Legal Assistant Resume Examples
Years of Experience
- Entry-level
- Mid-career
- Senior-level
Thor C. Lester
(313) 012-3456
[email protected]
568 Glendale Drive, Detroit, MI 48127
Profile
Passionate, dependable legal assistant with over a year of experience eager to serve underrepresented communities. Bilingual and skilled in legal terminology, research and writing. Highly familiar with Michigan State Codes pertaining to family law and civil issues. Strong administrative and customer service experience with demonstrated willingness to go beyond the expected to ensure justice is served.
Key Skills
- Strong verbal and communications skills
- Detail-oriented
- Proactive
- Microsoft Office
- Conversational Spanish
Education
Associate in Applied Science in Paralegal Studies
Oakland Community College, Bloomfield Hills, MI, September 2016 – May 2018
High School Diploma
Lahser High School, Bloomfield Hills, MI, 2016
Professional Experience
Legal Assistant, Darrow Mustafa & Associates, Northville, MI
August 2019 – Present
- Conducting investigations to gather data regarding cases
- Writing and drafting reports and documents for civil trials
- Organizing and maintaining case files and legal documents
- Tracking hours and bills to clients
- Managing attorney schedules
Legal Assistant, Legal Services of South Central Michigan, Ypsilanti, MI
July 2018 – June 2019
- Greeted and interviewed clients needing medical services, public benefits and housing assistance
- Offered advice to clients, answered basic legal questions and referred to legal counsel as needed
- Provided administrative support for the office’s legal work
- Managed client database and extracted weekly reports
- Commended for helping a senior immigrant couple obtain federal benefits previously denied
Andrea Taylor
(012) 983-4567
[email protected]
123 Main Street, Austin, Texas 12345
Profile
Highly efficient legal assistant with over eight years of experience and extensive knowledge of the official procedures and support required in the legal environment. Client-focused and computer-savvy with a proven track record of exemplary performance in a high-pressure law firm. Adept at creating or revising a range of legal documents, including court filings and dispositions.
Professional Experience
Senior Legal Assistant, Goldberg and Sawyer Law, Austin, TX
January 2015 to Present
- Compose and revise legal documents for attorneys
- Serve as a liaison between attorneys, clients, and other law firms
- Answer telephones and set up appointments for senior attorneys
- Manage calendars and schedule trial dates, hearings, and conferences
- Organize travel arrangements for attorneys
- Prepare and document expense reports
Legal Assistant, Peter Jones Law, Austin, TX
August 2012 – December 2014
- Answered emails and phone calls
- Managed confidential records and documents pertaining to litigation, divorce proceedings, and criminal negotiations
- Performed research as required
- Composed and revised legal documents
- Resolved a 6-month billing backdate and brought all accounts up to date
- Improved the organization of the paper and online filing systems
- Scheduled court dates and appointments with clients
- Organized and prepared documents for court dates and meetings
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies
The University of Texas, Austin, TX, September 2008 – June 2012
Key Skills
- Extremely organized
- Punctual
- Team player
- Able to follow directives from senior partners
- Records management
- State and Federal E-Filing Procedures
- Knowledge of legal terminology
- Law office support
- Legal research
- Spreadsheet and database management
Amanda Jones
123 (456-7890
[email protected]
1400 Chapel Road, Lansing, MI 66901
Profile
Computer-savvy legal assistant with 12+ years of experience in successfully supporting attorneys. Highly qualified assistant with a thorough command of legal, office, and administrative support functions combined with knowledge of court filings, legal procedures, and legal documents. Able to handle heavy caseloads while assisting with litigation requirements, including legal research, medical records review, and factual investigation.
Professional Experience
Legal Assistant, The Law Offices of Austin & Ellis, Lansing, MI
February 2012 – Present
- Provides administrative support to one attorney and four associate attorneys
- Worked on seven major cases worth more than $150 million
- Resolved billing backlog of 6 months bringing all accounts receivable up-to-date
- Maintains client relations with sensitivity and confidentiality
- Provides training and mentorship for incoming legal assistant staff
Legal Assistant, Sidney Watkins, LLP, Lansing, MI
July 2008 – February 2012
- Performed legal and administrative work in assisting an attorney
- Managed attorney’s calendar including scheduling hearings, trials and conferences
- Provided status updates to clients on their cases
- Transcribed attorney’s dictation from recordings and drafted correspondence
- Reviewed and organized records for over 600 clients in an MS Access database
Education
Associate of Applied Science in Paralegal Studies
Center Community College, Lansing, MI, September 2006 – May 2008
Key Skills
- Proficient in MS Office and AbacusLaw
- Types 75+ WPM
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Comprehensive research skills
- High level of professionalism
Certifications
- General Practice Paralegal Studies
- The Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (RP)
Common Key Skills and Action Verbs for Legal Assistant Resumes
Many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to collect and evaluate resumes. These systems often scan resumes for specific keywords and phrases, including key skills and action verbs, to identify a match for a position. So, to capture the attention of hiring managers, you’ll need to include these key skills and qualifications on your resume. A resume that lacks certain keywords and specific phrases may never get beyond an ATS, no matter how qualified you are. Below are some common key skills and action verbs for legal assistant and paralegal resumes.
