Crafting a Law Resume

8/14/2019 Crafting a Law Resume

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Crafting A Law Resume

Career Services

As you already know from your Legal Skills and other classes, to write a good paper or pleading; you need to think, write, revise, rethink and rewrite. The same principle applies to awell drafted resume. It is an evolving document that improves with time and effort.

225 Cedar St. • San Diego, CA 92101 (619) 525-7087 • www.cwsl.eduLouis Helmuth, Esq., Assistant Dean ! Courtney Miklusak, Esq., Director

Angela Kim Zugman, Esq., Assistant Director ! Jill Blatchley, Esq., Career Advisor

Suzanne Davidson, Esq., Career Advisor ! Robin Lake, Esq., Career Advisor Catherine Zingale, Esq., Graduate Career Advisor

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Wanda Harvey-Amoke, Administrative Assistant ! Melissa Lopez, Evening Administrative Assistant



WHAT IS A LAW RESUME?(Samples Follow)

A resume is an individual expression of who you are. It is also your one chance to make agreat first impression. The idea is to set yourself apart as a professional from the rest of thecrowd, while still maintaining the traditional professionalism required in the field of law. It isan interest-piquing summary of your background containing powerful “sound bites” of your academic and work experiences and your skills.

A law resume is your marketing tool. As with all legal documents, a law resume has adistinct, uncomplicated format that makes it easy for the reader to quickly locate thesubstantive information he or she is looking for to hire you. Your goal is to present thatinformation in a concise, easy to read and interesting way that captures your readers’interest.

The resume is not a complete autobiography! Its main goal is to convince prospectiveemployers to contact you for an interview. Your resume is a sample of your writing andpersuasion skills, so draft it carefully.

I. CHOOSING A RESUME FORMAT

Most law students will use a reverse chronological resume format. See samples thatfollow this section. However, in a rare instance, a law student might use a functionalresume format. If you are not certain which suits your situation best, please ask Career Services for assistance.

A. Reverse chronological. The legal community generally expects a traditional, reversechronological format, ordering your education and other relevant experience by datewithin each section (Education, Experience, etc.), with the most recent occurrences(your current education) listed first. See samples that follow. Most law students arebest served using this format.

B. Functional. This resume works well for people who have a great deal of varied prior experience and who need to demonstrate how that background merges with law. Afunctional resume organizes your background by skill categories that clearly show theprospective employer the skills you will bring to the job (e.g., “Negotiation”, “OralAdvocacy”, “Contract Writing”, etc.). Each category is then further described by listingconcrete examples of your use of those skills.

Choose the format best suited to your situation.

II. GENERAL GUIDELINES

A. One page.

Unless you have an extensive career history before law school, or you are seeking apublic interest position and have extensive public interest volunteer work in your background, limit your resume to one full page. You must communicate your particular suitability for the position quickly and immediately. This is a sample of your ability towrite efficiently and succinctly.

However, if you do have an extensive background which is significant and relevant tothe position you are seeking, you may need to use a two-page format. Since



reviewers of your resume will skim your resume quickly, be sure to draft your resumeso as to provide a strong picture of your qualifications on the first page, so thereviewer is sure to give a look at the second page. If you do use a two-page format,place your full name on the first line, and “Resume, Page 2" on the second line of thesecond page. Also, be sure to fill your second page. A partially full second page looksvery unprofessional.

B. Easy to read.

Your resume must be an inviting document to read. Do not present an employer witha dense, confusing document printed in a small font size. Rather, encourage an easyreading of your resume through an effective use of concise form, white space andcarefully selected language.

Avoid ornate or decorative styles. Use effective combinations of CAPITAL letters, bold or italic typefaces, and underlining for name, schools, employers and position titles toenhance readability. Overuse of these tools can result in a confused look, so be

judicious.

Italics are often used for honor designations (e.g., “B.S., magna cum laude, Biology,

2002") and underlining is often used for publications. Also, be consistent withincategories. If you present one position title in bold caps, type all position titles in boldcaps. Be consistent using abbreviations. For example, if you use J.D. instead of JurisDoctor, use B.A. instead of Bachelor of Arts, etc.

Choose an easy-to-read typeface. Times New Roman 12 point font or Arial 11 or 12point font are both good choices. Use a larger font size for your name.

C. Focused.

Tailor each resume you send to each individual employer so that the employer identifies

most with your background and skills. By highlighting experiences and skills relevant tothe particular employer, you will create a resume that causes you to stand out from thepack. Presenting different combinations of your experiences and skills may cause youto stand out more for one employer than for the next.

For instance, if you have experience in both criminal and civil practices, you shouldconsider including more detail about the criminal experience and the skills you derivedfrom that experience for application to the Federal Public Defender than you would for application to a corporate securities law firm. Similarly, if your undergraduate studyincluded focused coursework in accounting and geology, you may want to consider highlighting the former for application to an estate planning practice and the latter for application to an environmental law practice. You should always tailor your resume tothe particular employer.

