guide to drafting your own resume

8/8/2019 Guide to Drafting Your Own Resume

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NSUShepard Broad Law Center

GUIDE TO DRAFTING YOUR OWN

RESUME

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I. Frequently Asked Questions:

What is a Resume?A resume is a written, organized summary of your educational and professional qualifications. It is amarketing tool that must be prepared carefully and updated as often as necessary. A legal resume is aspecific instrument and therefore will probably look different than other resumes you may have had inthe past or different than those being used in other fields.

Do I really need a resume?Yes. Every law student needs a resume, even if you have personal connections that may get youemployment. Every potential employer, and some attorneys with whom you are simply networking,will want to have this document.

When should I prepare my resume?As soon as possible. During winter break of your first year is an ideal time to draft it. The hard workof creating a resume only comes once updating it is easy once your resume is in the proper format.

How can I get help with my resume?Simply e-mail it to us at [email protected] or to one of the Career Professionals. Itwill be returned to you within 24 48 hours with comments and suggestions. Once your resume hasbeen reviewed, we encourage you to make an appointment to discuss further details of your resume anddevelop a strategy for targeting specific employers.

Should I include everything Ive ever done?No. A resume is neither your life history nor your bar application. It is a summary of yourqualifications, presented as a marketing tool for your job search. You should NEVER lie; however, youdo not need to include every activity or part-time job you have ever held. Particular filler offendersinclude too many college activities, and part-time jobs that date before college. However, you should

be wary of dropping jobs from your resume that will break up the reverse chronology gaps in time onyour resume will be noticed.

Ive never held a legal job. Do I still need a resume?Yes! At the beginning of law school, no employer expects you to have a page full of relevantemployment. However, you want to show potential legal employers that you have worked and knowhow to be a good, loyal employee. Of course, any skills that you can market as lawyering skills youwant to do so. Being a lawyer is a customer service profession, so showing that you know how to workprofessionally with clients of any type is a plus. As you obtain legal employment throughout lawschool, you will replace your previous non-legal positions with these newer, more relevant ones. If pastexperiences document a prior professional life, you will add these new experiences to the previous ones.

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II. The Personal Information Header

At the very top of your resume, usually centered, is your personal information header. It should containthe following information (though not numbered):

1. Name2. Current Address3. Phone Number4. E-mail

Dos and Donts for Personal Headers

Do:- Include your full name.

- Use your current address where you are receiving mail.- Also include your permanent address if it is not local and you are trying to show a tie to anothercity.- Include phone numbers that are going to be answered, even if by machine. You may wish to include

a cell number, if you are not going to get messages during business hours.- Ensure that your answering machine plays a professional message.- Put your personal information in bold and/or aslightly larger type size (see examples inside).- Use a professional sounding e-mail address or your school e-mail address.

Dont:- Make your name enormous in proportion to the rest of the document or use a fancy or colored font.- Split your name and address up between the top and bottom of the page.

- Use an unprofessional nickname or e-mail address (e.g. [email protected]).- Insert a hyperlink for your e-mail address.- Highlight your e-mail in colored ink (correct this if your computer does so automatically).- Use a current and permanent address if you are job searching in your local geographic area.- Use initials instead of your name to conceal your gender or ethnicity.- Include personal information such as your photo, birth date, marital status, or social security

number.

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CONTACT INFORMATION EXAMPLES

Format 1

======================

PHILIP PHIRSTYEAR

11945 Hiatus RoadDavie, Florida 33325

[email protected]

Format 2

PHILIP [email protected]

Current Permanent

11945 Hiatus Road 7200 Arthur AvenueDavie, Florida 33325 Falls Church, Virginia 20024954-123-4567 703-549-8500

Format 3

____________________________P h i l i p P h i r s t y e a r________

11945 Hiatus Road, Davie, Florida 33325 954-123-4567 [email protected]

Format 4

Philip [email protected]

11945 Hiatus Road, Davie, Florida 33325954-123-4567

Format 5

P H I L I P A. P H I R S T Y E A R11945 Hiatus Road, Davie, Florida 33325 954-123-4567 [email protected]

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III. The Education Section

If you are a full-time student, then your education is currently your full-time job. If you are a part-timestudent, your education is currently the activity that you want to market. As such, it should be the firstsubstantive section of your resume. All resume information is presented in reverse chronological ordergoing back to your undergraduate degree, putting institution first. You should start with your law schooleducation first. Be consistent throughout the education section.

For each degree give the following:

Degree and (expected) date of graduation Name and location of school attended Grade point average (optional) Scholarship, honors, awards (optional) Publication/research topic (if applicable) Extracurricular activities (optional)

When describing your education, you also may include:

SpecialPrograms: Indicate Enrolled in the Health Law Concentration or Enrolled in International Law

Concentration, if appropriate. Once you have graduated and successfully completed allrequired course work for the program, you can then specify Concentration in the [insertname of program]. Though you are not required to include such information, certainemployers may feel that this information adds credibility to your resume. Note that yourtranscript will reflect your enrollment in the program. Thus, if you choose not to includeit on your resume, be prepared to address questions regarding your participation if anemployer asks to see your transcript.

GPA: Grades are important to certain employers and some will require a GPA be listed on yourresume. Whether you should refrain from specifying your GPA is a judgment call.However, usually you should list your law school GPA if it is 3.0 or higher. Note that ifyou list your law school GPA, you should also list your undergrad GPA (in other words,if you list one, you will need to list the other). You also may choose to specify thosecourses in which you received a high grade and/or those courses that you believe may beof particular interest to a potential employer. You can do so by including an OutstandingGrades section and/or a Relevant Coursework section on your resume.

