Research Summary. We analyzed 6,521 legal extern resumes to determine which ones land the most jobs. Below you'll find examples of resumes that can help you get an interview (and a job offer) from companies like Law Office and King's County District Attorney's Office. Here are the key facts about legal extern resumes to help you get the job:

  • The average legal extern resume is 336 words long
  • The average legal extern resume is 0.7 pages long based on 450 words per page.
  • Litigation is the most common skill found on a legal extern resume. It appears on 11.9% of resumes.
After learning about how to write a professional legal extern resume, you can make sure your resume checks all the boxes with our resume builder.

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Legal Extern Resume Example

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Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Legal Extern templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Legal Extern resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

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What Should Be Included In A Legal Extern Resume

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1. Add Contact Information To Your Legal Extern Resume

Your name should be the biggest text on the page and be at or near the top of the document.

Your address doesn't need to include your street name or house number - listing your city and state works just fine.

Your email address should be professional, but not your current work email address. It's not a good look to use your work email for personal projects (job-searching).

Your social media can be included if you have a fully-fledged LinkedIn page or another social media page that showcases your relevant skill set.

Legal Extern Resume Contact Information Example #1

Hank Rutherford Hill

St. Arlen, Texas | 333-111-2222 | hank.hill@gmail.com

Do you want to know more?
How To Write The Perfect Resume Header
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2. Add Your Relevant Education To The Resume

Your resume's education section should include:

  • The name of your school
  • The date you graduated (Month, Year or Year are both appropriate)
  • The name of your degree
If you graduated more than 15 years ago, you should consider dropping your graduation date to avoid age discrimination.

Optional subsections for your education section include:

  • Academic awards (Dean's List, Latin honors, etc. )
  • GPA (if you're a recent graduate and your GPA was 3.5+)
  • Extra certifications
  • Academic projects (thesis, dissertation, etc.)

Other tips to consider when writing your education section include:

  • If you're a recent graduate, you might opt to place your education section above your experience section
  • The more work experience you get, the shorter your education section should be
  • List your education in reverse chronological order, with your most recent and high-ranking degrees first
  • If you haven't graduated yet, you can include "Expected graduation date" to the entry for that school

Majors
24.8%
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Legal Extern Resume Relevant Education Example #1

Doctoral Degree In Law 2014 - 2016

Hofstra University Hempstead, NY

Legal Extern Resume Relevant Education Example #2

Doctoral Degree In Law 2014 - 2016

Boston University Boston, MA

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3. Next, Create A Legal Extern Skills Section On Your Resume

Your resume's skills section should include the most important keywords from the job description, as long as you actually have those skills. If you haven't started your job search yet, you can look over resumes to get an idea of what skills are the most important.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when writing your resume's skills section:

  • Include 6-12 skills, in bullet point form
  • List mostly hard skills; soft skills are hard to test
  • Emphasize the skills that are most important for the job
Hard skills are generally more important to hiring managers because they relate to on-the-job knowledge and specific experience with a certain technology or process.

Soft skills are also valuable, as they're highly transferable and make you a great person to work alongside, but they're impossible to prove on a resume.

Example Of Legal Extern Skills For Resume

  • Legal Intern Skills

    Legal intern is a law graduate who is certified to provide overseen representation to clients by permission of government agencies but their admission to a State bar is still pending. Legal internships help law students in deciding their individual area of interest from the plethora of options offered by legal education.

  • Legal Memos Skills

    A legal memo (legal memorandum) is an informal record of a specific legal issue for helping the parties to remember specific points or for future reference. It's generally written by a law student, a paralegal, or a lawyer.

  • Intellectual Property Skills

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

  • Pre-Trial Motions Skills

    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.

  • Real Estate Skills

    Real estate is land that has buildings on it. This kind of property consists of permanent improvements either natural or man-made, which include, houses, fences, bridges, water trees, and minerals. There are 4 types of real estate namely; residential real estate, commercial real estate, industrial real estate, and vacant land.

  • Subpoenas Skills

    Subpoenas are formal and legal documents issued mostly by a court or some other government agency that demands the presence of the person the document is addressed to, to show up at court. Subpoenas are issued to individuals whom the court wants to appear either as a witness in a particular case in order to testify or to provide any evidence such as an object or a document.

  • Employment Law Skills

    Employment law is the collection of laws and rules that regulate the relationship between employers and employees. It governs what employers can expect from employees, what employers can ask of employees, and employees' rights at work. Employment law covers a wide range of issues, from pensions and retirement plans to occupational safety and to discrimination in the workplace.

Top Skills for a Legal Extern

Source: Zippia.com
  • Litigation, 11.9%
  • Legal Intern, 10.4%
  • Legal Issues, 8.8%
  • Legal Memos, 5.8%
  • Other Skills, 63.1%
Not sure which skills are really important?
3 Big Tips For Listing Skills On Your Resume
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4. List Your Legal Extern Experience

The most important part of any resume is the experience section. Recruiters and hiring managers expect to see your experience listed in reverse chronological order, meaning that you should begin with your most recent experience and then work backwards.

Don't just list your job duties below each job entry. Instead, make sure most of your bullet points discuss impressive achievements from your past positions. Whenever you can, use numbers to contextualize your accomplishments for the hiring manager reading your resume.

It's okay if you can't include exact percentages or dollar figures. There's a big difference even between saying "Managed a team of engineers" and "Managed a team of 6 engineers over a 9-month project."

Most importantly, make sure that the experience you include is relevant to the job you're applying for. Use the job description to ensure that each bullet point on your resume is appropriate and helpful.