D. Some Basics to Avoid.

Do not use the resume templates which come with most word processing softwarepackages or online. These templates confine your ability to set your resume up toyour best advantage and restrict your ability to add future employment experience dueto space limitations. They also often contain features not appropriate for a lawresume, e.g., an “Objective” section. Rather, construct your own format from a blankword processing document.



Do not include an “Objective” section on your resume. These are generally not usedfor law clerk or lawyer positions. Instead, your objective will form a part of your cover letter.

Do not include a “Reference” section or a statement such as “References AvailableUpon Request.” Instead, prepare a separate reference sheet. See “Drafting JobSearch Correspondence” handout.

E. Regularly update your resume.

Include whatever experiences you have gained since you last submitted a resume. If appropriate, consider adding courses taken, seminars or conferences attended,grades received or projects completed since your last draft.

III. WHAT INFORMATION SHOULD YOU INCLUDE ON YOUR RESUME?

The following outline is in the appropriate order for law students and recent graduateswho are seeking law clerking or their first entry-level attorney positions. Once you are intoyour first or subsequent job as an attorney, when you are preparing a resume to make alateral job move, you should reverse the order of the “Education” and “Experience”

sections, and also lead off with a “Professional” section listing bar licenses and bar associations. See sample that follows.

The following must be included in an effective resume:

A. Name, address(es), telephone number(s) and e-mail address.

State this logistical information in an attractive letterhead-like fashion that is pleasing tothe eye. Make sure the telephone number(s) you include are accurate and will beanswered in a professional manner. Do not use a telephone number which is not alwaysanswered in a professional manner. Do not use a telephone number where there may

be a funny or colorful message on your voicemail; you should use another number toensure that calls from employers are answered professionally and to ensure that youreceive all job related messages immediately and completely. Do not use an e-mailaddress with a funny or colorful meaning. Stick to some variation of your name, or better yet, use your professional-looking CWSL e-mail address. Check your e-mail andvoicemail regularly: many employers communicate this way and will expect a promptresponse. Include a “permanent address” in addition to a “current address” (e.g., schoolyear address) only if you are applying for positions closer to the “permanent address.”Doing so identifies your geographic connection to the area in which the employer islocated.

B. Education.

Include law school, graduate and undergraduate schools in reverse chronological order.For each, list the official name of the school, the city and state, the degree(s) earned andthe date(s) you received the degree(s) (not the years you attended). If you are applyingto positions outside of Southern California, it is valuable to note California Western’saccreditation with the ABA and AALS as follows: California Western School of Law,ABA/AALS, San Diego, CA. Otherwise, do not include that information. For studentscurrently enrolled, state the degree and the date on which it is expected to be conferred(e.g., “Juris Doctor expected April 2011" or “Juris Doctor candidate, December 2010").For all degree programs, also consider including any distinguishing and relevant



features, including, but not necessarily limited to: academic performance, honors andawards, extracurricular activities, focus of study, independent study topics, titles of relevant papers written, etc. You may also want to consider including an officialcoursework concentration, identification of relevant courses taken, research papersrelevant to the particular employer, etc.

1. Honors and awards should be included if, for example, you graduated cum laude from undergraduate school, or received a scholarship or award (if the title of your

award does not clearly reveal its nature, you may annotate that entry, e.g., “scholastichonor” or “advocacy awards”). Also, you should include if you are a member of anhonorary society, placed in a moot court competition (not just participated in thecompetition), or engaged in a scholarly writing or publication project. You should alsoconsider identifying the substantive topic of your Law Review Note or Comment, MootCourt Brief, Scholarly Writing paper, etc., when relevant to the employer’s practice.

2. Activities are important to include when they demonstrate your leadership, initiative,personality, responsibility, interests, energy and/or desire to participate in your community. Keep in mind that there may be times when an extracurricular activitymay be more appropriately described under the “Experience” section of your resume.

For instance, if during your undergraduate years you were the student representativeon a committee of faculty members charged with improving curricula, you might wantto detail in the “Experience” section the skills you employed when you “assessed curriculum shortcomings and needs, advocated students’ positions to committee,negotiated compromise between competing interests, and presented resultingcurriculum changes to entire student body,” rather than simply to list that you were a“Curriculum Committee Member.” (Note: As time passes, tangentially-related activities during undergraduate years become less relevant and thus may be better left off your resume.)

3. Academic performance generally (e.g., GPA, class rank and/or percentile standing)may be important to include on your resume. If your GPA and rank are not your bestattributes, you should omit the information so your application is not immediatelyeliminated on the basis of grades or rank alone. There is no hard and fast rule aboutwhether or not to state your academic standing on your resumes, and one approachmay be preferable for one employer but not for the next. As with all features of your background, assess each situation individually and make your own judgmentregarding what to include on each version of your resume. Career Service Advisorswill be happy to help you determine what is best for you.

