Bright Network's law CV template

Having a strong CV is essential for applying to law firms. It’ll often be the first thing an employer sees in your application, so you want it to stand out for all the right reasons. Our law CV template will help you create an well-formatted CV to give you a competitive edge when applying for legal insight programmes, vacation schemes and law training contracts.

Here are our top tips for creating a top-notch commercial law CV. Remember, you can download a law CV template below. Combine our advice with our example law CV format, and you’ll be off to a great start.

Language is a powerful tool. Use it to show your employer that you’ve got the skills they’re looking for.

When recruiters search through law CVs, they don’t always read every word. Instead, they skim. Sometimes, they even use computer software to skim it for them, so you need to make clear points using keywords. If the job advert says the firm’s looking for someone who works well with others, be explicit about your teamwork.

Whenever you give examples, get straight to the point. If you can’t understand it immediately, rewrite it.

Show the employer that you’re serious about a career in law and that you've got the experience to prove it.

If you’ve already undertaken a law placement, call it out in the work experience section of your CV. Be sure to emphasise the skills you learnt.

It’s also worth calling out any upcoming work experience to show your commitment. For example, if you’re applying for a law grad scheme and you’re due to go on a vacation scheme before it starts, mention it in your personal summary.

If you’ve excelled in any area of life so far, make it known!

Perhaps you’ve won an academic prize for outstanding uni work. Maybe you chaired the debating society to regional success. Or you might have won a staff award at your part-time job.

If you’ve been recognised for any achievements that have transferable skills, mention them in your law CV. Even if the connection isn’t immediately obvious, the prizes will demonstrate your ambition.

You want to come across as organised, so reflect that in your job application. Our CV template for law will make figuring out the format easier. It’s OK to make tweaks though, so that it works for you.

Some sections will require more information than others. For example, the education section needs to be detailed. It’s worth outlining the modules you’ve studied that are relevant to the position you’re applying for.

Your law CV is an important document. If you want a potential employer to take you seriously, you need to take your CV seriously. Don't try to be playful in your job application. Stick to the facts and avoid jokes.

Plus, remember to show your CV some love by proofreading it before sending. An unfortunate typo will look unprofessional.

Do you have commercial awareness? If so, great! Now, it’s time to get that info into your law CV.

If you’re a member of any commercially focused societies, mention them. Your employer will want to know about your involvement.

Remember that your CV is one of many that the employer will be reviewing. Get to the point quickly to get ahead.

Although it’s common for a CV template for law to be longer than one for another sector, you still need to be concise. While a two-page CV is standard within the legal sector, one page is still ideal for students and graduates who don’t have much experience.

Make sure that whatever you include relates to the role or shows a transferable skill. You should always tailor your CV for each position.

To write a CV for a law internship, start by carefully reading the internship advertisement and thinking about what the employer is looking for in a candidate. Once you’ve figured that out, tailor your CV so that it suits the role. Call out transferable skills and experience that relate to the internship.

If you’re starting from scratch, begin by using our law CV template and editing it to have your information. You want a law CV to include a personal statement (an overview of you, your skills and why you think you’re a great candidate), your education and qualifications, employment history, your skills and any other achievements (eg. awards). Make sure everything you put on your CV is truthful and relevant to the internship.

A personal profile for a legal CV is the same as a personal profile for a job application in any sector.

A personal profile, also known as a personal statement, is a short paragraph on your CV that gives potential employers an overview of who you are and why you’re applying for the role. You should use it to summarise your skills, career ambitions and the reasons you’d suit the job.

If you use our legal CV template, we recommend putting the personal profile near the top of your CV.

The best law CV format is one that covers your education, qualifications, employment history, skills and achievements in a way that’s concise yet also gives enough information to the potential employer. A law CV template should also have room for a personal statement and references (even if you simply say, “References are available upon request.”).