Law Student CV—Examples and Guide for 2024

You’ve got the burden of proof. Your law student application CV must show you nailed your bachelor’s degree.

But it also has to show your character. A high GPA and LSAT scores are not enough. With enough personal and academic wins, you’ll turn heads like David Boies.

In this guide:

• A law student CV sample better than most.
• How to write a CV for law student applications that proves your claims.
• How to draught the perfect education section in a CV for a law student.
• Why you can’t just list law student skills (and what to do instead.)

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Are you writing a CV to use after law school? See our guides:

• Entry-Level CV
• Internship CV
• Student CV
• First Time CV with no Experience
• Attorney CV
• Paralegal CV
• Legal CV
• Legal Assistant CV
• Federal CV
• MBA Application CV

Writing a general university application CV? See these guides:

• CV for University Application CV Sample & Guide

Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our Professional CV Examples.

Law Student CV Sample You Can Copy and Use

Here’s how to write a law student CV that gets to “yes”:

1. Use a Respected Law Student CV Format

You want in.

The first step? Show you can follow the rules. A poorly-formatted CV will impeach your professionalism. To fix that, write a reverse-chronological CV.

Law Student CV Format

• Use 1-inch margins and a 1-page CV.
• Write with Cambria, Calibri, or another 10–12pt CV font.
• Your CV sections should be heading, summary, education, experience, and skills.
• Export a PDF CV file. They acquit themselves well on all devices.

Expert Hint: Your LNAT score matters on a law school application CV. The top 25 law schools want scores above 160. Take a free version of the test first to boost your score.

2. Write a Law Student CV Objective or Summary

Bad news.

The Dean of Admissions won’t read your law student CV. First readers will. Catch their eye, or the Dean won’t know you exist. Grab them with a winning CV objective. That’s a fast paragraph with your best exhibits.

Use:

1. An adjective (hard-working, resourceful)
2. “Doctor of Jurisprudence Candidate”
3. Your goal (excel at Concord Law School)
4. Best achievements (created own paid file clerk internship...)
5. Some key skills (research, technical writing...)

Oh yeah—

Write it last to nuke your stress.

Let these law student CV examples brief you:

Law Student CV Objective—Example

Hard-working Doctor of Jurisprudence candidate with BS in Business Administration. Seeking to excel at Concord Law School. Skilled in accounting and technical writing. Created own paid file clerk internship at Stout & Love Law. Performed legal research for 5 cases involving foreclosures and bankruptcies. As BSA Eagle Scout, built school for disabled in Bhutan.

Law school applicant with strong work ethic and a drive to succeed. A solid collaborator who sees projects through to the end. Have a long track record of using high-level interpersonal skills. Excels at research and legal study.

Oceans apart.

Both samples list legal research skills. But—

That first one adds 5 cases and a massive personal achievement.

Expert Hint: 6.9% of applicants get into Yale law school. 28.6% get into Boston University. Tailor your law school application CV to some schools with high acceptance rates.

3. Show Competence With Education

This is critical:

Law schools look for applicants with strong academic ability. That means GPA matters. But—

So do other factors, like your LNAT score, and what you did in school. That’s why your CV education section carries so much weight. Do it like this Harvard law school CV sample:

Law Student CV Example—Education

LNAT Score

2019

LNAT Score: 172

Education

BS Business Administration, National University

2015–2019

• GPA 3.9
• Minor in Accounting.
• Beta Gamma Sigma Honour Society.
• Marsha Klenecky Award for Academic Excellence.
• President, Intramural Ultimate Frisbee League.
• Conducted Senior Business Project that Earned £7,500.

That’s Clifford-Chance-level. That education section is crammed like Tom Brady’s trophy case.

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4. Target Your Law Student Job Description and Skills Section

What skills go in a law student CV? Here’s a list of the best skills to put on a CV for law school applications:

Law Student Skills for a CV

• Work ethic
• Interpersonal skills
• Written communication
• Oral communication
• Collaboration
• Research
• Study
• Critical thinking
• Problem solving
• Creativity
• Active listening
• Self motivation
• Technology

But you can’t just pile all those into a CV for law students. That looks shady. So, research your chosen law school. Find out which skills they value most. Then, tailor your CV.

Watch these law student CV samples do it:

Let’s say you want to showcase these law student skills: work ethic, research, time management, collaboration, technology, problem solving.

Law Student Job Description for a CV [Sample]

Professional Experience

Legal File Clerk Summer Internship

Stout & Love Law

2019

• Created and received an unadvertised, unpaid legal file clerk position. Transitioned to a paid title in 2 weeks based on work ethic.
• Performed legal research and wrote findings for cases involving IRS audits and investigations bankruptcies, and foreclosures.
• Investigated facts for 3 successful cases. Used strong time management skills to finish work 25% ahead of schedule.

Bookkeeper

Paulette Electric

2018–2019

• Collaborated with 30+ clients to ensure 95% satisfaction rate. 
• Used strong technology skills to set up QuickBooks accounting for small electrical contractor.

The Pickled Clam

Server

• Recognised for strong collaboration and problem solving skills.

Now check out this poor law school application CV example:

Professional Experience

Legal File Clerk Summer Internship

Stout & Love Law

2019

• Worked as file clerk in a legal firm.
• Maintained and managed files and reports.

Bookkeeper

Paulette Electric

2018–2019

• Set up QuickBooks accounting for small electrical contractor.
• Reduced past-due accounts through automated notifications.
• Worked clients to raise satisfaction rate. 

The Pickled Clam

Server

• Provided excellent customer service.
• Cleaned and restocked back of bar.

See that?

The second of those law student CV examples isn’t tragic. But the first one builds your case like Vinny Gambini.

5. Add Riders to Your Law School CV

You’ve done more than earn a bachelor’s degree. And guess what?

Admissions directors love accomplishments. Have you written articles? Done service projects? Those can elevate your law student CV.

Try some of these:

• Associations or groups
• Honour societies
• Publications
• Volunteering
• Certifications
• Conferences
• Freelancing
• Languages
• Additional activities
• Hobbies
• Sports

These sample law school CVs show how:

Law Student CV—Extra Sections

Volunteer Work 

• Volunteer bookkeeper, Jackson Street Animal Shelter.
• Set up new donation processing system that saved £10,000.

Eagle Scout, BSA

• Eagle Project — built school for disabled in Bhutan.
• Led 35+ Scouts in 30+ day hikes and camp-outs.

Publications

• Article on reading 10x more books published in Ms. JD.
• Article on conflict resolution published in The Careerist.

Additional Activities

• Eagle Scout.
• Volunteer bookkeeper.

Impressive.

Why does the first of those Harvard law student CV examples work better? It does due diligence on the details.

Expert Hint: You need a cover letter with your CV for law school. Admissions departments want your letter to show you’re passionate about the school.

Double your impact with a matching CV and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter builder and make your application documents pop out.

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Key Points

Law student CV tips:

• Use the law student CV template up top. Admissions departments respect its reverse-chronological format.
• Don’t just “show” your education. Make the case for your academic excellence with high scores and achievements.
• Use your experience section to show you’ve built key skills like communication and teamwork.
• Include a few bonus CV sections. Publications or volunteer work show your character.

Got questions on how to write a great law student CV? Not sure how to put law student skills and accomplishments on a CV? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply!

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