Journals: Specify journal membership(s) and capacity if appropriate, and list under Honors.

Honors: Identify Deans list (number of times or which semesters), honor societies, scholarships(with brief explanation as necessary). Note that at NSU, you are considered to be on theDeans list for any semester in which your GPA is a 3.2 or higher. You may also wish tospecify awards you received either under the Honors category or a separate Awardscategory. Participation in the Pro Bono Honor Program should be listed under thiscategory. Anything that requires that you actually be selected should be listed as anHonor on your resume (i.e., Law Review, ILSA Journal, ATLA, Moot Court, Dean's List,Pro Bono Honor Program, etc.).

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Activities: Highlight activities that demonstrate leadership, initiative, community involvement, or useof special skills.

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LEGAL EDUCATION EXAMPLES

1. NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY, Shepard Broad Law Center,Fort Lauderdale, FloridaJuris Doctor Candidate, May 2007GPA: 3.55

Outstanding Grades: Property A; Civil Procedure A; Torts A-Honors: Deans List (Fall 2006)

Nova Law Review, Technical EditorActivities: Phi Alpha Delta, MemberStudy Abroad: University of Barcelona,Barcelona, Spain, Summer 2004

Studied International Contracts and Environmental Law.

2. Nova Southeastern University,Shepard Broad Law Center,FortLauderdale, FloridaJuris Doctor Candidate, May 2007GPA: 3.02

Honors: Pro Bono Honor Program, Bronze Level

Awards: Martin E. Feinrider Summer Fellowship for InternationalHuman Rights

Activities: Staff Member, Environmental Law SocietyBoard Member, Public Interest Law Society

3. Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center, Fort Lauderdale,FloridaJuris Doctor Candidate, May 2007Enrolled in International Law Concentration

Activities: International Law Students Association (ILSA), Treasurer

Black Law Students Association (BLSA), Member

4. Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center, Fort Lauderdale, FloridaJuris Doctor Candidate, May 2007GPA: 3.15

Awards: Received highest grade in Lawyering Skills and ValuesActivities: International Law Students Association (ILSA), member

Florida Association of Women Lawyers (FAWL), member

5. NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY, Shepard Broad Law Center, Ft. Lauderdale, FloridaJuris Doctor Candidate, December 2007

Activities: Phi Alpha Delta Fraternity, Member

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IV. Employment

For most students, the main feature of your resume is the description of your employment. You shouldlist your jobs in reverse chronological order, starting with your current job, or the most recent positionyou have held.

Format:There are two distinct but acceptable formats to describe a position that you have held. The first is theparagraph or narrative format, and the second is the bullet format. You should choose theformat which best works with your type of employment and style of writing. See examples of ParagraphFormat and Bullet format, demonstrated below.

Content:Regardless of the format you use, your content should give an accurate accounting of where you worked,

your job title, when you worked, and a positive, active description of your duties. Decide which categoryis best suited to your potential employer: organization (or employer) name first is it well known andrelevant? Or title first is the function stronger than the organization (or employer) name? Whicheveryou choose, just be consistent throughout. In fact, internal consistency is critically important for theentire document. This includes stylistic choices you may make, including font, title formats, dateabbreviations, bullets, etc. Describe each position according to job duties: list tasks performed,emphasizing those requiring the highest level of skill, responsibility, and judgment. Begin each phrasewith an action verb (see list of action verbs). Quantify and qualify your accomplishments, i.e.Maintained average caseload of 150, researched statute of limitations for criminal law professor,trained and supervised 5 employees, surpassed sales quota by 15%. Use sentence fragments thathighlight the duty performed or the responsibility assumed.

And remember descriptions of accomplishments and job responsibilities are always written in thepast tense; only jobs at which you are presently employed are exceptions and therefore only those

current jobs should be described in the present tense . So you researched Florida case law and draftedmemoranda of law when you were a summer associate last year, but you research Florida case law anddraft memoranda of law for your current position as a law clerk.

Paragraph format example (at job where you are no longer employed):Law Offices of Smith & Smith, Ft. Lauderdale, FLLaw Clerk May 2006 September 2006Researched and wrote memoranda of law for small firm practicing family law and personal injury.Summarized depositions and drafted motions. Wrote trial briefs resulting in favorable verdict for client.Contributed to appellate brief through legal research and drafting, resulting in reversal of decision. Metwith clients. Observed court hearings.

Bullet format example (at job where you are presently employed):Law Offices of Smith & Smith, Ft. Lauderdale, FLLaw Clerk May 2007 Present

Research and write memoranda of law for small family law and personal injury law firm. Summarize depositions and draft motions.

Meet with clients. Observe court hearings.

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Wrote trial briefs resulting in favorable verdict for client. (Okay to put this type of item in past tense.) Contributed to appellate brief through legal research and drafting, resulting in reversal of decision.

(Note: Final 2 bullets concern completed activity at current job. Okay to put in past tense, butsuch descriptions should be listed at end of all listed activities as they are completed / not active.)

Legal versus Non-Legal Employment Section:

If you have only one or two entries of legal employment, you may wish to highlight them bycreating a section of legal employment and a section of non-legal employment. If this is the case,you may wish to list your legal experience first, even if it is not the most recent, followed by yournon-legal experience (or, Other Work Experience). Keep in mind, however, that once yourlegal employment starts to build, it looks awkward to continue to separate out the two, unlessyour non-legal employment is from a past professional career. If you do create two sections, theyshould be identical in form and follow all the rules of job description.

