Attorney

Attorney Resume Keywords and Skills (Hard Skills)

Here are the keywords and skills that appear most frequently on recent Attorney job postings. In other words, these are the most sought after skills by recruiters and hiring managers. Go to Sample Templates ↓ below to see how to include them on your resume.

Remember that every job is different. Instead of including all keywords on your resume, identify those that are most relevant to the job you're applying to. Use the free Targeted Resume tool to help with this.

Choose a category
  • Legal Advice
  • Corporate Law
  • Litigation
  • Legal Writing
  • Legal Research
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Civil Litigation
  • Criminal Law
  • Labor and Employment Law
  • Legal Opinions
  • Law
  • Contract Law
  • Legal Consulting
  • Intellectual Property
  • Legal Contract Review
  • Mediation
  • Family Law
  • International Law
  • Dispute Resolution
  • Legal Document Preparation
  • Arbitration
  • Administrative Law
  •   Show full list

Resume Skills: Legal Software

  • Westlaw
  • LexisNexis
  • Pacer
  • LiveNote
  • Relativity
  • CaseMap
  • Aderant
  • WestLaw
  • Justia
  • Legal research & writing
  • Regulatory Research
  • Case Law
  • FactBox
  • Zola Suite
  • Clio Manage
  • MyCase
  • Legal Files
  • ProLaw
  • PracticePanther
  • AbacusLaw
  • Actionstep
  • Advologix
  • Amicus Attorney
  • Clio
  • LegalTrek

Resume Skills: Litigation & Regulation

  • Securities Law
  • Contract Law
  • Intellectual Property Law
  • Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Employment Law
  • Corporate Governance

Resume Skills: Other Legal

  • Contract Drafting
  • Negotiation
  • Legal Advice
  • Legal Document Review
  • Client Management

Resume Skills: Legal Expertise

  • Corporate Structuring
  • Contractual Agreements
  • Legal Compliance
  • Employment Law
  • Intellectual Property Law
  • Securities Law

Resume Skills: Technical

  • MS Office
  • Legal Research Software (Westlaw, LexisNexis)
  • Document Management Systems (iManage, Worldox)

Resume Skills: Languages

  • English
  • Spanish (Fluent)
  • French
  • Mandarin

Resume Skills: Litigation

  • Negotiation
  • Mediation
  • Appeals
  • Creditors rights
  • Bankruptcy
  • Public Interest Litigation

Resume Skills: Document Creation & Management

  • Microsoft Office Suite
  • Adobe Acrobat Pro
  • Google Workspace
  • Drafting Assistant
  • HotDocs
  • Legal Files
  Does your resume contain all the right skills? Paste in your resume in the AI Resume Scan ↓ section below and get an instant score.

Sample Attorney Resume: How To Include These Skills

Add keywords directly into your resume's work experiences, education or Skills section, like we've shown in the examples below. Use the examples below as inspiration.

