Law school resume length with a PhD Forum

[mx23250]

Question for law students/grads who came from a scientific background, particularly a PhD:

How long was your resume during law school? Did you ever go over 1 page, or hear that it's okay, if necessary?

Obviously it's strongly recommended all law school resumes be no longer than 1 page. However, when you're applying for positions in patent law, employers will want to know about your work experience and technical background, which would include seeing that you've published in relevant subject matter. My publications alone (10 of them) would fill about 1/3 of a page. I believe I can condense my academic "CV" from 8 pages into 1 pages by eliminating all the stuff that legal employers don't care about, but I still don't think I can fit it into 1 page unless I omit my list of publications or examples of highly relevant work experience/fellowships.

Thanks in advance!

[A. Nony Mouse]

Not in science, but applied to law school/legal jobs with a PhD. I used a 2 pp resume for everything, and am gainfully employed (and was all through law school). I did so because my CSO expressly told me 2 pp was fine in my case. (I worked during the PhD and for 6 years post PhD as well.) But I'll add the caveat that although I did end up at a firm 2L summer, I didn't send a lot of applications to biglaw (there isn't much biglaw in my part of the world/my grades were a little low). So I can't really comment on whether they'd care.

I also omitted publications and just listed "X number of publications/presentations at academic conferences between date-date, details available on request" but my PhD field is irrelevant to law, which probably isn't the case for you. Another possibility is to do an addendum with your publications, so they aren't technically a part of your resume and someone could trash them if they weren't interested (this was again a recommendation from my CSO, who was pretty good, although I know most people don't trust them; point is just that I didn't make that up out of the blue).

[mx23250]

Not in science, but applied to law school/legal jobs with a PhD. I used a 2 pp resume for everything, and am gainfully employed (and was all through law school). I did so because my CSO expressly told me 2 pp was fine in my case. (I worked during the PhD and for 6 years post PhD as well.) But I'll add the caveat that although I did end up at a firm 2L summer, I didn't send a lot of applications to biglaw (there isn't much biglaw in my part of the world/my grades were a little low). So I can't really comment on whether they'd care.

I also omitted publications and just listed "X number of publications/presentations at academic conferences between date-date, details available on request" but my PhD field is irrelevant to law, which probably isn't the case for you. Another possibility is to do an addendum with your publications, so they aren't technically a part of your resume and someone could trash them if they weren't interested (this was again a recommendation from my CSO, who was pretty good, although I know most people don't trust them; point is just that I didn't make that up out of the blue).

Thanks for the great input!

[Pokemon]

When I interviewed with MBB firms that regularly hire PhD's they still expected one page. That makes me think that biglaw also expects one page resume even though you have a PhD.

[A. Nony Mouse]

When I interviewed with MBB firms that regularly hire PhD's they still expected one page. That makes me think that biglaw also expects one page resume even though you have a PhD.

Why?

[worldtraveler]

Question for law students/grads who came from a scientific background, particularly a PhD:

How long was your resume during law school? Did you ever go over 1 page, or hear that it's okay, if necessary?

Obviously it's strongly recommended all law school resumes be no longer than 1 page. However, when you're applying for positions in patent law, employers will want to know about your work experience and technical background, which would include seeing that you've published in relevant subject matter. My publications alone (10 of them) would fill about 1/3 of a page. I believe I can condense my academic "CV" from 8 pages into 1 pages by eliminating all the stuff that legal employers don't care about, but I still don't think I can fit it into 1 page unless I omit my list of publications or examples of highly relevant work experience/fellowships.

Thanks in advance!

Anecdotal, but I remember during OCI the CDO told some patent people to take publications off their resume to keep it shorter. They learned after they started practicing that that advice is not correct. Definitely don't have 8 pages though.

[mx23250]

Question for law students/grads who came from a scientific background, particularly a PhD:

How long was your resume during law school? Did you ever go over 1 page, or hear that it's okay, if necessary?

Obviously it's strongly recommended all law school resumes be no longer than 1 page. However, when you're applying for positions in patent law, employers will want to know about your work experience and technical background, which would include seeing that you've published in relevant subject matter. My publications alone (10 of them) would fill about 1/3 of a page. I believe I can condense my academic "CV" from 8 pages into 1 pages by eliminating all the stuff that legal employers don't care about, but I still don't think I can fit it into 1 page unless I omit my list of publications or examples of highly relevant work experience/fellowships.

