RESUME GUIDE
2022-2023
Office of Career Services
Dineen Hall, Suite 214 Syracuse, NY 13244-1310
315.443.1941
lawcareer@syr.edu
© 2022
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The Office of Career Services developed this resource to assist you in crafting and updating
your legal resume. The information included should be used as a general guideline for
preparing your resume. Each individual brings different strengths and experiences to a job
search. Career Services counselors are here to assist you in fine tuning the information in your
resume to maximize your strengths and help determine the most effective content.
Remember, there is nothing wrong with having multiple resume templates with which to
work, depending on the type of job you’re applying for, or the setting.
I. PREPARING YOUR RESUME
GETTING STARTED – THE BASICS
✓ Use simple, clean typefaces in a format that is easy to read.
✓ Make your resume neat, consistent and error-free.
✓ Be accurate; that means absolutely precise and correct.
• Employers discontinue consideration of candidates whose resumes
contain inaccuracies relating to class rank, GPA, work experience or any
other matter.
✓ Limit your resume to one page.
• If you are a second career law student, or if you intend to pursue a
public interest or government career, you may use two pages. This will
give you the ability to list all relevant prior work experience and/or
community service positions.
✓ Print your resume and cover letter on good quality, neutral-colored bond
paper.
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II. SUBSTANCE OF YOUR RESUME
The format for a law school resume follows this pattern:
A. Name/Contact Information
B. Education
C. Experience
D. Skills or Special Qualifications (OPTIONAL)
E. Community Service, Military Service, or Volunteer Service (OPTIONAL)
F. Publications (OPTIONAL)
G. Interests (OPTIONAL)
H. Languages
Material you should omit from your resume:
▪ An “Objective.” Unless otherwise requested by the employer, “Objective”
statements are not used in the legal profession and are out of fashion in general, in
favor of a “Profile” section, if you choose to include such a section.
▪ References. Do not include references on your resume or the phrase “References
available upon request.”
▪ LSAT scores.
▪ Personal data (date of birth, social security number, marital status, and possibly
your physical address).
▪ No prospective entries that are not confirmed. Do not include a journal position
unless you have been invited & accepted it (same for Travis Lewin Advocacy Honors
Society, etc.). Do not list an internship, externship, volunteer position or other
work position unless you have accepted the role.
▪ Latin graduation honors (e.g., cum laude) until after graduation.
▪ Information that would breach client confidentiality.
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A.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Historically, the type of personal information typically included on a resume is name,
address, cell number, email (SU) address, and LinkedIn profile. Recently, however, physical
address is sometimes omitted or included strategically, to establish a connection to a
geographic area. Privacy concerns influence some job seekers to simply omit their physical
address. The contact information section should all appear at the top of your resume. If you
must use a personal email, make sure the address is professional.
➢ Example: futurelawyer@email.com will not be viewed as professional by an
employer.
If you are from a geographic location outside of Central New York and are open to working in
either Central New York or your hometown, you may include both, as shown below:
Kate Wales
555-123-6543
LinkedIn profile here
Current Address: Permanent Address:
111 Ivy Ridge Road 632 Peyton Circle
Syracuse, NY 13210 Los Angeles, CA 30089
B.
EDUCATION
The substantive portion of a resume for current students should begin with the Education
section (graduates who have been working for 3+ years should begin with Experience).
List educational institutions in reverse chronological order, most recent first (see sample
resumes in Appendix B for examples of how to present this information).
The degree you are receiving should be presented as “J.D.” or “Juris Doctor”, not Juris
Doctorate.
High school information would generally not be included on your resume. There are rare
occasions where it might be acceptable or useful (i.e., a connection to an employer or
alumni/ae). Speak with a counselor if you’re uncertain.
Transfer students: If you have transferred to Syracuse after completing your 1L year
elsewhere, please follow these guidelines:
‣ Lead with Syracuse University College of Law.
‣ Include your prior law school information but keep it concise.
‣ Be selective regarding which honors and awards you include from your prior school
since strong academic achievement is assumed for transfers. Consider including items
that highlight major accomplishments of your first-year experience, such as moot
court or journal invitations, or membership (esp. leadership) in student organizations.
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‣ Since you are no longer a degree candidate at the school from which you transferred,
write, “First-year Legal Studies, 20 –20 ” where degree information would normally
appear.
‣ You need not include your GPA or class rank from your prior institution (you will
have neither here at Syracuse in the beginning), but if they are very high, feel free to
include them.
