Law Student CV: 10 Things Recruiters Look For
A strong law student CV should make it easy for a recruiter to understand who you are, what you have done, and why you fit the role. Recruiters often review many applications in a short time. Therefore, your CV needs to be clear, specific and relevant from the first few seconds.
What Recruiters Look for in a Law Student CV
Recruiters do not simply look at the number of internships on your CV. Instead, they want to understand the quality and relevance of your experience.
Your law student CV should quickly answer three questions:
- What have you worked on?
- What skills have you developed?
- Why are you suitable for this particular role?
1. Make Your CV Easy to Scan
Recruiters should be able to find important information quickly. Keep your name and contact details at the top. Use a professional email address and an updated LinkedIn profile.
Next, use a simple structure such as:
Education → Experience → Skills
Keep the formatting consistent throughout the document. Avoid photographs, decorative borders, coloured boxes and unnecessary design elements.
How to Structure a Law Student CV
A good CV is not necessarily a long CV. In fact, unnecessary information can make it harder for recruiters to identify your strongest points.
Keep your education section relevant. Include your degree, university, year of graduation, CGPA or percentage where it strengthens your profile, relevant subjects and academic distinctions.
You should also use reverse chronological order. Put your most recent and relevant experience first.
What Experience to Include in a Law Student CV
2. Show Specific Work
Avoid vague statements such as:
Drafted agreements.
Instead, explain what you actually worked on.
For example:
Drafted a Share Purchase Agreement for a seed-stage investment.
Similarly, replace “Did legal research” with a specific description of the legal question you researched.
Specific work gives recruiters a clearer picture of your abilities.
3. Show Outcomes, Not Just Duties
Simply listing responsibilities does not tell a recruiter much about your contribution.
Instead of writing:
Assisted a Senior Advocate with court matters.
Write:
Assisted in drafting written submissions for a writ petition before the Delhi High Court challenging an environmental clearance order.
The second version gives context and demonstrates actual legal work. As the carousel highlights, recruiters remember outcomes more than job descriptions.
Legal Skills and Keywords to Add to Your CV
4. Use Relevant Keywords
Many organisations use applicant tracking systems (ATS) or keyword-based screening before a recruiter reviews an application.
Therefore, use relevant legal terms naturally in your experience section.
For litigation roles, these could include:
- Legal research
- Drafting pleadings
- Case management
- Trial preparation
- Written submissions
- Court appearances
For corporate roles, relevant terms could include:
- Due diligence
- Contract drafting
- Regulatory compliance
- Transaction support
- Deal structuring
For IP roles, you could mention:
- Trademark filing
- Patent research
- Infringement analysis
- IP due diligence
- IP portfolio management
Do not add keywords simply to fill space. Instead, connect them to work you have actually performed.
Show Your Legal Potential
5. Use Your Education Strategically
Your education section should confirm your qualifications rather than become a biography.
Include your degree, university, graduation year and relevant academic information. You can also mention strong academic achievements or relevant subjects where they support your application.
However, avoid filling the section with unrelated school achievements. Your CV should focus on your current legal qualifications and experience.
6. Show Evidence of Legal Potential
Your CV should show that you can research, write, analyse and argue.
Moot courts can demonstrate advocacy, research and the ability to argue both sides of an issue. Publications and blogs can demonstrate legal writing and critical thinking. Research assistantships can show that you can handle sustained and serious research.
Debates and MUNs can also demonstrate communication and quick thinking.
The key is relevance. Do not add an activity simply because you participated in it. Show activities that provide evidence of your potential as a legal professional.
Law Student CV Checklist Before Applying
7. Make Your CV a Door, Not a Destination
Your CV does not need to tell your entire story. Its purpose is to make the recruiter interested enough to speak with you.
Before sending it, check whether it is:
- Easy to scan — important information is immediately visible.
- Specific — your actual work is clearly described.
- Tailored — the CV speaks directly to the role.
- Proofread — there are no avoidable spelling, formatting or citation errors.
8. Tailor Your CV to the Role
Do not send exactly the same CV to every employer.
If you are applying for a litigation internship, highlight court exposure, drafting, pleadings, legal research and case preparation.
On the other hand, if you are applying for a corporate role, bring contracts, due diligence, compliance and transaction-related experience forward.
A tailored CV makes your application more relevant and helps the recruiter understand why you are applying.
9. Proofread Before You Apply
Finally, check your CV carefully before sending it.
Look for spelling mistakes, inconsistent formatting, incorrect dates, broken links and grammatical errors. Also check whether your contact details are correct.
A CV is often the first example of your attention to detail that a recruiter sees. Therefore, small mistakes can create an unnecessary negative impression.
Conclusion
A good law student CV is not about adding everything you have ever done. Instead, it is about presenting the right information clearly and showing evidence of your legal potential.
Keep it easy to scan. Make your experience specific. Show outcomes instead of generic duties. Use relevant keywords naturally. Finally, tailor and proofread your CV before every important application.
Your CV may not get you the job by itself. Its job is to get you the conversation.
