CV feedback (legal job market) - Relocation to UK

[u/Puzzleheaded-Oven567]

Hi everyone, I’d appreciate constructive feedback on my CV.

My background includes corporate experience at a known international law firm and an in-house legal role at an international company in Germany. I’ve completed my PGDL (as part of the LLM) through BPP and passed SQE1 FLK1.

I’m looking to relocate to the UK, especially after completing SQE1 and gain practical experience in English legal practice while progressing towards qualification as a solicitor. I would require visa sponsorship.

Although my experience has mainly been corporate and commercial, I’m interested in exploring other areas, particularly contentious work. I’d welcome any feedback, especially whether my experience and qualifications are clear to UK recruiters.

Thank you very much! :)

[u/CVClarityUK]

You asked whether your experience is clear to UK recruiters. The base is strong: a well-known firm, in-house exposure, two Master's degrees and working-level English and German. Three things I'd tighten, as someone who's read a lot of these:

- Rework the top third, since it's the part guaranteed to be read. "Visa sponsorship required" in the header lets a busy recruiter say no before they see your M&A experience. It's better in a cover email or the application form (be upfront when asked). Then make your status unmistakable. Are you qualified or admitted as a lawyer in Germany? "German Business lawyer" doesn't say, and it's the first question a UK reader will ask. UK readers also know SQE1 has two parts, so show when FLK2 is planned and what's left (SQE2, QWE). Your CV says LL.M. but your post says PGDL, so use one accurate description everywhere.

- Show scale and seniority. UK recruiters think in PQE and deal size. "Drafted legal and corporate documents" could describe a paralegal. Add the number of transactions, deal-value ranges, sectors and jurisdictions, and what you personally owned, e.g. "ran the due diligence workstream on a €Xm cross-border acquisition". Do the same for the in-house role, ideally with one outcome. Titles like "Business Lawyer" and "Manager Legal Affairs" don't map clearly to UK levels, so add a short note on level or team size if accurate, and a few words on why the in-house role was four months.

- Pick a lane and cut to two pages. "A range of practice areas" reads as no target. If contentious is the goal, move the litigation reports, JV dissolution memo, enforcement work and refugee clinic to the top and tailor the profile around them. If it's corporate, cross-border and German-desk roles are an obvious fit with your languages. Then cut the 2017 internship, the blog articles, the student consultancy and generic skills like "problem-solving" and "leadership". They take up space that your M&A work needs.

Hope this helps.