If you do state your performance, list either your GPA (always as a fraction, e.g.,85.2/95.0) or class standing, but not both. In general, class standing or Class RankPercentile is easier for employers to understand.

a. Class Standing. If you elect to list class standing, you must list it as issued by the Registrar’s Office (Class Standing: 108/221). Class standing is computed by theRegistrar only. You may not compute your own mid-year class standing or GPA.

b. Computing Class Rank Percentile. If you use your class standing to determineyour class rank percentile, you must round up to the nearest whole number or round up carrying the percentage out one decimal place. You must also state“based on class standing of x/y.” Using the example above, if you divide 108 by221 the result is .4886. If you wish to indicate class rank as a whole number percentage, you must indicate “top 49%,” not “top 48%.” Or, you may indicate “top



48.9% based on class standing of 108/221” (.4886 rounded up and carried out toone decimal place). Likewise, if, e.g., your class standing is 46/121, the result is.3802. If you wish to indicate class rank as a whole percentage, you mustindicate “top 39%”, not “top 38%” (counterintuitive to what you were taught inmath class where you learned to round down if under .5). Or, you may indicate“top 38.1% based on class standing of 46/221” (.3802 again rounded up andcarried out one decimal place).

c. Grade Point Average. If you choose to list your GPA on your resume, it must belisted exactly as it appears on your transcript or rounded down. For example, aGPA of 86.46 may be listed as 86.46, rounded down to 86.4, but may not berounded up to 86.5. Always state your GPA as a fraction identifying CaliforniaWestern’s 95 point scale, e.g., 86.4/95. If your GPA has improved over time, itmay be to your advantage to show a GPA for each year or for particular years or semesters. If you choose to list a GPA and/or class standing other than your current cumulative GPA and/or class standing, you must identify thecorresponding year(s) and/or semester(s) for those GPAs/class standings listed.

If you do not state your academic performance, consider whether you might want to

highlight a particular good grade or an upward trend in your semester GPAs. Alsoconsider if you are listing your undergraduate GPA, but not your law school GPA.You probably want to list both, or not list either, but do not list only one. An employeris sure to ask you about the one you left off.

C. Experience.

Whether you have recently graduated from an undergraduate institution or have had asubstantial prior career, it is crucial that you identify the legal and non-legal skills that willbe valuable to the particular employer. This is the section of your resume in which youidentify what practical skills and traits you will bring to an organization.

First, list the name of the employer/organization for which you worked (regardless of whether you were paid or volunteered), the city and state in which it was located, the titleof your position(s) and dates (month and year) you held the position(s). If you did nothave a formal title, choose one that positively and accurately describes the position.Remember that volunteer work is appropriate to include as “experience.”

Second, in narrative or “bulleted” format (whichever you choose) describe what you didand the skills you used in a concise and interesting way. This is the challenging part. Thegoal is to engage the reader and identify your skills in a way that leads the reader to theconclusion that you can contribute to their organization. Do not assume that only legalexperience is relevant. Lawyering skills are often developed during non-legal

experiences. For example, if, as Secretary of the Soccer Club, you took minutes of allmeetings and wrote articles for the semiannual newsletter, by all means highlight thosecritical listening and note-taking skills you used to keep minutes, as well as theinterviewing, factual analysis and writing skills you employed in writing for the newsletter.

The list of “Action Verbs Used to Describe Skills Employed by Lawyers” on page 12of this handout is extremely useful in extracting from past experiences, legal and non-legal, the law-related skills you used. Review this list one by one and ask yourself “Did I‘achieve,’ ‘adapt,’ ‘administer,’ etc. anything during this particular experience?” Doing sowill boost the power of your resume. Then, begin each entry in your description with an



action verb. For example, as Soccer Club Secretary, you may have “Achieved goal of increasing funding by 100%” or “Adapted procedure for scheduling games and fields” or “Administered internal and external budget.”

Describe current work in the present tense and prior work in the past tense. Omit thepersonal pronoun "I" and articles such as "a", "an” and "the."

When describing your work, do not evaluate your own worth, e.g., "effective negotiator" or

“excellent communicator”. Instead, let the results of your efforts speak for themselves.Report the incidents that demonstrate your worth in a factual, anecdotal manner (“Negotiated campus-wide refund of excessive tuition charges,” or “Communicatedorganizational mission and goals to government officials.”).

CAUTION: Remember that until you pass the bar and are licensed by a state to practicelaw, you may not practice law. Unauthorized practice of law (before license) is a crime.Unless you are licensed to practice law, or a certified law student (and then only under prescribed circumstances), you cannot “advise clients,” “represent the State,” “counselimmigrants,” or the like, regarding legal matters. However, you can “inform”, “explain”,“describe” and “assist attorneys in” legal matters. Thus, choose your action verbscarefully to ensure that you do not inadvertently admit to the crime of unauthorizedpractice of law.

