b'Killer Legal Resumes\nResumes are an individual expression of who you are. They are also your one chance to make\na great first impression. The idea is to set yourself apart from the rest of the crowd, while still\nmaintaining the traditional professionalism required in the field of law.\nRemember, the resume is not a complete autobiography! It is a prospectus for the future. Its\nmain task is to convince prospective employers to contact you for an interview. A good resume\nshould:\no\no\no\n\nBe eye-appealing\nHighlight your significant accomplishments\nBe logically displayed for a 30-second (or less) review\n\nIdentify Your Skills\nIt is sometimes difficult to fully and effectively inventory and evaluate your own skills profile. Ask\nyourself: \xe2\x80\x9cWhat special abilities have I developed which allowed me to perform successfully in\nmy previous activities/jobs?\xe2\x80\x9d Do not be concerned that you have little or no previous experience\nin legal jobs. Job skills are transferable. For example, the communications skills learned in a\nretail position will be useful in your future legal career when counseling clients. Categorize your\nskills as follows \xe2\x80\x93 all three categories are important and highly valued by employers!\no\n\nTechnical/Professional Skills \xe2\x80\x93 skills that are related to performing within a job and\nacquired by education, training, reading, and/or hands-on experiences (i.e., internships,\nclerkships, volunteer opportunities). These skills are often listed in advertised job\npostings: e.g., legal research abilities, writing skills, working knowledge of a certain area\nof law (e.g., Uniform Commercial Code).\n\no\n\nFunctional Skills \xe2\x80\x93 skills related to people, information, and things that are transferable\nfrom one field to another (e.g., organization, communication, management, leadership).\nThese abilities are easy to overlook or downplay, but are highly valued by prospective\nemployers and crucial to successful workplace performance.\n\no\n\nPersonal/Adaptive Skills -- skills often referred to as personality and/or character traits\n(e.g., patience, decisiveness, team player, self-starter, quick learner, detail-oriented,\nwork well under pressure).\n\nInventorying your Experiences/Resume Content\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\nHeading (name, address, email, telephone)\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\nEducation/Honors/School-Related Activities (reverse chronological order)\no Education typically begins with college.\no List degree/year obtained or expected; names and locations of schools.\no Include your GPA if 3.0 or higher; class rank if in the top one-third\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\nCertificates/Licenses/Bar Admission(s)\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\nProfessional/Work Experience\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Be specific! Include title, months and years of employment, name and location of\nemployer.\n\n\x0c\xe2\x80\xa2 Instead of automatically listing job duties for each job, try to write\n"accomplishment statements" that single out and spotlight your major\nachievements. Accomplishment statements are far more compelling than a list of job\nduties and responsibilities.\nThink back on your previous positions and highlight any experiences that represent\nachievements. To pinpoint achievements, some people think in terms of baseball and\nask, "What were my triples and homeruns in that job?" Once you identify the triples\nand homeruns, write out an explanation of what you did. For additional help on how to\nwrite accomplishment statements, go to www.careerlab.com/art_homeruns.htm.\nIt may be helpful to describe each experience using a P-A-R (Problem-Action-Result)\nformula. Describe the Problem (or challenge/responsibility) you faced in the position,\nAction(s) you took to reach an objective/goal, and the Result or accomplishment.\nContrast the effectiveness of these two statements:\nBasic/Generic Description\n\nUsing P-A-R Formula\n\nPerformed legal research and\ndrafted a response to a motion\nfor summary judgment\n\nDrafted successful opposition to\npivotal motion for summary\njudgment in personal injury case\ninvolving more than $10 million\nin damages\n\nList job duties where accomplishment statements are not feasible. Obviously, no\none hits triples and homeruns in every job. If you don\'t have any significant\nachievements in a particular job, it is perfectly acceptable to list your job duties and\nresponsibilities, but it need not be an exhaustive list. Stick to the more significant\nones that will be meaningful to the reader. A list of sample phrases for job duties as\nwell as accomplishment statements is included below.\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\nUse action verbs to start each statement and omit personal pronouns (i.e., \xe2\x80\x9cI\xe2\x80\x9d or\n\xe2\x80\x9cmy\xe2\x80\x9d). A list of action verbs is included below.\nQuantify number of people, products, profits involved (e.g.,\xe2\x80\x9d Supervised 15-20\ncommunity volunteers\xe2\x80\x9d).\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\nVolunteer, clinical, and/or internship experience\n\xe2\x80\xa2 This may be your strong point! Always consider how you can \xe2\x80\x9cput your best foot\nforward\xe2\x80\x9d, presenting yourself as an experienced, capable candidate.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\nProfessional Memberships/Activities/Publications\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\nSpecial skills (fluency in a foreign language; advanced computer skills if truly beyond\nthose skills expected)\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\nActivities/Interests (extracurricular activites, hobbies, interesting pursuits)\n\nFormat\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\nOne page (unless you have significant work experience, e.g. career before law school,\nhigh level responsibility, etc.)