5 Counsel Resume Examples & Guide for 2023

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5 Counsel Resume Examples & Guide...

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Top Counsel sections that make the best resume

  • Header
  • Professional summary
  • Experience (with numbers & results)
  • Relevant skills
  • Education
  • Certifications

How to write a Counsel resume experience section

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Counsel Resume Experience Section: Ultimate Checklist
  • Use no more than 4-6 bullet points per position;
  • List relevant positions and situations that add value to your application;
  • Describe situations, tasks, actions, and results (the S-T-A-R method);
  • Remember to include numbers in whatever form you like (e.g. the number of projects you’ve finished);
  • Begin each bullet point with an action verb.

To illustrate it more clearly, we’ve collected some of the best experience section examples from real Counsel resumes. Check them out below!

Work Experience
County Counsel
Benton County
2017-01 2022-01
  • Developed and implemented new legal strategies that saved the county $500,000 in potential legal fees.
  • Managed a team of five attorneys and three paralegals, increasing their overall productivity by 20%.
  • Drafted and negotiated complex contracts with vendors, resulting in an average savings of 15%.
  • Advised county officials on land use ordinances and regulatory compliance, leading to a 90% reduction in legal disputes.
  • Implemented new document management system, resulting in a 50% increase in efficiency for the legal department.
  • Collaborated with other county departments to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations, resulting in zero violations and fines during tenure.
Work Experience
Staff Counsel
ABC Law Firm
2018-01 2022-05
  • Reviewed and directed collection litigation matters to be cost-effective by working with business clients and legal support staff.
  • Assisted with special projects for internal legal and legal outsourcing.
  • Ensured adherence to Consumer Bill of Rights and relevant company policies by determining appropriate settlements with consumers experiencing temporary or permanent hardships, resulting in a 25% increase in consumer satisfaction.
  • Maintained and enhanced company reputation with courts, vendors, outside counsel, and consumers, resulting in a 30% decrease in complaints.
  • Limited company exposure through effective advocacy on behalf of the Company in hearings, trials, and mediations, resulting in a 20% decrease in monetary damages.
  • Negotiated with opposing counsel, conducted discovery and responded to discovery, prepared and attended hearings and trials, resulting in a 90% success rate in resolving cases without trial.
Work Experience
Associate Counsel
XYZ Law Firm
2015-06 2017-12
  • Reviewed and directed collection litigation matters to be cost-effective by working with business clients and legal support staff.
  • Conducted legal research to support compliance with federal, state, and local laws.
  • Assisted with special projects for internal legal and legal outsourcing.
  • Limited company exposure through effective advocacy on behalf of the Company in hearings, trials, and mediations, resulting in a 15% decrease in monetary damages.
  • Negotiated with opposing counsel, conducted discovery and responded to discovery, prepared and attended hearings and trials, resulting in a 85% success rate in resolving cases without trial.
Work Experience
Associate General Counsel
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
2018-01-01 2022-01-01
  • Ensured compliance with federal and state campaign finance laws, lobbying disclosure requirements, gift and ethics rules, and tax laws governing exempt organizations.
  • Provided ongoing legal counsel and guidance on legal matters and implications of non-legal matters to ensure compliance with applicable laws, standards, and practices.
  • Drafted and reviewed contracts for major transactions and programs, ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations.
  • Participated in defining, assessing, and developing corporate policies, procedures, and programs.
  • Managed outside counsel to support programmatic and operational needs.
  • Provided legal advice on other matters as requested by the General Counsel.
Work Experience
Senior Counsel
American Civil Liberties Union
2014-01-01 2017-12-01
  • Managed and litigated complex constitutional and civil rights cases in state and federal courts, resulting in favorable decisions and precedent-setting outcomes.
  • Developed and executed advocacy campaigns to advance reproductive rights and access to reproductive healthcare, resulting in policy changes and increased public awareness.
  • Drafted amicus briefs in support of reproductive rights and health, which were cited by courts in opinions.
  • Collaborated with external attorneys and advocacy organizations to advance reproductive rights and combat threats to reproductive health.
  • Provided legal guidance to state affiliates on strategies for advancing reproductive rights.
Work Experience
Staff Attorney
Center for Reproductive Rights
2012-01-01 2014-01-01
  • Litigated and managed complex constitutional and civil rights cases in state and federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.
  • Collaborated with external attorneys and advocacy organizations to advance reproductive rights and combat threats to reproductive health.
  • Drafted amicus briefs in support of reproductive rights and health, which were cited by courts in opinions.
  • Developed and executed advocacy campaigns to advance reproductive rights and access to reproductive healthcare, resulting in policy changes and increased public awareness.
  • Provided legal guidance to state affiliates on strategies for advancing reproductive rights.
pro tip icon
PRO TIP