Specifics to Include for All Legal Experience.

1. Substantive Knowledge. Always include details about particular substantivearea(s) of law with which you have familiarity. Identify that you “researchednumerous issues including wrongful termination, wage and hour disputes, andgender discrimination” as opposed to just “researched employment law issues.”Tell the employer that you “educated constituents about various matters includingSocial Security benefits, access to public information and analysis of pendinglegislation” as opposed to “answered calls from constituents.” Detail specifics of

your work and use terms of art related to the practice areas you worked in, e.g.,sentencing, felony murder, pleas, suppression, plain view and reasonable doubt.

2. Procedural/Document Familiarity. If you have worked with a particular body of court rules, administrative practices or particular sorts of transactions, make sure thatfact is detailed on your resume. Make sure the employer knows that you “draftedmotions to dismiss and motions in limine , instead of just “drafted pleadings,” or thatyou “assessed and analyzed purchase and sale contracts, balance sheets, profit/lossstatements, and income statements” rather than just “reviewed documents.”

Where possible, however, you should try to be even more specific in describing

each experience using a P-A-R (Problem-Action-Result) formula. Describe theProblem (or challenge/responsibility) you faced in the position, Action(s) you tookto reach an objective/goal and the Result of the accomplishment.Contrast the effectiveness of these two statements:

Basic/Generic Description Using P-A-R FormulaPerformed legal research and Drafted successful oppositiondrafted response to motion for to motion for summarysummary judgment judgment in personal injury case

involving more than $10 millionin damages



3. Professional Contact with Various Types of People. Lawyers need to becomfortable, professional and effective in many settings and with many differenttypes of people. So, to the extent you have “interviewed clients respectingstrengths and weaknesses of case, prepared expert witness for deposition, andnegotiated financial settlement with SSI caseworkers,” by all means state so. Thiswill inform prospective employers in detail of your ability to work in a professionalsetting with a variety of individuals.

4. Publications. List significant published legal and non-legal work under aseparate category (or on a separate page, if necessary) entitled “Publications”.All lawyers need to be effective communicators, both in written and oral format. If you have been published, that fact is proof of your abilities in this area and also inthe areas of analysis and research.

5. Licenses and Professional Affiliations. Professional licenses, certificates andaffiliations are tremendously important to many areas of law and law related work.List your licensures (State Bar of California, CPA, Psychologist, Real EstateBroker, Teacher) and professional affiliations (International Society of ElectricalEngineers, Lawyers Club, La Raza Lawyers) under a separate category entitled

“Professional” once you are licensed to practice. State the name of the licensingorganization, your title and the dates of your membership (if appropriate).

6. Military Service. Some employers, government in particular, may givepreference to veterans, so listing military service can be a benefit. Also, includingyour military experience as a component of your “Experience” is very useful toidentify skills developed and responsibilities discharged during your service that arerelevant to the position(s) you seek. Be sure to include your military service.

IV. OPTIONAL CONTENT

A. Languages or Other Special Skills.

Include skills that will be of interest to a potential employer: proficiency in languages,sophisticated or unusual computer or technical proficiency or other distinguishing andrelevant skills. Employers will expect you to know word processing programs and howto do basic electronic legal research, so most often these skills should not be includedon your resume.

If you are bilingual or multilingual, this information should definitely be included on your resume in a separate “Languages” section. When stating your level of proficiency,include whether you are “fluent” or have “conversational” or “basic” knowledge. If your written abilities are different from your spoken language abilities, so state. Be careful not

to include languages unless you can really speak and understand to the level you state.If you used your bilingual abilities in any of your work experiences, include that fact inyour description of the job responsibilities. (“Interpreted for Cantonese-speaking clientsin meetings with attorneys,” or “Lectured in Spanish on immigration rights to Spanish-speaking community groups.”)

B. Personal Information.

An “Interests” section may be included on your resume if space is available andthese interests contribute to your marketability or provide an interview "ice breaker.”Make sure you state your interests in an interesting manner. Otherwise, they will be





Choose your references based on their knowledge of you and your workperformance. Always ask your references in advance for their permission to includethem on your list of references. Current and former employers and law school faculty areoften good references, provided they will attest positively to your skills.

VIII. PROOFREAD!

Nothing will kill your prospects faster than a resume, reference list or letter with

typographical or grammatical errors. Do not rely on spell checking programs or Career Advisors. Get several friends to proofread your resume. Career Advisors usually look for format, content and obvious mistakes. Sometimes Career Advisors miss things that couldbe caught by proofreading your document multiple times. The table below includes wordsthat are often misspelled or misused in resume writing and cover letters. Carefullyreview your resume to make sure the proper words are used and that all are spelledcorrectly.

