Paralegal
Best for senior and mid-level candidates
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Build my resume Aria had used her strategic mindset and analytical thought processes from past legal projects to make sure all details were covered while she worked as a barista. But, while she couldn’t imagine turning down a good latte, she could definitely see herself saying “Yes!” to a new job as a paralegal . . . She’d just have to build a resume first.
As she researched paralegal resume examples, Aria set down her cup of coffee, dreaming of how it would feel to set it down on an office desk. She lit up once she found a host of professional resume templates and other resources—there was even advice on how to power-boost her resume with a cover letter generator! Within weeks, she got that life-changing email.
Keep on reading for time-tested advice and resume samples that will help you succeed like Aria!
Why this resume works
- Your paralegal resume summary should include any specializations you bring to the table. Display proficiencies gained in your 10+ years of experience in the industry.
- We recommend that you customize your summary for each job you apply to and that you mention the company name and job title.
- Include various responsibilities and achievements that build on one another, demonstrating ownership of projects and duties.
- It’s important to show the hiring manager that you understand what’s required and that you’ve done, and will do, exceptional work—a great thing to expound on further in your paralegal cover letter.
- Be confident in your value, skills, and competencies. Employers are much more likely to interview and employ applicants they deem confident.
- Incorporate specific software knowledge into your paralegal resume. These hard skills can be taught, but hiring managers appreciate a paralegal who can jump in and get started researching and drafting casework right away.
Why this resume works
- Are you entering a niche like immigration law? Go out of your way to delineate your expertise in a particular area.
- For example, perhaps you’re bilingual, so you’d want to include that in your list of skills on your immigration paralegal resume. Showing specializations can put you above other candidates and land you an interview.
- Citing an understanding of immigration petition forms and demonstrating a high regard for client satisfaction will also make your application more competitive.
- If you have extensive experience, show how your responsibilities have evolved throughout your career. Let employers know you’re prepared to take on new responsibilities in your next role.
- List your work experience in a reverse-chronological format to emphasize job growth and development, with your most recent at the top of the page.
View more immigration paralegal resumes >
Why this resume works
- Loads of experience in a specific area? Especially in niche jobs, emphasizing this experience will show employers you require less training. This saves them time and money, so narrow your personal injury paralegal resume to fit the job role you’re seeking.
- This means including software specific to the type of law, if applicable, unique forms and documents, the number of clients you worked with (this will vary drastically based on case sizes, case difficulty, and firm type), and specific tasks significant in your field.
- Check your resume for passive word choice; make sure your work experience starts with strong action words, avoids filler word fluff, and uses the past tense consistently.
View more personal injury paralegal resumes >
Why this resume works
- More than anything, when creating a litigation paralegal resume, you need to demonstrate you can handle all aspects of the requirements mentioned in the job description.
- Highlight areas such as file management, working with the attorney, problem-solving, legal knowledge, software expertise, and how you boosted efficiency.
- If you’re applying for a litigation paralegal position, you’re more likely to get an interview if you have prior experience in litigation paralegal work.
- However, you can use any paralegal experience to hone in on relevant skills.
- Highlight the skills and experience you have that correlate with the job you’re applying to, so the employer knows you can meet the nuanced needs of the job.
View more litigation paralegal resumes >
Why this resume works
- Real estate paralegal roles demand niche competencies in law and daily processes to complete deals within expected timelines without breaking regulations. Recruiters are looking for what you bring to the table of navigating complex property terrains to deliver results.
- Your real estate paralegal resume must highlight your understanding of property law, research skills to expedite processes, and the number of project deals completed on time with minimized cost.
Why this resume works
- While having education qualifications is a must for any paralegal, you can take this one step beyond in your family law paralegal resume.
- Include any nation-wide recognized certificates like “National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA)” to show that your skills and knowledge have been tested by industry professionals and convey that you possess techniques to not just document cases but also influence favorable negotiations in disputes.
Why this resume works
- It’s not about your duties in your past prestigious company that matters but what you achieved with your skills. Your certifications and relevant experiences hold the key to making a perfect impression on suitable employers.
- Achievements such as cases won, costs saved, improved process efficiency, and regulatory compliance should give your senior paralegal resume the much-needed boost to get noticed.
Why this resume works
- Align the career objective to the opening’s description. If they’re looking for students who are pursuing but already have valuable skills in law tools then you know you’re a good fit!
- Begin the objective by stating that you’re aiming to get some practical experience. You can further improve your paralegal student resume by listing down all the relevant law skills that you’ve used in the past along with a few collaborative software.
Why this resume works
- Getting into a new career field will always be difficult, but it’s by no means impossible. Having previous jobs at all can serve to prove you’re diligence and commitment. Don’t hesitate to include previous experience outside of your desired field.
- Highlight expertise relevant to the job you’re applying for, even if it comes from an unexpected place. Include relevant projects, volunteer experience, and internships.
- If you’re light on work history, consider adding a resume objective.
- A worthwhile objective should be customized to the specific job you’re applying for (mention the company by name) and be a power-packed snapshot of your most relevant experience or skills.
- Your resume skills are essential. While you may not have worked as a paralegal before, your skills can show employers you have the right temperament and qualifications to accomplish the job.
