Public Interest Resumes

Start by making a comprehensive list of all your work, leadership, volunteer, extracurricular, and academic experiences since high school. Include not only your experiences, but also noteworthy accomplishments. 

When drafting descriptions of your experiences, ask yourself: 

• What were my primary responsibilities? 
• What specific examples best demonstrate my contributions? 
• What skills did I gain or strengthen? 
• What tasks or projects did I lead or participate in? 

Focus your resume on the skills, knowledge, and accomplishments most relevant to the public interest opportunities you want to pursue. However, when preparing your initial 1L resume for review by OCPD, it's best to err on the side of over-inclusion. OCPD can help you refine and tailor your resume to fit your interests and goals. 

As you draft your descriptions use strong action verbs and be specific about what you did. Never exaggerate or misrepresent your experiences and accomplishments. 

In most cases, your resume should be limited to one page, except if you: 

• Have five or more years of experience prior to law school
• Are pursuing a position in academia 
• Are applying for a fellowship
• Have significant, non-redundant leadership roles and relevant actvities that justify a second page 

• Review OCPD's section-by-section layout guidance (below) for public interest resumes. 
• Don't use graphics, tables, or complex formatting that can interfere with readability.
• Maintain consistent formatting throughout your resume (font, spacing, bullet points, etc.) 
• Stick with a classic font style, like Times New Roman, Garamond, or Arial. 
• Don't mix fonts within the document. Only one font type should be used throughout your resume. 
• Font size should be consistent and can be anywhere between 10- and 12-point font (with the exception of your name, which should be larger, in bold, and can range between 14- and 16-point). 
• Set your margins consistently between 0.75 and 1 inch on all sides. Under no circumstances should margins be smaller than 0.75, as this can make your resume cramped and difficult to read. 
• Don't overuse font styling. Sparingly use bold, underline, and italics to highlight sections, headings, or descriptions, but avoid combining font styling. Reserve ALL CAPS for section headers (e.g., Education, Work Experience, etc.). Reserve italics for job titles (e.g., Extern, Intern, Summer Associate, etc.). Put the names of educational institutions and employers in bold. 
• Use horizontal lines sparingly, as they can disrupt the flow of your resume. If you choose to include them, limit their use to beneath your resume header with name and contact information. 
• Proofread carefully and multiple times! Your resume should be free of typos and inconsistencies, with flawless spelling and grammar throughout. 
• Be sure that formatting and layout will translate properly if converted to a .pdf. Unless directed otherwise in a job posting, convert resume to .pdf when submitting your resume to preserve the formatting. 
• Be honest. Employers can research and verify the facts. Stetson's Honor Code prohibits academic dishonesty and midsconduct. Examples of deception and misrepresentation include "forging signatures and letters of recommendation, falsifying internship or clinic documentation, falsifying pro bono records and/or application information." 

Your resume is not a static document. It should evolve as you progress through law school and your legal career. You will likely revise it many times to reflect new experiences and the specific needs of different employers. 

When preparing to draft or revise your resume, always start with the job you're targeting. Ask yourself: 

• What kind of work does the employer do (e.g., litigation, policy, or direct services)? 
• Are you applying to a judge, nonprofit, government agency, or public interest law firm? 
• What values, experiences, and skills does this employer prioritize? 

Take time to research the employer and the position. The better you understand what they're looking for, the more effectively you can emphasize the most relevant aspects of your background. 

We recommend keeping a master resume that includes all your experiences, accomplishments, and skills. A master resume not only makes it easier to tailor your resume for specific opportunities, but also ensures you don't forget about experiences that may become relevant down the line. 

• Your header should include your name, phone number, and email address. 
• Include your physical address if you believe it provides an advantage; however, it is perfectly acceptable to omit your address if you prefer not to disclose it. 
• If applicable, use a permanent address outside the Tampa Bay area to indicate ties to a specific geographic area or when applying to positions in that region. 
• Current students should use their Stetson Law email address. 
• Ensure your voicemail greeting on your listed phone number is professional before including your cell phone number. 
• Your name should be bolded and larger than the rest of the test (up to 16-point font), while contact details should match the main resume font size. 
• You may include personal pronouns in your header if you choose. 
• Do not include a job objective in this section or anywhere on your resume when applying to a legal employer. 