Check to make sure your resume does not have any of the followingcommon and embarrassing mistakes:

Words often misspelled or mistyped:

appellateconstitutionalcommitted/commitmentcriterion (plural = criteria)cum laude (use lower case & italicize)liaisonmemorandum (plural: memoranda)misspell

precede/proceedperspective/prospectiverelevant

Words often misused or missed by spellchecking programs:

affect/effectthen/than apprise/appraisecapital/capitolmy/byis/itcomplement/complimentcouncil/counsel(ing)

Juris Doctor (not Doctorate)principle/principaloriented (not orientated)trial/trail there/their public/pubicyou/your/you’reof/or way/wasensure/assure/insure advice/advise

form/from



Resume Writing Tips

Top 10 Do’s

1. Do limit your resume to one page, if possible. (This demonstrates your abilityto write efficiently and succinctly.)

2. Do tailor your resume to the specificemployer, i.e., be sure to include skillsand experience sought by that employer.(Different legal employers – e.g., publicinterest vs. civil law firm – do notnecessarily seek the sameskills/qualifications. You will have severalversions of your resume.)

3. Do follow one of the acceptable resumeformats. (See samples that follow.)

4. Before including anything on your resume, do ask yourself this: Does thisinformation have relevance andsignificantly contribute to mypresentation?

5. Do make sure that the telephone number you use on your resume is current andhas a professionally appropriate voicemailmessage. (Note: background music is notappropriate for a professional voicemail

message. And do not forget to make your e-mail address professional too.)

6. Do emphasize/prioritize your relevantlegal experiences over non-legal work.(Grab the employer’s attention quickly.)

7. Do make sure your resume is easy toread, but use underlining, italics , bold andbullets for emphasis without goingoverboard or making your resume toodistracting.

8. Do proofread (for accuracy, grammar,punctuation and correct telephonenumber).

9. Do have two other people proofread.(Perfection is key!)

10. Do regularly update your resume (e.g.additional legal experiences, gradesreceived, law school competitions).

Top 10 Don’ts

1. Don’t list personal information – your resumeshould be professional (e.g., do not referencemarital status, children, religion, etc.).

2. Don’t list references on your resume or indicate “References Available UponRequest” (legal employers do not want to seereferences on your resume). Have a separatelist available if requested. (See samples inthe “Drafting Job Search Correspondence”handout.

3. Don't use personal pronouns (I, my, me) in aresume. Instead, use “action” verbs to startall phrases.

4. Don’t use the resume templates which comewith most software packages. (They confineyour ability to create your best legal resume.)

5. Don’t include an “Objective” section on your resume (which is not generally used for lawclerk or lawyer positions).

6. Don’t use fancy fonts. (Times New Roman or Arial are both good choices at 11 or 12 font,depending on resume length.)

7. Don’t lie. Emphasize your strengths, skills,and qualifications, but never overstate your qualifications.

8. Don’t include your whole life’s history.(Remember: succinct and relevant.)

9. Don’t use passive voice.

10. Don’t use colorful paper (e.g., white, buff,muted gray or beige is standard).



Action Verbs Used to Describe Skills Employed by Lawyers

accomplishedachievedacquiredadaptedaddedadjustedadministered

advisedaidedallocatedanalyzedannotatedansweredanticipatedappearedappliedappointedappraisedapprovedarguedarranged

assembledassessedassignedassistedassumedattainedattendedauditedauthoredauthorizedawardedbalancedbeganbolstered

briefedbroughtbudgetedbuiltcalculatedcategorizedcataloguedcaughtcausedchairedchangedchartedcheckedchose

clarifiedclassifiedclosedcollaboratedcollectedcombinedcommentedcommunicatedcomparedcompiledcompleted

composedcomputedconceivedconceptualizedconcludedconductedconserved

consideredconsolidatedconstructedconsultedcontactedcontractedcontrolledconvenedconvertedconveyedconvincedcoordinatedcorrectedcorresponded

counseledcreatedcreditedcritiqueddealtdebateddecideddefendeddefineddelegateddelivereddemonstratedderiveddescribed

designeddetecteddetermineddevelopeddeviseddiagnoseddirecteddiscovereddispenseddistributeddocumenteddraftedearnededited

educatedeffectedelicitedencouragedenlargedestablishedestimatedevaluatedexaminedexhibitedexpanded

executedexpandedexpeditedexperiencedexplainedexploredexpressed

extendedfacilitatedfinancedfocusedforecastformedformulatedfosteredfoundedfunctionedgainedgavegatheredgenerated

grantedgroupedguidedhandledheadedhighlightedidentifiedillustratedimplementedimprovedincorporatedincreasedindexedinfluenced

