What Makes a Good Legal CV?

What Makes a Good Legal CV?

A good CV doesn't need to be complicated. It needs to give a clear picture of your experience, the type of work you do and the level you're operating at.

As a legal recruiter, I read a lot of CVs, and the ones that stand out aren't necessarily the longest or the most polished. They're the ones where I can quickly understand someone's career and see where their experience could fit.

Keep your career history clear

Your qualification date, current position and career history should be easy to find, with your most recent experience first.

If you've progressed within a firm, show that. Moving from NQ to Associate to Senior Associate tells a prospective employer something about your career development and shouldn't get lost within the detail.

Be specific about your legal experience

One of the most common problems with legal CVs is that they can be too general.

"Managing a varied caseload" or "advising clients" doesn't really tell a prospective employer what you do.

What type of matters are you handling? What sort of clients? How complex is the work? Are you dealing with high-value matters or a particularly specialist area?

A few good examples are much more useful than a long list of generic responsibilities.

Don't forget the commercial side

As lawyers become more senior, a CV needs to demonstrate more than technical legal experience.

If you're involved in business development, have strong referrer relationships, generate your own work or have a following, it's worth including.

Numbers can also be useful where they add context. The number of matters you typically manage, the value of transactions you work on or, where appropriate, the level of fees you generate can all help demonstrate the level you're operating at.

You don't need to disclose figures if you're not comfortable doing so, but where they add useful context, they can make a real difference.

For a senior lawyer, a prospective employer may want to understand not only what you do, but also the clients you work with, the responsibility you have and the business you could potentially bring with you.

Don't try to include everything

Your CV doesn't need to be a complete record of every task you've carried out since qualifying.

If you've been practising for several years, there is no need to list every routine responsibility. Focus on the work that demonstrates your experience and the level you're operating at.

Think about what someone needs to know to understand your background and decide whether they'd like to meet you.

How long should it be?

There isn't a magic number.

A newly qualified solicitor may only need two pages. A Partner with 15 years' experience may reasonably need more.

The important thing is that everything included is useful.

I'd much rather read three clear pages than two pages of tiny font and information squeezed into every available space.

Keep it simple

You don't need an elaborate design or a CV full of graphics.

Clear headings, sensible spacing and concise information make it much easier to read.

And check the basics. Dates, job titles, qualification details and spelling should all be accurate.

If you're not sure whether your CV is doing you justice, this is also something we can help with. We offer free CV reviews and are happy to give you an honest view on how clearly your experience is coming across. For candidates we work with, we can also reformat and restructure CVs where needed, making sure the important information is easy for prospective employers to find.

Ultimately, your CV has one job

It doesn't need to tell someone everything you've ever done.

It needs to give them a clear enough picture of your experience to make them want to find out more.

That's particularly important in legal recruitment. A good CV should open the door to a conversation, rather than try to have the entire conversation for you.

Written By Gemma at Austen Lloyd - Associate Director