Crafting a CV that meticulously showcases the necessary blend of organisational skills, technical knowledge, and the legal expertise that you possess as a legal assistant can be daunting. Our guide is designed to walk you through this challenge, providing clear examples and actionable tips to help you construct a CV that emphasises your strengths and appeals to law firms.
Learn how to create your next legal assistant CV by:
- Applying the simplest CV design, so that recruiters can easily understand your expertise, skills, and professional background;
- Ensuring you stand out with your header, summary or objective statement, and a designated skills section;
- Creating your CV experience section - no matter how much expertise you have;
- Using real life professional CV examples to enhance the structure and outline of your profile.
If you still have no muse to write your professional CV, find some more industry-leading examples.
Resume examples for legal assistant
Explore additional legal assistant cv samples and guides and see what works for your level of experience or role.
By Experience
Senior Legal Assistant
- Insightful Career Progression - Freya Richardson's CV showcases a logical and impressive career trajectory, beginning as an Administrative Assistant and advancing to her role as a Senior Legal Support Assistant. This progression highlights her ability to grow within her field, gaining expertise and increased responsibilities at each stage while moving through respected firms within the legal industry.
- Effective Adaptability and Cross-functional Experience - The CV demonstrates Freya's adaptability through her experience with different legal systems and firms across multiple locations in the UK. This reflects her capability to seamlessly adjust to varying work environments and systems, underscoring her proficiency in technology integration and process improvement across different legal contexts.
- Strategic Leadership and Measurable Achievements - Freya's leadership prowess is evident in her achievement of reducing staff turnover by 15% and increasing client satisfaction by 20%. These figures not only highlight her leadership capabilities but also demonstrate her impact on business performance, showcasing her talent for achieving tangible, strategic outcomes within her team and organization.
Junior Legal Assistant
- Clear and Structured Presentation - The CV is well-organized, presenting information clearly and concisely. Each section is distinct, ensuring easy navigation. The structured bullet points under the experience section highlight specific achievements and contributions, making it simple for the reader to follow and understand his career path.
- Demonstrated Career Growth - Thomas Walker's career trajectory showcases a clear progression from an IT Intern to an IT Support Specialist over a short span, indicating dedication and rapid skill acquisition. His ability to transition smoothly into more demanding roles reflects his commitment to professional development and his adaptability in the fast-paced tech industry.
- Focus on Technical Depth and Unique Methodologies - The CV highlights Thomas's proficiency in industry-specific tools and methodologies like Mobile Device Management, Single Sign On, and automation scripting. These technical competencies demonstrate his depth of knowledge in IT support, setting him apart from peers with similar experience but less technical expertise.
By Role
Legal Assistant in Corporate Law
- Focused Structure and Clarity - The CV is organized systematically, with each section clearly delineated, making it easy for potential employers to quickly grasp key details. It starts with a concise personal summary, followed by structured accounts of work experience, education, skills, and other relevant achievements, ensuring that all important information is readily accessible.
- Strong Career Trajectory - Arthur's career progression from a Legal Secretary to a Legal Assistant demonstrates a clear path of growth and increasing responsibility within the legal field. His movement between respected firms such as Eversheds Sutherland, DLA Piper, and Pinsent Masons underscores his ability to adapt and thrive in reputable and demanding environments.
- Impactful Achievements with Business Relevance - The CV goes beyond merely listing roles and responsibilities by highlighting achievements that have tangible business impacts. For example, reducing contract review time by 20% and increasing favorable litigation outcomes by 25% showcase Arthur's ability to contribute to organizational efficiency and success, making him a valuable asset to future employers.
Legal Assistant in Family Law
- Strong career growth and specialization in the legal sector - Freddie Hughes’s career trajectory shows a notable progression from Administrative Assistant to Legal Assistant at prominent law firms, demonstrating a commitment to advancing within the legal field and increasing levels of responsibility and specialization.
