Context and "I Love Me" are Key
You need to give context for the business, what you do in the business and underscore that you understand that you hook into business realities as opposed to living in the land of abstract legal principles which is where many in the business community generally think law firm lawyers reside. We know how important lawyers are and you, in particular, are to the prosperity of your company. You need to let the reader, your prospective employer, know how your actions contribute to the fiscal well being of the company.
You need to give context for the business, what you do in the business and underscore that you understand that you hook into business realities as opposed to living in the land of abstract legal principles which is where many in the business community generally think law firm lawyers reside. We know how important lawyers are and you, in particular, are to the prosperity of your company. You need to let the reader, your prospective employer, know how your actions contribute to the fiscal well being of the company.
Below the name of the employer, title and dates of employment, you should help give the reader some context . If the enterprise is not a household name, a phrase which states its size, business niche and the size of the legal department to help accomplish that goal.
Ex: Karate Chop Cooking, Inc., New York, NY Assistant General Counsel , / / to present
Member of a six lawyer legal department of a publicly traded manufacturer of cooking implements
You should state the kinds of legal and business related subject matter with which you work and the activities in which you engage.
It goes without saying that you describe the substance of what you do-- negotiate, supervise, draft, oversee, devise, review, implement, etc. Cite legal regimes with which you work-- FMLA, HIPPA, Investment Advisor Act, etc.
It goes without saying that you describe the substance of what you do-- negotiate, supervise, draft, oversee, devise, review, implement, etc. Cite legal regimes with which you work-- FMLA, HIPPA, Investment Advisor Act, etc.
Businesses exist to make profit from the goods or services they manufacture/distribute/broker/provide. In a law firm resume, you have the luxury to just talk about the law that you practice because your business is the practice of law.
As in-house lawyers, you more closely further the business. Attorneys enhance and facilitate the activities of the business and protect the business against legal liability. One of the unfortunate aspects of in-house practice, however, is that your actions rarely inure directly to the bottom line. This can make you vulnerable to downturns in lean times when the bean counters want to cut expenses.
Another danger an in house lawyer faces is to be seen as the “no” person rather than the facilitator who moves the deal or activity along with the long and short term interests of the business in mind.
Accordingly, attorneys need to justify their keep and show that they are attuned to the business they support. You should identify, in business terms, how your actions tie into to the business of the company, its goods and services and help it prosper. Yes, you are taking some credit for what the business side accomplishes.
If you supported a sales force, mention the number of salespeople you supported and the dollar value of widgets sold.
If you directed litigation, describe big matters and the prayers for relief.
If you negotiated a big lease, mention the square feet.
If there is a quantitative measurement to an outcome for anything you do, mention it. So, the $ saved from instituting some cost cutting measure you documented, is important. If you managed to save $ by eliminating employee redundancies, indicate numbers and $.
If you negotiated an acquisition, financing, or IPO, state the $ value.
If your role is in more of a compliance function, state the size of the operation you support in dollar terms, if possible, or in number of employees, offices, or by reference to a business regime that flags same. Ex., “such and such for a NYSE Euronext listed manufacturer of widgets.”
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