Don't have any experience?
How To Show Your Experience On a Resume... Even When You Don't Have Any
Work History Example # 1
Law Internship
Federal Communications Commission
  • Counseled clients on full range of copyright issues.
  • Balanced and compared projected accruals and partnered with general counsel to verify actual payments; investigated rate disputes.
  • Collaborated with senior counsels to guard company's exposure when exploring new business opportunities.
  • Assisted Government Affairs department with legislative analysis.
  • Reviewed and prepared discovery and contracts while reporting to General Counsel/ company owner.
Work History Example # 2
Legal Extern
Private Practice
  • Appointed counsel - Oro Valley Magistrate Court and Marana Magistrate Court Negotiate plea agreements.
  • Managed general law practice providing services under bankruptcy, contracts, family and criminal law, wills and trusts.
  • Provided regulatory, compliance, and legal counsel to insurers and other insurance licensees and entities.
  • Prepared responses to discovery requests of opposing counsel.
  • Represented companies in a variety of industries, including steel, petroleum, chemicals, textiles, high-tech and manufacturing.
Work History Example # 3
Student Volunteer
PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY POLICE DEPT
  • Washed laundry, dishes and windows.
  • Processed internal and external customer requests
  • Fundraised for non-profit organizations, such as Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and Humanity First.
  • Developed and presented PowerPoint lectures for various university departments.
  • Prepared food in the kitchen Facilitated crafts and music Helped with summer Bible School either in kitchen or as group leader
Work History Example # 4
Legal Extern
LAW OFFICES OF WINN SIMS
  • Researched law and prepared trial documents such as subpoenas, motions, exhibits.
  • Served summons, complaints, and subpoenas on defendants and witnesses.
  • Assisted with daily firm activities such as conducting legal research, drafting and filing motions, and speaking with clients/opposing counsel.
  • Drafted Chapter 7 & 13 bankruptcy documents.
  • Coordinated litigation strategies with outside counsel.
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5. Highlight Your Legal Extern Certifications On Resume

Certifications can be a powerful tool to show employers that you know your stuff. If you have any of these certifications, make sure to put them on your legal extern resume:

  1. Certified International Trade Law Specialist (CITLS)
  2. Certified Legal Secretary Specialist: Intellectual Property (CL§)
  3. MEDIC First Aid BasicPlus - G2010
  4. Specialist Certificate: Legal (SC:L)
  5. Certified Paralegal/Certified Legal Assistant (CP/CLA)
  6. Board Certification in Criminal Trial Law
  7. Professional Legal Secretary (PLS)
  8. Medical Assistant (MA)
  9. Advanced Paralegal Certification (APC)
  10. Certified Legal Assistant Specialist: Civil Litigation (CLAS)

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6. Finally, Add a Legal Extern Resume Summary Or Objective Statement

A resume summary statement is a 1-3 sentence spiel at the top of your resume that quickly summarizes who you are and what you have to offer. In this section, include your job title, years of experience (if it's 3+), and an impressive accomplishment, if you have space for it.

Remember to address skills and experiences that are emphasized in the job description.

Are you a recent grad?
Read our guide on how to write a resume summary statement

And if you’re looking for a high-paying job, here are jobs in the top places hiring now:

  1. Legal Extern Jobs In Washington, DC
  2. Legal Extern Jobs In San Francisco, CA
  3. Legal Extern Jobs In New York, NY
  4. Legal Extern Jobs In Newark, NJ
  5. Legal Extern Jobs In Hartford, CT

Five Key Resume Tips For Writing A Legal Extern Resume:

1.
Relevant Experience
Make sure that the jobs, experience, and accolades that you include are relevant to the position you’re applying for.
2.
The Right Skills
This is a great time to run wild with those keywords from the job description. For example, if they’re looking for someone with experience in Legal Documents, be sure to list it in your resume’s skills section.
3.
Quantifiable Achievements
Your workplace accomplishments tell the story of the unique value you bring to an organization. Stay away from dry descriptions of job duties. Use numbers to help contextualize your achievements..
4.
ATS-Friendly
An applicant tracking system (ATS) is a piece of software employers use to collect, scan, organize, and rank applications. The key to getting your resume past ATS and into the hands of hiring managers is smart keyword usage.
5.
Impeccable Formatting
Formatting a resume so that it looks professional and attractive is important. With Zippia’s resume builder, you can put together a modern-looking resume in less than 10 minutes. Just choose a resume template that suits your style, answer some questions about your background, and you’ll have a resume that’ll pass muster with both the ATS and the hiring manager.
Not sure how to make a resume that stands out?
See sample resumes for the job you want
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Legal Extern Resumes FAQs

How Do You Describe A Legal Intern On A Resume?

You describe a legal intern on a resume in several ways - including it under work experience or in a separate section for internships and by describing specific skills you learned during your time as a legal intern.

How Do You Put An Externship On Your Resume?

You put an externship on your resume by including it under the 'Professional Experience' section or creating an 'Externship' section if you have multiple relevant externships and would like to show them all. You can also touch on your externship experience in your resume objective and skills section.

How Would You Describe A Judicial Externship On A Resume?

You describe a judicial externship on a resume by mentioning the law firm or court you worked for in the location part.

There are several ways to touch on your judicial externship experience on a resume - including mentioning it in the profile objective, listing it under work experience, or by creating a separate section titled Internship / Externship. You can also describe key skills and accomplishments gained from the externship experience.

What Should A Legal Resume Include?

A legal resume should include information that highlights your education and legal experience. The resume should include - contact information, profile summary, law license, professional experience, education, and skills. Additional sections include - conferences, publications, and community work.

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