informedinitiatedinspectedinstalledinstitutedinstructedintegratedinterpretedinterrogatedinterviewedintroducedinventedinvestigatedinvolved

joined judgedkeptlecturedledlicensedlistenedlobbiedmaintainedmanagedmarketed

masteredmeasuredmediatedmodeledmoderatedmodifiedmolded

monitoredmotivatednamednavigatednegotiatedobservedobtainedopenedoperatedorderedorganizedoriginatedoutlinedoversaw

participatedperceivedperformedpersuadedplannedpredictedpreparedprescribedpresentedpresidedprocessedprocuredproducedprogrammed

prohibitedprojectedpromotedproofedproposedprosecutedprovedprovidedpublicizedpublishedpurchasedpursuedquestionedqualified

quantifiedraisedratedrankedreceivedrecommendedrecordedrecruitedreducedreferredreorganized

renderedrepliedreportedrepresentedreproducedrequiredresearched

restoredresolvedrespondedrestoredretainedretrievedreviewedrevisedrewroteroutedscheduledsearchedselectedserved

setshapedsimplifiedsolicitedsolvedspecializedspecifiedspokestartedstimulatedstrengthenedstructuredstudiedsubmitted

suggestedsummarizedsupervisedsuppliedsupportedsurveyedsynthesizedtargetedtestedtrainedtransferredtransformedtranslatedtraveled

tutoredunifiedupdatedusedverifiedwonworkedwrote



SAMPLE 1L RESUME

HOLLY ANN MARTIN 1212 First Avenue ● San Diego, CA 94110 (619) 555-1212 ● [email protected]

EDUCATION

CALIFORNIA WESTERN SCHOOL OF LAW, San Diego, CAJuris Doctor candidate, April 2012

San Diego County Bar Association, Student Member Environmental Law Society, Member

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, Hayward, CABachelor of Arts, Psychology, May 2009

Senior Thesis: Voting Habits of the Millennial GenerationPublic Service Award

EXPERIENCE

Save The Trees, Hayward, CA Summer 2008 and Summer 2009Community Educator C Informed residents of opportunity for street tree planting at city expense.C Planted over 100 street trees as part of team of volunteers.C Wrote articles about urban forestry for publication in donor solicitations and on website.C Provided administrative support to all facets of non-profit administration.

The Grill, Hayward, CA Spring and Summer 2008

The Red Grape, Hayward, CA Summer 2007 Server/Backwaiter C Served multi-course meals to diverse clientele in high volume restaurant.C Recommended specialties based on customer preferences.C Promoted new items on menu to increase sales.C Supported front-of-house staff in all facets of food preparation and service.C Received outstanding employee award for month of August 2008.

CSU Outreach Program, Hayward, CA Summer 2006High School Tutor C Tutored at-risk high school students in English and Math.

C Coordinated educational programs to improve individual student performance.

CSU Intramural Soccer , Hayward, CA 2005-2006Coordinator C Developed schedule for 20 teams in an 8 game season.C Negotiated with other athletic teams and leagues for field access.

INTERESTS

C Cross-fit training, marathon running, and photography



SAMPLE 1L RESUME

JOHN J. BOOKER1234 Front Street, #13 • San Diego, CA 92101

(619) 234-8518 • [email protected]

EDUCATION

California Western School of Law, San Diego, CAJuris Doctor expected, April 2012 Legal Skills I Course grade: 93/95 Creative Problem Solving Scholarship Recipient, 2009

University of California at San Diego, San Diego, CABachelor of Arts, with Honors , English and Political Science, May 2008 Trustee Scholarship Recipient, 2003-2007 Associated Students Award for Community Service, 2006 Founder and Vice President, Sigma Tau Delta, 2003-2007 Honors Society Faculty Liaison, Class Representative, 2005-2006 Community Service Coordinator, 2004-2006 Worked 20 hours per week to offset educational expenses

EXPERIENCE

San Diego Unified School District, San Diego, CA July 2008 – June 2009Substitute Teacher Taught large and small groups in all subjects. Assessed student needs and preparedcorresponding lesson plans. Counseled individual students on academic and personalissues. Maintained classroom order and decorum. Enforced school policies.

UCSD, San Diego, CA August 2005 – May 2008Tutor and Honors Student Board Member Tutored students in English, Communications, History and Political Science. Advised facultyon potential academic policies and Honors curriculum offerings. Organized social andservice activities. Spoke to over 200 students as member of panel on the “Plame Incident”and “CIA Leak Inquiry.”

San Diego Peak Performance Day Camp, San Diego, CA Summers 2004 – 2007Director of Aquatics Supervised other lifeguards and instructors at busy pool for summer day camp program.Taught water safety to youth and adult students. Ensured safety and health code compliance

during operational hours.

