Crafting the Perfect Resume for Paralegal Jobs

What is a Paralegal Resume?

A paralegal resume is differentiated by relevant paralegal work experience and history at law firms or other law-related agencies, as well as specific skills and qualifications that apply to paralegal work.

Paralegal Resume Format

Formatting a job-winning paralegal resume is fairly simple. There are five main components:

1. 1. An eye-catching header
2. 2. A brief resume summary
3. 3. List of skills
4. 4. Work experience section
5. 5. Education (optional)

Header

The header of your resume should contain all your contact information, including:

• Your full name
• Your address
• Your phone number
• Your email address
• Your LinkedIn profile link (if applicable)

Resume Summary/Objective

The paralegal resume objective gives hiring managers a brief overview of your specific skills and work history. This summary should not be too long; a few sentences will do.

Skills, Certifications, and Work Experience

All of these sections are crucial for your resume. The Skills section can be a short list of bullet points to make it easier for hiring managers to read. Here are a few relevant skills to consider for your resume:

• Proofreading or preparing legal documents
• Experience with specific legal software (i.e., LexisNexis, Westlaw, CMS systems, etc.)
• Case filing system experience or case management
• Communication skills
• Microsoft Office or Google Suite
• Time management

Certifications are not necessarily required for entry-level positions, but if you want to apply for a higher level position, recruiters will typically feel more comfortable hiring certified paralegals over those without the same qualifications. If you are unsure of what certifications to include, then check out ResumeHelp’s blog for more. Some law firms will only accept certifications from organizations approved by the American Bar Association (ABA). Here is a quick list of organizations many recruiters will accept:

• National Federation of Paralegals Association
• The National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA)

The work experience section should demonstrate that you are capable of providing trial preparation assistance. This can include any previously held jobs or internships if they involve activities (e.g., office organization or project management) that apply to paralegal work. Mostly, recruiters are looking for candidates who can perform quick legal research, proof or copy legal documents before a trial, and other administrative aid. Similarly, you will want to feature your particular discipline. Paralegals focus on a variety of different areas of law, such as:

• Criminal law
• Corporate law
• Family law
• Intellectual property law
• Personal injury law
• Real estate law

Education Section

In addition to listing your top education credentials, you can list relevant paralegal studies, relevant volunteer or club opportunities, or any other activities that show off relevant paralegal skills you excel at. However, if you are a higher-level paralegal, then you should focus more on building up your work history. Recruiters will be far more interested in hiring a mid-level or senior candidate based on their previous experience instead of their old GPA.