples isn’t tragic. But the first one builds your case like Vinny Gambini.

5. Add Riders to Your Law School Resume

You’ve done more than earn a bachelor’s degree. And guess what? Admissions directors love accomplishments.

Have you written articles? Done service projects? Those can elevate your law school application resume. Try some of these:

These sample law school resumes show how:

Law School Resume—Extra Sections

Good Example

Volunteer Work 

  • Volunteer bookkeeper, Jackson Street Animal Shelter.
  • Set up new donation processing system that saved $10,000.

Eagle Scout, BSA

  • Eagle Project — built school for disabled in Bhutan.
  • Led 35+ Scouts in 30+ day hikes and camp-outs.

Publications

  • Article on reading 10x more books published in Ms. JD.
  • Article on conflict resolution published in The Careerist.
Bad Example

Additional Activities

  • Eagle Scout.
  • Volunteer bookkeeper.

Why does the first of those Harvard law school resume examples work better? It does due diligence on the details.

Expert Hint: Know how to write a cover letter to accompany your resume for law school. Admissions departments want your letter to show you’re passionate about the school.

Haven't written your cover letter yet? See these related guides:

Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.

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Key Points

Law school resume tips:

  • Use the law school resume template up top. Admissions departments respect its reverse-chronological format.
  • Don’t just “show” your education. Make the case for your academic excellence with high scores and achievements on your law school resume.
  • Use your resume experience section to show you’ve built key skills like communication and teamwork.
  • Include a few bonus resume sections. Publications or volunteer work show your character.

Got questions on how to write a great law school application resume? Not sure how to put law school on a resume? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply!

About ResumeLab’s Editorial Process

At ResumeLab, quality is at the crux of our values, supporting our commitment to delivering top-notch career resources. The editorial team of career experts carefully reviews every article in accordance with editorial guidelines, ensuring the high quality and reliability of our content. We actively conduct original research, shedding light on the job market's intricacies and earning recognition from numerous influential news outlets. Our dedication to delivering expert career advice attracts millions of readers to our blog each year.

Tom Gerencer

Having published over 200 career-advice articles, Tom Gerencer is a career expert who covers the whole array of job-seeking topics for people at all career stages, from interns to C-suite members. His insights, commentary, and articles reach over a million readers every month. With inside knowledge of key industry players and in-depth research, Tom helps job seekers with advice across all professions and career stages.

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