- Significant achievements with real business impact - The CV highlights impactful achievements such as negotiating a £500,000 corporate contract and leading office digitalization projects, illustrating not just operational efficiency but significant contributions towards client retention and business sustainability.
- Comprehensive skill set tailored to the legal industry - It includes a well-rounded set of skills specific to legal work like legal research, document drafting, and file management, coupled with evidence of proficiency in tools like the Microsoft Office Suite, indicating a professional well-prepared for the demands of a legal support role.
Legal Assistant in Criminal Law
- Structured and Concise Presentation - The CV is well-organized with clear sections that delineate Elsie Murray's experiences, skills, education, and achievements. This structured format ensures easy readability, allowing recruiters to quickly grasp the essentials of her qualifications and professional journey.
- Impressive Career Growth in Legal Sector - Elsie Murray demonstrates significant progression from a Legal Administrator to a Legal Assistant, highlighting a career trajectory marked by increasing responsibilities and expertise in real estate law. Her movement across reputable firms like Slater and Gordon Lawyers and Eversheds Sutherland signifies her ambition and commitment to advancing within the legal industry.
- Effective Application of Industry-Specific Tools - Elsie has developed and led initiatives related to electronic filing systems, notably enhancing productivity by 30%. Her experience with the Land Registry Portal for detailed legal research underscores her technical adeptness, essential for addressing complex real estate issues.
Legal Assistant in Intellectual Property
- Structured and Comprehensive Presentation - The CV is organized in a way that facilitates easy navigation through its content. It clearly delineates sections such as experience, education, skills, and achievements, making it simple for a potential employer to assess Scarlett's qualifications at a glance. Key accomplishments are emphasized succinctly, allowing the reader to understand Scarlett's professional impact quickly.
- Progressive Career Development - Scarlett's career trajectory is marked by a progressive increase in responsibilities and roles, moving from a Paralegal to an Administrative Assistant, and currently as a Legal Assistant. This growth not only signifies her expanding skillset but also her ability to adapt to and thrive in varying environments within the legal industry, particularly in intellectual property.
- Emphasis on Significant Achievements and Impact - The CV excels in showcasing Scarlett’s achievements with a focus on meaningful business outcomes, such as a 25% reduction in filing errors and a 20% cost-saving in travel expenses. These accomplishments are presented with accompanying metrics that highlight her contributions to operational efficiency and client satisfaction, reinforcing her value to potential employers.
Legal Assistant in Real Estate
- Clarity and Structure - The CV is well-organized, with clearly defined sections that make it easy to navigate. Each section is concise, ensuring quick and effective communication of the candidate’s qualifications, experience, and achievements. This structure aids in presenting a comprehensive overview of Daisy Shaw's suitability for the roles she's targeting.
- Career Growth and Industry Consistency - Daisy's career trajectory demonstrates clear upward movement through progressively responsible positions within the legal industry. She has advanced from a Legal Administrative Assistant to a Legal Support Officer, showcasing her commitment to the legal sector and her growing expertise in client care and compliance.
- Effective Use of Legal Tools and Methodologies - The CV highlights Daisy's familiarity with industry-specific tools and systems, such as case management software and advanced compliance techniques. Her achievements in integrating management systems and improving turnaround times underscore her technical proficiency and understanding of the legal field's demands.
Legal Assistant in Immigration Law
- Career trajectory highlights growth and specialization - Poppy Griffiths' CV demonstrates a clear career path in the legal and debt recovery sectors. Starting as a Customer Service Specialist at Nationwide Building Society, she progressed to a Collections Specialist, ultimately becoming a Legal Assistant at Restons Solicitors. This trajectory showcases her growing expertise in debt recovery and client relations, underscored by her contributions to team leadership and training program development.
- Emphasizes adaptability and industry-specific skills - The CV outlines Poppy's adaptability by highlighting her wide range of skills across different roles. She efficiently transitioned from a customer service role to a specialized legal assistant, gaining proficiency in litigation support and document preparation. Her adaptability is further reinforced by her fluency in both English and Spanish, enabling effective communication in diverse settings.
