Paralegals offer valuable support to law firms by streamlining procedures and organizing materials for attorneys. When applying for paralegal jobs, you need a resume that features these skills and your relevant work, school, and other credentials. Learn how to write a resume that gets you interviews for your next paralegal job.
Most Popular Paralegal Resumes
Paralegal Assistant Resume
Why This Resume Example Is Strong
This resume highlights critical paralegal support responsibilities, like discovery preparation and document filing, showing readiness to handle legal workloads. A 15% improvement in filing efficiency shows measurable value. Learn how to present support tasks clearly in how to list certifications on your resume.
Entry-Level Paralegal Resume
Why This Resume Example Is Strong
This resume shows a clear path from education to practical legal support. It emphasizes document preparation and courtroom exposure, which are valuable for new paralegals. For more advice on building entry-level resumes, visit how to make a resume.
Immigration Paralegal Resume
Why This Resume Example Is Strong
This resume demonstrates niche expertise in immigration law, backed by form-specific knowledge and measurable impact. Team training and legal correspondence with USCIS show leadership. Learn how to highlight niche legal knowledge in technical skills for resumes.
Personal Injury Paralegal Resume
Why This Resume Example Is Strong
This resume emphasizes critical litigation support skills in personal injury law, with measurable outcomes such as improved efficiency. It demonstrates how to present both administrative and legal functions. For more formatting advice, visit best resume formats.
Litigation Paralegal Resume
Why This Resume Example Is Strong
This resume showcases deep litigation knowledge, backed by document preparation and courtroom support. It also demonstrates strong organization, which is vital in trial settings. See how layout supports clarity in resume outline examples.
Civil Litigation Paralegal Resume
Why This Resume Example Is Strong
This resume emphasizes experience in civil litigation with clear examples of process improvement and trial readiness. Highlighting a 30% efficiency gain adds measurable value. For help listing these accomplishments, visit what to put on a resume.
Commercial Real Estate Paralegal Resume
Why This Resume Example Is Strong
This resume demonstrates experience with high-value commercial transactions and contract management. It also shows clear industry specialization. Learn how to strengthen industry-specific resumes in resume summary examples.
Corporate Paralegal Resume
Why This Resume Example Is Strong
This resume emphasizes corporate legal work with experience in high-stakes transactions and compliance. Use of legal keywords like "M&A" and "SEC filings" targets the corporate law niche. For formatting tips on niche resumes, visit cv vs resume.
Bankruptcy Paralegal Resume
Why This Resume Example Is Strong
This resume focuses on specialized bankruptcy experience, including Chapter 7 and 13 filings. It also includes relevant legal terms and processes for credibility. Learn how to tailor your resume language in resume language skills.
Criminal Defense Paralegal Resume
Why This Resume Example Is Strong
This resume presents a focused legal background with courtroom experience in criminal defense. Emphasis on confidential case handling and document preparation supports relevance. Learn more at resume skills.
Family Paralegal Resume
Why This Resume Example Is Strong
This resume reflects specialized family law experience with tasks that require empathy and confidentiality. It also includes technical filing and mediation skills. Learn how to showcase sensitivity in client-facing roles at soft skills for resume.
Real Estate Paralegal Resume
Why This Resume Example Is Strong
This resume demonstrates real estate-specific legal work with relevant skills like zoning research and closing coordination. To enhance job application targeting, check out how to align your resume with the job description.
Insurance Defense Paralegal Resume
Why This Resume Example Is Strong
This resume effectively showcases experience in litigation and insurance law. The focus on managing dockets and working with medical records is essential in defense cases. Learn how to present complex workloads clearly at resume outline examples.
Probate Paralegal Resume
Why This Resume Example Is Strong
This resume focuses on probate-specific experience, clearly emphasizing communication with heirs and filing accuracy. It reflects the attention to detail necessary in estate law. Learn how to highlight precise work at resume interests section.
Contract Paralegal Resume
Why This Resume Example Is Strong
This resume emphasizes legal and organizational skills needed for contract work. It demonstrates experience with compliance and software systems used in contract management. Learn how to present this kind of technical role at resume skills.
eDiscovery Paralegal Resume
Why This Resume Example Is Strong
This resume reflects technical knowledge and hands-on experience in eDiscovery tools. The focus on metadata and document management aligns with litigation support demands. For more legal tech resume tips, visit technical skills for resumes.
Health Care Paralegal Resume
Why This Resume Example Is Strong
This resume focuses on specialized knowledge of healthcare law and demonstrates the ability to handle medical and legal data. It also addresses compliance work, which is crucial in this field. Learn how to add industry-specific impact at how to list relevant coursework.
Employment Law Paralegal Resume
Why This Resume Example Is Strong
This resume focuses on experience related to employment claims and legal compliance. It also shows versatility in working with agencies like the EEOC. To learn how to highlight specialized legal fields, see how to put volunteer work on a resume.
