“I want to start freelance writing, primarily as a way to generate clients (and hopefully, eventually advance in my firm or at another firm), but I’m wondering if it will add value to my professional resume?  If I ever get published, should I list my work on my resume?”

A.  Absolutely.  As I call it, “writing on the side” of legal practice can be a terrific way to not only bring in business and boost your visibility, but it can make your resume shine.  Think of this, though clients may not ever see your resume, chances are they will see your bio somewhere online (which is usually a snapshot of your resume).  If they are comparing a few lawyers and see your bio (or a slew of Google hits) listing articles, essays, or books you’ve written, especially on topics related to the area of law that brings them to you in the first place,  you’ll likely stand out as an “expert” in their mind.  They’ll probably think you know you’re stuff–getting published is a big deal, really.  When prospective employers see your resume, your writing can also help you standout.  It adds value, shows you’re ambitious, and suggests you know how (or are discovering how) to market yourself–which can translate into clients and employer visibility–that’s a huge plus. 

There are different schools of thought about what writing references should appear on your professional resume.  If you do a lot of writing, you may find it useful to create a separate “freelance” resume, which you can circulate to editors when they request one (editors might think it’s cool that you won a moot court award or served as a law clerk for a certain judge, but most are going to want to see where you’ve published and the type of writing you’ve done more than anything else–unless, of course, you’re writing an article where that moot court or clerkship experience are directly relevant).  The freelance resume might reference all of your published writing, depending on how much you’ve done, or reflect “Selected Publications,” such as the most known publications where your writing has appeared (e.g., Oprah, Parenting, X Law Review).  You can also take the “Selected Publications” approach with your professional resume, including a “Selected Publications” heading, under which you feature published freelance writing related to the law or to your specific area of interest (e.g., you may choose to omit your corporate blogging gig for a gossip celebrity site).  Any way you cut it, getting published is by and far a great thing for you, your resume and your future writing prospects and career.

To submit a question, email julie [*at*/] publishedlawyer [*dot*/] com.

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