General Guidance

• Your "Education" section should include your educational institutions, degrees, and graduation dates, as well as any relevant achievements or activities associated with each degree. 
• List your post-high school educational history in reverse chronological order, including the institution's name, city, and state. 
• Include the degree earned or expected, along with the month and year of graduation (or anticipated graduation). If you are currently enrolled in law school, indicate your status as a "candidate" OR note your degree as "expected."
• Use the correct degree name. For example, Stetson offers a Juris Doctor (JD) not "Juris Doctorate" or "Doctor of Jurisprudence."
• If you are pursuing one of Stetson's dual degrees (e.g., JD/MBA, JD/MPH), list the school name, the degree anticipated, and the anticipated date of graduation as a separate entry. The same applies to prior degree earned at the same institution. 
• If you graduated with Latin honors, list the honor after your degree, in italicized lower case. For example: Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude

GPA/Rank

• For public interest employers, the decision about including your GPA will depend on what it is and how much a particular employer values academic performance. 
• Many public interest employers place less emphasis on grades and prioritize demonstrated commitment to public service. However, some public interest employers care about academic perormance and may expect to see your GPA, particularly for competitive fellowships or post-graduate positions. If the job posting requires a minimum GPA for consideration, list your GPA on your resume. 
• For private sector and government employers, if your GPA is 3.0 or above, you should generally include it. If your GPA is below a 3.0, consult with OCPD to discuss whether to include it and how to respond to questions about grades in interviews. 
• List your GPA exactly as it appears on your transcript. Do not round up or down (e.g., a 3.458 is a 3.458).
• Class rank or percentile can be rounded. For example, if you are in the top 26.3%, you may report that you are in the top 27% but not the top 26%. 
• If you decide not to include your law school GPA, you should not include your GPA from other educational institutions. However, you may keep other indicators of academic success such as Latin honors (e.g., magna cum laude). 
• If you're unsure whether or how to include your GPA and/or rank, reach out to OCPD for personalized feedback and guidance. 

Honors & Activities

• Include two separate subsections for "Honors" and "Activities" for each educational institution, where relevant. 
• Be selective. Limit each subsection to 3-5 of the most relevant entries. For a public interest resume, prioritize activities that demonstrate your public interest commitment.  
• In the "Honors" subsection, include merit-based scholarships, academic distinctions (e.g., Dean's List, Honor Roll), highest-grade designations, graduation awards, and honors such as Stetson Law Review membership. Note that some honors (e.g., Dean's List) may be redundant if you graduated with Latin honors.
• In the "Activities" subsection, include student organizations, journals, moot court, sports, or other university-affiliated activities in which you have meaningfully participated. Include leadership roles and titles where applicable.
• Research and Teaching Assistant positions may be included under "Activities." However, if may also be appropriate to list Research Assistant positions under the "Experience" section depending on the nature of the work. 
• If the name of a group or honor is not self-explanatory, you may include a brief paranthetical explanation. 
• In most cases, you may omit dates in these subsections for a cleaner visual presentation, except for honors such as Dean's List, where timing may be relevant. 
• Do not list clinics, unpaid internships, pro bono, externships, or legal projects under "Activities" if you performed substantive legal work. These should appear in the "Experience" section. 
• When in doubt about whether to include an activity that may conflict with a public interest employer's mission or values, contact OCPD before finalizing your resume. 

Thesis/Publications

• If you completed an undergraduate/graduate thesis, consider including it as a subsection under the relevant institution in your "Education" section, particularly if the topic is relevant to your career interests. Label the subsection "Thesis" and present the title in italics.  
• If you have written or are in the process of writing any notes/articles for a journal, Law Review, or other publication, list these in a separate "Publications" section. 

Study Abroad

• If you participated in a study abroad program, include this under the institution you were attending when you participated in the program. This can be included under an "Activities" or "Study Abroad" subsection. You should include the name of the educational institution, its geographic location, the dates of attendance (e.g., Summer 2023), and, if relevant, the focus of your studies.  

