Solicitor CV Examples & Writing Tips for 2025

Why is writing the perfect legal CV so important? Securing a job as a lawyer isn’t just difficult—it’s extremely challenging. Your solicitor CV must stand out, much like a top-tier brief from DLA Piper, to catch the attention of prestigious law firms and corporate giants. The good news? Creating an exceptional law CV is 10 times easier than completing a law degree.

This guide will show you:

• A lawyer CV example better than 9 out of 10 other CVs.
• How to write a legal CV that lands more interviews.
• Tips and examples of how to put skills and achievements on a solicitor's CV.
• How to describe your experience on a CV for a solicitor to get any job you want.

Want to save time and have your CV ready in 5 minutes? Try our CV builder. It’s fast and easy to use. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ CV templates and create your CV here.

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Sample CV made with our builder—See more CV examples here.

And if a lawyer CV isn’t what you’re looking for, we’ve got career guides for other professions too.

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• Dentist CV Example
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• Information Technology (IT) CV Example
• Legal CV Example
• CV Examples for All Professions

Solicitor CV example

1. Format for a solicitor CV the right way

Your solicitor CV needs to be perfectly formatted to capture attention. The chronological format is ideal, as it allows you to showcase your achievements step by step, starting with your most recent accomplishments.

Make use of white space, professional fonts, and clear headings to ensure your CV is easy to read and leaves a strong impression. Avoid clutter, and make sure nothing detracts from your qualifications.

As for the file format, PDFs are now machine-readable and are generally the best choice unless the job listing specifically asks for a CV in Word or a different file format.

Want to do due diligence on legal CV formats? See our guide: CV Format: Best Examples for Job Hunting Success

2. Add a CV summary

Your solicitor CV summary or personal profile is as critical as the opening arguments in a high-profile court case. In just 3–4 lines, it should summarise your legal skills and experience, compelling the reader to continue. Get it wrong, and your application might be quickly dismissed.

To ensure your profile stands out, answer these key questions:

• Who are you?
• What can you offer to the employer?
• What are your career goals?

This method works for all levels of experience. For seasoned professionals:

• List your strengths and key skills as a solicitor, summarising your experience and capabilities.
• Carefully review the job description and note the skills and experiences required. Highlight the ones that match your own qualifications.
• Tailor your CV's personal statement to reflect this overlap.

For entry-level candidates:

• List your skills and experiences, including education and any relevant work experience.
• Identify transferable skills that apply to the legal role you're targeting.
• Combine these points with enthusiasm for the job and the firm to write your personal profile.

Let’s see how it works in practice.

Solicitor CV examples [experienced candidate]

Which of these lawyer CV examples looks more appealing?

Instead, emulate this experienced solicitor CV example:

Is your experience more like a blank pleading template? See the law student CV examples below.

Two entry-level solicitor CV objectives

Still an entry-level solicitor with no experience?

They used to just say to highlight your passion. That's how the first of our law student CV examples does it:

Can you handle the truth? These days, that kind of legal CV objective will get thrown out for lack of evidence.

You need details as well for a solicitor CV objective like this:

Case closed.

But how did a recent graduate get that kind of experience for a law student's CV?

I'll show that next.

And here’s one last tip for your CV introduction. It’s the first section of your CV, but you should write it last. Why? The hint is in the name, CV summary. It’s easier to summarise something that’s already complete and set out in front of you.

Want to learn even more about starting your CV? See our guide: How to Start a CV: 20+ Tips to Start Your CV in Style

3. Describe your legal experience

Experience is crucial, but it's not enough to simply list past legal jobs. To stand out, you need to align your experience with the specific job you’re applying for.

Start by identifying the key qualities and requirements in the job description. Then, look through your own experience for examples that demonstrate you possess these qualities. By tailoring your legal experience to the job description from the ad, you create a compelling case for your suitability for the position.

Two experienced solicitor CV samples

The first of these lawyer CV examples is irrefutable:

That makes your case like Michael Wolkind. It's got measurable achievements that match the job description perfectly.

The next of our lawyer CV examples doesn't do as well:

It's clear you have experience. But were you more like William Garrow or Saul Goodman? In other words, what effect did you have?

The best legal CVs include metrics and numbers. Writing a solicitor CV with no legal experience? In that case, see the two CV examples below.

How to write a CV for a solicitor with no experience

The bad news?

According to the New York Times, 40% of law students are still unemployed ten months after graduation.

If you've got no experience, consider beefing up your CV with:

• Volunteer work
• Judging moot court competitions
• Doing small freelance jobs
• Taking on an internship or clerkship

Watch that at work in two entry-level legal CV examples.

Two solicitor CV samples [no experience]

This first sample solicitor CV experience section gets thrown out of court:

That's out of order.