Publications:If, as a result of your educational or work experience, you have published something, you shouldmake mention of the publication on your resume. Depending upon the nature and timing of the

publication, you may include it under either education or work experience, or under an entirelyseparate category (i.e., Publications).

Community Involvement/Volunteer Work:If you have been involved in any significant community activities or volunteered at anorganization, you should include it in your resume. Depending on the extent of yourinvolvement, you may want to include such activities under experience and describe the dutiesyou performed, or simply list it under a category such as Community Involvement orProfessional Activities.

Languages:

If you are conversant or fluent in a foreign language, you should include that language (with theappropriate indication of proficiency) on your resume. If the language in which you areconversant or fluent is potentially of particular interest to a prospective employer, you maychoose to include it under a separate category (i.e., Languages). Otherwise, you simply mayinclude the language under the general category of either Skills, Skills/Languages, or Skillsand Interests. You need not be fluent in a language to include the skill just be sure to qualify itappropriately (e.g., proficient, advanced knowledge of, etc.) Also, to the extent that you areproficient in the written form of any foreign language, you should indicate that as well. (E.g.Fully bilingual in spoken and written Spanish or Proficient in spoken and written French orConversant in German). If you dont include written in your proficiency description, it isassumed that your description pertains to the spoken form of the language only.

Skills and Interests:This section is used as a catch-all category for information that may help market you to theprospective employer. It is easy to mistakenly turn this section into nothing more than a writtenscrapbook, so be selective. Many employers, however, like to see interests as they give someadditional material for conversation and demonstrate your other dimensions. If you include yourcomputer or online legal research skills, this is where you will do so. However, if you are shorton space or beyond the first year of law school, it is not necessary to include these types of skills.

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Most employers will assume that you are capable of using LexisNexis, Westlaw, MicrosoftOffice, etc.

References:While references should not be identified on your resume, you always should be prepared toprovide them once requested. Ideally, references should include at least one law school facultymember and one prior employer or supervisor. We do not recommend using personal references

(i.e., family members and friends). The reference provided should include name, title, address,phone number and e-mail, if available. Remember not to include a person as a reference unless,and until, s/he has agreed to act as a positive reference. There is no need to state Referencesavailable upon request on your resume as most potential employers will believe this to be thecase. Verify that contact information for your references is current, and send them a copy ofyour most recent resume so that they can reference it if contacted by prospective employers.

Items Not to List:The following is a list of information that is simply not relevant or useful and should not beincluded on your resume: LSAT scores, age, health, marital status, social security number, andother personal statistics.

Memberships:

Once you have been admitted to a state bar or federal court, you will want to list these legalmemberships on your resume. New attorneys may choose to make this the first section after theirpersonal header only to highlight the new achievement of bar membership. The admission tomembership and date should be included. You may also include voluntary bars joined, althoughthese should be listed after mandatory licensing bodies; alternatively, voluntary bar membershipscan be listed under Professional Organizations or Professional Associations.

Example:

Memberships: Member, Florida Bar (2009)

Admitted to the Florida Bar, 2007The Florida Bar, 2007United States District Court, Southern District of Florida, 2007American Bar Association, 2007

You may also choose to list your status while you await taking the bar or your barexam results:

Registered for July 2009 Florida Bar ExamAwaiting results of February 2009 Florida Bar ExamPassed July 2009 Florida Bar Exam; Swearing in September 12, 2009

Dos and Donts for Other CategoriesDo:- Show commitment to a community by listing your community service.

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- Include legal publications.- Use proper punctuation, including periods, at the end of each description.

Dont:- List an Objective.- List your typing speed.- List a language that you are not prepared to use or overstate your level of proficiency in a language.- List a publication of a non-legal written work unless relevant to a field of law that you are pursuing.- List a membership to a non-legal organization unless relevant to a field of law that you are pursuing.- Hold yourself out to be admitted to a bar until you have been sworn in.

Some employers report that they like to know the hobbies or personal activities of their applicants;however, others have said that a hobby should not be listed unless it is so unusual as to be aterrific icebreaker. Therefore, it is a personal choice whether or not to include this category. Ifyou decide to include hobbies, do not list more than two or three, at the most.

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LAW CLERK AND GENERAL LEGAL EXPERIENCEJOB DESCRIPTION EXAMPLES

General Litigation Experience

Researched issues pertaining to. . . (e.g., pending motion for summary judgment in antitrust case).

Researched and wrote memoranda in numerous areas of law, including. . . (e.g., bankruptcy,copyright, real property, civil rights). Researched and wrote memoranda on criminal procedure and evidentiary issues. Drafted discovery requests, including interrogatories and requests for production of documents,

abstracted depositions and drafted settlement letters. Drafted and edited documents, including complaints and motions. Participated in multiple phases of litigation, including. . . (e.g., discovery, pre-trial, settlement

negotiations). Assisted with trial preparation. Communicated with opposing counsel and clients. Attended federal pre-trial conferences, settlement conferences and court proceedings. Attended. . . (e.g., trial, depositions, law and motion hearings, arraignment hearings client

meetings).

General Transactional Experience

Filed documents in court and performed title searches. Drafted corporate resolutions and partnership agreements. Drafted and revised lease agreements and purchase and sale agreement. Drafted opinion letter to client. Attended drafting sessions and managed due diligence meetings. Participated in negotiating sessions with opposing counsel. Arranged and conducted meetings with clients and opposing counsel.

Prepared contracts. Created labor and employment law pamphlet.

General Public Interest Experience

Interviewed clients to determine eligibility for benefits. Assisted attorneys in providing legal services to individuals seeking public benefits. Worked with government agency to ensure efficient processing of benefit claims. Assisted in organizing series of workshops on access to benefits. Researched issues pertaining to. . . (e.g., custody, fair housing, immigration status). Researched and drafted memoranda (and/or motions) focusing on issues of . . . .

