Defense Attorney Resume Example & Writing Guide

Writing a defense attorney resume can be a daunting task, but it is crucial to present yourself in the best light possible. Here are some tips to create a winning resume that highlights your skills and experience.

1. Start with a strong summary

Your summary should capture the attention of potential employers by highlighting your key skills and accomplishments. Be sure to include your level of experience, the types of cases you have handled, and your success rate in trials.

Example: Results-driven defense attorney with 8 years of experience representing clients in both state and federal court. Skilled in negotiating plea bargains and winning cases at trial, with a 90% success rate in protecting clients' rights.

2. Emphasize your expertise

Your resume should demonstrate your expertise in different areas of criminal defense. Consider including a section that lists your areas of specialization, such as DUI defense, drug crimes, or juvenile offenses. You may also want to mention any certifications or training you have received in these areas.

• Specialties: DUI defense, drug crimes, juvenile offenses
• Certified in Field Sobriety Testing

3. Highlight your accomplishments

Your resume should showcase your accomplishments as a defense attorney. You may want to include statistics on the number of cases you have won, the amount of damages you have recovered for clients, or the length of time you have been practicing law.

• Won 75% of cases taken to trial
• Recovered over $1 million for clients in personal injury cases
• 8 years of experience practicing criminal defense law

4. Include relevant work experience

When listing your work experience, be sure to include relevant details such as the types of cases you worked on and the outcomes you achieved. Use strong action verbs, such as "represented," "negotiated," and "litigated," to describe your experience.

• Represented clients in both state and federal court on a variety of criminal charges
• Successfully negotiated plea bargains for clients in drug crime cases
• Litigated complex white-collar crime cases for a prominent law firm

5. List your education and credentials

Your resume should include your educational background, including the law school you attended and any credentials you have earned. Consider using bullet points to make this information easier to read.

• J.D. from XYZ Law School
• Member of the State Bar Association
• Certified Criminal Law Specialist

With these tips, you can create a winning defense attorney resume that highlights your skills and experience, and helps you stand out from the competition.