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
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!
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
The person reading your Counsel resume will be busy, make sure you never waste their time with fluff.
Action Verbs for your Counsel Resume
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Top Counsel Skills for Your Resume
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
Java
Python
JavaScript
HTML/CSS
SQL
Data Analysis
Project Management
Microsoft Office
Budgeting
Financial Analysis
Leadership
Communication
Problem Solving
Adaptability
Critical Thinking
Interpersonal Skills
Time Management
Teamwork
Creativity
Conflict Resolution
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.
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Counsel resume header: tips, red flags, and best practices
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:
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.
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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:
- Reverse-chronological resume format;
- Functional skills-based resume format;
- Combination (or Hybrid) resume format.
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:
- Choose traditional 1-inch resume margins;
- Go for a serif or sans serif resume font that’s easy to read yet looks professional (e.g. Arial, Verdana, or Calibri);
- Keep your Counsel resume short: one-page template are preferable, but if you have over 10 years of experience, you can also go for a two-page format;
- Save your resume as PDF and choose a suitable name, e.g. NameSurnameResume;
Tired of looking for ways to make your resume stand out? Read this article!
