How to write a winning legal counsel cv
After more than 25 years supporting legal professionals across the UK, I can confidently say that a strong Legal Counsel CV is never about listing duties. It is about positioning yourself as a trusted commercial adviser who protects the organisation while enabling growth. Whether you are an in-house lawyer, senior legal counsel, or moving from private practice into industry, your CV must speak the language of business as well as law.
As a Legal Counsel, recruiters and hiring managers want to see clarity, judgement, and commercial awareness from the first glance. Your CV should feel calm, assured, and purposeful, reflecting how you operate in real legal environments.
understanding the role of a legal counsel cv
A Legal Counsel CV is fundamentally different from a trainee solicitor CV or private practice CV. In-house employers are not just buying legal expertise; they are buying risk management, stakeholder influence, and strategic thinking. Your CV must therefore demonstrate how you advise the business, not just how you interpret legislation.
Start by clearly stating your professional identity. A strong opening profile should position you as a Legal Counsel with experience in areas such as commercial contracts, regulatory compliance, employment law, corporate governance, or data protection. This summary should immediately reassure the reader that you understand their world and can add value from day one.
structuring your legal counsel cv for impact
A well-structured Legal Counsel CV is clean, logical, and easy to scan. In the UK market, two to three pages is perfectly acceptable for senior legal professionals. Use clear sectioning and consistent formatting to reflect attention to detail, a critical trait for any in-house lawyer.
Your CV should flow in this order: profile summary, key skills, professional experience, education and qualifications, and additional information. Avoid dense blocks of text. Instead, use concise bullet points that demonstrate outcomes, not just responsibilities.
writing a compelling legal counsel profile
Your profile is your first impression, and it needs to be strong. Think of it as your professional introduction in a boardroom. Focus on your years of experience, industry exposure, and the type of legal support you provide.
For example, highlight your ability to draft and negotiate commercial contracts, manage external counsel, advise senior stakeholders, and mitigate legal risk. Including phrases such as “trusted in-house legal adviser”, “commercially focused legal counsel”, and “strategic legal support” naturally strengthens SEO while remaining authentic and professional.
showcasing experience as an in house legal counsel
When detailing your experience, always lead with impact. Instead of listing tasks, explain what changed because you were there. Employers want to see how you improved processes, reduced risk, supported growth, or resolved complex legal issues.
Use action-driven language and quantify results where possible. For example, reference contract values, reduction in litigation exposure, successful regulatory audits, or improved turnaround times. This approach elevates your CV from descriptive to persuasive.
If you have worked across multiple sectors such as financial services, technology, healthcare, or energy, make this clear. Sector experience is a major differentiator for Legal Counsel roles and should be woven naturally into your career history.
highlighting key legal counsel skills
Your skills section should reinforce your positioning as a commercial Legal Counsel. Include technical expertise such as contract law, employment law, corporate law, compliance, and data protection, alongside softer skills like stakeholder management, negotiation, and risk assessment.
This is also where SEO keywords such as Legal Counsel CV, in house legal counsel, senior legal counsel, and commercial lawyer CV can be naturally integrated. The key is to keep everything credible and aligned with your actual experience.
Education and professional qualifications
Your legal qualifications should be clear and easy to find. List your law degree, LPC or SQE, and professional memberships. If you have undertaken additional training in areas like GDPR, compliance, or leadership, include these as they reinforce your commitment to continuous development.
Legal Counsel CV Sample
Final polish and presentation
A Legal Counsel CV must be flawless in presentation. Spelling errors, inconsistencies, or vague language undermine credibility instantly. Use professional, confident wording and ensure every line earns its place. Remember, your CV is often read by non-lawyers as well as legal professionals, so clarity is essential.
Ending with confidence and next steps
Writing a Legal Counsel CV that truly reflects your value can feel challenging, especially when you are so close to your own experience. That is where professional insight makes all the difference. A well-written CV and optimised LinkedIn profile can significantly increase interview invitations and elevate your market position.
If you would like expert support, I would be delighted to help. Book an appointment with me, Jerry Frempong, or one of CVLondon’s highly experienced CV writers to transform your Legal Counsel CV and LinkedIn profile into a powerful personal marketing tool.
https://www.cvlondon.net/book-an-appointment/