Engaged in all facets of litigation, including. . . (e.g., discovery, pre-trial, settlement negotiations). Researched proposed changes to the welfare system and their impact on the County budget. Assisted in the preparation of an article assessing laws and policies regarding womens reproductive

rights.

General Judicial Internship Experience

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Researched and drafted legal memoranda on issues of. . . (e.g., procedure, contracts, employmentlaw).

Performed legal research and wrote memoranda relating to criminal matters involving evidentiaryissues, legislative history of criminal statutes and case law.

Reviewed motions, researched relevant case law, prepared summaries of legal arguments and assistedin preparation of court rulings.

Researched and drafted bench memoranda, orders and opinions on various issues of criminal and

civil law, including. . . (e.g., motions to sever defendants, preliminary injunctions, securities law). Drafted order and decision on summary judgment motion in antitrust case. Observed (attended) pre-trial conferences, settlement conferences, motion hearings, numerous trials. Exposed to various stages of litigation, including. . . (e.g., scheduling, law and motion practice,

settlement and pre-trial conferences, jury selection, trial).

General Research Assistant Experience

Researched recent court decisions on negligenceper se for Professor Arnolds Torts casebook. Briefed and discussed cases with Professor Smith. Researched and selected reading materials for a course on intellectual property.

Performed research for legal publications and prepared presentations. Researched current issues in immigration law and drafted memorandum. Performed legal research, analyzed cases, and drafted text for Professor Millers note in theNovaLaw Review.

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V. Electronic Resumes

The advantage to having an electronic resume is simple it enables you to respond quickly and easily tojob openings posted all over the world, no postage required.

Do's and Don'ts for Electronic Resumes:

Do:

- Include a cover letter when you e-mail a resume.- Send the resume and cover letter as separate attachments.- Use the same heading for your resume and cover letter.- Use the title or job number as the subject line of your e-mail.- Send the resume in the word processing format requested (MS Word, Word Perfect and .pdf formats

are generally acceptable).- Be sure that revisions made to the resume are not visible to the recipient.- Be sure that grammar / spelling flags (red squiggly lines inserted below suspected errors by MS

Word) are turned off. To do this, right click your mouse on the offending word and choose IgnoreAll, Ignore once or Add to Dictionary from the drop-down menu. This will make the flag(squiggly line) disappear.

- PROOF READ! PROOF READ! PROOF READ! BEFORE SENDING!!

Dont:

- Include the substantive text of your cover letter or resume in the body of your e-mail. The body ofyour e-mail should briefly introduce the attachments. (E.g. Attached please find my cover letter andresume in application for the XYZ summer clerkship position posted on Nova SoutheasternsSymplicity Job Board.)

- Send a cover letter or resume with typographical errors.- Use a word processing template that utilizes tables or boxes which will be viewable (usually in blue)

to the reader if opened in Word or WordPerfect.

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VI. Writing Samples

Some employers will request that you include a writing sample with your resume. This must be anexample of legal writing. Use a writing sample that is all your own work. Be sure your writing sampleis error free and that all of your citations are correct and in proper blue book form. If the law in yourmemorandum is out of date, you may wish to include a cover letter noting that this is so, but that at thetime the memorandum was prepared, the law was correct. If your writing sample is from a law firm job,be sure to obtain permission to use it from your employer. Be sure that you are submitting the kind ofwriting sample that is being requested. The submission should average 7-10 pages (unless the employerhas specified otherwise). An excerpt from a longer piece is acceptable, perhaps with a short note toexplain the excerpt. If the employer specifically asks for an appellate brief, do not send a motion todismiss. If no guidelines are placed on the sample, follow the above advice.

Do's and Don'ts for Writing Samples:

Do:- Have many copies of your writing sample prepared in advance. This will prevent you from being up

the night before a deadline or interview, blacking out identifying factors and searching for a copymatching the description needed.

- Bring a copy of a writing sample to every interview, and be prepared to leave it with the interviewer.- Make sure that the copy is clean and correct, and that you have taken any feedback from a professor

or supervisor and made the best writing sample possible.- Be prepared to discuss the content of your writing sample. Some employers will ask about the area

of law that your writing sample addresses.- Print your writing sample and resume on high quality, bond paper. It is best to use white or crme-

colored paper.

Dont:- Submit a LSV memo with an exam number instead of a name.- Submit a paper with a grade or other comments on it.- Submit a memorandum with the real name of a client or attorney on it.- Submit work that you did not do, or did in collaboration with another student.- Submit a creative writing, poetry, or other non-legal work.- Submit a sample longer than asked for by the employer.

For more information about writing samples, please see The Career DevelopmentOffices handout entitled, The Writing Sample.

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VII. Final Resume Tips

Length:

A one-page resume works for most law students or recent graduates. Two pages may benecessary only if law is a second career. Most recruiting coordinators / hiring partners have told us:If youre going to make me look at a second page, it better be worth my while. In other words,there better be some pretty important substantive information on that second page.

Appearance:

Keep your resume simple and attractive. Developing a well organized, readable layout determines if it gets read. Avoid dense text appearance, which is difficult to read. Use bolding, underlining, caps, and italics to draw attention to resume headings and job

titles. Be consistent. If you bold the first job title you list and italicize the date, be sure all the jobtitles are bold and all the dates italicized.