• Start by listing all post-high school work experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent position. 
• Include clinics, internships, externships, part-time jobs, and substantive volunteer roles in this section. Volunteer work does not need a separate section unless you have an extensive list, in which case you can create a "Community Service" or "Community Involvement" heading to better organize your resume. 
• You do not need to list every job you've ever held. Focus on highlighting your most significant and relevant experiences. However, be mindful of creating unexplained gaps in your timeline. 
• For each entry, include the employer's name, city and state, dates of employment, your job title, and a brief description of your responsibilities and accomplishments. Keep formatting consistent throughout. 
• When describing your experience, use specific examples and highlight transferrable skills (e.g., legal research, client communication, drafting, analysis). For example, instead of "Drafted legal memos," be more specific: "Drafted memoranda on Clean Water Act compliance and administrative enforcement procedures." 
• Use bullet points rather than large paragraphs for readability. Focus more detail on the roles most relevant to your current goals.  
• Use action verbs and the correct tense: present for current roles and past for previous experiences. 
• If you've held more than one position with the same employer, list them under one employer header and break out each job title separately in italics. 
• If you're a first year student, don't worry if you don't yet have law-related experience. Employers do not expect this. Instead, highlight transferable skills from previous roles. For example, customer facing positions can demonstrate your ability to interact professionally with clients and manage stressful situations. Working as a lifeguard may show strong crisis management skills and the ability to stay calm under pressure.  
• Whatever experience you include, be truthful and accurate. Don't exaggerate your responsibilities or accomplishments.

Language Skills

• Language skills are often highly valued by public interest employers, especially those serving diverse or immigrant communities. If you speak a language other than English, include a separate "Languages" or "Language Skills" section on your resume. 
• List each language along with your level of proficiency using terms such as "native," "fluent," "proficient," or "conversational."  For example, "Fluent in Spanish" or "Conversant in Haitian Creole." 
• Be honest about your abilities. Any language listed is fair game in an interview, and some employers may ask you to demonstrate your proficiency.

Bar Admission 

• Include this section if you are a graduate and have taken a bar exam or are in the process of seeking admission. Your bar status should be updated as it progresses.
• If you are a recent graduate, place this section near the top of your resume, above the "Education" section. After several years of practice (typically 3-5), attorneys generally move this section to the bottom of their resume. 
• When evaluating candidates, employers make very specific assumptions about your bar status depending on the phrasing you use. Be transparent and precise to avoid any appearance of dishonesty. 
• The following are examples of how to accurately describe your status once you have passed a bar examination. 
  • If you have passed the character and fitness evaluation, been sworn in, and are in good standing: "Florida (20XX)"
  • If you have passed the Character & Fitness evaluation but have not yet been sworn in: "Florida (admission pending)"
  • If you have not yet submitted your application for admission: "New York (passed July 20XX bar examination)"
  • If you have submitted your application but not yet been approved by the Character and Fitness Committee: "New York (application pending)" 
• If you have sat for or plan to sit for a bar exam but do not yet have results, your status can be described using the below language on your resume. Alternatively, you can instead mention this in your cover letter. 
  • "Sitting for July 20XX Florida Bar Examination"
  • "Sat for February 20XX Florida Bar Examination (awaiting results)"
• If you are a recent graduate and have not yet been admitted to a bar, consider labeling this section "Bar Exam" or "Bar Passage" rather than "Bar Admission." This distinction signals to employers that you are not yet licensed, helping to avoid any confusion or misrepresentation. 

Publications

• If you have authored a note, comment, or article in a law journal, you may include a separate "Publications" section on your resume. Non-legal publications can also be included in this section.
• Unless you are applying for an academic or research-focused position, be selective and list only a few of your most relevant publications. 
• If you have written a thesis, do not include it in the "Publications" section. Instead, list it as a subsection in "Education." 
• Use proper Bluebook citation format when listing publications. 
• Be prepared to discuss any publications you list during an interview. 

Interests

• Some resumes, particularly those of first-year students, include a brief "Interests" section to highlight hobbies, travel, or unique experiences. When you have limited experience, this section can offer insight into your personality and serve as a conversation starter during interviews. 
• If you have extensive, relevant experience, it is usually better to prioritize that content and omit the personal interests section. Use your limited space to emphasize your commitment to public interest and relevant qualifications. 
• If you choose to include personal interests, be brief. Limit yourself to three or four items. Be specific (e.g., Marathon runner" instead of "Running"). 
• Be mindful of the impression you may create. Certain interests may unintentionally reveal personal details employers do not need to know, such as age, family status, political leanings, or religious affiliation. 
• Be prepared to discuss any listed interest in an interview.