Transfer Example:
EDUCATION
Syracuse University College of Law, Syracuse, NY
Candidate for J.D., May 2023
Other Law School, Cleveland, OH
First-year Legal Studies, 2019 – 2020
Honors: Invited to become Executive Editor of Law Review
GPA/Class Rank
The general rule is to include your GPA if it is a 3.0 or higher. The GPA you include on
your resume must match your current transcript to the nearest hundredth.
Do not round your GPA. Simply extend your GPA out two decimal points.
(Example: 3.636 = 3.63)
As a general rule, if you are in the top 30% of your law school class you should
include that information.
You should express your class standing as a percentage, e.g., top 30%
If you list your class rank as a fraction (e.g., 16/223), you should also compute
that fraction into a percentage – don’t leave the math for the employer.
If your class rank computes to 13.6% or 13.2%, you are in the top 14%; never round
down.
Note: Although grades are an important criterion for some employers, please do not
obsess over them. You can improve your class standing over time or augment
your academic information with clinics, externships and employment
experience.
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Honors
Create a separate subheading entitled “Honors” in the appropriate school section.
List relevant honors separately in order of importance, not alphabetically or
chronologically. For any honor that is not obvious, include a brief parenthetical
description.
Example
:
Pi Sigma Alpha (Political Science Honor Society)
Activities
Include selected activities as a separate subheading entitled “Activities” in the
appropriate school section.
List each activity separately in order of importance, not alphabetically or
chronologically. If any activities are not self explanatory include a brief,
parenthetical description – i.e., SPIN should include an explanation that says it
stands for “Syracuse Public Interest Network.”
C.
EXPERIENCE
While it is perfectly acceptable to separate out different types of experiences if you prefer, it
is not necessary to create distinctions between “Legal Experience,” “Other Work
Experience,” or “Other Professional Experience.” You can list them all under “Experience.”
✓ List all employment in reverse chronological order, i.e., the most recent first,
setting forth the employer’s full name, the city and state where the employer
is located, the title of your position and dates of employment.
o For dates of employment, either use the season (Fall 2019) or months
and year (Aug. 2019 – May 2020), but not both; pick one or the other.
Describing Your Responsibilities & Contributions
Your descriptions should emphasize your responsibilities and contributions, rather than
your routine duties. Most importantly, focus on those tasks that use skills relevant to
the practice of law in any setting.
❑ Focus on skills such as research and writing, negotiating, analyzing data, decision-
making, communicating and supervising
❑ Start each description with an action verb, such as “directed,” “managed,” and
“negotiated;” create the image of an achiever
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❑ Use past tense for former experiences and present tense for current experiences
❑ Never use personal pronouns (“I”, “my”, “they”, “their”, etc.) or any other form of
first person in describing your tasks
❑ Use active verbs/phrases, e.g., “negotiated real estate contracts”
❑ Avoid phrases such as “Duties and responsibilities included…”
When describing your experiences, write from the potential employer’s perspective;
highlight accomplishments that are most relevant to the position you’re seeking. Be
sure you give some specific details, so that the employers can more fully see the
breadth of your experience. Do not be too general – give them an idea of the
substance of that work.
✓ Do not go into a long discussion of the legal issues you worked on; simply
mention them and move on.
✓ Do not include case names or sections of the law unless very relevant to that
employer.
✓ See Appendix A for a list of buzz words that can assist you with drafting your
job descriptions.
Military Service
Military service can be a separate section after your “Experience” section or can be
indicated in the “Experience” section. Be sure to include any noteworthy
accomplishments and any citations or commendations. If you are presently in an
active reserve unit, you should indicate that information as well.
D.
SKILLS OR SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS
Employers value language proficiency and fluency, as well as unique computer expertise.
These items should be included under the heading “Skills,” “Special Qualifications,” or
“Languages.”
✓ Mention language skills if you are fluent or highly proficient.
✓ Computer skills should only be listed if they are not commonplace. Do not
include your proficiency with Word, WordPerfect, Lexis and Westlaw, etc.
E.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT OR VOLUNTEER SERVICE
If you are, or were, involved with any community organizations, you may include them under
a subheading entitled “Community Involvement” or “Volunteer Service.” Those considering
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careers in the public interest sector should be sure to include such a section. Be mindful of
the potential hiring consequences of sharing information about your involvement with
controversial affiliations.
F.