If you are mailing a hard-copy resume/cover letter by U.S. Mail, be sure to use high-qualitywhite, off-white, or light gray paper. Remember to stay conservative. DO NOT use gray,marbleized, or other dark color paper. Resumes are often photocopied and distributed among theattorneys in the firm. If the original paper is too dark, the copies will become muddy and un-readable.

Check for typographical, spelling, or grammatical errors. References belong on their own sheet with name, title, business mailing address, phone

number and e-mail, if available. Submit references only when asked to do so. Sometimes, the difference between getting an interview and being placed in the no pile is a

well put-together resume.

* * * * * *IMPORTANT NOTE FOR ALL WINDOWS VISTA /

MICROSOFT OFFICE / WORD 2008 USERS:

The default format when you save a document in Word 2008 creates a . docx file. This format is notyet readable by all systems. Most law firms do not yet have this version of Word. Nor is it up-loadable into Symplicity. (The CDO will also encounter difficulty opening this file to review yourresume.) Therefore, when saving your resume/cover letter in Word 2008, click "Save As" and savethe document as a Word 97-2003 document (i.e. *.doc, not *.docx).

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PHILIP PHIRSTYEAR1234 East Nova Boulevard Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 (954) 123-4567 [email protected]

EDUCATIONNova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center, Ft. Lauderdale, FLJuris Doctor Candidate, May 2008GPA 3.34, Top 10%

Honors: Moot Court Honor Society: Chief Justice 20072008, Competitions Editor 2006 -2007

Nova Law Review: Associate Editor 20072008, Junior Staff Member 2006 - 2007Deans List: Winter 2005, Fall 2005, Fall 2006

Publications: Medical Malpractice Tort Reform: Floridas Legislative Solution, 29 Nova L. Rev.221 (2007)

Competitions: Feinrider Moot Court Competition, Finalist 2006Florida Workers Compensation Education Conference, Semi-Finalist 2006Florida Bar Moot Court Competition, Advocate & Brief Writer 2006

Activities: American Trial Lawyers Association, Board of Editors 2005 - 2007Student Bar Association, Vice President 2006 - 2007

University of Florida, Gainesville, FLBachelor of Science in Business Administration, May 2005GPA 3.23

Honors: Bull Gator Orange and Blue Scholarship Winner, 2003

Awards: Presidents Honor Roll & Deans List, 20032004

WORKEXPERIENCE

Dewey, Cheatum & Howe, P.A., Miami, FL May 2007 -PresentLaw Clerk.

Draft litigation pleadings and motions in state and federal court. These include complaintsinvolving fraud, breach of contract, and violations of non-compete agreements and motions tocompel, motions to dismiss and motions to strike pleadings for spoliation of evidence.

Prepare legal memoranda addressing issues in complex commercial litigation cases. Issuesresearched thus far include a memorandum of law persuading a federal magistrate to allowcharacter evidence to show a defendants motive, intent, and plan to defraud a business.

Create deposition outlines for expert witnesses and reciprocal confidentiality agreements.

Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center, Ft. Lauderdale, FL Aug. 2005 - May2006

Research Assistant. Researched, analyzed cases, and selected materials for Professor John Jones course on legal

research and writing. Research and edited a legal publication regarding fraudulent transfers.

LANGUAGE SKILLS Fully bilingual in spoken and written Spanish. Conversant in French and Creole.

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A N T H O N Y S O P R A N O1234 Nova Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314 Cell: 954-123-4567 Email: [email protected]

Education Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center, Ft.Lauderdale, FL

Juris Doctor Candidate, May 2008GPA: 3.04Honors: Broad Fellowship Recipient

Deans List (Fall 2005, Winter 2006)Law Review, Staff

Activities: Law Student AdvisorItalian American Law Students Association, Member

Rutgers University, Camden, NJCenter for Law & JusticeBachelor of Science, cum laude, Criminal Justice, May 2005

GPA: 3.82Honors: Deans List (all semesters)

Presidents ListCriminal Justice High Achievement Award

Activities: Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity, TreasurerPi Kappa Alpha Fraternity

Legal Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center, Ft. Lauderdale, FLExperience Research Assistant to Professor John Jones: January 2007 - Present

Research recent court decisions on substantive RICO predicate acts for Professor

Jones forthcoming casebook on organized crime in America.

Sacramoni & Blundetto, P.A., Montclair, NJ

Law Clerk, May 2007 August 2007

Drafted various court motions (including motions to dismiss and motions to

suppress evidence), along with supporting memoranda of law.

Drafted litigation documents, including complaints and answers.

Assisted clients and attorneys at arraignments, mediations and hearings.

Drafted internal office memoranda and researched legal issues regarding the

following areas of law: larceny, false imprisonment, battery, and intentional

infliction of emotional distress.

The Law Offices of Silvio Dante, Newark, NJ

Law Clerk, May 2006 August 2006 Attended new client interviews and depositions.

Prepared deposition summaries and pleadings indexes.

Performed legal research in the area of Personal Injury Law.

Experience Pipe Fitters Union, Jersey City, NJField Representative, 1995 2005

Assisted local office of National Union with the collection of union dues.

Managed the day to day affairs of Local Office #192 during times when upper

level management team was incarcerated or otherwise detained.

Barone Sanitation, Newark, NJSanitation Engineer, 1990 1995

Operated refuse disposal vehicle in South Jersey.

Computer Skills Proficient in Westlaw and Lexis-Nexis

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Patricia Property1234 S.E. 56th WayDavie, FL 33054(954) 123-4567

[email protected]

EDUCATIONNova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center,Ft. Lauderdale, FLJuris Doctor Candidate, May 2007Activities: Business Law Students Association, Vice President

Florida Atlantic University,Boca Raton, FLBachelor of Arts, May 2003Major: CommunicationsActivities: Student Government, Class Representative, 2002

Varsity Softball

Partially financed undergraduate education

University of Florence,Florence, ItalyStudy Abroad, Summer 2002Activities: Studied early renaissance art history and Italian.

