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As an Associate Attorney, you'll be responsible for supporting senior attorneys in various legal matters and conducting research to ensure a strong case foundation. With the legal industry becoming increasingly competitive, firms are prioritizing candidates with a comprehensive understanding of the industry and the ability to adapt to evolving trends. Your resume plays a crucial role in showcasing your competencies, legal knowledge, and experience in handling diverse legal matters, making it essential to create a resume that sets you apart in this dynamic industry.
To impress potential employers, it's crucial that your resume highlights your legal expertise and showcases your ability to contribute to the firm's success. As hiring managers sift through numerous resumes, yours should be tailored to the Associate Attorney role and emphasize your achievements and proficiency in legal research, analysis, and writing.
As a core competency for Associate Attorneys, emphasize your research capabilities by citing specific examples of research projects you've completed, and detail how your findings contributed to successful case resolutions or informed legal strategy.
In your resume, focus on your ability to effectively communicate complex legal concepts to clients and colleagues, while also highlighting your organizational skills in managing multiple cases simultaneously. Mention any successful cases you've helped manage and notable instances where you simplified legal jargon for clients.
Associate attorneys work on a contract basis rather than a partnership. They’re often less experienced and may be supervised by a senior or more experienced employee. As an associate attorney, you’ll be called upon to prepare brief and case reports, build relationships with clients, and provide legal support. Your resume should emphasize transferable skills as well as any technical skills specific to your field.
Adding a title at the top of your resume is the easiest way to customize your resume. If you don’t have a lot of relevant experience — like if you’re at the beginning of your career or are a career changer — this will also ensure that your resume has the necessary keywords to make it past Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
If you have a long list of skills, or want to include a mixture of technical skills, techniques, and certifications, it’s a good idea to break it up into different sections. Listing skills this way allows you to include everything you want without sacrificing a hiring manager’s ability to quickly skim your resume.
We spoke with hiring managers and recruiters at top law firms like Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, and Latham & Watkins LLP to gather their best tips for writing a strong Associate Attorney resume. Here's what they recommend:
Employers want to see examples of your legal writing abilities on your resume. Showcase your strengths by including:
Quantify your writing experience when possible to give a clear picture of your capabilities.
When writing your associate attorney resume, you may be wondering if you need a summary section. A summary is optional, but it can be a strategic way to provide additional context about your legal experience and career goals that may not be obvious from the rest of your resume. However, avoid using an objective statement, as it is an outdated approach that doesn't add value for hiring managers.
If you do decide to include a summary, make sure it is concise (no more than a few sentences) and highlights your most relevant skills and experiences for the associate attorney role you are targeting. Avoid repeating information that is already covered in other sections of your resume.
The work experience section is the heart of your resume as an associate attorney. It's where you showcase your legal skills, accomplishments, and career progression. Hiring managers and recruiters will spend the most time reviewing this section to determine if you're a good fit for their open role.
In this section, we'll break down step-by-step how to write an effective work experience section that will make you stand out from other associate attorney candidates. Follow these tips to highlight your most relevant experiences and accomplishments.
When describing your work experiences, start each bullet point with a strong action verb that showcases your legal skills and expertise. This helps grab the attention of the reader and makes your contributions clear.
Examples of strong legal action verbs include:
Notice how these are much more powerful and specific than generic, bland phrases like "responsible for legal documents" or "worked on compliance issues." Strong action verbs at the beginning of your bullet points make it immediately clear the depth of your contributions.
The education section on an associate attorney resume is a critical component that hiring managers and law firms will review closely. This section should highlight your academic achievements, relevant coursework, and any specialized training or certifications you have obtained. Here are some tips to help you craft a compelling education section:
The skills section of your resume is a critical component that showcases your relevant abilities to potential employers. As an associate attorney, it's essential to highlight the specific skills that make you a strong candidate for the role. In this section, we'll provide tips on how to craft an effective skills section tailored to your legal expertise.
Here are examples of popular skills from Associate Attorney job descriptions that you can include on your resume.
This word cloud highlights the important keywords that appear on Associate Attorney job descriptions and resumes. The bigger the word, the more frequently it appears on job postings, and the more likely you should include it in your resume.
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