| Key Skills & Proficiencies: | |
|---|---|
| Adaptable | Administrative skills |
| Communication skills | Critical thinking |
| Database management | Detail-oriented |
| Dependable | Organizational skills |
| Professional | Independent |
| Interpersonal skills | Legal terminology |
| Microsoft Office | Multi-tasking |
| Research skills | Secretarial skills |
| Team-oriented | Writing skills |
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Assist | Analyze |
| Coordinate | Communicate |
| Conduct | Contribute |
| Draft | Maintain |
| Manage | Prepare |
| Process | Provide |
| Research | Review |
| Respond | Track |
| Write | |
Tips for Writing a Better Legal Assistant Resume
Write an eye-catching professional profile.
Writing a professional profile that summarizes your experience and details your skillset is a great way to introduce yourself to hiring managers as well as differentiate yourself from other job candidates. When writing your professional profile, make sure to highlight the most essential qualities and skills for a legal assistant and quantify where possible.
Example #1
Good
Highly-organized and self-motivated legal assistant with 4+ years’ experience providing executive-level support in government and private sector environments. Demonstrated ability to excel under pressure to meet project deadlines in high-momentum legal practices. Seeking to leverage exceptional interpersonal and problem-solving skills to support attorneys and law clerks while providing superior service to clients.
Bad
Enthusiastic legal assistant seeking a new opportunity. Very skilled in real estate law. An extremely hard worker who thrives in a fast-paced environment.
Example #2
Good
Team-oriented and self-starting legal assistant with 5+ years’ experience supporting legal operations for high-volume and fast-paced practices focused on corporate litigation. Demonstrated success performing complex legal assignments, including casework preparation, with a high degree of independence. Seeking a challenging new opportunity to leverage exceptional interpersonal skills and strong knowledge of the litigation process.
Bad
Legal assistant with excellent communication and interpersonal skills and extensive casework preparation experience as well as knowledge of litigation.
Don’t undersell your soft skills.
While it’s important to showcase your knowledge of legal operations and experience as a legal assistant or paralegal, it’s equally critical to highlight your soft skills. Attention to detail, communication skills, and interpersonal skills are highly sought-after traits for legal assistants and paralegals. Make sure to emphasize at least one soft skill in your resume, particularly a skill that appears in the job description.
Example #1
Good
Demonstrated strong interpersonal skills by promptly responding to client requests in a courteous manner, maintaining the highest level of professionalism and confidentiality.
Bad
Responded to clients in a professional manner.
Example #2
Good
Exercised excellent critical-thinking and time-management skills to identify needs and prioritize projects.
Bad
Excellent time management and critical thinking skills.
How to Align Your Resume with the Job Description
Hiring managers typically consider dozens of candidates to find someone who fits their specific needs. To set yourself apart from the crowd and gain the attention of a hiring manager, align your resume with the job description by including the details found in the job description in your resume. The most essential requirements for a position are usually mentioned early or more than once in the job description. After identifying these key qualifications, compare your resume to the job description. Ensure your resume includes the specific requirements and skills mentioned in the job description but don’t lie about your qualifications. Few applicants meet every qualification sought in a job description. Instead, craft your resume in a way that draws attention to the skills you do have.
Example Legal Assistant Job Description
The Law Office of Smith & Smith is seeking a qualified Legal Assistant to assist attorneys and legal clerks by contributing to trial preparation in litigation practices. Support duties include drafting legal documents such as briefs, complaints, contracts, deposition notices, subpoenas, and motions. Legal assistants will also perform legal research into case law and precedents, handle discovery, organize and manage files, and respond to requests from opposing parties. Candidates must be highly organized, detail-oriented, and have excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Responsibilities:
- Drafting and sending legal correspondence and documents
- Preparing court filings, including reviewing documents for accuracy, content, and context
- Maintaining and organizing files
- Performing other administrative duties as assigned
Qualifications:
- Ability to prioritize competing demands and meet deadlines
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Document management experience
- Some knowledge of casework preparation
- Bachelor’s degree from accredited college or university or associate degree in paralegal studies
According to the job description, the ideal job applicant should have the following keywords, qualities, and/or experience in their resume:
- Assist
- Administrative duties
- Casework preparation
- Communication skills
- Documents
- Draft
- Interpersonal skills
- Legal
- Litigation
- Maintain
- Organize
- Research
- Respond
- Trial preparation
Next, review what you highlighted from the job description and include your experience and skills that match. Below is an example of how to effectively incorporate them in your resume:
Legal Assistant Work Experience Example
Legal Assistant, Center for Justice
May 2014 – May 2019
- Assisted in trial preparation by coordinating trial exhibits, including organizing materials, drafting legal documents, and preparing materials for display
- Performed legal research into case law and reviewed and evaluated legal documents, including contracts and discovery materials
- Responded promptly and professionally to clients and other involved parties to gather and track case information