EXPERIENCELegal Aid Services of Broward County,Ft. Lauderdale, FLPro Bono Intern, Summer 2005

Responsible for intake of new clients in housing division. Interviewed potential clients and presented cases to staff of attorneys for review.

Researched applicable law and drafted memoranda. Drafted portions of appellate brief resulting in reversal.

Advanced Marketing Inc.,Ft. Lauderdale, FLOffice Assistant, Summers 2002 and 2003

Assisted marketer in analyzing effectiveness of advertising campaigns forenvironmental products.

Supervised temporary staff working on special projects. Compiled findings to present to marketing team.

The Gap,Boca Raton, FL

Sales Associate, May 1999 March 2003 Responsible for customer service.

COMPUTER SKILLSCertified in Lexis-Nexis and Westlaw.

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Peter Property123 S.W. 45th RoadFt. Lauderdale, FL

(954) [email protected]

______________________________________________________________________________

EDUCATION

Nova Southeastern University Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Shepard Broad Law CenterJuris Doctor Candidate, May 2007GPA: 3.40Class Rank: Top 10%Honors: International and Comparative Law Journal

American Trial Lawyers Association (ATLA), MemberActivities: Public Interest Law Society, Member

Farquhar College of Arts & SciencesBachelor of Arts, May 2004GPA: 3.29Major: EnglishHonors: Ferraro Scholar, 2000-2004

EXPERIENCE

Law Offices of Barney Miller, P.A., Plantation, FLSummer Associate Summer, 2006

Drafted memoranda of law and motions pertaining to family law practice. Interviewedclients, participated in case acceptance decision, and worked closely with clients throughoutcases. Prepared dissolution of marriage petitions, and pleadings pertaining to child custody.

State Attorneys Office, 17th Judicial Circuit,Ft. Lauderdale, FLPro Bono Intern Summer, 2005Researched and drafted memoranda on various criminal law issues in felony court. Responsible forproviding legal research for trial attorneys to support pending motions. Observed court hearings.

Advanced Marketing Inc., Miami, FLStaff Marketing Representative Summer, 2003

Analyzed effectiveness of advertising campaigns for environmental products. Supervisedcompilation of findings to present to advertising team.

INTERESTS

Competing in marathons and reading historical biographies.

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Great Graduate [email protected]

11945 Hiatus Road, Davie, Florida 33325 954-123-4567

MEMBERSHIPSAdmitted to Florida Bar, 2006

EXPERIENCEDewey, Cheatham & Howe LLP, Miami, FLAssociate, 2006-Present

Represent developers, owners, contractors, design professionals, consultants andsureties in a wide range of construction projects, including preparation and design andconstruction contracts and preparation of claims management strategy.

Negotiate project close-out agreements and commercial real estate transactions,including loan document preparation, zoning analysis and mortgage and leasepreparation.

Represent current projects in Venezuela and in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas,which require drafting and negotiating novel consultant agreement for the design of

renovations to existing developments.Summer Associate, 2005

Researched and drafted memoranda on construction law issues. Assisted in the negotiation of commercial real estate transactions, including document

preparation. Performed zoning analysis of commercial properties.

Honorable John J. Murphy, 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida, Ft. Lauderdale, FLJudicial Intern, Summer 2004

Observed all aspects of Circuit Civil Division courtroom proceedings, including dailymotion calendar, special set hearings, and trials.

Conducted legal research and prepared memoranda of law regarding personal injury,

medical malpractice, products liability and breach of contract issues. Drafted proposed orders and opinions. Discussed cases and analyzed parties litigation strategies with Judge Murphy.

EDUCATIONNova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Juris Doctor, cum laude, 2006

University of Miami, Miami, FLBachelor of Science, cum laude, 2002

PROFESSIONAL INVOLVEMENT

Dade County Bar Association, MemberUniversity of Miami Graduate School, Adjunct Lecturer in Law

(NOTE: This Graduate is currently employed as an Associate Attorney, looking for hissecond job. Hence, Experience now appears first, at the top of his resume, and Educationmoves to the bottom. It is generally accepted that Education should be listed first, while

still in law school and when looking for your first job.)

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11PAUL W. FERNANDEZ1234 College Avenue Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314 (954)262-1234 e-mail: [email protected]

EducationNOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY, SHEPARD BROAD LAW CENTER, FORT LAUDERDALE , FLORIDAJuris Doctor Candidate, May 2007

GPA: 3.00 Honors: Pro Bono Honor Program

Deans List Fall 2005Moot CourtBook Award, Professional Responsibility

FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY, BOCA RATON, FLORIDABachelor of Arts, May 2004 Major: English Activities: Student Government, Class Representative, 2003

EmploymentNOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY, SHEPARD BROAD LAW CENTER FALL 2006Research Assistant Fort Lauderdale,FL

Conducted extensive legal research for law review article published by Professor Michael Dale regardinginternational adoption. Drafted memoranda summarizing recent amendments to the Hague Convention pertainingto enforcement of international extradition treaties. Updated case law cited in Professor Dales family lawtextbook.

SQUIRE SANDERS & DEMPSEY, P.A. SUMMER2006Law Clerk Miami, FLPulled cases and assisted attorneys with research regarding the following issues: Unfair and Deceptive TradePractices (UDAP), Article IX of the UCC, Civil Rico, Sherman Anti-trust matters and other commercial litigationsubstantive and procedural issues. Drafted various pleadings dealing with constitutional, Federal issues. These

included complaints, answers, affirmative defenses, and motions to dismiss and for summary judgment.

NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY, SHEPARD BROAD LAW CENTER FALL 2005Teaching Assistant Fort Lauderdale,FL

Assisted Professor Conrad Boyton with first year torts course. Administered practice essay exam questions tostudents, answered students questions regarding material covered in class, and helped train students ineffective issue spotting.

LEGAL AID SERVICESOF BROWARD COUNTY SUMMER2005

Pro Bono Intern Fort Lauderdale, FLInterviewed clients for government funded legal assistance. Researched applicable law and drafted memoranda.

Community InvolvementNEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS JANUARY 2003-JUNE 2003Coordinator Miami, FLCoordinated program to assist victims of Hurricane Adam. Worked with major contributors of relief effort.Assisted numerous hurricane victims applying for FEMA relief. Drafted FEMA applications for benefits andfollowed up with Federal Agency seeking recovery for those in dire need.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL JULY 2002-JUNE 2003Teacher Volunteer Miami, FLTaught inner-city, high school students how their school work will relate to the modern business world.

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Weekly duties consisted of planning lessons and organizing a field trip to the newsroom of the Miami Herald.

1SANDRA RUTH [email protected]

Local: Permanent:

10 Future Justice Drive 1 Supreme CourtFort Lauderdale, FL 33054 Washington, D.C. 10021(954)123-4567; Cellular (954) 234-5678 (202) 765-4321

EDUCATIONNova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center,Fort Lauderdale, FLJuris Doctor Candidate, May 2007 (Evening Program)

GPA: 3.95 Class Rank: Top 1% (#2 out of 35)Honors: Nova Law Review, Editor

Deans ListPublication: Gender Equity: Remedies for Gender Based Discrimination in the Legal Field,

26 Nova L. Rev. 221 (2005)Activities: American Trial Lawyers Association (ATLA) Member

American Bar Association, Law Students Division

Cornell University School of Law,Ithaca, NYAttended, 2005-2006

Florida State University,Tallahassee, FLBachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, May 2005

GPA: 3.85Dual Major: Economics and HistoryHonors: Deans List All Semesters

LEGAL EXPERIENCELaw Offices of Hadley & Baxendale, P.A.,Siesta, FLLaw Clerk, September 2005 - Present

Research and write internal office memoranda on criminal procedure and evidentiary issues. Draft discovery requests, including interrogatories and requests for production of documents. Review and summarize deposition transcripts and draft settlement letters. Draft and edit various litigation documents, including complaints and motions.

OTHER WORKEXPERIENCEThe Gap,Fort Lauderdale, FLSalesperson, 2001-2004

Handled extensive customer service issues and inventory control. Exceeded sales quota by 15%. Trained new employees.

SKILLS/LANGUAGES

LexisNexis/Westlaw Certified Fluent in Spanish

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PHILIP PHIRSTYEAR11945 Hiatus Road

Davie, Florida 33332954-477-42240

[email protected]

EDUCATION

Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center, Fort Lauderdale, FloridaJuris Doctor Candidate, May 2012GPA: 3.39

Activities: Asian Pacific American Law Students Association, Member

University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CaliforniaB.A., magna cum laude, History with a Concentration in Sociology, May 2009GPA: 3.56

Honors: Phi Beta KappaDeans List (four years)

Phi Alpha Theta,National History HonorsActivities: UC Berkeley Public Ceremonies Committee, Student Liaison

EXPERIENCE

Lord & Taylor Oakland, CaliforniaSales Clerk May 2007 July2009

Provided customer assistance. Exceeded stores expectations in sales and in opening new credit card accounts.

Silicon Valley Organizing Project, The Campaign for Justice San Jose,

CaliforniaAdministrative Developer; Organizer April 2004 May2007

Developed and implemented administrative structure and procedures for staff of a multi-union,multi-industry labor organizing campaign.

Established budget guidelines, in-house accounting controls, and staff policies. Drafted correspondence, maintained office, and developed spreadsheets.

Sloan Electric Company Palo Alto,CaliforniaOffice Assistant November 2002 April2004

Conducted research on OSHAs health and safety guidelines.

Authored the companys OSHA handbook. Completed all data and work processing tasks leading up to and concluding with final report.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Japanese American Citizens League, MemberBerkeley Elementary School, Tutor

LANGUAGE SKILLS & INTERESTS

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Fluent in JapaneseEnjoy playing intramural softball and soccer

STEVEN SECONDYEAR e-mail:[email protected] Permanent 1123 East Nova Drive, Apt. 11 7200 Arthur AvenueDavie, FL 33325 Falls Church, Virginia 20024(954) 123-4567 (703) 549-8500

EDUCATION____________________________________________________________________________Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

J.D. Candidate, May 2009GPA: 3.36Outstanding Grades: Property A; Civil Procedure A; Lawyering Skills & Values AJournal: Nova Law Review, Technical Editor

Activities: Black Law Students Association (BLSA), Member

Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.B.A. in Economics, with Honors, May 2002

GPA: 3.60, magna cum laudeHonors: Deans Honor List (10 of 13 quarters)Activities: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program

LEGAL EXPERIENCE______________________________________________________________________

Honorable John T. Noonan, Jr.U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit, Atlanta, Georgia Summer

2007 Judicial Intern. Researched and drafted bench memoranda for calendared cases and petitions forrehearing.Researched and reviewed screening cases. Observed oral arguments in an array of cases.