- Your entry-level paralegal resume will be on the right track when you incorporate skills into your work experience. Use a bullet point generator to demonstrate abilities like time management, communication, and organization within your work history.
View more entry-level paralegal resumes >
Why this resume works
- As you’re writing your corporate paralegal resume, don’t forget to include metrics.
- For instance, you can discuss the number of legal software systems you have command of, the number of attorneys you work with, the types of legal documents you’ve written, the amount of time you’ve saved lawyers on research, etc. Metrics demonstrate your performance as a paralegal, and any employer will recognize that value.
- Using 6-10 specific skills for your resume is a great way to ensure you get through the ATS.
- Remove skills that are irrelevant or vague. Seriously, in this day and age, most of us humans know how to email and use Microsoft and Google suite software. Focus on the more niche software, like LexisNexis, instead.
View more corporate paralegal resumes >
Why this resume works
- Let’s be real, no one’s a fan of property disputes and that’s exactly what you’ve got to prevent. Even if you haven’t directly taken part in the probate process of a will, including a certificate such as California Advanced Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law will instill more trust in employers.
- Remember to back up this credibility by showing how you’ve used tools like Clio for drafting key estate documents in your probate paralegal resume.
Why this resume works
- What’s going to help your patent paralegal resume is a strong and successful background in getting patents approved on the first run.
- The quicker you can get legal affairs settled for clients the better. Craft smart bullet points like – Filed 511 patent applications with a 92% acceptance rate on initial submissions – to show your to-be attorney firm that you’re an indispensable addition to the team.
Why this resume works
- Don’t underestimate the value of a good resume template for your legal assistant/paralegal resume.
- In the role you want, it’s expected that you’ll provide documents in an easy-to-understand, streamlined, logical format. Use your resume as an opportunity to demonstrate your skills!
- A lot of people don’t like to brag on their resumes, but this is the place for you to take ownership of your accomplishments.
- Stray away from words like “assisted” and “helped.” Instead, focus on tasks you owned. Words like “collaborated” and “coordinated” help you say that you worked with others while still not shrinking the impact of your responsibilities.
Related resume guides
How to Write a Paralegal Resume
You’re the backbone of attorneys, and your paralegal resume should be able to convey the same. Otherwise, your legal expertise may get buried in a pile of applications. Below, we’ve broken down the most important parts of writing your resume:
Format your resume right
Ready to support senior advocates and draft legal papers for clients? Before you go wild sending applications to attorneys, keep these resume formatting rules in mind:
- Keep it within one page: No matter what, keep your paralegal resume within a single page. A double-page resume only works for those with substantial experience.
- Bullet points: When describing your past roles, use at least 3–4 bullet points to summarize your contributions to each job.
- Reverse-chronological format: It’s best to list your latest work experience at the top and older ones below. This gives employers a quick look at your current capabilities and career progression.
- Add all key sections: The stronger your skills, work, and experience sections, the higher your chances of getting hired, so don’t try to skimp this.
Showcase your law experience
Even if it’s just been supporting advocates from behind the curtains, include your previous roles and use metrics to focus on achievements more than duties. Not sure how to go about this? Use our examples below to see the type of impacts you should include:
- Drafted 15+ types of legal documentation for clients, maintaining a 98% on-time delivery rate.
- Introduced Clio Management, helping senior advocates expedite the average case details time by 16 minutes.
Highlight your skills
Your skills section should ideally contain a mix of organizational, software, and legal expertise. If you’re unsure what to add, skim the job description and see what the company wants in their next paralegal professional. Pick out keywords they’ve mentioned and mirror them.
Here are some skills you can add:
- LexisNexis
- Clio Management
- DocuSign
- Time Management
- Detail Oriented
Add education and certifications
In your education section, add your degree in law and any certifications like the Certified Paralegal (CP) to prove you’re well-versed with all legal frameworks. In case of multiple certifications, add only the latest/most valuable ones and mention the date of each.
Key takeaways
- Ensure your paralegal resume is formatted correctly using reverse-chronologically ordered work experiences, quantified bullet points, etc.
- Match your resume to the job description as best as you can. From skills to work experiences, include everything they’re looking for.
- Add your law degree and certifications to being a legal expert.
Paralegal Resume FAQs
While crafting a paralegal resume, include a degree in law and your proficiency in using legal software. Next, write how you’ve used these tools while practicing and mention their impact with quantified work experience bullet points.
Help clients in all phases of litigation, such as discovery, trial prep, filing, and case management. Pick keywords from the job descriptions and naturally add them to your work experience and align yourself to exactly what is expected of the role.
Most paralegal resumes should include basic legal research, consultation, and software skills. If you’re looking to stand out from the average candidate, you can add advanced skills like:
✅Case planning
✅ Litigation management
✅ Courtroom advocacy
✅ Drafting legal papers
✅ Estate planning
✅ Settlement negotiation
✅ Multi-jurisdictional practice
✅ Evidence management
It should use a simple, professional resume layout, making it easy for application screening bots to quickly scan all sections and recruiters to find your strengths. Also, showcase relevant skills and how you’ve used them to achieve goals in your past roles. Finally, be brief by only including essentials that add value to your qualifications.
