How Do I Make My Resume Stand Out For Law School?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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  1. Use the right structure.
  2. Use the right format.
  3. Use an appropriate length.
  4. Include your name and contact information.
  5. Add your educational experience.
  6. List your honors, awards and scholarships.
  7. List employment and internship experiences.
  8. List volunteer work and leadership organizations.
Contents hide

What looks good on a resume for law school?

A good resume for law school should

clarify the skills and experience you bring from work, school and other activities

. It won’t paint a full picture of who you are, but it should provide a frame for the admissions committees to understand the rest of the application.

What makes you stand out on a law school application?

Applicants often believe they need to have legal experience prior to applying to law school. … With exception, most people applying to law school right out of college have good or decent grades. Stand out with a strong resume:

secure internships, get a part-time job, volunteer and get involved in activities on campus

.

Do law schools care about your resume?

Well, what I mean is this:

Law schools don’t care so much

about what kind of employee you’d make; they’re sizing you up as a prospective student. … Think of it this way: You aren’t applying for a job, so don’t make your résumé look like you are.

How can I stand out in law school?

  1. Dress Sharp, but Not Too Sharp. Most law school’s may not have a professional dress code, but dressing at least business casual seems to be the norm. …
  2. Be a Gunner. …
  3. Be a Social Media Wizard (or Disaster)

Should you put your GPA on your law school resume?

Only put your GPA on

your resume if it is exceptional

. In the legal world, this means at least a 3.5. If you had a not so great overall GPA in law school, but had a high GPA in classes in your area of practice (such as tax or intellectual property), you could include that GPA only.

How do you list a JD candidate on a resume?

Be consistent in all sections of your resume. For example, if you use the abbreviation “B.A.” for your undergraduate degree,

use “J.D.” for your law degree

; if you write out Bachelor of Arts, write out Juris Doctor. The same applies to state names (either spell them all out or abbreviate them all).

How do you make a law application stand out?

  1. Stay true to yourself and show your personality. Firms expect training contract applicants to belong to university societies, or demonstrate sporting achievements. …
  2. Be authentic. …
  3. Avoid the avoidable. …
  4. Try, try and try again.

What qualities do law schools look for?

  • Critical Reading Abilities. …
  • Writing Skills. …
  • Oral Communication and Listening Abilities. …
  • General Research Skills. …
  • Task Organization and Management Skills.

Do law schools look at your Linkedin?

DO ADMISSIONS OFFICES REALLY LOOK AT YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA? The short answer is

yes

. According to a recent 2018 Kaplan Test Prep survey, 56 percent of law school admissions officers admit to looking at applicants’ social media accounts when assessing candidates for their program.

Does the bar check your law school resume?

When you apply to the bar,

they will perform a background check

, which means if you lied on your résumé, chances are they will come to light. Don’t take the risk as it can lead to being disqualified for admission, or worse, being disbarred years later. Include only truthful facts in your résumé.

How do you get into top 10 law school?

Data from the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) shows that you should

have a GPA of 3.59 and an LSAT of 162 or more

to get into one of the top 10 law schools. Although there might be some exceptions to this rule, you’ll be much better off if you don’t take any chances.

Do you put LSAT score on resume?

• Grades & LSAT Scores

While not predictive of success in law school or as an attorney, some employers invariably ask for LSAT scores.

We do not, however, recommend that you include them on your resume

.

What law school is easiest to get into?

  • Appalachian School of Law, Virginia. …
  • Willamette University College of Law, Salem, Oregon. …
  • Concordia University School of Law, Idaho. …
  • Roger Williams University School of Law, Rhode Island. …
  • John Marshall Law School, Chicago. …
  • Thomas Jefferson School of Law, San Diego.

What looks good on law applications?

Activities That Develop

Legal Skills


Mock trial, public speaking, political activism or assisting with research for a professor

working in a law-related field are examples of extracurricular activities that law school applicants should highlight.

Do employers look at LSAT?

In that same survey, the vast majority of employers thought listing LSAT scores was “

irrelevant

,” and a few found it annoying. Given this feedback from employers, you most likely will choose not to include your LSAT on your resume.

Can law school resumes be 2 pages?

Resumes for law school

should be a maximum of one to two pages in length

. … The resume format and style must be professional and should include headings for each section, bulleted details, and dates and locations for each activity.

How do you put law license on resume?

When applying for positions immediately after being admitted, it is probably best to

put bar information at the top of the résumé

. After practicing for a time, most attorneys put this section as the last on their résumé. Do not use the label “Bar Association” to indicate that you are licensed to practice.

What is a non traditional student law school?

The general idea is that a nontraditional law school applicant

is one who hasn’t followed the typical high school-to-college-to-law-school track

, and so is a bit older and probably with a little more experience – work and otherwise – than a typical “traditional” law school applicant.

Should I put JD after my name on resume?

However, many people write JD, CPA, or RN after their name at the top of their resume. … “The only academic credentials (degrees) that you should list after your name at the top of the résumé should be

doctorate level degrees

, such as MD, DO, DDS, DVM, PhD, and EdD.

How can I impress my law firm?