Environmental Law Paralegal Resume
Why This Resume Example Is Strong
This resume highlights a niche in environmental law with specific duties like zoning research and permit tracking. These are useful for firms that focus on regulatory litigation. To explore environmental experience further, visit how to list your education.
Patent Paralegal Resume
Why This Resume Example Is Strong
This resume highlights specific patent law knowledge and international filing experience, which are crucial for intellectual property firms. For more tips on organizing content clearly, check out best fonts for a resume.
Compliance Paralegal Resume
Why This Resume Example Is Strong
This resume focuses on compliance-specific legal work and shows the candidate’s experience with internal policy enforcement and audit support. To explore more legal compliance resume strategies, see how far back should a resume go.
Intellectual Property Paralegal Resume
Why This Resume Example Is Strong
This resume demonstrates niche IP experience with USPTO filings and international coordination. These details are important for firms with global portfolios. Learn how to organize niche experience in resume outline examples.
Trial Paralegal Resume
Why This Resume Example Is Strong
This resume focuses on trial-specific experience with courtroom tasks and pretrial documentation. Including logistics and witness management makes it highly relevant. For more tips on listing trial-related skills, see resume skills.
Juvenile Law Paralegal Resume
Why This Resume Example Is Strong
This resume showcases specialized experience in juvenile law and court documentation. The focus on social service coordination adds depth. To improve legal resumes in sensitive fields, read resume objective examples.
Education Law Paralegal Resume
Why This Resume Example Is Strong
This resume highlights education law experience, including administrative hearings and regulatory compliance. The skills apply to both public and private education systems. For more on tailoring resumes by industry, see how to list your education.
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Paralegal Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
How To Write a Paralegal Resume
1. Craft an outstanding profile with a summary of your paralegal qualifications
Use the Profile section of your resume to briefly describe why you’re a great candidate for the job. This section should cite your key strengths, years of related legal experience, and any career highlights that speak strongly to the job opening. If you’re a certified paralegal, mention this sought-after credential in your Profile.
Mid-Career Profile Example
Dedicated paralegal with strong knowledge of both common and New York legal standards. Assisted in over 700 cases and conducted more than 2,000 client interviews during over seven years of experience at family law firms. Bachelor of Paralegal Studies from Syracuse University.
Entry-Level Profile Example
Highly organized paralegal with recent experience in personal injury law. Committed to helping firms build and maintain positive attorney-client relations.
2. Create a powerful list of your paralegal experiences
As a paralegal, your job is to support attorneys and expedite law office procedures. When writing your Experience section, focus on how you’ve helped firms streamline operations or break large projects into manageable steps. Also, emphasize your organizational skills since a key part of this role is researching and managing multiple case files across different clients.
Senior-Level Professional Experience Example
Staff Paralegal
Legal Assistance of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC | January 2018 – present
- Conduct legal research for family court and custody cases
- Prepare motions, subpoenas, complaints, and witness lists for attorneys
- Manage case files and associated documents
- Serve as liaison between attorneys and clients to ensure positive, productive communications at all points
- Screen potential clients for subsidized legal assistance
Entry-Level Professional Experience Example
Paralegal
Jenkins Law Firm, Watertown, NY | June 2022 – present
- Draft pleadings, witness lists, and trial motions
- Assist with research for personal injury lawsuits
- Manage case files and documents
- Digitize physical documents in the electronic filing system
3. Outline your education and paralegal-related certifications
Give the basic details of your highest education degree to show your foundational knowledge. Also, specify where you gained your legal expertise — this may mean naming your college major, listing relevant courses, or citing a paralegal certificate.
Below are templates and examples to help you format these details on your resume. Note optional template areas appear in [brackets].
Education
Template
- Degree Name – [Major]
- School Name, City, State Abbreviation – [Graduation Year]
- [Select Coursework]
Example
- Bachelor of Arts (BA) – Paralegal Studies
- Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY – 2020
Certifications
Template
- Certification Name, [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Example
- Certified Professional Paralegal, The Paralegal Association, 2021
4. Make a list of your paralegal-related skills and proficiencies
Paralegal jobs typically require a strong blend of research, technical, and client relations skills. While you can highlight these skills in your Experience section by relating them to specific cases or achievements, a Key Skills list lets you gather them all in one easy-to-read section for hiring managers. Consider including any of the below terms.
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Case management | Client service and communications |
| Contract management | Court procedures |
| Deadline management | Document drafting and preparation |
| E-discovery and document management | Filing and retrieval systems |
| Legal ethics and confidentiality | Legal file digitization |
| Legal research and analysis | Legal terminology and procedures |
| LexisNexis | Microsoft Office Suite |
| Process streamlining and improvement | Task prioritization |
| Team collaboration | Trial preparation and support |
| Westlaw | Writing, editing, and proofreading |
How To Pick the Best Paralegal Resume Template
Using a template can make it easier to draft and customize a polished resume for each paralegal application. Look for clean and simple templates, with enough white space that the page doesn’t seem cluttered. Law firms deal in paperwork all day, so showing how a crisp professional document should look can help make a good impression.