Law Offices of Barnum & Bailey, Miami, Florida January 200 March2006Law Clerk. Organized documents for bankruptcy filings. Drafted correspondence. Communicated withclients.

WORK EXPERIENCE______________________________________________________________________

Senator Edward Kennedy, Washington, D.C. May 2002 August

2002Staff Aide. Analyzed pending health care legislation with particular focus on budgetary implications.Worked directly with other staff members, committee members, staff of other government agencies andconstituent representatives to prepare written assessment of legislative alternatives. Drafted written reportsetting forth assessment and recommendations.

Universal Cellular, Washington, D.C. May 2001 March2002Intern. Worked directly with owner regarding daily management of the business. Assisted with customer

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service, scheduling, parts ordering, and installations.

LANGUAGE AND COMPUTER SKILLS____________________________________________

Conversant in Spanish and French.Advanced Lexis-Nexis Certified; Proficient in Westlaw.

Sharon Three-Elle1234 East Nova Drive, Apt. 12, Davie, Florida 33325 954-123-4567 [email protected]

Education

Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center, Fort Lauderdale, FloridaJuris Doctor Candidate, May 2007

GPA: 3.40Activities: Phi Alpha Delta (PAD), Member

Faculty Appointments Committee, Member (2005-2006)

University Of Wisconsin, Madison, WisconsinBachelor of Science in Business Administration, December 2004

GPA: 3.82Honors: Deans Honor List (4 of 7 semesters - graduation in 3 years)Activities: XTV Student Television, station manager Worked full-time in college to finance education

Experience

White & Case, P.A. Summer2006

Summer Associate New York, New York Prepared and recommended appellate strategy during trial and pre-trial stages of cases involving

administrative law, intellectual property and commercial contract disputes.

Researched and wrote memoranda on issues involving securities arbitrations and various tortclaims. Drafted briefs, complaints, and pre-trial and post-trial discovery.

The Honorable J. Spencer Letts, Broward County Circuit Judge Summer2005 Judicial Intern FortLauderdale, Florida

Performed legal research and drafted legal memoranda on various issues, including civilprocedure and employment law.

Reviewed motions, prepared summaries of legal arguments and assisted in preparation of courtrulings. Observed pre-trial conferences, settlement conferences and motion hearings.

Intern - Childrens Rights Project Spring 2004Public Counsel Miami, Florida

Worked directly with supervising attorney and local school personnel to establish a weekly seriesof clinics at four-area high school.

Researched and wrote memoranda on issues pertaining to legal rights of high-school students.28


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Assistant Manager August 2000-July 2004Nordstroms Department Store Madison, Wisconsin

As evening and weekend manager in the contemporary womans clothing department, supervisedscheduling of employees, oversaw inventory control process, and assisted divisional manager indeveloping staff training procedures and manual.

Language Skills

Proficient in Italian.

1The Following List of Actions Verbs Will Be Useful in Preparing Job

Descriptions on Your Resume

abstractedaccomplishedachieved

acquiredactedadaptedaddedaddressedadministeredadvancedadvisedanalyzedansweredappliedapprovedarbitratedarrangedascertainedassessedassignedassistedattainedattendedauditedauthorizedbargained

boughtbroadenedbroughtbudgetedcalculatedcentralizedchangedclarified

collaboratedcollectedcompleted

composedcommunicatedcompiledcomposedconceivedconceptualizedconcludedconductedconsolidatedconsummatedconstructedconsultedcontributedcontrolledcoordinatedcounseledcreatedcritiquedcutdecideddecreaseddefendeddefined

delegateddelivereddemonstrateddesignateddesigneddetaileddetermineddeveloped

deviseddirecteddisplayed

distributeddocumenteddrafteddoubledearnededitedeffectedeliminatedemployedenforcedengineeredenhancedestablishedevaluatedexaminedexceededexecutedexpandedexpeditedexperiencedexplainedextractedfacilitated

filedfinancedforecastedformedformulatedfoundfoundedfulfilled

gatheredgeneratedguided

handledheadedhelpedhiredidentifiedillustratedimplementedimprovedimprovisedincreasedinfluencedinformedinitiatedinnovatedinstitutedinstructedinsuredintegratedinterpretedinterviewedintroducedinvestigatedinvented

investedjoinedjudgedjustifiedlearnedlecturedledliquidated

locatedmademaintained

managedmarketedmediatedmentoredminimizedmodernizedmodeledmodifiedmonitoredmotivatednegotiatedobservedobtainedofferedoperatedorderedorganizedoriginatedovercameoversawparticipatedperceivedperformed

persuadedpioneeredplannedpreparedprescribedpresentedpreventedproceeded

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producedprogrammedprojectedpromotedproofreadproposedproved

providedpublishedpurchasedquestionedreadrealizedreasonedreceivedrecommendreconciledrecorded

recruitedredesignedreducedreferredregulated

reinforcedrejectedrelatedrenderedrenegotiatedreorganizedreported

representedresearchedreshapedresolvedrestoredreviewedrevisedrevitalizedrevivedsavedscheduled

selectedservedset upsettledshaped

showedsimplifiedsoldsolvedspecifiedspokesponsored

staffedstandardizedstartedstimulatedstreamlinedstrengthenedstructuredstudiedsucceededsuggestedsummarized

supervisedsupportedsurpassedsurveyedsustained

systematizedtailoredtalkedtaughtterminatedtestedtightened

trackedtradedtrainedtranslatedtransactedtransferredtransformedtranslatedtrimmedtripledtutored

undertookunifiedusedutilizedvalidated

valuatedverifiedvitalizedwithdrewworkedwrote

guide to drafting your own resume

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