A lawyer's CV is read slowly and checked carefully. In much of continental Europe it also often carries a photo. This guide explains where a photo on a lawyer CV is customary, how the Marble CV template presents it, and which details matter more than any design.
What is the Marble lawyer CV template?
Marble is an elegant portrait CV for lawyers, consultants and other advisory roles. A tall portrait runs down the side column from the top of the page, printed in black and white so it sits quietly beside serif text. Your name stays the first line at the top.
The design fixes the portrait's place, size and black-and-white finish. You can add, replace or switch off the photo. With the photo off, the frame shows your initials.
Do lawyers in Europe put a photo on their CV?
In Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Spain, Italy and Poland, a photo is a common part of a CV, and that includes legal and consulting work. It is still a choice, not a rule. International firms and some employers in those countries prefer CVs without photos, and France in particular has rules against hiring discrimination. Read the vacancy and follow what it asks.
Elsewhere the custom changes:
- Optional: the Netherlands and Sweden.
- Usually left off: the United Kingdom, Ireland and the United States. A legal CV there normally has no photo, so choose a design without one.
Our country guides for Germany, France and Switzerland cover the rest of the application in each market.
Which photo suits a formal portrait CV?
A recent, professional head-and-shoulders photo with a plain background suits Marble. The design turns it black and white, so contrast matters more than colour.
- Use even, soft light from the front; avoid deep shadows on one side.
- Choose a plain background that is clearly lighter or darker than your clothes.
- Wear what you would wear to meet a client.
- Leave room above your head. The tall frame crops the sides, so keep your face near the centre.
Avoid photos cropped from events or group shots. They rarely hold up in a large frame.
What goes in the side column of a legal CV?
The side column holds the facts a firm checks first: practice areas, education, languages and bar admission. Your contact details sit on two lines under your name and title.
- Admission: the bar or law society, the jurisdiction and the year, written as your certificate shows it.
- Languages: each with a plain level, and say which ones you have worked in professionally.
- Education: degree, university and year; add a state exam or LL.M. on its own line.
Keep the main column for experience. For each role, give your title, the firm or company, the city and the dates, then describe the work:
- "Advised on cross-border share deals for mid-sized industrial clients; prepared due diligence reports and transaction documents."
- "Drafted and negotiated commercial contracts for the in-house legal team, including supply and distribution agreements."
Describe matters without naming clients unless they are public. Do not claim a deal value or a result you cannot confirm, and do not reveal anything covered by confidentiality.
Same story. A little more breathing room.
Switch the layout. Watch how spacing and hierarchy change the way this sample reads.
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Everything is asking for attention.
Closely packed headings and text leave fewer visual signposts. Try the other treatment.
When should you send the plain ATS PDF instead?
Send the plain version when you apply through a firm's online portal. Hiring software reads one column with standard headings most reliably, and a portrait gives it nothing to read.
In the editor's download menu, choose PDF — ATS Optimized. It holds the same words in one column, with standard headings and no photo. Keep the Marble PDF for emails to a partner or recruiter and for printed copies.
Before you send any PDF, check the visible text and file properties so nothing private travels with it.
Your experience. A fresh canvas.
Try a different look. These are actual Guul template previews, with illustrative sample content.
A formal page with a portrait.
A tall black-and-white portrait heads a stone side column, beside a serif name and title. The design fixes the photo frame.
Make this layout yours ↗The builder opens with your selected template.Replace all sample details with your own experience.Explore the resume lookbook →
How long should a lawyer CV be?
Two pages is common for an experienced lawyer, and one page suits a trainee or junior associate. Cut older roles to a single line rather than shrinking the type; readable typography matters on a page full of detail.
Frequently asked questions
Is a photo required on a lawyer CV in Germany?
No. A photo is customary in Germany but not required. If the vacancy asks for an application without a photo, send one without.
Why does Marble print the photo in black and white?
The design is drawn that way, so the portrait sits calmly beside the text. The finish is fixed and cannot be switched to colour.
Can a consultant use the Marble template?
Yes. Marble suits any advisory role where a formal page is expected: consulting, tax, compliance or public affairs.
Should I add my date of birth or marital status?
Only if the vacancy or the country's custom asks for it, and only what you are comfortable sharing. When nobody asks, leave both off.
Start your CV in Marble and preview both pages before you download.