- Showcases impactful achievements with business relevance - Poppy's achievements in her roles are not just about hitting numbers; they demonstrate tangible business benefits. For instance, her leadership in introducing efficiency protocols at Capquest led to a 25% improvement in processing speed, showcasing her ability to drive operational efficiencies. At Restons Solicitors, expanding the client portfolio by 30% significantly contributed to business growth, highlighting her effectiveness in client relations and business development.
Legal Assistant in Employment Law
- Effective Content Presentation - The CV is clearly structured and concise, providing an easy-to-navigate presentation of Charlie Thomas's skills and experience. Each section is distinctly separated, allowing for quick identification of relevant details related to the role. The use of bullet points in the experience section efficiently highlights key responsibilities and achievements.
- Robust Career Trajectory - Charlie's career shows a steady growth path, from a Legal Administrator to a Legal Assistant position. This progression reflects a deepening specialization in debt collection and litigation, highlighting their capability to take on more complex roles and responsibilities over time, with an emphasis on leadership and supervision in their latest role.
- Significant Achievements with Business Relevance - The CV showcases clear, measurable achievements like increasing recovery rates by 20% and maintaining a 95% client satisfaction rate. These accomplishments not only demonstrate the candidate’s effectiveness in their role but also underline their impact on the business’s bottom line and client retention success.
Legal Assistant in Personal Injury Law
- Effective Content Presentation - The CV is structured with clarity and conciseness, making it easy to navigate through various sections. It presents information systematically, allowing for a quick understanding of the candidate's skills, experiences, and achievements, aligning well with the role of a legal assistant where attention to detail is paramount.
- Progressive Career Trajectory - Poppy Griffiths demonstrates a clear career progression from a paralegal to a senior legal assistant, highlighting consistent growth within the legal sector. The trajectory indicates a deepening expertise in personal injury and litigation, a crucial element for potential employers looking for seasoned professionals.
- Industry-Specific Methodologies and Tools - The CV showcases proficiency in specialized legal tools and methodologies such as e-filing systems and document management systems. This technical depth is essential in the legal field, where such skills can significantly enhance operational efficiency and accuracy.
Legal Assistant in Environmental Law
- Emphasizes cross-functional capabilities - The CV effectively illustrates the candidate’s ability to collaborate across various disciplines, which is particularly evident from their role at Eversheds Sutherland. This skill is invaluable in legal assistance, especially when managing complex environmental and land use cases that require input from multiple stakeholders.
- Adept use of industry-specific tools and methodologies - Oliver Smith's proficiency in using advanced software like MS Excel and Adobe Acrobat Pro for case management and documentation signals technical depth. His experience in developing databases and tracking systems further highlight his data management capabilities, an asset in sustaining efficient legal operations.
- Focuses on impactful achievements - The CV sets itself apart by not merely listing responsibilities, but by emphasizing significant achievements, such as a 40% improvement in data retrieval efficiency and a 25% faster approval process for permits. These accomplishments denote a tangible impact on business outcomes, underscoring his effectiveness in supporting legal strategies and client satisfaction.
Legal Assistant in Health Care Law
- Clear and Detailed Career Progression - The CV highlights a well-defined career trajectory, showcasing Louis Wood's growth from a Legal Assistant to a Principal Legal Officer, reflecting consistent promotions and increasing responsibility in the field of children’s social care law.
- Impactful Achievements with Business Relevance - Achievements are not only quantified but also contextualized, such as streamlining over 100 cases for an 85% success rate and generating a 20% increase in external revenue. These highlight the candidate's ability to contribute significantly to organizational goals and outcomes.
- Specialized Focus on Child Care Law - Industry-specific elements such as the management of contentious child care cases and strategic legal advice offer depth, demonstrating a profound understanding of and commitment to this niche legal area, which is vital for the role.
