Professional profile example for lawyers: Your opening statement
Lawyers must be excellent with words, and your professional profile (also known as a summary) is your best chance to show off that skill. Here is where you can wow recruiters with your professional personality and impressive achievements in just two to four sentences. Firms wanna know what strengths you can bring to the table: so let them know!
Here’s a customisable professional profile example:
Organised and experienced lawyer with nearly 10 years of legal experience counselling and representing clients across the Bay of Plenty region. Served over 100+ clients throughout my legal career. Motivated to achieve the best possible outcome for each client. Proficient in legal review, legal research and an in-depth knowledge of New Zealand jurisprudence.
Keywords are the key
Algorithms rule the hiring process, and you’ll need to know how to use those formulas to your advantage. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) scan and rank your CV based on these algorithms. What can you do to increase your chances? In general, you should mine job descriptions for keywords and phrases to chuck in your CV.
Lawyer CV skills section sample: How to excel
In addition to being great communicators, lawyers need a variety of interpersonal skills. You will be working with clients who may be under the hammer for any number of reasons. Not only do you have to stay calm, but you also must be able to interpret what they need and explain complicated aspects of the law clearly. You also need expertise in the area you’re applying for. Recruiters can do a quick scan of this section to see if your skills match their requirements. Make sure they do. Here are some skills to consider:
- Problem-solving
- Critical reading
- Persuasive and clear writing
- Flexibility in communication tone and style
Lawyer employment history sample: Build your case
You need to be precise in telling the story of your career. The bullet point list of your past roles should be listed in reverse chronological order (most recent jobs first), and each job should have a sub-list of your accomplishments, achievements and milestones (based on your duties and cases). Make sure to use choice action verbs and powerful nouns and adjectives, and avoid overly complex grammatical structures that bloat your descriptions. Be detailed without being too superfluous.
Lawyer at Hotere & Henderson, Rotorua
2017 - Present
- Represented 25+ clients in the New Zealand court system
- Created research papers and proposals on New Zealand jurisprudence
- Offered legal counsel to clients and advised them on courses of legal action
- Analysed client documentation and information as it pertained to their individual cases
- Made recommendations to Hotere & Henderson law firm senior management
Lawyer at Taylor & Te Kani, Wellington
2014 - 2017
- Provided legal counsel to over 55+ clients
- Represented over 45+ clients in the New Zealand courts
- Protected the privacy, sensitive details and integrity of each client
- Examined legal arguments, as they pertained to each individual client
- Completed 10 pro-bono cases to support clients who could not afford high-quality legal representation across Rotorua and the wider Bay of Plenty
Education section sample: Share your educational strengths
In this section, you should include details relevant to your qualifications, including the name and location of the institutions that awarded your qualifications, the degree or qualification programme name, and any other relevant details. Additionally, be sure to list any certificates, accolades, memberships or other honours in this section as well.
Bachelor of Laws at Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington
2011 - 2014
NCEA Level 3 at Western Heights High School, Rotorua
2006 - 2010
