General Counsel Resume Summary
Your resume summary is your 10-second pitch to hiring managers. For General Counsel positions, a strong summary immediately communicates your value proposition, key skills in gc, chief legal officer, corporate counsel, and relevant experience level. Here are proven templates you can customize for your next application.
- Role
- General Counsel
- Industry
- Legal
- Experience Level
- Executive Level
- Key Skills
- gc, chief legal officer, corporate counsel
Summary Templates
Choose a template that matches your experience level and customize it for your situation.
C-level General Counsel with 15+ years shaping legal strategy at Fortune 500 companies. Orchestrated [major initiative] generating $XX million in value. Board-level experience in gc, chief legal officer, corporate counsel. Known for building high-performance cultures and navigating complex transformations.
Transformational General Counsel executive with track record of revitalizing legal organizations. Led [company/division] through [challenge], achieving [result]. Expert in gc, chief legal officer, corporate counsel with strong board relations and stakeholder management skills.
Strategic General Counsel executive who has scaled legal operations from startup to enterprise. Secured $XX million in funding, built teams of 100+, and drove XX% revenue growth. Deep expertise in gc, chief legal officer, corporate counsel and go-to-market strategy.
Do's and Don'ts
Best practices for writing an effective General Counsel resume summary.
Do:
Include the job title "General Counsel" or close variation
Mention years of experience appropriate to your level
Highlight 2-3 key skills from the job description
Include at least one measurable achievement
Use industry-specific terminology naturally
Keep it concise and impactful
Don't:
Don't use vague buzzwords without context ("team player," "hard worker")
Don't copy your summary verbatim to every application
Don't include objective statements about what you want
Don't exceed 4 sentences - save details for experience section
Don't include personal information (age, hobbies) in the summary
Don't use first-person pronouns (write "Experienced developer..." not "I am an experienced...")
Keywords to Include
Use these keywords to optimize your General Counsel resume summary for ATS systems.
Writing Tips
Keep your General Counsel summary to 3-4 sentences (50-75 words)
Lead with your strongest qualification for the specific role
Include at least one quantified achievement when possible
Mirror keywords from the job description: gc, chief legal officer, corporate counsel, legal leadership
Tailor your summary to each application - avoid generic statements
Focus on what you can offer, not what you want from the role
Use active language and avoid first-person pronouns (I, me, my)
Place your summary at the top of your resume, just below contact info
Complete Your General Counsel Application
General Counsel Resume Summary FAQs
Common questions about writing resume summaries
A General Counsel resume summary should include: your job title, years of experience, 2-3 key skills (gc, chief legal officer, corporate counsel), your biggest achievement with metrics, and what you bring to the role. Keep it to 3-4 sentences that immediately communicate your value to legal employers.