The person reading your Counsel resume will be busy, make sure you never waste their time with fluff.

Action Verbs for your Counsel Resume

Instead of simply mentioning your tasks, share what you have done in your previous positions by using action verbs. For example, instead of saying “Client communication”, go for “Communicated with X number of clients weekly”. Use these power words and make your application shine!

Top Counsel Skills for Your Resume

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Writing a skills section that stands out:
  • Check the job advert for keywords that you can use: this will help you pass ATS;
  • Focus on relevant and valuable skills that will support your application;
  • Make sure to include both hard and technical skills, leaving soft skills for other sections of your Counsel resume;
  • Don’t list skills you don’t have.
Top skills for your counsel resume
HARD SKILLS

Java

Python

JavaScript

HTML/CSS

SQL

Data Analysis

Project Management

Microsoft Office

Budgeting

Financial Analysis

SOFT SKILLS

Leadership

Communication

Problem Solving

Adaptability

Critical Thinking

Interpersonal Skills

Time Management

Teamwork

Creativity

Conflict Resolution

pro tip icon
PRO TIP

Add a Talent Section to your resume, where you can pick your top 3 soft skills and describe how you used them to complete a project or balance departmental communication.

what to write in your resume header
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Checklist: What to include in your Counsel resume summary:
  • Years of experience;
  • Highlight top 3 skills and proficiencies;
  • One big professional accomplishment you’re most proud of, that you can tie with the aforementioned skills;
  • Use short, direct sentences - but no more than three - to keep the HRs interested.
resume Summary Formula icon
Resume summary formula:
Resume Summary Formula: [Adjective] [job title] with [number] years of experience in [industry], a proven ability to [relevant, measurable skills], and a strong background in [relevant context of your work experience] seeks a position as [the job title you’re applying for].
pro tip icon
PRO TIP

Your summary section should act as a professional taster. Use it wisely. Effectively convey your professional profile and let the hiring manager know that if they hire you, they won’t be disappointed. Make sure to include keywords from the job description too! Elaborate on your abilities further in your experience section. Again, cater to the job description.

The Right Format for Your Counsel Resume

When it comes to formatting your Counsel resume, there are certain things you need to keep in mind. These include your level of expertise, your total years of experience, and the position and company you’re applying for, to name a few.

You can choose between three basic resume formats:

The reverse-chronological format is just that – all your experience listed in a reverse-chronological way. It’s great for experienced professionals who have been in the industry for many years and have no career gaps.

The functional skills-based resume, on the other hand, focuses on skills, education, and personality traits, rather than experience. This makes it great for graduates, people with less experience, or bigger career gaps. The idea is to show you’re the perfect match without putting too much emphasis on your lack of relevant experience.

If none of these sound suitable, go for a hybrid (or combination) resume. It’s a mix of experience, skills, and personality traits. It’s also considered modern and innovative because of its non-traditional structure and sections. Here, you can add details about what your typical day looks like or what your life philosophy is. In short, the hybrid resume format shows who you are, both as a professional and as an individual.

Check out our additional tips on perfecting your Counsel resume’s style and layout:

Tired of looking for ways to make your resume stand out? Read this article!

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