PUBLICATIONS
"Publications" can either be cited as a separate subsection in the “Education” section or it
may instead be listed in its own section above “Interests.”
Use the Bluebook format (the accepted format in the legal profession) to cite any of your
writings that have been published.
✓ Any writing which is scheduled to be published should be indicated by at least
the title and name of the journal.
✓ If you have the information, indicate the volume and page of the publication
and the date, e.g., “to be published [date]” or “forthcoming [date].”
G.
INTERESTS
Some people choose to include an “Interests” section on their resumes. The purpose is to
make a connection with the interviewer and promote conversation. If you want to include
Interests, be as specific as possible in describing them; entries such as “reading and cooking”
are too general. Something like “West Indian literature and French cooking” would be more
appropriate. Remember that anything you list is fair game for discussion.
Example: If you list reading Hemingway as an interest, you must be ready to discuss his
works.
III. THE PROFESSIONAL LOOK OF YOUR RESUME
The key, as with most things in life, is to strike a balance.
Be your own best critic: ask yourself what impression your resume makes. Is it easy to read?
Or is it overstuffed with information? The more white space, the easier it is for others to
read, and the more effectively you’ll communicate your skill set. Make conservative use of
headings, italics, underlines, capitalization, and bold. Remember, your resume is a
professional document.
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The basics of resume formatting are:
▪ If you are printing your resume, use 8 1/2” x 11” paper of good quality, 20-25
lb., at least 25% cotton;
▪ If printing hard copies, use white, off-white or cream colored paper (forget
grays & pastel blues);
▪ Use black ink;
▪ Use the following fonts:
o 13 or 14 point font for your name
o 11 or 12 point font for the remainder of the text
o 10 point font is not advised;
▪ Stay away from borders or designs;
▪ For a resume that is more than one page: if you are providing the employer with
a hard copy, it must be stapled, and your name and the page number must
appear in the top left-hand corner of each extra page;
▪ Left and right/top and bottom margins should be of equal size (0.5 inch -1
inch); and
▪ Use a good quality printer.
Consistency
Consistency in formatting is essential. Once you choose to format a section in a particular
way, you must format all other sections similarly.
Accuracy
What you represent in your resume has to be truthful and accurate, and free of
typographical, grammatical and spelling errors. NO TYPOS!
Attention to detail is an important element of an attorney’s craft. If employers detect an
error in a resume they may conclude that you will be equally sloppy and careless about your
work for them. Share your resume with at least one friend or family member to check for
typos or other errors.
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IV. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. I am a joint degree student. How do I reflect this on my resume?
Your legal education should appear first, followed by a separate entry for your graduate
school. We highly recommend separate entries, especially if you have law school honors
and activities. If you combine the degrees it will be confusing to read.
Example:
EDUCATION
Syracuse University College of Law, Syracuse, NY
Candidate for J.D., May 2022
Honors: Syracuse Law Review, Executive Editor
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse, NY
Candidate for M.P.A., May 2022
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, Bloomsburg, PA
B.A. in English, cum laude, May 2018
2. I have secured a position for the upcoming school year, but have not yet started. Can I
update my resume now?
Yes. You can add positions such as externships and research assistantships to your resume
prior to starting the position. Do not add a job description: just include the employer,
city, title, and dates. The entry should appear first under your “Experience” section.
Example:
EXPERIENCE:
United States Department of Justice
Extern, United States Attorney’s Office, N.D.N.Y.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Washington, DC
Syracuse, NY
Aug. 2022 – May 2023
Summer Law Intern Program Summer 2023
3. Does my resume have to be all on one page?
When at all possible. There are some exceptions, such as applying for fellowships, certain
government & public interest positions, as well as intellectual property positions for
someone who has conducted scientific research. Come speak with a Career Services
counselor if you are unsure.
Often, it is best to have more than one version of your resume, tailoring the information
you include to a specific type of employer. Your resume for a government employer may
look different from your resume for a law firm as it might highlight your volunteer work or
research in a certain class.
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4. I am interested in pursuing a position related to my joint degree or a non-traditional
career. Will my resume differ?
The format of resumes for positions related to, for example, an M.B.A. or M.P.A. program
may differ when compared to that of a traditional legal position. If you would like to use a
degree other than your J.D., you should work with the career services office of your other
degree program to create a second version of your resume. Should you be interested in
pursuing a non-traditional legal position, schedule an appointment with a College of Law
Career Services Counselor to discuss how to best tailor your resume.
