Law & legal services CV guide

State admissions (jurisdiction, year) and practising status first. Describe practice areas, notable matters (anonymised) and deal values.

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Sections to include

Section (in this order)	How important
Profile	Recommended
Bar admissions & practising certificates	Expected
Experience	Expected
Education	Expected
Practice areas & skills	Recommended

Key facts

Solicitors in England and Wales are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Source: sra.org.uk

Facts checked 2026-10-15.

Tips

State admissions (jurisdiction, year) and practising status first.
Describe practice areas, notable matters (anonymised) and deal values.
Education carries weight: class of degree, honours, moots.

Registration by country

Regulated jobs need the local registration or licence on the CV, or a note that the application is in progress. Confirm current requirements with the regulator.

Country	Registration or licence
United Kingdom	SRA admission as a solicitor or call to the Bar (BSB)
United States	State bar admission
Canada	Provincial law society licence
Australia	Supreme Court admission and practising certificate
New Zealand	NZ Law Society practising certificate
Ireland	Law Society of Ireland roll / King’s Inns; LSRA
Germany	Zulassung bei der Rechtsanwaltskammer
France	Inscription au Barreau
United Arab Emirates	Ministry of Justice / Dubai Legal Affairs registration
Singapore	Admission as Advocate & Solicitor; practising certificate

Lawyer CVs by country

Questions

What should a lawyer CV include?

A lawyer CV needs your contact details, experience, education and bar admissions and practising certificates, and usually profile and practice areas and skills. Lead with what employers in this field check first, and back it up with specific examples. State admissions (jurisdiction, year) and practising status first. The CV Atlas readiness check flags anything this field expects that your CV is missing.

What order should the sections of a lawyer CV be in?

Use this order for a lawyer CV: Profile, Bar admissions & practising certificates, Experience, Education and Practice areas & skills. Put the most important evidence for this field near the top, and list entries within each section with the most recent first. Contact details and your name always come first, in the header. Some countries change the order, for example Japan lists history oldest first, and CV Atlas applies that automatically.

How long should a lawyer CV be?

It depends on the country more than the job. A lawyer CV in the United States should be 1–2 pages; in the United Kingdom, 2 pages; in Australia, 2–4 pages. Keep recent roles detailed and older ones brief, so your strongest evidence sits on the first page. Pick your target country in CV Atlas and it applies the local length and paper size.

Do lawyers need to put their registration on their CV?

Yes. Lawyers should show their admission to practise (jurisdiction and year) and practising status near the top of the CV, in its own section, with the registering body and status. If you are still applying, list it with the status “In progress” so employers can see where you stand. The body depends on the country. Confirm current requirements with the regulator before applying; CV Atlas names the usual body for the main destination countries.

How do I make a lawyer CV stand out?

Describe practice areas, notable matters (anonymised) and deal values. Education carries weight: class of degree, honours, moots. Be specific: name the systems, settings and results, start each bullet with a verb, and keep it to one line where you can. Show the scale of your work with numbers where it helps. Tailor the first lines of your profile and each role to the job advert.

Which jobs does the lawyer CV guide cover?

This guide covers 23 job titles, including Lawyer / attorney, Solicitor, Barrister / advocate, In-house counsel, General counsel, Associate, Partner and Trainee solicitor / articled clerk. They share the same CV structure and checks. If your exact title is not listed, type it into CV Atlas and pick the closest field. Country rules such as photos, length and references are added on top when you choose where you are applying.

Jobs this guide covers

Lawyer / attorney · Solicitor · Barrister / advocate · In-house counsel · General counsel · Associate (law firm) · Partner (law firm) · Trainee solicitor / articled clerk · Notary · Judge / magistrate · Paralegal · Legal assistant · Legal executive · Conveyancer · Contract manager (legal) · Compliance counsel · Patent attorney · Trademark attorney · Court clerk · Mediator · Legal researcher · Immigration advisor · Court interpreter

Country guides

Photo, date of birth, length and paper size change by country. Start with United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands, or see all 200 countries.

Open the builderYour first CV is free. The builder applies these rules and checks your CV before you download it.

Guidance checked October 2026; facts checked 2026-10-15. General information for most employers, not legal or immigration advice. A job advert’s own instructions always come first. CV Atlas is not affiliated with any regulator or professional body named.