If your professional mission is to be the heartbeat of a thriving law office, you should learn how to write a winning paralegal resume. We’ll share all of the tips and tricks you need to impress even the most demanding and discerning attorney. That way, you can have the impact (and earn the income) you want.
Too busy to write your own resume? Check out our top selections for the best resume-writing service for a personalized solution. When your resume is ready, you can find your paralegal job opportunity on ZipRecruiter.
Paralegal Resume Example
Ready to get started? Use this paralegal resume example for inspiration and guidance:
Abby Gavel, ACP
(555)-123-4567
Tampa, FL
Advanced Certified Paralegal with 15 years of experience supporting 3 litigation attorneys. Handle a total average caseload of 350 lawsuits. Draft 10-20 legal documents daily. Supervise and mentor 1 entry-level paralegal. Achieved and maintained a 99% client satisfaction rating.
Work Experience
Senior Paralegal 2008-present
Civil Suit Champions, P.C.
- Support 3 litigation attorneys with a total average caseload of 350 real estate, personal injury, and medical malpractice lawsuits
- Draft 10+ legal documents per day, including affidavits, answers, motions, notices, petitions, orders, responses, subpoenas, and more
- Implemented Clio, resulting in invoices getting paid 50% faster
- Grew social media followers by an average of 45% (across Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram)
- Hired, trained, and continue to supervise 1 entry-level paralegal
Education and Certifications
Associate of Arts, Paralegal Studies, 2008
ABC College
Advanced Certified Paralegal 2015-present
National Association of Legal Assistants
Registered Paralegal, 2015
The Florida Bar
Skills
- Legal research
- Legal document drafting
- LexisNexis
- Clio
- Vendor management
- Case management
- Customer service
- Time management
- Organization
- Attention to detail
Languages
- English
- Spanish
- Portuguese
Join The Break Community
What Is Unique About A Paralegal Resume?
At first glance, a paralegal resume looks similar to other kinds of resumes. However, this document gets created to convince hiring managers and recruiters to interview you for a paralegal position.
What Should Be Included On A Paralegal Resume?
Your paralegal resume should include the following sections:
Contact Information
Your name and contact information should get listed at the top of your resume. That way, recruiters and hiring managers can quickly and easily reach out to you. Remember to include your cell phone number and professional-sounding email address.
Pro Tip: Since you’ll likely report to a physical office, you should also include your city and state in this section.
Resume Summary or Resume Objective
Below your contact information, write a resume summary or resume objective in a few concise lines. A resume summary works well if you’re a seasoned paralegal because it captures your most impressive career achievements. On the other hand, a resume objective works better if you’re newer to the profession because it shows how your education and experience to date have prepared you for the role.
Work Experience
In this section, list your work history in reverse chronological order. That way, the recruiter or hiring manager will see your most recent accomplishments first.
In each entry, write your job title, the dates you held the position, and the name of your employer.
Then, add three to five bullet points detailing your specific contributions to the organization.
Bullet points should start with an action word (the skill you used) and include a measurable result (how your expertise benefited the company). If you follow this format, the reader will get a clear understanding of your capabilities and how they could translate into wins for the organization.
Education, Certifications, and Other Credentials
Here, you should list the degrees, certifications, and other credentials you’ve earned in reverse chronological order. Include the name of the credential, the date you received it, and the governing body or institution that granted it.
If you have extensive experience, you don’t need to share anything else. However, if you’re a recent graduate or career changer, you should include relevant coursework, internships, and other activities.
Note: If you’ve attended or completed college, there’s no need to include details about high school.
Skills
The skills section is your big opportunity to get your resume past the applicant tracking system (ATS) filters and catch the eye of human readers. For best results, review the job description for the position you want. Then, include the required skills mentioned in the description on your resume (that is, if you have them!).
Other Sections
Including additional sections on your resume is optional. But if you speak another language, belong to a pertinent professional organization, or do related volunteer work, this is where you can share those details.
What Should Be Left Off A Paralegal Resume?
Your paralegal resume has to position you as an ideal right-hand person for an attorney. Any information that doesn’t convey that message should get left off the document. For example, if you have significant, relevant experience, you don’t have to include your position as a convenience store cashier from 20 years ago.
Important Job Skills For Paralegals
You need a broad set of competencies to be a successful paralegal. Here are some of the skills to include on your resume:
Hard Skills
- LexisNexis
- Clio
- Legal research
- Legal document drafting
- Case management
- Case preparation
- Filing
- Electronic database management
- Electronic discovery
- Civil litigation
- Immigration law
- Criminal law
- Family law
- Corporate law
- Vendor management
- Calendar management
- Evidence gathering
- Billing
Soft Skills
- Time management
- Organization
- Attention to detail
- Communication
- Customer service
- Handles pressure well
- Discretion and tact
- Professionalism
Pro Tip: List your ten most impressive (and role-related) capabilities on your resume. That way, the reader gets a good sense of what you can do without your document looking cluttered.
The Bottom Line
We bet you feel ten times more confident about writing your paralegal resume. But if not, you can always turn to one of our preferred resume writing services for additional support. Then, you’ll be ready to apply for your next role on ZipRecruiter!