5. How do I show that I held 2 different positions within the same employer?
List the employer once and put all positions held under that heading with the appropriate
dates. The positions should be listed in reverse chronological order, most recent first.
Example:
Grove Manor Waterbury, CT
Recreational Therapist October 2018 – July 2019
Assisted disabled nursing home residents by adapting their past leisure activities to
their current disabilities. Formed group that focused on special needs of male
residents. Tracked patient progress in medical charts and federal paperwork.
Recreation Aid March 2017 – October 2018
Provided assistance to Recreational Therapists as requested. Transported residents
to activities. Set up recreational activities and assisted with activities.
6. My article was chosen as an alternate for publication in a journal or Syracuse Law
Review. Can I put this on my resume as a “Publication” or “Honor”?
No, this information should not be included on your resume.
7. I met with a Career Services counselor about my resume. Do I have to upload my
resume to Symplicity?
Yes, particularly if you plan on applying to positions that require you to apply via
Symplicity. All resumes uploaded to Symplicity must be approved before they can be used,
even if you have already met with a Career Services counselor. Approval can take between
3-5 business days. Remember to proofread your final version before uploading.
8. I just uploaded my resume to Symplicity, but I don’t see it on the system.
Check the “Documents” tab.
9. What are some common formatting issues that I should look out for when reviewing my
resume?
Consistency is the biggest formatting issue with respect to resumes. Always print your
resume because it makes it easier for you to revise and proofread.
✓ Abbreviate a state in your job description? States in your contact information and
education section should be abbreviated.
✓ Microsoft Word often auto-formats hyphens making them different sizes (— vs. -).
Be sure to look out for this.
✓ Abbreviate a longer month like January? Yes. Abbreviate the longer months. Do
not abbreviate months such as May, June or July.
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✓ Make sure your resume is balanced on the page (i.e., the same amount of blank
white space at the top and bottom of your resume).
10. I am still currently working for an employer. How do I reflect this on my resume?
For dates of employment, your end date is “Present.” Current employment should be the
first entry appearing under the “Experience” section. Be sure that verbs for current
employment are in the present tense, even if you are referring to skills you used in the
past.
Example:
United States Department of Justice Binghamton, NY
Extern, United States Attorney’s Office, N.D.N.Y. Aug. 2018 – Present
Research and draft legal motions and memoranda. Assist attorneys in the Criminal Division
in trial preparation and settlement negotiations. Observe civil and criminal court
proceedings.
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APPENDIX A
Not sure how to start a job description? Incorporate 3-4 of the following “action
verbs”:
accelerated
accomplished
achieved
acquired
acted
activated
adapted
added
addressed
adjusted
administered
adopted
advertised
advised
advocated
aided
allocated
altered
amended
analyzed
annotated
anticipated
applied
appointed
appraised
arbitrated
arranged
articulated
assembled
assessed
assigned
assisted
attained
authored
authorized
balanced
bolstered
boosted
briefed
budgeted
built
calculated
catalogued
categorized
chaired
challenged
changed
clarified
classified
cleared
coded
collaborated
collected
combined
commissioned
committed
communicated
compared
compiled
completed
composed
computerized
conceived
concluded
conducted
consolidated
constructed
consulted
contacted
continued
contracted
contributed
controlled
convened
conveyed
convinced
cooperated
coordinated
corresponded
counseled
created
credited
critiqued
decided
decreased
deferred
defined
delegated
delivered
demonstrated
derived
designated
designed
detected
determined
developed
devised
devoted
directed
disclosed
discovered
distributed
diversified
documented
doubled
drafted
earned
edited
educated
effected
elected
elicited
eliminated
employed
encouraged
ended
endorsed
enforced
engaged
engineered
enlisted
entered
entertained
established
evaluated
examined
exchanged
executed
exempted
exercised
exhibited
expanded
expected
expedited
experienced
experimented
explained
explored
extended
facilitated
familiarized
figured
financed
fit
focused
forecasted
formed
formulated
fortified
fostered
founded
fueled
functioned
garnered
gave
generated
governed
granted
grouped
guided
handled
hired
identified
illustrated
implemented
improved
inaugurated