But with details, you can have a newly-qualified solicitor CV sample like this: 

They’re like chalk and cheese. Chances are you already have the experience for an entry-level solicitor CV just like that. 

Want to get even more useful advice about writing a high impact work experience section? See our guide: What to Include in a Work Experience CV Section

4. Mention your education

A solid education is a key element of any legal CV. For experienced candidates, simply include the essentials:

• University name and location
• Dates of study
• Degree title and specialisations (if applicable)

However, if you're still studying or writing a graduate CV, you’ll need to give your education section more emphasis to compensate for limited work experience. To do this, add 3–5 bullet points highlighting your academic achievements that will catch the employer’s attention.

The solicitor CV examples below will provide you with some guidance.

Solicitor CV examples [education]

Let's say you're applying for a job that calls for trial prep and litigation. This first sample solicitor CV follows the letter of the law:

The verdict? That's a lawyer who was prepping for this job back in school.

Want to know how to list honours on your CV? Find out this and more in our guide: CV Education Section: Examples and How to Include It

5. Put skills on a CV for a solicitor

Demonstrating your legal skills clearly and effectively can be the key to landing an interview. While it’s not always straightforward, there’s a simple strategy that can make your skills section more impactful.

Tailor your listed skills to match the specific requirements in the job description. For instance, if the role emphasises reviewing pleadings, drafting discovery requests, and strong time management, make sure those skills are highlighted and backed by relevant examples from your experience.

Refer to the solicitor CV examples below for practical inspiration.

Solicitor CV examples [skills]

This first sample legal CV snippet tries to lead the witness:

What's the problem? It just lists everything. Which is the same as listing nothing.

So, select the skills shown in the job description. Then, show hard evidence you've got them.

That's what the next of our solicitor CV examples does.

List of skills to put on a solicitor CV

This legal CV skills list brims with great law CV keywords.

Find more in legal job descriptions online, and remember to include a good mix of soft skills and hard skills.

• Interpersonal skills
• Language skills
• Mediation
• Decision-making skills
• Communication
• Active listening skills
• Legal procedure
• Trial preparation
• Analytical skills
• IT skills
• Tort law
• Research
• Product liability law
• Litigation
• Project management skills
• Corporate law

Use the plan above to write a legal CV that gets the interview with no deliberation.

What's the difference between hard and soft skills? Which one is best for a CV for a solicitor? See our guide: 99+ Key Skills for a CV: Best List of Examples

When making a CV in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building your CV here.

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When you’re done, Zety’s CV builder will score your CV and tell you exactly how to make it better.

7. Add other sections for an effective CV

To truly stand out as a passionate and well-rounded legal professional, go beyond the standard sections of a solicitor CV. Adding extra categories can showcase your commitment to the field and give employers deeper insight into your experience and interests.

Consider adding:

• Volunteer work
• Journal work/notes
• Non-journal publications
• Conferences
• Moot court experience
• Community involvement
• Student organisations

The lawyer CV examples below show how.

Solicitor CV Examples [Other Sections]

Remember, we want to show your passion for law. Hobbies and interests can be a useful addition to your CV but you need to include solid achievements too.

With that in mind, emulate this legal CV example:

That's no mere lawyer CV. It's Rumpole of the Bailey in the rough.

But it only takes a little head-scratching to turn up enough material for a legal CV like that.

Want to know what else to include in your CV? See our guide: What to Include in a CV: Essential CV Sections

8. Write a cover letter

Wondering if a cover letter is necessary for your solicitor CV? Absolutely—it’s a crucial part of your application. With hiring managers often skimming CVs in seconds, a well-crafted cover letter can grab their attention and keep it. The key is making a genuine connection.

Here's how to do it:

• Start your cover letter by addressing the hiring manager by name.
• Show that you understand the role and the firm's needs.
• Then clearly explain how your skills and experience make you the ideal candidate.

Follow this (truncated) solicitor cover letter example:

Close your cover letter with an offer.

‘I'd welcome the chance to show you how I maintained an average of 1500+ billable hours a year at NGS Partners,’ works great.

Want the detailed brief on writing your cover letter? See our guide: Legal Cover Letter: Sample Format and Complete Writing Guide

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your CV will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

Create my cover letter now

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Key takeaway

Now you know how to write a legal CV that gets a lot more interviews. Be sure to follow these key tips:

• Tailor your solicitor CV to each job you apply to. Do that by reading the job offer carefully. Pay special attention to the skills and responsibilities in it.
• Write your bullet points to match those qualities. That will fit your lawyer CV to the job opening like a custom crafted contract.
• Add other sections to a CV for a solicitor to show passion and engagement. Those can include journal work and volunteer work.

Do you have questions on how to write a great resume for an attorney? Not sure how to describe your skills or achievements? Give us a shout in the comments! We'd be happy to reply!

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