Legal Assistant in Civil Litigation
- Comprehensive Career Progression - Samuel Campbell's CV effectively illustrates a steady and logical career trajectory in housing law, showcasing advancement from a Legal Assistant at Shelter Scotland to a Housing Legal Executive at Link Group. Such progression reflects his growing responsibilities and expertise in the sector, indicating a strong commitment to developing within his field.
- Industry-Specific Accomplishments - The CV provides clear examples of Samuel's proficiency with housing law, such as managing complex pleadings, advising on anti-social behavior issues, and implementing a case tracking system that enhanced processing efficiency by 20%. These accomplishments are tailored to the specific demands of housing law litigation, highlighting his technical depth and problem-solving skills.
- Strong Leadership and Mentoring Skills - Beyond technical expertise, the CV points to Samuel's natural leadership abilities and commitment to mentorship. This is evidenced by his role in training 10 junior paralegals and improving their case management efficiency by 30%. His ability to lead court briefings and achieve high success rates in legal outcomes further underscores his capability to guide teams and manage high-stakes situations effectively.
Legal Assistant in Bankruptcy Law
- Clear Structuring with a Focus on Key Skills - Joshua Patel’s CV is presented with a clear and concise structure, where each section is organized logically, allowing easy navigation. This clarity enables quick identification of his key skills such as client coordination and document management, which are crucial for his role as a Legal Assistant.
- Progressive Career Growth - Joshua’s career trajectory demonstrates a steady progression in responsibilities and roles, from an Office Administrator to a Legal Executive Assistant. Each subsequent position shows an advancement in expertise, reflecting dedication to professional growth in the legal industry.
- Impactful Achievements - The CV effectively highlights Joshua’s significant contributions, such as reducing document errors and enhancing client engagement. These achievements not only include quantitative metrics but also stress their impact on operational efficiency and client satisfaction, aligning with business goals.
Legal Assistant in Tax Law
- Structured and Concise Presentation - The CV is meticulously structured, presenting roles and skills in a logical and concise manner. Each section is clear and purposeful, highlighting Evie's achievements, experiences, and skills in a way that demonstrates her capabilities without unnecessary detail.
- Steady Career Growth in Legal Sector - Evie's progression from a Junior Accountant at PwC to a Management Accountant at BDO LLP showcases consistent advancement within the legal finance sector. This steady upward trajectory emphasizes her increasing responsibilities and expertise in financial management, audit, and compliance, aligning well with her targeted field.
- Industry-Specific Expertise and Innovations - Her CV highlights the use of specific tools and methodologies like digital audit tools and risk assessment protocols. These industry-specific elements indicate her ability to innovate and adapt best practices within financial auditing and compliance in the legal sector, adding depth to her technical expertise.
Legal Assistant in International Law
- Comprehensive Content Structure - The CV is neatly structured, offering a clear snapshot of Jack Taylor's qualifications through well-defined sections. Each section contributes to a comprehensive understanding of his skills specific to legal administrative tasks and his ability to work in fast-paced environments.
- Noteworthy Career Development - The document clearly demonstrates Jack's progression from being a Legal Research Assistant to an Administrative Coordinator within the legal industry. His career trajectory underscores a proactive approach to gaining diverse experiences and responsibilities, enhancing his role in administrative and document management functions.
- Emphasis on Technical Proficiency in Legal Tools - Jack’s CV highlights industry-specific competencies, like enhancing document management efficiencies and complying with legal standards. His certifications in advanced document management illustrate his dedication to maintaining expertise in technical aspects crucial for legal teams.
Legal Assistant in Constitutional Law
- Comprehensive Career Growth - The CV clearly outlines a progressive career path in criminal law, starting from an Assistant Public Defender and climbing up to a Senior Criminal Prosecutor. This trajectory illustrates not only growth in responsibility but also commitment to advancing within the legal field, which is impressive for a role in criminal law expertise and case management.