increased
incorporated
incurred
identified
induced
influenced
informed
initiated
innovated
inspected
inspired
installed
instilled
instituted
instructed
integrated
interpreted
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interviewed
introduced
invented
invested
investigated
issued
judged
launched
lectured
led
listened
litigated
lobbied
located
maintained
managed
manned
marketed
mastered
maximized
measured
mechanized
mediated
merchandised
met
minimized
moderated
modified
molded
monitored
motivated
moved
multiplied
named
negotiated
noticed
observed
obtained
occupied
operated
ordered
organized
oriented
originated
outlined
oversaw
owned
participated
passed
perceived
performed
permitted
persuaded
pioneered
placed
planned
polled
prepared
presented
preserved
presided
prevailed
prevented
prioritized
printed
processed
procured
produced
profiled
programmed
projected
promoted
proposed
protected
provided
publicized
published
purchased
pursued
qualified
questioned
quoted
raised
ran
ranked
reached
received
recommended
reconciled
recorded
recovered
recruited
rectified
redesigned
reduced
re-evaluated
rehabilitated
reinforced
reinstated
rejected
remedied
rendered
reorganized
repaired
replaced
reported
researched
resolved
responded
restored
retained
retrieved
revamped
reversed
revised
revitalized
rewarded
saved
secured
screened
sent
selected
scheduled
separated
settled
shaped
shared
shortened
showed
simplified
signed
sold
solicited
solved
specified
spoke
stabilized
structured
staffed
staged
standardized
steered
stimulated
strategized
studied
substantiated
summarized
supervised
supplied
supported
surveyed
synthesized
tabulated
tailored
targeted
taught
terminated
tested
took
trained
transferred
transformed
translated
traveled
turned
tutored
uncovered
undertook
united
unified
utilized
updated
valued
validated
verified
visited
welcomed
weighed
witnessed
worked
won
wrote
worked
wrote
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EDUCATION
109 Slocum Heights, Syracuse, NY 13210
(315) 443-1941 [email protected]
Note it’s “Syracuse University College of Law”.
Syracuse University College of Law, Syracuse,
If applying in
Central NY region,
only include local
address.
Samuel L. Firstyear
NY Juris Doctor Candidate, May 2023
GPA/Rank: 3.25 (Top 22%)
Activities: Health Law Society
The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Bachelor of Arts in History, cum laude, May 2018
Honors: Dean’s List (5 of 8 semesters)
Activities: Tutor, American History (2016-2018)
EXPERIENCE
Banana Republic
Sales Associate
Dayton, OH
May 2018 – August 2019
• Assisted customers in locating merchandise and accessing fitting rooms
• Straightened displays and ensured floors were free of scattered merchandise
Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity Columbus, OH
President, Delta Chapter Academic Year 2017 – 2018
• Worked closely with executive team on planning, philanthropy and service projects, and
coordinating social events
• Represented the organization at campus events and meetings with Ohio State administrators
• Drafted and sent monthly reports of goals and achievements to oversight committee
• Conducted weekly management meetings
Jay’s Bar and Grill Cleveland, OH
Waiter Summers 2015 – 2017
• Interacted with customers, describing specials and taking food and drink orders
• Worked with kitchen, bar and bus staff to deliver orders in a timely manner
If you
include
fraternity
leadership as
“Experience”
do not also
list as an
“Activity.”
Be sure hyphens
are all same size
– Word program
may change
format on you!
SKILLS AND INTERESTS
• Working knowledge of Portuguese
Be prepared to show your knowledge of the language.
• Enjoy volunteering at dog shows, collecting political buttons and scuba diving
The
College of
Law
confers a
Juris
Doctor,
not a Juris
Doctorate.
Abbreviate all state
references throughout the
resume.
If you spell out “Juris Doctor” be sure
to spell out all other degrees.
Conversation
starters – so avoid
controversial
topics such as
politics.
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SANDRA A. STUDENT
(516) 555-2112
Linkedin url
Current Address Permanent Address
50 Presidential Plaza, Apt. 76 111 Chestnut Street
Syracuse, NY 13210 Garden City, NY 11530
EDUCATION
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW, Syracuse,
NY J.D. Candidate, May 2023
GPA/Rank: 3.25 (58/233, top 25%)
• Never round your GPA. Must
match your transcript.
• Be sure to update number in
Honors:
Activities:
Syracuse Law Review, (Editorial Staff, 2020 - 2022) Black
Law Student Association (President, 2020 - 2022); 1L
Travis Lewin Advocacy Honors Society Competition
Law in London Program (Summer 2020)
class each semester.
• If you include fraction for
class rank, be sure to include
percentages as well.
