Resume Checker for Lawyers & Legal Professionals

Legal ATS systems are configured to match very specific terminology. Vague language is the fastest path to rejection. Practice Area Keywords (include the ones relevant to you): • Litigation, M&A, corporate law, securities, IP, employment law, real estate, bankruptcy, antitrust, tax law, family law, criminal defense, immigration, healthcare law, GDPR/privacy law Legal Research Tools: • Westlaw, LexisNexis, Bloomberg Law, vLex, Fastcase Document Management & Drafting: • iManage, NetDocuments, Relativity, Kirasoft, ContractPodAi, DocuSign, Adobe Acrobat Key Legal Terms: • Due diligence, contract negotiation, regulatory compliance, discovery, depositions, motions, briefs, client counseling, risk assessment

Legal resumes follow a more traditional format than most industries, but ATS still applies. 1. Header — Name, bar admissions prominently, LinkedIn, phone 2. Education — Law school first (unlike other industries), class rank or GPA if strong, law review, moot court, clinics 3. Bar Admissions & Certifications — State bars, federal court admissions, specialized certifications 4. Work Experience — Reverse chronological; focus on deal/case size, client type, and outcomes 5. Publications & Pro Bono — Law review articles, speaking, significant pro bono matters 6. Skills — Legal research tools, foreign languages, practice management software

Legal bullets should communicate deal/case complexity and your specific role: Weak: "Assisted with M&A transactions" Strong: "Led due diligence for $250M acquisition of logistics firm, reviewing 3,000+ documents and drafting transaction summary memo for senior partners" For litigators: "Second-chaired 3-week federal jury trial resulting in $4.2M verdict for plaintiff; drafted motions in limine and managed deposition of 12 witnesses" For transactional: "Negotiated and drafted SaaS master service agreements for Fortune 500 clients, reducing legal review cycle time from 45 to 12 days"

Law Firm (especially BigLaw) ATS prioritizes: • Law school name and class rank • Law review / journal membership • Specific practice area depth • Deal/case value and complexity • Bar admissions in relevant states In-House Counsel ATS prioritizes: • Business partnership and commercial pragmatism • Cross-functional collaboration language • Cost-benefit analysis, risk management framing • Industry-specific regulatory knowledge (healthcare, fintech, SaaS, retail) • "Managed outside counsel" as a signal of seniority • Contract volume managed, cost savings from bringing work in-house