A resume has just one purpose: to get you an interview.  Since many employers spend only a few seconds reviewing your resume, it must convey that you stand out far enough from the crowd to be worth interviewing.

Start by gathering and confirming all necessary information:

• Education: (no need to include your high school)
• Degrees (month and year obtained or expected)
• Experience: include full-time (and part-time jobs if you are junior) 
• Bar admissions: include USPTO and registration number if applicable
• Honors: list academic awards (scholarships, fellowships, honors) and professional awards
• Skills: list foreign or computer languages and software, teaching or tutoring, and leadership roles
• Activities: academic, professional or community organizations in which you hold office or are currently a member. Be selective about extra-curricular activities or hobbies.

1. Check spelling, dates and addresses for accuracy.
2. Ask yourself what aspects of your education, experience, or skills will be most attractive to the specific organization and for the specific position. List detailed skills or areas of knowledge in the order you think would most interest the employer.
3. Highlight your capabilities. Look over what you have written and select details of your education, experience, honors, etc., that you think would be of particular interest to the specific employer.
4. Organize your resume according to the specific position for which you are applying.
5. Attach a summary of relevant accomplishments if warranted.

Things To Keep In Mind

• Shoot for one page and try not to go over two. This especially holds true for junior attorneys.
• Do not include information about your age, sex, race, religion, marital status or health.
• Do not include your G.P.A. unless you graduated with honors or higher. The same holds true for the number of times you were on dean's list.
• Put in your class rank only if it is within the top 25% of a top-ten law school, or if it is within the top 10% for any other school.
• Watch out for politics! This is a tricky area. Political party membership and activities can work for or against you. The same hold true for religious affiliations.
• Interests can also work either way. Include them if you have room and they show you to be a well-rounded individual.
• Generally the rule is to put your experience first unless you are a recent graduate with honors or you graduated from a top academic institution within the past four years.
• If you are a recent graduate, education generally goes above experience, unless your experience outweighs your education.
• Remember that the first person reading your resume is often not the person who is responsible for hiring.  Do not assume that anyone knows exactly what you do or what your job entails.
• Finally, proofread, proofread and proofread, then have someone else take a look at your resume and go over it with a fine-tooth comb.

Law Firm Sample Resume               In-House Sample Resume