• You round up for Class Rank.
MAXWELL SCHOOL OF CITIZENSHIP AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS, Syracuse,
NY M.P.A. Candidate, May 2023
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO, Buffalo, NY
B.A., cum laude, History, May 2019
Honors:
Activities:
Phi Beta Kappa; Dean’s List (6 of 8 semesters)
President, Student Government (2017 - 2018)
EXPERIENCE
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW Syracuse, NY Research
Assistant, Professor Jane Smith August 2020 - Present
Summarize changes in the Federal Barter Act for forthcoming treatise on federal trade
regulation. Proofread, cite-check and edit article on the history of libel law in Idaho.
CONCORDE, BRESS & FIELDING, LLP London, UK
Summer Associate Summer 2020
Conducted research and drafted memoranda of law on issues related to unfair competition
and trademark infringement. Reviewed and summarized experts’ depositions in class action
toxic tort cases. Analyzed documents to determine whether they were responsive to
discovery requests.
SNIDERFOURD BROKERAGE New York, NY
Purchase and Sales Clerk Summers 2018, 2019 Input
and coded trade tickets. Calculated brokers’ daily profits and losses. Investigated payment
disputes.
INTERESTS
Nineteenth century French history and snorkeling
Include a permanent address to
establish a connection to a
geographic area.
Names of
publications
should be
italicized.
Joint degrees
should be
listed below
law school if
seeking legal
employment.
Include dates that you held leadership
positions.
If you
participate in
the Law in
London
program, be
sure to
include it
in “Activity”
section for
the College
of Law (see
above).
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JUAN B. STUDENT
111 Cherry Street, Apt. #8 Syracuse, NY 13210
(619) 555-1111
Linkedin url
EDUCATION
Syracuse University College of Law, Syracuse, NY
J.D. Candidate, May 2023
GPA/Rank: 3.20/Top 30%
Honors: Travis Lewin Advocacy Honors Society
Activities: Corporate Law Society; Family Law Society
University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
B.S., Chemistry, June 2019
Honors: Dean’s List (Fall 2016, Spring 2017)
Activities: Habitat for Humanity; Study Abroad, Cadiz, Spain (Summer 2017)
EXPERIENCE
Small & Wright San Diego, CA
Legal Assistant Summers 2020, 2022
Gathered and organized factual background for misdemeanor cases. Reviewed and analyzed
minutes of annual shareholders’ meetings. Analyzed contract provisions and determined
discrepancies. Assisted at trial of securities fraud case.
Therapy, INC. San Diego, CA
Clinical Research Specialist June 2018 - August 2018
Organized and managed clinical research studies for experimental drugs and devices. Maintained
accuracy of patient tracking spreadsheets and drug temperature monitoring devices. Served as point
of contact for numerous sponsor drug companies regarding research studies. Assisted in the
preparation of required FDA and Investigational Review Board documents.
MILITARY SERVICE
United States Marine Corps Camp Lejeune, NC
Infantryman June 2011 - June 2015
Supervised 12 to 30 Marines daily and accounted for the execution of their daily duties and high
value equipment assigned to them. Effectively accomplished complex tasks under stressful
conditions, including the completion of an extensive amount of real world operations during two
combat deployments. Prepared detailed pre-operation briefs and analyzed standard operating
procedures for real-world scenarios.
INTERESTS
Playwriting, clay sculpting and cross-country skiing.
Study Abroad does not need a
separate entry under Education
– simply list as an “Activity”
for undergrad.
18
© 2022-2023 Office of Career Services
MARIA C. STUDENT
222 Cherry Street, Apt. #12 (if physical address is desired)
Liverpool, NY 13088
(718) 555-2222
Linkedin url
EDUCATION: SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW, Syracuse,
NY Candidate for J.D., May 2023
Honors: Syracuse Science & Technology Journal, Lead Articles Editor
Travis Lewin Advocacy Honors Society, Associate Member
Activities: Jessup Moot Court Competition, Competitor
CORNELL UNIVERSITY, Ithaca, NY
B.S., summa cum laude, Biology, May 2019
Honors: Dean’s List (all semesters)
Activities: Sigma Delta Tau Sorority, Intercollegiate Softball Team
EXPERIENCE: UTICA CITY CORPORATION COUNSEL Utica, NY
Extern Fall 2020 - Spring 2022
MIDDLE & REGIONALE, PLLC Philadelphia, PA
Law Clerk June 2020 - Present
Conduct research and draft memoranda regarding various issues, including
strict liability, breach of express and implied warranties, comparative
negligence, equitable distribution and custody and visitation rights.