  1. Do your research. …
  2. Do be enthusiastic. …
  3. Do treat everyone the same. …
  4. Do be punctual. …
  5. Don’t be caught without a notebook and pen. …
  6. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. …
  7. Don’t miss the chance to network with lawyers and other firm representatives.

What makes Irwin Mitchell stand out?

Irwin Mitchell’s reputation for

multi-jurisdictional transactional work

makes the firm a strong choice for a varied roster of high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and private and listed companies.

Are Law Firm Open Days competitive?

Being selected to attend an open day is

a competitive process

, so attending one not only gives you an insight into the field, but is a great addition to a legal CV. Law open days take place at various points throughout the calendar year.

How can I increase my chances of getting into law school?

  1. Choose your college major carefully.
  2. Aim for a high college GPA.
  3. Be strategic about your extracurricular and work experiences.
  4. Study hard for the LSAT or GRE.
  5. Submit a solid resume.
  6. Discuss your career goals.
  7. Demonstrate strong writing skills.
  8. Share experiences that shaped your character.

What do law schools want in applicants?

Law schools want to

admit motivated, energetic students who get involved and try to improve the campus—and world

—around them. The admissions committee will be looking at your undergraduate extracurricular activities to get a sense of how involved you might be on their campus too.

How do you know if a law school is interested in you?

  • You Know What You Want to Do With Your Degree. Law school is for making lawyers. …
  • You Have Some Experience in Law. Too many students apply to law school without having spent even an afternoon in a legal setting. …
  • You Have Sought Career Advice From Lawyers. …
  • You Have a Scholarship.

What is a JD candidate?

A Juris Doctor degree, or a J.D., is an academic credential that

paves the way for a career as a lawyer

.

Do law firms care about undergraduate GPA?

No. The student admissions committees at the law schools where I have taught couldn’t care less where you earned your undergraduate degree. If your undergraduate GPA and LSAT score indicate

that you are likely to do well in law school

, they’ll admit you, even if you graduated from a non-prestigious institution.

Should I include test scores in resume?

The short answer is no.

SAT scores are good “resume padding”

for those who do not have a lot of job experience. … Once you have enough accomplishments in a professional workplace, however, you should remove your SAT scores from your resume unless applying to a relevant field.

Will law schools look at my social media?


Law schools often look at your social media presence when reviewing applicants’ candidacy

. You don’t have a lot to gain, but so much to lose by posting inappropriate things to social media. Use this helpful law school application social media checklist to make sure you are covered!

How do you say you’re in law school on LinkedIn?

However, don’t be too undisciplined about your connections. If you have a million connections and it is clear that you have not met one of them, this could be a red flag to potential employers. Overall, if done right, LinkedIn can be a useful tool for law students who are searching for a job.

Will law schools contact employers?


Yes

. Current and past employers reported on the moral character application are contacted during the moral character investigation. Applicants submit the moral character application with the understanding that the applicant is willing to have each employer contacted.

Do law schools look at employment history?

Including Your Work History in Your Application

Your law school

resume

should clearly present all your work experience. Schools also commonly ask applicants to list each significant job or volunteer position individually on a separate form for easy comparison.

How do you pass bar exam on resume?

On most attorneys and recent law school graduates’ resumes, there’s

a licensure bullet point or section

. If you’ve been admitted to practice, are active, and in good standing, then your bullet point is simple—something like this: Bar Admission: California.

What GPA do you need to get into a top law school?

Most prestigious law schools require a GPA of

3.85 or higher

.

How hard is the LSAT?

The LSAT is considered an

infamously difficult test

for three key reasons: It is a test designed to test skills that undergrad students may not have fully developed. … Test takers only have 35 minutes for each section of the test. The LSAT is also designed to stress this time pressure with complicated questions.

What is considered a top law school?

  • Yale University.
  • Stanford University.
  • Harvard University.
  • Columbia University.
  • University of Chicago.
  • New York University.
  • University of Pennsylvania (Carey)
  • University of Virginia.

What law concentration makes the most money?

  • Patent attorney: $180,000.
  • Intellectual property (IP) attorney: $162,000.
  • Trial attorneys: $134,000.
  • Tax attorney (tax law): $122,000.
  • Corporate lawyer: $115,000.
  • Employment lawyer: $87,000.
  • Real Estate attorney: $86,000.
  • Divorce attorney: $84,000.

What LSAT score do I need for law school?

From your raw scores, the test is graded on an LSAT score scale from 120-180. The average LSAT score is about 150. To get into a

top 14 law school, you need to score above 162

, and to get into a top 50 law school, you need 154 or above.

What is the easiest Ivy law school to get into?

Rank School Acceptance Rate 1

Yale Law School

4.04%
2 Stanford University Law School 10.48% 3 Harvard Law School 13.00% 4 Columbia University School of Law 16.69%
Ahmed Ali
Author
Ahmed Ali
Ahmed Ali is a financial analyst with over 15 years of experience in the finance industry. He has worked for major banks and investment firms, and has a wealth of knowledge on investing, real estate, and tax planning. Ahmed is also an advocate for financial literacy and education.