Erica Pizem - Legal Recruiter and Expert Contributor, Linkedin
Meet our Expert: Erica is a licensed attorney and legal recruiter, whose primary focus is successfully matching lateral attorney candidates with both large and boutique law firms in the New York City area.
1. What are the most in-demand skills for paralegals that should be featured on a candidate’s resume?-
Prospective paralegals should highlight they can support an attorney by preparing various documents, including but not limited to memos, briefs, pleadings, legal correspondence, and emails on behalf of attorneys. Additionally, candidates should emphasize their excellent written and oral skills, as paralegals often need to communicate with attorneys, clients, opposing counsel, and other legal professionals. Furthermore, prospective paralegals should mention they are detail-oriented, organized, and can multitask, as paralegals often need to balance different assignments with different deadlines daily.
2. What work experience and/or other accomplishments are hiring managers seeking in a paralegal?-
Hiring managers are interested in candidates with a bachelor’s degree or a paralegal certificate from an ABA-approved paralegal certification program. They would also prefer to hire candidates with relevant skills in the prospective employer's area of expertise or specialty. Most importantly, hiring managers want candidates with office administration experience, preferably in a legal setting.
3. What else should a paralegal candidate be prepared to provide hiring managers besides a resume?-
Besides a resume, a prospective paralegal should include a cover letter detailing their interest in the position and mention any language skills. The candidate should also mention their proficiency in Microsoft, Teams, and Adobe and highlight their familiarity with the relevant legal electronic databases, as paralegals often need to file, manage, and maintain documents in electronic databases.
4. What advice would you give a paralegal candidate about their job search? -
A prospective paralegal should maintain an updated LinkedIn profile, as it is usually one of the initial steps a hiring manager will seek out when researching a potential candidate. Additionally, a candidate ought to utilize the plethora of online websites for legal positions and can even search the “jobs” section of their local newspaper or local law journal.
Frequently Asked Questions: Paralegal Resume Examples and Advice
Why should I use a Paralegal resume example as a template for my own resume?-
A Paralegal resume example provides a solid foundation for structuring your own resume. It showcases how to highlight achievements, use quantifiable metrics, and present your experience in an organized manner. You can personalize it by adding your unique qualifications and adjusting sections to better reflect your skills and career history.
What are common action verbs for paralegal resumes?-
Resumes are concise, so every word matters. This rule is especially true for the verbs you use to start your Experience section bullet points. If you need help finding a unique verb for each bullet, the list below can give you some fresh ideas.
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Analyzed | Assisted |
| Discussed | Drafted |
| Enhanced | Exhibited |
| Expedited | Facilitated |
| Filed | Garnered |
| Generated | Helped |
| Interviewed | Investigated |
| Maintained | Managed |
| Met with | Negotiated |
| Organized | Prepared |
| Prevented | Processed |
| Ranked | Researched |
| Reviewed | Streamlined |
| Summarized | Supported |
| Uncovered | Updated |
| Verified | Wrote |
How do you align your resume with a job posting?-
The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that jobs for paralegals and legal assistants will increase by about 14% (or nearly 50,000 jobs) between 2021 and 2031. This growth rate is much faster than the average for all U.S. vocations.
When you’re applying for similar paralegal positions, you may be tempted to use the exact same resume. But this approach can backfire and keep you from moving to the next hiring round. While some job skills do overlap, each hiring manager will look for different credentials in an applicant, such as experience with criminal law or the ability to create a file organization system. Get their attention by including keywords and phrases from the job posting in your Key Skills and Experience sections. Also, if the job requires a certification you have, add that to your Profile so you stand out as a qualified applicant right away.
What is the best paralegal resume format?-
In nearly all cases, use a Combination (or Hybrid) resume, because it’s easiest for hiring managers to learn about your pertinent skills and experience – it’s also simplest for you to align with your job goals.
With the combination format, you highlight your most relevant skills and experience in your Experience or Work History section, as well as an intro section. (This combination of work history and intro content is where the format gets its name.) Your resume intro should usually include a Profile summary and Key Skills section, but you may also add a Career Highlights or Awards section. By carefully choosing the details for your intro, you can (a) position yourself for your target job and (b) give hiring managers a clear, quick view of what you offer.
Should my paralegal resume be one or two pages?-
Your paralegal resume should ideally be one page, especially if you have fewer than 10 years of experience. A two-page resume can be effective for seasoned professionals with a longer track record if it highlights accomplishments and skills directly relevant to the job. Every detail should add value and strengthen your candidacy.
Limit your work experience to the past 10 to 15 years, unless earlier positions are highly relevant. Keeping your resume concise and targeted will make a strong and memorable impression on potential employers.
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Don’t forget to include a targeted cover letter with your resume before you send your application. This document gives you space to describe how you’d help the hiring organization and elaborate on your work highlights, such as finding a precedent that solidified a case or reducing the time it took to onboard clients. If you get stuck, see our paralegal cover letter guide.