Thanks in advance!

Anecdotal, but I remember during OCI the CDO told some patent people to take publications off their resume to keep it shorter. They learned after they started practicing that that advice is not correct. Definitely don't have 8 pages though.

Yeah, I think it's good to include publications in order to convey your expertise with credibility. I began working on a "law school resume" yesterday (I'm an 0L beginning in the fall) and with publications it looks like it will be around 1.5 pages. I decided to leave out a lot and eliminate about 90% of my grad school awards/honors/scholarships. I also have an MBA, so that adds on a few extra lines too, unfortunately. And once I add in my law school "education", that will add a few more lines. I may have to figure out a better format for condensing everything without losing important credentials.

Thanks for all your input!

[Cocoblues]

Question for law students/grads who came from a scientific background, particularly a PhD:

How long was your resume during law school? Did you ever go over 1 page, or hear that it's okay, if necessary?

Obviously it's strongly recommended all law school resumes be no longer than 1 page. However, when you're applying for positions in patent law, employers will want to know about your work experience and technical background, which would include seeing that you've published in relevant subject matter. My publications alone (10 of them) would fill about 1/3 of a page. I believe I can condense my academic "CV" from 8 pages into 1 pages by eliminating all the stuff that legal employers don't care about, but I still don't think I can fit it into 1 page unless I omit my list of publications or examples of highly relevant work experience/fellowships.

Thanks in advance!

Anecdotal, but I remember during OCI the CDO told some patent people to take publications off their resume to keep it shorter. They learned after they started practicing that that advice is not correct. Definitely don't have 8 pages though.

Yeah, I think it's good to include publications in order to convey your expertise with credibility. I began working on a "law school resume" yesterday (I'm an 0L beginning in the fall) and with publications it looks like it will be around 1.5 pages. I decided to leave out a lot and eliminate about 90% of my grad school awards/honors/scholarships. I also have an MBA, so that adds on a few extra lines too, unfortunately. And once I add in my law school "education", that will add a few more lines. I may have to figure out a better format for condensing everything without losing important credentials.

Thanks for all your input!

Wowzer!!!! Ph.D., MBA, JD!!

[mx23250]

Question for law students/grads who came from a scientific background, particularly a PhD:

How long was your resume during law school? Did you ever go over 1 page, or hear that it's okay, if necessary?

Obviously it's strongly recommended all law school resumes be no longer than 1 page. However, when you're applying for positions in patent law, employers will want to know about your work experience and technical background, which would include seeing that you've published in relevant subject matter. My publications alone (10 of them) would fill about 1/3 of a page. I believe I can condense my academic "CV" from 8 pages into 1 pages by eliminating all the stuff that legal employers don't care about, but I still don't think I can fit it into 1 page unless I omit my list of publications or examples of highly relevant work experience/fellowships.

Thanks in advance!

Anecdotal, but I remember during OCI the CDO told some patent people to take publications off their resume to keep it shorter. They learned after they started practicing that that advice is not correct. Definitely don't have 8 pages though.

Yeah, I think it's good to include publications in order to convey your expertise with credibility. I began working on a "law school resume" yesterday (I'm an 0L beginning in the fall) and with publications it looks like it will be around 1.5 pages. I decided to leave out a lot and eliminate about 90% of my grad school awards/honors/scholarships. I also have an MBA, so that adds on a few extra lines too, unfortunately. And once I add in my law school "education", that will add a few more lines. I may have to figure out a better format for condensing everything without losing important credentials.

Thanks for all your input!

Wowzer!!!! Ph.D., MBA, JD!!

Haha. Believe it or not, but I do have a very specific career path in mind where all 3 degrees will be of use

[Cocoblues]

Haha. Believe it or not, but I do have a very specific career path in mind where all 3 degrees will be of use

I totally hear you!!! You will be a rare commodity when you're done!

[mx23250]

Haha. Believe it or not, but I do have a very specific career path in mind where all 3 degrees will be of use

I totally hear you!!! You will be a rare commodity when you're done!

Thanks! I sure hope so