How long should a law student resume be?
Asked by: Destiny McGlynn | Last update: December 19, 2025Score: 4.9/5 (1 votes)
Most law student resumes are one page. If you have extensive professional experience or a technical background it may be appropriate to have a two-page resume. If your resume is two pages, make sure that your name is on the second page (Robin Hood, page 2), but omit the complete header.
How long should a resume be for law school?
Most admissions officers don't mind two-page résumés. That said, your reader is going to skim no matter what, and you have more control over where her eye lands if you keep your résumé to one page. A shorter résumé also makes it easier to convey a coherent story about your career. Don't go over two pages.
How long should a student resume be?
For most undergraduate and graduate students, employers expect a one-page resume.
What should a law student's resume look like?
List both paid and unpaid experiences. Include work associated with a scholastic experience, including legal clinic experience, research for a professor, and extensive work for a student organization. Rewrite past descriptions written for different industries and audiences.
How long should an attorney resume be?
If you want the hiring manager to thoroughly review your qualifications, keep your resume around one page in length. You can exceed the one-page rule if you have five or more years of relevant legal experience, but keep it to no more than two pages.
9 Biggest Law School Application Resume Mistakes
What is a good length for a resume?
Your resume is your professional calling card. Learn what length it should be and how to keep it focused and impactful. Most resumes should be between one and two pages long. However, some can be three pages or more.
Should attorney resumes be one page?
Legal resumes are typically one page, unless you have substantial professional experience, or the position requires a more detailed resume, such as an intellectual property or academic position. To convey a sense of who you are as an individual and as a potential employee. attorneys remember you as a candidate.
What not to put on a resume for law school?
An “Objective” or “Summary of Qualifications” section
Your law school résumé is very different from a work résumé—so avoid using your work résumé as your template. And make sure it doesn't contain an objective or summary of qualifications. They serve no purpose except to make your law school résumé unnecessarily long.
How far back should a resume go?
Generally, experts recommend keeping about 10-15 years of work experience on your resume, but that guidance changes depending on your professional history.
Should I put GPA on my law school resume?
Most law firms want to see your GPA and class rank. Emphasize the positive. If your grades show an upward trend, show both cumulative GPA and the trend: Cumulative GPA: 2.9; GPA: 3.4 (second year).
What are three items that should not go into a resume?
Things like social security number, marital status, nationality, sexual orientation, or spiritual beliefs definitely should not be on your resume.
Is a 1.5 page resume okay?
1.5 pages will leave too much empty space, and make your application look unprofessional. If you have under ten years of relevant work experience, you should write a one page resume. If you have more than ten years, however, a two page resume is acceptable. Just make sure it's not 1.5 pages long.
Is a 3 page resume too long for college?
For résumés, limiting your document to one page is a good approach for new college graduates and high school students. Some employers may specifically ask for a one-page résumé. However, do not shy away from adding that extra page of accomplishments—as long as it is relevant and persuasive.
Should a law school resume be one or two pages?
In fact, most law schools will happily accept resumes that are 1-2 pages in length. That's right, your resume can finally be longer than one page for these purposes. With that in mind, clarity and readability is critical. So, widen those margins (to 1-inch) and increase that font size (to at least 11-point font…
How long should a law school resume be on Reddit?
Every school asks for it to be limited to 2 pages. If you can fit it in one fine, but going over is not a problem in any circumstance whatsoever. If it was, law schools would make that crystal clear.
How long should NYU law resume be?
Tell us about all of your education and work experience in one to two pages. Please include details about any 3-month period when you weren't in school or employed. Other than length, there is no required format for your résumé/CV.
Is a 2 page resume ever OK?
Your resume can be two pages long if your career story warrants it. Or, if you want to go for a focused and powerful impact, one page can be enough. Ultimately, your resume should be long enough to contain everything a hiring manager needs to know, but not so long that they fall asleep reading it.
What is the 10 second resume rule?
What Is the 10-Second Resume Rule? The ten-second rule is a concept you might have heard of during your job hunt. The idea is that your resume needs to make an impression on a hiring manager in less than ten seconds if you want to get the job.
How do you know if your resume is too long?
While in some industries, a longer resume is acceptable, it should typically be, at most, two pages. Condensing your resume to fit within two pages will highlight your most relevant experience and skills.
How far back should a law school resume go?
How far back should I go? Four to five years unless you have extensive work experience. If you've recently graduated from undergrad, then stick to what you did during that time. Unless you received a Presidential Medal of Honor in high school, there's no need to go back that far.
How should I format my resume for law school?
Your most relevant experience listed in chronological order. The job title, company name and dates you worked there. 4-6 bullet points for each position describing your relevant skills, experiences and achievements.
Do you put LSAT score on resume?
LSAT scores should not be listed on your resume, as they are designed to predict law school performance only, and are not an indicator of professional performance.
Should you put scholarships on a law school resume?
Include any recognition for academic or non-academic achievement or leader- ship—honor society membership, merit-based scholarships, etc. If you have only one or two honors and/or awards (e.g., dean's List), then it would be better to include the item(s) in the education section.
Should my resume have my legal name?
A resume is not a legal document, so it is acceptable to use your preferred name on the resume.
Do employers like 1 page resumes?
While most employers typically consider it best to stick with one-page resumes, they're not the best for every situation. If you have tons of experience and achievements that relate directly to the position you're applying for, you might want to make sure the hiring manager sees every impressive detail.