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In-house counsel resume example

A resume for a senior in-house lawyer at a software company, six years after moving from a law firm. General counsel hiring in-house lawyers read for business judgment and speed as much as legal skill, so each bullet ties legal work to a business result: faster deals, lower spend, a program built.

In-house counsel resume example, page 1 of 2Mei-Ling HartonoSenior Corporate Counsel, Commercial and Privacymei-ling.hartono@example.com · (206) 555-0133 · Seattle, WA · linkedin.com/in/meilinghartonoSummarySenior corporate counsel with eleven years in technology law, the last six in-house at a software company. Irun commercial contracting and privacy, give business teams answers they can act on the same day, and buildplaybooks so sales can close without waiting for legal. CIPP/US and CIPP/E.ExperienceCorporate Counsel, then Senior Corporate CounselJun 2020 – PresentCedarline Software · Seattle, WA•Lead commercial legal support for a company with $400 million in annual recurring revenue: about 350customer and partner agreements a year, including deals up to $12 million.•Cut median contract cycle time from 21 days to 9 with a negotiation playbook, pre-approved fallback clausesand self-service NDAs.•Built the privacy program for GDPR, UK GDPR and US state privacy laws: data map, DPAs with 160 vendorsand the company’s first DPIAs.•Wrote the company’s AI use and procurement policy and review about 40 AI vendor and product featurerequests a year with security and product.•Brought most contract work in-house, cutting outside counsel spend by 30% ($600,000 a year); manage 1counsel and 2 contract managers.Associate, Technology TransactionsSep 2015 – May 2020Puget Ridge LLP · Seattle, WA•Drafted and negotiated SaaS, licensing and outsourcing agreements for about 30 technology clients.•Advised 12 clients on privacy compliance and data breach response.EducationJ.D.2012 – 2015University of Washington School of Law · Seattle, WAB.A. in Economics2008 – 2012University of California, San Diego · San Diego, CAAdmission and certificationsWashington State Bar Association2015AdmittedCIPP/E2021International Association of Privacy ProfessionalsCIPP/US2019International Association of Privacy ProfessionalsMei-Ling Hartono · 1 / 2
In-house counsel resume example, page 2 of 2SkillsSaaS and enterprise agreements · Contract playbooks · Data processing agreements ·GDPR and US state privacy laws · AI governance · Product counseling · Vendor contracts ·Outside counsel management · Contract lifecycle management (Ironclad) · Negotiation ·Employment law basicsMei-Ling Hartono · 2 / 2
In-house counselUse this example

What recruiters look for

  • Business impact: deals closed, cycle times cut, revenue supported, costs saved.
  • Breadth: commercial, privacy, employment, IP, disputes. In-house lawyers cover more ground than firm lawyers.
  • Programs and playbooks: work that lets the business move without asking legal every time.
  • Judgment and risk calls: how you balance legal risk against business goals.
  • Managing outside counsel and budget: choosing firms, controlling spend, owning outcomes.

Writing the summary

Name your title, years, industry and the areas you own, then one line on how you work with the business. Add certifications at the end if they matter for the role.

The summary in this example

Senior corporate counsel with eleven years in technology law, the last six in-house at a software company. I run commercial contracting and privacy, give business teams answers they can act on the same day, and build playbooks so sales can close without waiting for legal. CIPP/US and CIPP/E.

Firm associate making a first move in-house

Technology transactions associate with six years at a law firm, negotiating SaaS, licensing and data agreements for 40 software and life sciences clients. Ready to move in-house and work with one business, close to the product and sales teams.

Product counsel at a consumer technology company

Product counsel with eight years in consumer technology, advising product teams on privacy, consumer protection and AI features from first design to launch. I help teams ship quickly by spotting legal issues early, when they are cheap to fix.

Bullet points that work

Strong lines for this role, beyond the ones in the example. Borrow the shape and put in your own numbers.

  • Negotiated the company’s largest customer agreement ($18 million over 3 years) with a Fortune 100 buyer in 6 weeks.
  • Ran legal diligence and integration for 2 acquisitions totaling $90 million.
  • Launched a contract lifecycle system that gave sales real-time contract status and cut legal intake emails by 60%.
  • Trained 200 sales and procurement staff on contract basics, reducing escalations to legal by 35%.
  • Led the response to a vendor data breach affecting 30,000 records, meeting every notification deadline.
  • Resolved 12 customer disputes without litigation, recovering $1.1 million in unpaid fees.
  • Drafted standard terms for a new product line that launched in 14 countries.
  • Reviewed 120 marketing campaigns a year for advertising and consumer protection issues.
  • Managed a $2 million outside counsel budget across 6 firms, finishing under budget 3 years running.
  • Built an open-source software policy and review process for 300 engineers.

Skills to list

Hard skills

  • Commercial and SaaS contracts
  • Privacy and data protection (GDPR, CCPA and state laws)
  • AI and technology governance
  • Intellectual property licensing
  • Employment law basics
  • M&A support and diligence
  • Outside counsel management and budgeting
  • Contract lifecycle management tools

Soft skills

  • Practical business judgment
  • Saying yes with conditions
  • Clear advice to non-lawyers
  • Building relationships across functions

Certifications and licenses worth listing

  • Bar admission: your state of admission, and registered in-house counsel status if your state requires it for lawyers admitted elsewhere.
  • IAPP certifications (CIPP/US, CIPP/E, CIPM, AIGP): highly valued for privacy and AI governance roles.
  • Industry-specific credentials (healthcare compliance, export controls) if the role covers them.

Length and format

One or two pages. Two is fine with ten or more years. Keep the in-house role and its results on page one, and give the law firm years two or three bullets showing the training you brought.

Common mistakes

  • Writing like a firm lawyer: lists of documents reviewed with no business outcome.
  • Leaving out cost savings and speed, which general counsel care about most.
  • Describing confidential deals or disputes in identifying detail.
  • Ignoring the soft side. In-house lawyers are hired for how they work with the business.

Questions and answers

How do I move from a law firm to in-house?

Rewrite your firm experience in business terms: the industries you served, the deals you closed and the problems you solved for clients. Many lawyers move in-house to a former client, so mention the relationships you have built.

Should in-house counsel list billable hours?

No. In-house readers care about business outcomes, not billing. Show speed, volume and savings instead.

Is a privacy certification worth it for in-house lawyers?

For technology, health and consumer companies, yes. CIPP certifications are widely requested in privacy counsel job ads.

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