- Strategic Leadership and Mentorship - Elsie Murray's role as a mentor to junior attorneys highlights her strong leadership skills. Her ability to enhance litigation skills among her team shows her dedication to improving overall departmental performance, which is crucial in a high-pressure legal environment.
- Effective Legal Strategy Implementation - The CV emphasizes Elsie's expertise in strategizing legal cases, reflected in her achievements like improving conviction rates and successful high-profile prosecutions. This points to her adeptness in developing strategies that not only deliver results but also have a significant impact on her department's success and efficiency.
Legal Assistant in Administrative Law
- Clear and Structured Content Presentation - The CV is presented in a well-organized manner, ensuring clarity and conciseness. Each section is clearly labeled, providing a comprehensive overview of experience, education, and skills relevant to a role focused on legal assistance and customer service. This structured approach enables quick and efficient information retrieval by potential employers.
- Robust Career Trajectory in Legal Sector - Alfie Edwards demonstrates consistent career growth within the legal industry, moving from a Junior Office Administrator role to a Legal Administrative Assistant. This progression highlights not only skill enhancement and increased responsibilities but also a deepening engagement with industry-specific processes and client relations.
- Impactful Legal Achievements with Business Relevance - The CV effectively communicates achievements with concrete business impacts, such as reducing outstanding debts by £50,000, improving client satisfaction scores by 20%, and increasing document retrieval efficiency by 30%. These accomplishments are linked directly to business enhancements, showcasing Alfie's capacity to drive meaningful improvements in legal administration.
Legal Assistant in Corporate Governance
- Enhanced organizational skills and structure - The CV excels in presenting a well-organized structure, which enhances readability. Each section is clearly delineated, with bullet points effectively used to highlight key competencies and achievements. This presentation method underscores the candidate's skills in administrative organization, a crucial aspect for a Corporate Governance Projects Assistant role.
- Reflects a progressive career trajectory - This CV demonstrates a steady career progression, showcasing growth from Office Administrator roles to Corporate Governance Coordinator. Over the years, the candidate has taken on increased responsibilities, such as leading compliance projects and enhancing communication systems, indicating both personal growth and adaptability in the corporate governance field.
- Focus on operational excellence and compliance - The CV highlights the candidate’s strong focus on governance frameworks and operational processes. The emphasis on minute-taking protocols, electronic filing systems, and compliance audits reflects a deep understanding of industry-specific tools and practices essential for ensuring operational efficiency and regulatory adherence.
Legal Assistant in Mergers and Acquisitions
- Structured and Concise Content Presentation - Arthur Davies' CV is well-structured, clearly separating different sections for experience, skills, education, and achievements. The concise bullet points within each job role focus on specific contributions and results, making it easy to digest his professional journey and competencies quickly.
- Progressive Career Growth - The CV reflects a clear career advancement from Assistant Compliance Manager to Risk and Compliance Manager, highlighting Arthur's growing responsibilities and his ability to take on leadership roles. It showcases a steady progression in the legal field, indicating a focus on specializations in risk and compliance.
- Emphasis on High-Impact Achievement - The CV effectively illustrates Arthur's business relevance by emphasizing achievements such as elevating compliance by 25%, improving audit outcomes by 35%, and reducing firm liabilities. These accomplishments are tied directly to business improvements, underscoring the tangible impact of his work.
How to ensure your profile stands out with your legal assistant CV format
It's sort of a Catch 22. You want your legal assistant CV to stand out amongst a pile of candidate profiles, yet you don't want it to be too over the top that it's unreadable. Where is the perfect balance between your CV format simple, while using it to shift the focus to what matters most. That is - your expertise. When creating your legal assistant CV:
- list your experience in the reverse chronological order - starting with your latest roles;
- include a header with your professional contact information and - optionally - your photograph;
- organise vital and relevant CV sections - e.g. your experience, skills, summary/ objective, education - closer to the top;
- use no more than two pages to illustrate your professional expertise;
- format your information using plenty of white space and standard (2.54 cm) margins, with colours to accent key information.