\nProfessional, clean, easy-to-read typeface\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Standard 12 pt. font\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Reasonable margins\n\n\x0c\xe2\x80\xa2\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\nPrinted on high quality paper (limit color to white, cream, pale gray)\nUse space to highlight information and make it easy to read\n\nTips and Traps\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\nTailor your resume to the specific employer\no Be sure to include skills and experience sought by the employer\nProofread (for accuracy, grammar, punctuation, and correct telephone number)\nNo personal information! (i.e. marital status, children, etc.)\nHave two other people proofread (perfection is key)\nBefore including anything on your resume, ask yourself this: Does this information\nsignificantly contribute to your presentation? If not, exclude it.\nExclude photograph\nMake sure that your voice-mail message is appropriate\nDon\xe2\x80\x99t list references on your resume. Have a separate list available if requested. It is\nimportant to select people as references who are familiar with your work skills. Ask\nformer employers or colleagues. Include their full names, job titles and addresses, along\nwith phone numbers and email addresses.\n\nSample Job Duty Phrases for Law Clerk and\nGeneral Legal Experience\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\xe2\x80\xa2\n\nResearched issues pertaining to pending motion to dismiss in complex civil litigation\ncase\nResearched and drafted memoranda on discrete issues of law including \xe2\x80\xa6 (piercing the\ncorporate veil, 1933 Act securities regulations, CERCLA, etc.)\nAssisted in discovery including drafting deposition questions, interrogatories and\nrequests for production of documents\nDrafted settlement letters\nDrafted and edited articles of incorporation, by-laws and articles of merger\nCommunicated with opposing counsel and clients\nAttended federal pre-trial conferences and court proceedings\nAttended depositions in commercial foreclosure proceedings\nAttended various client meetings regarding x, y, and z\nDrafted corporate resolutions and partnership agreements\nDrafted lease agreements\nPrepared due diligence for complex civil litigation case\nResearched and drafted bench memoranda, orders and opinions on various issues of\ncriminal law, such as \xe2\x80\xa6 (preliminary injunctions, order to produce documents, etc.)\nReviewed motions, researched relevant case law, prepared summaries of legal\narguments and assisted in preparation of court rulings\nPrepared and filed documents in (dependency and neglect proceedings, probate case)\nConducted in-take interviews of prospective clients\n\nSample Accomplishment Statements\nfor Law Clerk and General Legal Experience\nDrafted complaint in complex contract case involving dispute over multi-million dollar\nparcel of real estate\nPrepared settlement agreement to resolve $30,000 construction contract case between\ngeneral contractor and property owner\n\n\x0cDrafted and edited successful motions to dismiss and motions for summary judgment\ndefending claims for workers\' compensation involving potential liability for permanent,\ntotal disability payments\nInvestigated and developed factual basis for motion for restraining order for victim\nadopted by assistant district attorney in presenting case and relied on by court in issuing\norder\nSuccessfully represented indigent, Spanish-speaking woman from Columbia in all\naspects of a two day asylum hearing before a federal immigration judge; client granted\nasylum as a result\nWrote and edited a legal manual on domestic violence distributed to law enforcement\nofficers and battered women\xe2\x80\x99s shelters throughout the state\nDrafted speeches on x, y, and z delivered in committee and subcommittee meetings by\nCongressman\nArgued more than a dozen sentencing and bond reduction hearings for misdemeanor\ndefendants resulting in favorable decisions by the court in all cases\nObtained a sentence reduction for client in criminal case from one year to ninety days in\njail\nResearched and drafted successful motion to suppress evidence in criminal case\nresulting in dismissal of several charges\nDrafted motion for partial summary judgment that was filed in case involving the\nEndangered Species Act resulting in the inclusion of a species of Colorado trout on the\nendangered species list\nDeveloped factual and legal premise to support dismissal of frivolous trespassing suit,\nsaving client potential damages exceeding $10,000\n\nAction Verbs for Resumes\nA list of action verbs to assist you in describing your experiences and accomplishments:\n\n\x0c\x0cProviding Substance to Your Resume\nDuring your three years in law school, build up your resume through the\nfollowing:\nParticipating in clinics and internship programs\no Student Law Office\no Corporate Internship Program\no Internships for Credit\no Other Clinical Programs\nGet involved in student and volunteer activities, including student\norganizations\nResearch assistant for a professor\no Great way to improve your research and writing skills\nPart- and full-time legal positions\no Work during your summers (full-time) and possibly during the school\nyear (part-time) after your first year if your schedule will allow\nConcentrate on your grades\nApply to writing competitions\nParticipate in moot court competitions, such as Barrister\xe2\x80\x99s Cup and\nNegotiations Competition\nJoin the American Bar Association (ABA), the Colorado and Denver Bar\nAssociations (CBA & DBA) as a student member. Attend section or\ncommittee meetings in the areas of law you are interested in practicing.\nJoin an Inn of Court: The American Inns of Court is a national organization\nwhose members include judges, lawyers and a few law students. Inns meet\nonce a month for dinner to hold programs and discuss matters of\nprofessionalism, ethics and skills. It is modeled after the English\napprenticeship system for barristers. There are 10 Inns in Denver. Please see\nthe Career Services Office for more specific information and visit\nwww.innsofcourt.org.\nGet published\no Write for a Law Journal\no Interview an attorney about an interesting case or area of expertise;\nsubmit the resulting article to The Docket or Law Week Colorado\no Write an article on a current legal issue and submit it to the newsletter\nof the appropriate bar committee for publication\nJoin a chapter of Toastmasters to improve public speaking abilities\n\n\x0cAttend bar sponsored continuing legal education (CLE) programs to meet\nlocal attorneys practicing in areas of interest'