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I'm drafting a lateral resume, and I'm hoping someone can help me with a pretty basic question.

I'm relatively junior. So when I'm drafting a resume item for my role at my current firm, it feels weird using verbs like "represented," "advised," and "counseled." In reality, I research and draft memos, etc., and send them to more senior attorneys. My advice makes its way to the client in the form of my memo with edits from more senior attorneys. Same when I draft court filings, etc. (but saying all of that would make for a long resume entry).

I'm guessing it is fine as a second year biglaw associate to say "represented/advised/counseled x client in connection with y proceedings," and that it is understood that I am not claiming that I was lead counsel on the phone with the general counsel every day.

Can someone confirm that this is the case, or if not, offer any advice on how to write these entries as a junior biglaw associate.

Thanks for any help.

This is the norm so I wouldn't feel bad about it. Look at first year attorney bios on firm websites for the same descriptions.

Represented seems appropriate if you entered an appearance, it's both technically correct and part of a public record. I'm not sure what the norm is if you did not.

I don't do transactional, but I'm guessing there is more leeway there. Saying you "advised" or "counseled" a company on x transaction doesn't really say much without additional detail, so it seems fine. I would say that same thing goes for advisory work on other issues (tax, governance, compliance, etc...). If your work was eventually part of a recommendation it seems ok.

Firm bios can be a great place to find language and examples that should be appropriate to share publicly.

bdubs wrote:Represented seems appropriate if you entered an appearance, it's both technically correct and part of a public record. I'm not sure what the norm is if you did not.

I don't do transactional, but I'm guessing there is more leeway there. Saying you "advised" or "counseled" a company on x transaction doesn't really say much without additional detail, so it seems fine. I would say that same thing goes for advisory work on other issues (tax, governance, compliance, etc...). If your work was eventually part of a recommendation it seems ok.

I'm a transactional attorney and "represented" is commonly used by transactional attorneys to refer to their work for clients. Advised or counseled could be a misnomer depending on what was actually done for the client.

I think that you can fairly say that you represented anyone with whom you've established an attorney-client relationship.