Once you've completed your information, export your legal assistant CV in PDF, as this format is more likely to stay intact when read by the Applicant Tracker System or the ATS. A few words of advice about the ATS - or the software used to assess your profile:
- Generic fonts, e.g. Arial and Times New Roman, are ATS-compliant, yet many candidates stick with these safe choices. Ensure your CV stands out by using a more modern, and simple, fonts like Lato, Exo 2, Volkhov;
- All serif and sans-serif fonts are ATS-friendly. Avoid the likes of fancy decorative or script typography, as this may render your information to be illegible;
- Both single- and double-column formatted CVs could be assessed by the ATS;
- Integrating simple infographics, icons, and charts across your CV won't hurt your chances during the ATS assessment.
PRO TIP
Use font size and style strategically to create a visual hierarchy, drawing the reader's eye to the most important information first (like your name and most recent job title).
The top sections on a legal assistant CV
- Relevant Legal Experience showcases your practical legal work and skills.
- Legal Education and Certifications highlight your specialised training and legal knowledge.
- Technical Legal Skills emphasise your proficiency with legal software and research tools.
- Key Legal Achievements demonstrate your successes and contributions to past roles.
- Professional Membership and Associations affirm your active engagement with the legal community.
What recruiters value on your CV:
- Emphasise your attention to detail by meticulously proofreading your CV for any grammatical errors or inaccuracies, ensuring it is immaculate, as precision is crucial in legal documents.
- Highlight any experience with legal software and case management systems, and showcase your ability to adapt to new technologies, which are integral for maximising efficiency in a legal environment.
- Document any specific legal knowledge or experience you have in various areas of law, demonstrating your ability to support legal professionals with relevant and specialised tasks.
- Feature your communication skills by including examples of drafting legal correspondence, managing client interactions, and liaising between attorneys, showcasing your role as a facilitator of efficient legal service.
- Illustrate your organisational capabilities by describing how you've managed case files, coordinated schedules, and kept track of deadlines, underpinning your role in ensuring the smooth operation of legal proceedings.
Recommended reads:
Our checklist for the must-have information in your legal assistant CV header
Right at the very top of your legal assistant CV is where you'd find the header section or the space for your contact details, headline, and professional photo. Wondering how to present your the name of the city you live in and the country abbreviation as your address;
- are tailored to the role you're applying for by integrating key job skills and requirements;
- showcase what your unique value is, most often in the form of your most noteworthy accomplishment;
- select your relevant qualifications, skills, or current role to pass the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessment. Still not sure how to write your CV headline? Our examples below showcase best practices on creating effective headlines:
Examples of good CV headlines for legal assistant:
- Legal Assistant | 5+ Years in Contract Law | Certified Paralegal | Compliance & Negotiation Specialist
- Senior Legal Secretary | Litigation Support Expert | 10+ Years in Legal Sector | Bilingual: Spanish-English
- Junior Legal Assistant | Recently Qualified - LPC | Specialism in Intellectual Property | Client Relationship Management
- Legal Administrative Assistant | 7 Years' Experience | Conveyancing and Property Law | Fast Track Diploma Holder
- Litigation Legal Assistant | 3 Years Post-Qualification | Case Research & Trial Preparation | AAT Level 2 Certified
- Corporate Legal Assistant | Senior Role in Mergers & Acquisitions | LL.B. Qualified | Due Diligence Proficiency
Choosing your opening statement: a legal assistant CV summary or objective
At the top one third of your CV, you have the chance to make a more personable impression on recruiters by selecting between:
- Summary - or those three to five sentences that you use to show your greatest achievements. Use the CV summary if you happen to have plenty of relevant experience and wish to highlight your greatest successes;
- Objective - provides you with up to five sentences to state your professional aims and mission in the company you're applying for
CV summaries for a legal assistant job:
More detailed look into your work history: best advice on writing your legal assistant CV experience section
The CV experience is a space not just to merely list your past roles and responsibilities. It is the CV real estate within which you could detail your greatest accomplishments and skills, while matching the job requirements. Here's what to have in your experience section:
- Prove you have what the job wants with your unique skill set and past successes;
- Start each bullet with a strong, action verb, and continue with the outcome of your responsibility;
- Use any awards, nominations, and recognitions you've received as solid proof of your skill set and expertise;
- align your experience with the role responsibilities and duties.