Interview clients and witnesses; prepare them for depositions and trials.
CORNING INCORPORATED Corning, NY
Research Technologist June 2016 - July 2018
Researched market for Life Science Division; liaised communications for
instrumental analyses of optical fiber, fused silica, cable systems, and liquid
crystal display technologies, including paramagnetic resonance, spectroscopic
and microscopic imaging.
COMMUNITY CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION
SERVICE: Volunteer
Ithaca, NY
March 2016 - May 2018
Coordinated fund-raising activities. Conducted remedial reading classes for
fifth grade students.
LANGUAGES: French (fluent); Spanish (conversant).
INTERESTS: Rock climbing and golfing.
For positions
where you are
still working, use
PRESENT tense
verbs. (Even if
what you did for
employer
occurred in the
past.
19
© 2022-2023 Office of Career Services
Todd J. Tompkins, III
1515 Partridge Lane, Colorado Springs, CO 80901 • 719.555.0070 • [email protected]om
EDUCATION
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW, Syracuse, NY
J.D. Candidate, May 2023
GPA:
Honors:
Publication:
Activities:
3.53; Top 15%
Syracuse Law Review, Computer Editor (2020-2022); Dean’s List;
Justinian Honorary Law Society
Domestic Violence and Parental Rights: A Guide to the System, 64 SYRACUSE.
L. REV. (forthcoming, Fall 2022).
College of Law Pro Bono Advisory Board
UNIVERSITY OF DENVER, Denver, CO
B.A. International Studies, minor in Spanish, May 2019
EXPERIENCE
INSTITUTE FOR NATIONAL SECURITY & COUNTERTERRORISM, Syracuse, NY
Research Assistant August 2019 – May 2020
Edit the proceedings of the Bantle-INSCT Symposium for publication. Create an annotated bibliography of
sources on the legal and policy issues of post-conflict reconstruction. Perform research on domestic and
international legal remedies for victims of terrorism.
MEGGESTO, CROSSETT & VALERINO, LLP Syracuse, NY
Law Clerk May 2020 – August 2022
Conducted online and print research; review, organize and summarize case files. Drafted legal memoranda,
appeal briefs, pleadings, motions and memorandums of law. Attended and assisted during depositions, client
conferences and trials.
CRIMINAL DEFENSE CLINIC Syracuse, NY
Student Attorney, Syracuse University College of Law January 2020 – May 2022
Certified by NY’s Appellate Division Fourth Department to represent indigent clients accused of violations
and misdemeanors in Syracuse City Court. Interviewed clients and witnesses. Investigated cases and
performed legal research. Drafted, served and argued motions. Attended arraignments and pre-trial
conferences. Negotiated with ADAs and represented clients in court.
GEROME & HICKEY, P.C. Lakewood, CO
Law Clerk May 2019 – August 2019
Assisted with preparation of estate planning documents, including trust, probate and real estate documents.
Organized and maintained corporate organizational documents and corporate compliance materials.
Attended and observed real estate closings. Researched various issues related to estate planning and tax
implications.
SELF EMPLOYED
Translator/Editor
Denver, CO
May 2017 – August 2018
Translated (English/Spanish) and edited scholarly articles to be presented at colloquia and conferences.
LANGUAGE
Fluent in Spanish
Use Bluebook format
for Publications.
20
© 2022-2023 Office of Career Services
APPENDIX C
Sample Federal Government Resume
1
James Michael Fallon
632 Windsor Way
Rockwall, TX 75087
Mobile: (972) 555-5555
Email: jmfallon@xyz.com
Country of citizenship:
United States of America
Veterans’ Preference:
No
Registered for Selective
Service
Yes
Contact Current
Employer:
Yes
AVAILABILITY
Job Type:
Permanent
Work Schedule:
Full Time
Desired Work
Environment
Post-graduate/ New Professional
DESIRED
LOCATIONS
US-MD
US-TX-Dallas
US-TX-Houston
US-VA
US-DC
WORK EXPERIENCE
Honorable Henry Hudson
U.S. District Court
5/2017 - 8/2017
Richmond, Virginia US
Hours per week: 40
Summer Law Clerk
-Conducted extensive legal research on a variety of substantive areas of the
law. Drafted issue analysis memorandums, orders, and opinions for review
by the Judge. Assisted the law clerks; participated in conferences with
attorneys and judge. (Contact Supervisor: Yes, Supervisor’s Name: Lucille
Clerke, Supervisor’s Phone: (804) 555-5555)
U.S. Attorney’s Office, N.D.N.Y.