Choose a template
Your Name
Attorney
City, Country  •  (123) 456-789  •  [email protected]  •  linkedin.com/in/your-profile
EXPERIENCE
Resume Worded June 2018 - Present
Senior Attorney
Streamlined dispute resolution processes, reducing costs by 25% and increasing efficiency by 30%
Spearheaded a complex intellectual property case, resulting in a favorable settlement saving the company $2M in potential damages
Provided expert legal advice on a wide range of corporate law issues, driving business growth and minimizing legal risks
Led a team of junior attorneys and paralegals to research and prepare 100+ legal documents annually, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards
Revamped the legal contract review procedure, reducing turnaround time by 45% and improving accuracy by 35%
Baker & McKenzie January 2014 - June 2018
Attorney
Expertly navigated 50+ commercial litigation cases with a 92% success rate
Developed a strong understanding of international law, assisting clients in maintaining compliance across multiple jurisdictions
Successfully reduced labor and employment law violations by 60% through proactive legal consulting and training initiatives
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett September 2011 - December 2013
Junior Attorney
Performed in-depth legal research that aided in case preparations, contributing to a 88% win rate
Collaborated on family law cases, ensuring a amicable resolution in 70% of cases
Assisted in drafting clear and reliable legal opinions that informed strategic legal decisions
EDUCATION
Resume Worded Academic Center July 2011
Master of Laws (LL.M) - Corporate Law
Specialized in Mergers and Acquisitions, Corporate Governance
Resume Worded University June 2008
Bachelor of Laws (LL.B)
Graduated with First Class Honors
Additional study in Intellectual Property Law
SKILLS
Litigation & Regulation: Securities Law, Contract Law, Intellectual Property Law, Mergers & Acquisitions, Employment Law, Corporate Governance
Legal Research & Software: Westlaw, LexisNexis, Pacer, LiveNote, Relativity, CaseMap, Aderant
Other Legal Skills: Contract Drafting, Negotiation, Legal Advice, Legal Document Review, Client Management
OTHER
Certifications: Admitted to New York State Bar (2011), Certified Contract Manager - National Contract Management Association
Leadership & Volunteering: Pro bono work for NYC Legal Aid Society, Mentor at Law Without Borders
Continued Learning: Attended 2019 American Bar Association (ABA) Annual Meeting, Regularly attend webinars on updates in corporate law
Your Name
Corporate Counsel
City, Country  •  (123) 456-789  •  [email protected]  •  linkedin.com/in/your-profile
EXPERIENCE
Coached.com February 2019 - Present
Senior Corporate Counsel
Introduced a proactive legal risk management strategy, reducing legal disputes by 40%
Drafted, negotiated, and reviewed 500+ legal contracts, eliminating loopholes and safeguarding company interests
Developed an intellectual property protection strategy, securing 20+ company trademarks and patents
Implemented a comprehensive legal compliance program resulting in zero regulatory issues
Led negotiations in high-stake business contracts, resulting in securing million-dollar contracts
Microsoft July 2015 - January 2019
Corporate Counsel
Handled corporate law matters for the organization resulting in maintenance of legal standards and business ethics
Advised stakeholders on arbitration strategies that resulted in the favorable resolution of 80% of disputes
Conducted comprehensive legal research to support critical litigation cases
Linklaters LLP April 2013 - June 2015
Law Clerk
Assisted in the prep of 100+ legal documents, including agreements and contracts, complying with legal standards
Supported senior counsels in dispute resolution cases, contributing to a 65% decrease in litigation costs
Perform accurate legal research that supported a 70% victory rate for civil litigation cases
EDUCATION
Resume Worded Institute March 2019
Certification: Intellectual Property Law Specialist
Completed the program while serving as a full-time Corporate Counsel at Microsoft
Resume Worded University June 2013
Master of Law (LLM) - Corporate Law
Focus Areas: Compliance, Corporate Governance, and Securities Regulation
SKILLS
Legal Expertise: Corporate Structuring, Contractual Agreements, Legal Compliance, Employment Law, Intellectual Property Law, Securities Law
Technical Skills: MS Office (Expert), Legal Research Software (Westlaw, LexisNexis), Document Management Systems (iManage, Worldox)
Languages: English (Native), Spanish (Fluent), French (Basic)
OTHER
Certifications: Certified Corporate Counsel (CCC) by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Professional Affiliations: American Bar Association (ABA), Association of Corporate Counsels (ACC)
Leadership & Volunteering: Legal Aid Clinic Volunteer Lawyer, Pro-bono Representation for Non-profits
Your Name
Litigation Lawyer
City, Country  •  (123) 456-789  •  [email protected]  •  linkedin.com/in/your-profile
EXPERIENCE
Resume Worded March 2019 - Present
Senior Litigation Lawyer
Successfully represented high-profile clients in 70+ commercial and civil litigation cases with a 98% success rate
Supervised a team of 8 junior lawyers, improving their performance by 30% via comprehensive legal training
Developed strategic litigation methodologies that resulted in reduction of litigation time by 40%
Instrumental in the resolution of a landmark criminal law case that led to significant legislative changes
Deployed mediation techniques to settle 60% of dispute cases out of court, saving approximately $800K in potential litigation costs
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer September 2014 - February 2019
Litigation Lawyer
Drove a team to prepare for and deliver top performance in 40+ legal trials
Created detailed litigation reports, which led to an improvement in case strategy and an increased win-rate of 30%
Managed all aspects of complex family law cases, leading to satisfactory resolution for 90% of clients
Morrison & Foerster LLP June 2011 - August 2014
Associate Lawyer
Participated actively in high-stakes corporate law cases that led to savings of $500K in potential damages
Assisted in preparing and delivering legal advice on a diverse range of legal issues
Accurately conducted legal document preparation, supporting the efficiency of case proceedings
EDUCATION
Resume Worded University June 2009
Master of Law in Litigation
Specialized in Company law ligation
Resume Worded Academic Center May 2006
Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
Emphasis on Civil and Criminal Procedure
Awards: Dean's List 2004 & 2005
SKILLS
Litigation: Negotiation, Mediation, Appeals, Creditors rights, Bankruptcy, Public Interest Litigation
Legal Research: WestLaw, LexisNexis, Justia, Legal research & writing, Regulatory Research, Case Law
Legal Software: Clio Manage, MyCase, Zola Suite, Legal Files, ProLaw, PracticePanther
Languages: English (Native), Spanish (Fluent), Mandarin (Conversational)
OTHER
Certifications: Member of The American Bar Association, Certified Mediator
Leadership & Volunteering: Pro Bono Coordinator at Legal Aid Society, Mentor & Sponsor at The Innocence Project
Public Speaking: Panelist on 'Trends in Commercial Litigation' at the National Business Institute, Keynote Speaker at 'New Advances in Corporate Law' Symposium
Publications: Published 'The Changed Landscape of Corporate Litigation' in the Journal of Business Law

