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Associate attorney skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted experts

James Tomaszewski,

James Tomaszewski

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical associate attorney skills. We ranked the top skills for associate attorneys based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 24.5% of associate attorney resumes contained litigation as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills an associate attorney needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 associate attorney skills for your resume and career

1. Litigation

Here's how associate attorneys use litigation:

Provided legal counsel and litigation services to businesses and business-minded individuals in the technology, Internet, and entertainment industries.
Participated in World Trade Center Disaster Site federal litigation by attending depositions, and participating in document review and settlement.

2. Law Firm

Here's how associate attorneys use law firm:

Managed residential and commercial bankruptcy caseload for this boutique commercial law firm; Collaborated on complex corporate and commercial transactions.
Full service law firm specializing in high technology/venture capital backed companies and venture capital fund formation and representation.

3. Discovery Responses

Discovery response is the response made by a person on trial once discoveries are made against them. Certain motions are filed against a person on trial, which may include a request for interrogations, request for production, etc, and they have to file a response within some time. The official response is filed in court and its copies can be distributed to the other parties.

Here's how associate attorneys use discovery responses:

Drafted and reviewed personal injury complaints, drafted and reviewed interrogatories and requests for production of documents, reviewed discovery responses.
Conducted client interviews, drafted discovery, analyzed opposing discovery responses and documents provided in response to requests for production.

4. Pre-Trial Motions

Pre-Trial Motions are those legal motions which are employed before the trial actually begins, often at hearings or outside of the courtroom. For example, a prosecutor or a defense attorney might file something called a "motion to dismiss", which is an attempt in getting the judge to consider dismissing the case in question before it can even get to trial.

Here's how associate attorneys use pre-trial motions:

Prepare initial pleadings and discovery demand/responses, appear at hearings on pre-trial motions, and conduct/defend depositions and examinations under oath.
Provided litigation support with research, preparation and arguments for pre-trial motions and preparation of jury instructions.

5. Real Estate Transactions

Here's how associate attorneys use real estate transactions:

Focused practice on mid-market to large-cap commercial real estate transactions, secured credit facilities and hotel franchise developments.
Represent homeowners associations, developers, retailers, investors and buyers/sellers in commercial real estate transactions.

6. Legal Issues

Here's how associate attorneys use legal issues:

Conducted interviews to elicit relevant facts, carefully listening to individuals to identify and understand relevant facts and legal issues.
Represented business entities in litigation regarding various legal issues and advised clients regarding compliance, business planning and policy issues.

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7. Legal Research

Here's how associate attorneys use legal research:

Performed extensive legal research and analysis in matters involving complex and technical tax issues for multinational business organizations.
Contributed significant legal research and writing to Louisiana Construction Law Manual and Louisiana Corporations Law Handbook.

8. Intellectual Property

Intellectual properties refer to individuals' intangible or non-physical wealth, which results from their imaginations and intellect.

Here's how associate attorneys use intellectual property:

Conducted intellectual property and business-related litigation.
Provided strategic direction regarding employment policies and procedures, management of intellectual property portfolios, and consummation of complicated business transactions.

9. Probate

Here's how associate attorneys use probate:

Provided litigation support for general civil and probate litigation at trial and appellate levels.
Counseled the personal representatives of estates in probate and estate administration matters.

10. Insurance Coverage

Here's how associate attorneys use insurance coverage:

Joined multifaceted law firm specializing in litigation, corporate finance/securities, banking business, public finance, and insurance coverage matters.
Handle civil litigation and insurance coverage matters with focus almost entirely on the representation of commercial motor carriers and their insurers.

11. Insurance Defense

Here's how associate attorneys use insurance defense:

Practice concentrated in civil litigation, primarily insurance defense of municipalities, school districts, automobile owners, businesses and homeowners.
Managed all aspects of extensive premises liability, personal injury, and products liability litigation practice for regional insurance defense firm.

12. Court Appearances

Here's how associate attorneys use court appearances:

Handled general practice caseload including legal research, writing and court appearances involving domestic, juvenile, criminal and personal injury law
Handled contested and uncontested collection litigation matters for credit card companies, made court appearances and arbitrated in binding arbitration proceedings.

13. Arbitration

Here's how associate attorneys use arbitration:

Participated in all phases of commercial and construction litigation, arbitration, mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution.
Attended arbitration hearings, conducted and attended depositions, and negotiated and evaluated settlements in arbitration and litigation disputes.

14. Employment Law

Employment law іѕ the соllесtіоn of laws аnd rules that rеgulаtе thе rеlаtіоnѕhір bеtwееn employers and еmрlоуееѕ. It gоvеrnѕ whаt еmрlоуеrѕ саn еxресt from еmрlоуееѕ, whаt еmрlоуеrѕ саn ask of еmрlоуееѕ, and employees' rights аt wоrk. Employment law covers a wіdе range оf issues, frоm реnѕіоnѕ аnd retirement рlаnѕ to occupational safety аnd tо discrimination in thе workplace.

Here's how associate attorneys use employment law:

Lead attorney representing employers in various employment law matters including EEOC investigations, to include drafting position statements and negotiating settlements.
Represented workers regarding employment law violations and injured parties in cases of medical malpractice, motor vehicle accidents and premises liability.

15. Commercial Litigation

Here's how associate attorneys use commercial litigation:

Managed caseload of general liability insurance and commercial litigation cases from inception to arbitration/mediation, trial, and appeal.
Represented employers and businesses in employment and commercial litigation and administrative agency actions in numerous federal and state jurisdictions.

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What skills help Associate Attorneys find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What hard/technical skills are most important for associate attorneys?

James Tomaszewski

Director of the Center for Professional Development, University of Cincinnati

Excellent writing skills.

What skills stand out on associate attorney resumes?

James Tomaszewski

Director of the Center for Professional Development, University of Cincinnati

Demonstrated commitment to a particular practice area, especially experiential learning opportunities such as externships and clinics.

What soft skills should all associate attorneys possess?

James Tomaszewski

Director of the Center for Professional Development, University of Cincinnati

Engagement, Resilience, Responsiveness, Respectfulness, Integrity.

What associate attorney skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Hanna Royce

Assistant Dean of Career Services, University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law

The key to success is to add new and relevant legal experience to their resume. If graduates are not taking on full-time roles, this could mean completing document review or project work on a contract basis.

Do you want to know more?

List of associate attorney skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for an associate attorney resume and required skills for an associate attorney to have include:

Litigation
Law Firm
Discovery Responses
Pre-Trial Motions
Real Estate Transactions
Legal Issues
Legal Research
Intellectual Property
Probate
Insurance Coverage
Insurance Defense
Court Appearances
Arbitration
Employment Law
Commercial Litigation
Settlement Agreements
Federal Courts

Criminal Law
Interrogatories
Juris
Civil Litigation
Due Diligence
Legal Advice
Motion Practice
Legal Memoranda
Demand Letters
Criminal Defense
Settlement Conferences
Real Property
Medical Malpractice
State Courts
Oral Arguments
Plaintiff
Social Security

Subpoenas
Client Intake
Premises Liability
Settlement Negotiations
Labor Law
District Court
Insurance Carriers
Dispositive Motions
Child Custody
Jury Trials
Pro Bono
ERISA
Client Interviews
Court Hearings
Summary Judgment Motions
Circuit Court

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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