Lawyer CV: show practice area, judgment and responsible results

Open with a short summary that states where you are admitted, your practice area and the setting—law firm, in-house department, government, legal aid or a clerkship. Mention seniority cues such as first-chair or second-chair work, deal or docket ownership, supervision of associates or paralegals, or a book of business only when they are accurate. List law school, clerkships and relevant journals or clinics concisely; they matter more early in a career and can be shortened later.

Mirror posting language only when it matches work you have done. Claiming trial first chair, a specific regulatory regime, a financing structure or a language-plus-jurisdiction combination without examples invites a hard screen. Point readers to the motions, negotiations, diligence, hearings or advisory work that prove the skills the job emphasizes. Do not describe paralegal or intern tasks as if you were counsel on those matters, and never imply admission in a jurisdiction where you are not authorized to practice.

Strong lawyer bullets name the matter type, your role and a responsible result: a motion decided, a deal closed, a risk identified and mitigated, a hearing completed, or a process made faster or clearer for the client or the team. Scope can help when it is honest—matter value, docket size, number of depositions or diligence workstreams—without turning the CV into marketing that overclaims wins.

The fictional examples below illustrate wording only. They are not Make.CV performance claims and should not be copied as your own. Replace every figure with results you can discuss under your professional-conduct rules. Strip client names unless they are public and you have permission or a clear public-record basis to include them, and do not disclose confidential strategies, settlement terms or privileged facts. Avoid guaranteed-outcome language and do not invent verdicts, recoveries or “win rates.”

Put bar admissions, court admissions and languages in a short, scannable block. Group skills into practice-area methods (for example discovery, motion practice, M&A diligence, contracting or investigations) and only then research or knowledge-management tools you actually use. A short accurate list beats a long inventory of every database you have opened.

Publications, speaking, pro bono, teaching and bar-association work belong when they show judgment, subject-matter depth or a community the employer cares about. Keep them concise and dated. If you are applying for an academic or clerkship-style role that wants a longer curriculum vitae, use the academic CV guide for publications and teaching detail, and keep this page’s tighter matter-focused format for practice jobs.

Use a readable template with standard headings so admissions, practice area, matter evidence and education stay easy to find. Many US private-practice resumes stay at one or two pages; follow the employer’s instructions and leave room for concrete bullets rather than dense case lists. Browse Make.CV templates if you want to compare layouts before writing.

Build your CV in the free maker with live preview, then download a PDF with no watermark. Check that court names, statute or deal labels and long matter bullets wrap cleanly. Confirm the exported text remains selectable before you submit.