LANGUAGES AND INTERESTS

Conversational Spanish Distance running – San Diego Marathon and numerous shorter races



SAMPLE 2L RESUME Showing Two Part-Time 1L Summer Law Clerk Experiences

JANICE KIM (619) 444-4444

12345 Numbers Road San Diego, CA 92104 [email protected]

EDUCATION

California Western School of Law, San Diego, CAJuris Doctor candidate, May 2011 Academic Achievement Award (Highest Grade in Class): Torts I Moot Court Honors Board, Member, 2008 - 2009 Women’s Law Caucus, Vice-President, 2009 - Present Business Law Society, Member, 2008 - Present

University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CABachelor of Arts, cum laude , English; Minor in Communications, May 2001 University Publication (scholarly publication for English majors), Founder/Editor/Writer Outstanding academic achievement, community service award recipient (Wellesley Book Award) Universidad de Brasil, Spanish and Portuguese intensive language session, Summer 2000

EXPERIENCE

Hadsell & Stormer , Pasadena, CALaw Clerk, June 2009 - August 2009Researched and drafted memoranda of law regarding civil rights issues under U.S. and CaliforniaConstitutions in employment, voting rights and education contexts. Consulted with jury expertsregarding upcoming trials to evaluate trial strategy. Prepared fact summaries and timelines to assistin preparation of clients for depositions. Observed depositions, settlement conferences and mediationsessions.

Barker, Aaronson & Jones, Sherman Oaks, CALegal Assistant , June 2009- September 2009

Assisted lead paralegal in management of large disability rights and special education case involving35 defendants in multiple jurisdictions with damages exceeding $200 million. Drafted summary of client responses to discovery and declarations in opposition to motion for summary judgment.Prepared clients for alternative dispute resolution and administrative hearings under attorneysupervision. Translated for Spanish speaking clients.

Berkeley Middle School, Berkeley, CATeacher, August 2002 – May 2008Planned and delivered instruction to sixth through ninth grade classes. Designed and implementedmultiple curricular assessments. Tracked and reported student achievement throughout academicyear. Promoted character growth of students through outdoor education. Mediated home and schoolcommunications. Drafted and evaluated Individual Education Programs in conjunction with Special

Education Department.LANGUAGES

Fluent Spanish. Conversational Portuguese.



SAMPLE 2L RESUME Showing Two Part-Time 1L Clerkships and Current 2L Position

MATTHEW PARKER7028 Hillsboro Lane ● San Diego, CA 92120 ● (619) 205-1442

[email protected]

EDUCATION

CALIFORNIA WESTERN SCHOOL OF LAW, San Diego, CAJ.D. expected April 2011Top 9.4%, based on class standing of 22/234 California Western Law Review and International Law Journal, Associate Writer, 2009 – PresentMoot Court Trial Team, Honorable Mention, 2009San Diego County Bar Association, Real Estate Section, Student Member

SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY, San Diego, CAB.A, Latin American Studies, May 2008

Research/Teaching Assistant, Latin American Studies Department, 2005 – 2006Worked 25-30 hours per week to offset educational expenses

EXPERIENCE

PROFESSOR LAURA M. PADILLA, CALIFORNIA WESTERN SCHOOL OF LAW, San Diego, CAResearch Assistant September 2009 – PresentResearch and analyze riparian rights and zoning restrictions on Native American Tribal lands.

THE HONORABLE MARCIA HENDERSONU.S. District Court, Northern District of California, San Francisco, CA Judicial Extern June 2009 - August 2009Researched and analyzed law and motion matters involving employment, fraud, venue andforeclosure matters. Drafted bench memoranda with recommendations regarding court’s actions onmotions to dismiss, motions for summary judgment, discovery matters and evidentiary issues.Evaluated writs of habeas corpus and submitted written analyses on merits of writs. Prepared jury

instructions for trials. Observed civil rights and criminal fraud proceedings and trials.

THOMPSON & STORMER, LLP, San Francisco, CA Law Clerk June 2009 - September 2009 Analyzed and summarized deposition transcripts, discovery responses, and employment and medicalrecords for use in pre-trial motions, liability analysis, settlement negotiations, and trial in multiple-defendant toxic tort (asbestos) and wrongful-death action. Prepared discovery responses and relatedexhibits to request for production of documents. Researched and analyzed government, industrial,marine records and blueprints for facts relevant to our clients’ cases.

RALPH’S GROCERY STORE, San Diego, CADepartment Manager July 2005 – August 2007

Trained and supervised eight customer services representatives. Managed daily operations, payrolland accounting.Customer Service Representative May 2003 – July 2005Served customers in Deli/Bakery section of grocery store. Prepared banquet trays for specialtyevents. Received outstanding employee award for seven separate months.