8/2016 - 5/2017
1
Additional sample at: http://gogovernment.org/how_to_apply/write_your_federal_resume/create_your_resume.php
Further information can be found at:
http://gogovernment.org/how_to_apply/write_your_federal_resume/writing_tips.php
21
© 2022-2023 Office of Career Services
Binghamton, New York US
Hours per week: 12
Extern
-Assisted Assistant U.S. Attorney through legal research and writing on
criminal prosecutions and appeals of child exploitation cases. Participated in
court proceedings, trials, and meetings with opposing counsel and law
enforcement during adjudication of cases. (Contact Supervisor: Yes,
Supervisor’s Name: Frederick Remington, Supervisor’s Phone: (315) 555-
6789)
Burr Hamilton & Ross
5/2016 - 8/2016
Bethesda, Maryland US
Hours per week: 40
Summer Associate
-Conducted extensive legal research and drafted memoranda on corporate,
contract, and property law issues. Drafted sections of a reply brief to the
Maryland Court of Appeals. Analyzed trial transcripts and evaluated letters,
insurance contracts, and bonds for a case involving joint ventures.
Read wills and searched indices for property conveyances for a Surrogate’s
Court case. Retrieved and analyzed maps from the county clerk’s office in
an effort to resolve boundary discrepancies in a real estate dispute. (Contact
Supervisor: Yes, Supervisor’s Name: Elizabeth Ross, Esq., Supervisor’s
Phone: (301) 555-1776)
Harris County Juvenile Probation
Department
5/2015 - 8/2015
Salary: 10 USD Per Hour
Hours per week: 35
Houston, Texas US
Intern
-Worked under a probation officer at a court-ordered “boot camp” facility
for boys ages 13-17. Attended interviews, intakes, and facility meetings.
Compiled court-orders and change of custodies. Spoke with detainees and
filed and briefed juvenile grievances. Identified discrepancies in facility
records. Evaluated newly received court cases for presentation to the
assigned probation officers. (Contact Supervisor: Yes, Supervisor’s Name:
Benjamin Arnold, Supervisor’s Phone: (713) 555-6668)
EDUCATION
Syracuse University College of Law
Syracuse, New York US
Professional - 5/2018
60 Semester Hours
Major: Law
GPA: 3.67 out of 4.0
Relevant Coursework, Licensures and Certifications:
Constitutional Law I, II; Administrative Law; Federal Courts/ Federal
Government Contracts; Trial Practice.
Rice University
Houston, Texas US
Bachelor’s Degree - 5/2015
22
© 2022-2023 Office of Career Services
122 Semester Hours
Major: Economics
Minor: Political Science
GPA: 3.4 out of 4.0
Honors: cum laude
Relevant Coursework, Licensures and Certifications:
Foundations of Public Sector Economics; International Finance
Business, Law and Economics; Public Finance: Tax Policy.
LANGUAGES
Spanish
Spoken:
Advanced
Written:
Intermediate
Read:
Intermediate
REFERENCES
Frederick Remington
U.S. Attorney’s Office,
N.D.N.Y.
Assistant U.S. Attorney
Phone Number:
(315) 555-6789
Email Address:
frederick.remington@usdoj.gov
Reference Type:
Professional
Elizabeth Ross, Esq.
Burr Hamilton & Ross,
Managing Partner
Phone Number:
(301) 555-1776
Email Address:
Reference Type:
Professional
Lucille Clerke
U.S. District Court, Law
Eastern District of VA
Clerk
Phone Number:
(804) 555-5555
Email Address:
lucille.cle[email protected]
Reference Type:
Professional
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
Director of Syracuse University College of Law
Moot Court Honor Society
-Coordinated moot court competitions and application process for new
members. Recruited judges for competitions.
Vice President of Legalese (Pre-Law Club)
-Led organization of 100+ students. Planned semiannual meetings,
developed recruitment efforts and served as the organization’s representative
at student association meetings.
Freshman Orientation Leader
-Facilitated workshops and informational sessions on high school to college
transition which acclimated new students and their parents to University.
Advised and counseled newly matriculated students and parents via small-
group discussions.