Compare Your Resume To These Attorney Skills (ATS Scan)

Paste your resume below and our AI will identify which keywords are missing from your resume from the list above (and what you need to include). Including the right keywords will help you get past Applicant Tracking Systems (i.e. resume screeners) which may scan your resume for keywords to see if you're a match for the job.

How do I add skills to an Attorney resume?

1
Review the job posting closely.

Go through the Attorney posting you're applying to, and identify hard skills the company is looking for. For example, skills like Criminal Law, Legal Writing and Commercial Litigation are possible skills. These are skills you should try to include on your resume.

2
Add industry skills like Litigation and Corporate Law.

Add other common skills from your industry - such as Civil Litigation, Legal Advice and Legal Research - into your resume if they're relevant.

3
Add skills into your work experience.

Incorporate skills - like Legal Contract Review, Contract Law and Arbitration - into your work experience too. This shows hiring managers that you have practical experience with these tools, techniques and skills.

4
Use the exact job title.

Try to add the exact job title, Attorney, somewhere into your resume to get past resume screeners. See the infographic for how to do this.

Word Cloud for Attorney Skills & Keywords

The following word cloud highlights the most popular keywords that appear on Attorney job descriptions. The bigger the word, the more frequently it shows up on employer's job postings. If you have experience with these keywords, include them on your resume.

Top Attorney Skills and Keywords to Include On Your Resume

Resume Skills and Keywords from Related Jobs

We also found variations and further specializations to your job title. Browse through the related job titles to find additional keywords that you can include into your resume.

Get your Resume Instantly Checked, For Free

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Attorney Resume Templates

Here are examples of proven resumes in related jobs and industries, approved by experienced hiring managers. Use them as inspiration when you're writing your own resume. You can even download and edit the resume template in Google Docs.

Resume Example
Professional


Resume Example
Highlights (Free)


Resume Example
Modern Two-Column


Resume Example
Clean Modern


Resume Example
Entry-Level (Free)


Resume Example
Concise


Frequently Asked Questions

What are the top skills you should add to your Attorney resume?

On top Attorney resumes, skills like Legal Advice, Corporate Law, Litigation, Legal Writing, Legal Research, Commercial Litigation, Civil Litigation and Criminal Law appear most often.

Depending on the exact role you're applying to, skills like Contract Law, Family Law, Arbitration, Legal Document Preparation and Legal Contract Review can also be effective keywords to include on your resume.

How do resume skills compare between a District Attorney and a Trade Attorney?

Popular skills we often see on resumes for District Attorney positions include:

  • Criminal Law
  • Trials
  • Litigation
  • Legal Writing
  • Legal Research
  • Hearings
  • Trial Practice
  • Westlaw

In comparison, skills we see on Trade Attorney resumes include:

  • Legal Advice
  • Corporate Law
  • Contract Law
  • Consumer Law
  • Labor and Employment Law
  • Corporate Governance
  • Contract Negotiation
  • Intellectual Property

What are good resume skills to include for different Attorney roles and job titles?

Depending on the specific role you apply to, you may need to emphasize different skill sets. Here are a few examples:

  • Labor And Employment Attorney: Labor and Employment Law, Litigation, Civil Litigation, Legal Research and Trials
  • Family Law Attorney: Family Law, Trial Practice, Mediation, Legal Writing and Divorce Law
  • Estate Planning Attorney: Estate Planning, Trusts, Wills, Powers of Attorney and Estate Tax Planning
  • Trial Attorney: Appeals, Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Law, Arbitration and Hearings
  • Claims Attorney: Insurance Law, Litigation Management, Claims Management, Liability and Professional Liability

Target your Resume to a Job Description

While the keywords above are a good indication of what skills you need on your resume, you should try to find additional keywords that are specific to the job. To do this, use the free Targeted Resume tool. It analyzes the job you are applying to and finds the most important keywords you need on your resume.

It is personalized to your resume, and is the best way to ensure your resume will pass the automated resume filters.

Start targeting your resume

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