LANGUAGES & COMMUNITY SERVICE

Fluent Spanish Toussaint Teen Center, San Diego, CA, Volunteer, 2003 – Present Habitat for Humanity, Projects in Tijuana, Mexico, Volunteer Carpenter, 2003 – 2006



SAMPLE 3L RESUME With Several Law Clerk Experiences.Note two addresses are given when applying to Northern California employer.

HECTOR [email protected] ● (619) 555-5666

Permanent Current 2048 Beech Avenue, No. 46 163-B Milpitas Way

San Francisco, CA 92139 San Diego, CA 92618 EDUCATIONCalifornia Western School of Law, San Diego, CAJuris Doctor expected, April 2010

California Western Law Review and International Law Journal, Associate Editor, 2007 – PresentNote Topic: “Trading with Foreign Traders: Inherent Securities Fraud?”

Top 30%, based on class standing of 93/313Health Law Society

New York University, New York, NY Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude , English, June 2007

Phi Beta Kappa

Student Senator Worked 20 – 30 hours per week to offset educational expenses

EXPERIENCESullivan Smith & Johnson, LLP, San Diego, CA May 2009 – PresentLaw Clerk Draft memoranda regarding practical implications of Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 on health careproviders, including potential revisions to system-wide education, policies, and employee codes of conduct. Review and recommend revisions to compliance policies and procedures, including conflictsof interest, gifts and gratuities and compliance hotline. Revise compliance and HIPAA/privacyeducation for all students and registry employees and draft annual education materials for all staff.Define material deficiency relating to reporting overpayments to the Office of Inspector General.

Mathias Law Firm, San Diego, CA January 2009 – May 2009Law Clerk Researched state securities regulations and drafted memorandum on licensure requirements for dealer-brokers. Prepared successful defense to multi-count summary judgment motion in wrongfultermination action. Analyzed and created chronology of events from trial transcripts and discovery insecurities fraud and breach of fiduciary duty action to prepare for expert testimony on behalf of attorney charged with legal malpractice.

Sharp HealthCare, San Diego, CA August 2008 – December 2008Legal Affairs and Compliance Intern Educated over 13,000 employees on all legal issues as member of five person legal team. Draftedand reviewed lease, sublease, licensing and trademark agreements. Researched and advisedsupervising attorney on defenses to unlawful detainer suit. Drafted motion to strike amended answer

and opposition to motions to compel discovery. Drafted interrogatories, requests for admission andproduction in multi-million dollar breach of contract claim. Analyzed federal Stark and anti-kickbacklaws and monitored referral practices of Sharp HealthCare.

New York University, New York, NY September 2005 – June 2007Elected Senator, Student Government Presented floor arguments on issues involving allocation of student funds and amendments to code of student conduct. Recommended changes to school policies and curriculum offerings.

INTERESTSScuba diving and parasailing



SAMPLE GRADUATE RESUME

JAMES JACKSON163-B Garnet Ave, San Diego, CA 92109 • [email protected] • (415) 555-5666

PROFESSIONAL

Admitted, State Bar of California, 2008Awaiting Results of February 2009 Arizona Bar ExaminationSan Diego County Bar Association, Member

EDUCATION

California Western School of Law, San Diego, CAJuris Doctor, cum laude , April 2008

Scholarly Writing: Discrimination in the WorkplaceMoot Court Honors Board

University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA

Bachelor of Arts, History (Minor in Political Science), June 2004

EXPERIENCE

Thompson & Stevens, LLP, San Diego, CAClinical Intern January 2008 – April 2008Researched and investigated issues in labor and employment law relating to unfair labor practices, sexual harassment and wrongful termination. Drafted legal memoranda on avariety of legal topics, including personal injury, civil rights, medical malpractice and contractslaw. Drafted motion for summary judgment relating to constructive discharge. Researchedand drafted motion to change venue, motion for removal, interrogatories and requests for production of documents. Wrote correspondence to clients and opposing counsel. Prepared

settlement brochures.

United States Attorney’s Office, Civil Division, San Diego, CA Law Clerk Summer 2007Drafted memoranda on family medical leave, disability discrimination and wage and hour violations. Drafted answers, motions to dismiss, motions for more definite statement andmotions in limine for federal employment law defense. Attended depositions, motionhearings and settlement conferences. Summarized depositions, prepared trial notebooksand proposed cross examination questions.

Employee Rights Center , San Diego, CALaw Clerk January 2007 – April 2007

Interviewed new clients with wage claims and unemployment disputes. Drafted motion for summary judgment, motion to compel discovery and research memoranda on issue of overtime wages. Represented clients at Labor Commissioner settlement conferences andunemployment insurance appeal hearings.

California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, San Diego, CALaw Clerk Summer 2006Investigated claims of employment discrimination. Analyzed and summarized employmentcontracts, time records, performance reviews, witness statements and deposition testimony.Interviewed employer and employee claimants. Researched and drafted memoranda of lawincluding findings of fact and conclusions of law.

Documents

Crafting a Law Resume