How To Draft A Legal Intern Resume (With Examples)

Updated 29 August 2023

Law students typically require a legal internship, for which a resume, commonly called a CV, can be a necessity. It is essential that students understand how to draft a CV for a legal internship. Knowing how to write an impactful one can favourably increase your chances of acquiring the internship and compellingly presenting your achievements. In this article, we discuss the importance of a legal intern resume and the necessary steps to draft an internship CV, along with some helpful examples.

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in this article are associated with Indeed.

Why Is A Legal Intern Resume Required?

A legal intern resume is can help showcase accomplishments and expertise and encourage your interviewer to hire you. In the legal field, the capability of law students usually depends on their expertise to apply their theoretical knowledge to practical situations and internships are where they can practice this. To shortlist the best candidates for a legal internship, law firms require a CV that covers your academic achievements, qualifications and legal experience. It also helps you highlight other certifications that verify your ability to be a reliable and motivated candidate.

How To Write A Legal Intern Resume?

Here are some steps that you can follow to draft an effective CV:

1. Use a standard format

It is crucial to use a format suitable to present your qualifications appropriately. Using a chronological format can help you list all the details and timeline of your career in a sorted, organised and sequential manner. Pick the correct format with careful consideration. Also, ensure that the entire resume adheres to one particular format to maintain continuity in the content.

2. Pay attention to fonts and layouts

Be careful while choosing the fonts and the layout for your CV. The font you use can make a significant impact on its appearance and enhance its legibility. Select a font that is traditional and suitable for a legal setup, like Times New Roman. It can be easily readable and professional in its appearance. Keep the layout of your CV simple and conservative, as it is a professional document.

3. Include a professional header

The header of your CV is usually the first thing the interviewer reads. Ensure that it contains all the necessary and relevant details for your introduction. A professional, well-written header consists of your name, basic contact details like email id and mobile number and your current location or address. You can also use a professional-looking image to create a positive first impression.

4. Write clear career objectives

A career objective is a short, professional profile written in a paragraph below the header. Since the internship is likely to be one of your first jobs as a law student, it presents you with the opportunity to impress the recruiter or interviewer. You can explain your plans to contribute to the company in a few sentences. Mention briefly how your skill set can benefit the specific job for which you are applying. You can also convey your intention of applying for the opportunity and your professional goals in the career objective.

5. State your educational qualifications

Even though legal internships may not necessarily require you to have experience, they still require candidates to have the proper education. In the educational qualifications section, be sure to list your educational background. Start by mentioning your highest degree, even if it is something on which you are currently working. It can include your master's degree and your bachelor's degree. After each degree, mention which institution or university you attended, your graduation date and the major and minor subjects. You can also consider adding your key academic achievements or exceptional work in any subject.

6. Add details of the projects you have completed

Your interviewer might be looking for a candidate with concrete proof of their academic achievements. To showcase that, you can add a section to list your publications if you have published any law articles or a piece in any legal journal. Keep this section brief and include details about where and when you published them. This section can also include other projects like competitive exams, training programs and research projects.

7. Include relevant professional experience

Mention any experiences you may have relevant to the legal field. You can also include any legal internships, participation in volunteer programs in courts, clerk opportunities or freelancing work related to writing or proofreading legal documents. List the job titles, company details, locations, responsibilities and your duration of working at each job in chronological order.

8. Mention additional skills

Apart from the details mentioned above, including skills is also essential. List all the exceptional skills you have that can be beneficial to the employer. You can add interpersonal skills, presentation skills, analytical skills, critical thinking, decision making, problem-solving, attention to detail, organisation and comprehensive knowledge of legal procedures among other relevant skills.

9. Save the document in a suitable format

Once you finish writing your CV, ensure everything is in order by checking the content and maybe having someone else review it to identify errors you might have missed. Following that, consider saving the document in a PDF format. A PDF can help keep your resume in a stable format that does not allow any alterations.

Legal Internship Resume Examples

Here are CV examples that can help you create one for yourself:

Example 1

Lalit Sharma
sharma.lalit@email.com
+919898001122
Mumbai, Maharashtra

Resume Objective

Highly qualified student looking for a legal intern job to put knowledge about the legal arena to good use. Over five years of experience in freelancing with legal services and conducting extensive research on the application of legal knowledge in workplaces. Played key roles in past companies regarding legal procedures and their negotiation meetings. Looking to find the right fit to apply my expertise and knowledge.

Educational Background

Bachelor of Arts in business, concentration in corporate law
University of India, Kerala
May 2015-June 2020

Professional Experience

Assistant, XYZ Legal firm
Mumbai Maharashtra
August 2020-July 2021

Worked as an assistant in a legal firm and coordinated several pieces of vital pieces of information during lawsuits
Studied writing and reviewing legal documents
Grasped the scope of corporate law in depth
Conducted thorough research on litigation processes and new concepts
Coined negotiation techniques that helped land new clients

Publications and Projects

Participated and won in moot court in November 2020
Published research paper in ABCDEF Law Journal
Publications shall be made available upon requests

Skills

Court transcriptions
Document Filing
Corporate Law
Knowledge of different laws
Writing skills
Multilingual
Computer Skills
Organisational Skills
Interpersonal Skills

Example 2

John Smith
Address: 31, East Street, Mumbai, Maharashtra 123 890
Telephone: 020–12345678
Email address: john.smith@email.com
Professional Profile: workin.com/johnsmith

Professional Summary

A knowledgeable, hardworking and honest law student with a recent graduation degree from a reputed institute in Maharashtra, India. Possesses significant experience in the legal field handling clerk work and freelancing while pursuing the degree. Effective communication skills, positive, problem-solving attitude and a keen acumen for legal details. Currently looking for an internship position where these skills can be utilised.

Work Experience

Legal intern
ABC Company
June 2020–October 2021

Worked as a file clerk and an intern and wrote articles for four legal clients
Witnessed 14 successful transactions with clients in its year of operation

Freelancer
Proofreading XYZ law firm documents
November 2021–January 2022

Wrote articles for a lawyer magazine, ensuring to manage all tasks out in a timely manner