For more help on how to write your CV experience section, check out the next section of our guide:
Best practices for your CV's work experience section
- Managed a busy legal practice's diary, coordinating court dates and client appointments efficiently, while minimising scheduling conflicts throughout the year.
- Conducted thorough legal research utilising online databases and law libraries; contributed to case preparation with accurate and relevant information.
- Prepared legal documents such as briefs, pleadings, appeals, agreements, contracts, and legal correspondence with attention to detail and within strict deadlines.
- Maintained confidentiality in all interactions and communication, upholding the firm's reputation and clients’ trust.
- Supported casework by organising and filing documents electronically and physically, ensuring swift retrieval and a systematic records management system.
- Liaised with clients, legal professionals, and court personnel, providing exemplary service and communication to facilitate the legal process.
- Utilised case management software effectively, keeping track of case progress and maintaining up-to-date client files.
- Participated in client meetings and deposition preparation, taking detailed notes that were later used to inform legal strategies and case progression.
- Monitored changes in legislation and case law, providing lawyers with timely updates that were critical to ongoing cases and client advisories.
Work Experience
Senior Legal Associate
Clifford Chance LLP
01/2017-12/2020
- Managed a portfolio of 50+ ongoing legal cases, consistently meeting deadlines for document submissions and maintaining detailed litigation records for senior attorneys.
- Conducted complex legal research and analysis for property law matters, contributing to a 20% increase in successful outcomes for client cases over a three-year period.
- Drafted and reviewed up to 30 legal documents per week, including affidavits and contracts, ensuring accuracy and compliance with current UK legislation.
Work Experience
Legal Assistant Officer
Allen & Overy
05/2015-04/2018
- Implemented a new legal case management software that improved document retrieval times by 35%, streamlining workflow processes for the whole legal team.
- Liaised with clients to gather case information, preparing briefs for approximately 12 cases per month with a high level of precision that resulted in enhanced client satisfaction scores.
- Coordinated between various departments to ensure all related parties were informed of case developments, playing a key role in the timely execution of case strategies.
Work Experience
Legal Case Coordinator
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
03/2020-Ongoing
- Actively involved in the preparation of evidentiary materials for high-stakes commercial litigation cases, directly supporting a team of 5 leading solicitors.
- Facilitated client intake for over 100 individual cases, helping to grow the client base by 15% within a single fiscal year through outstanding service.
- Led the digitization project for the firm's case files, digitizing over 10,000 documents, thus greatly enhancing accessibility and reducing paper usage by 25%.
Work Experience
Patent Legal Assistant
Linklaters LLP
06/2013-02/2016
- Spearheaded the legal research for a landmark patent infringement case, which contributed to a favourable verdict and secured the client's intellectual property rights.
- Reviewed and processed an average of 15-20 legal contracts per month, identifying potential areas of risk and suggesting mitigation strategies to senior legal counsel.
- Organized and maintained the law library, ensuring resources were current and accessible, which reduced research time for attorneys by approximately 10%.
Work Experience
Legal Support Specialist
Slaughter and May
11/2014-10/2019
- Expertly compiled and maintained litigation dockets for a team of 10 attorneys, improving the firms' case handling efficiency and contributing to a 98% on-time filing rate.
- Facilitated cross-departmental communication and legal compliance for M&A transactions, supporting over 20 successful deals within 5 years.
- Conducted weekly training sessions on legal database management for new staff, significantly enhancing team productivity and reducing onboarding time by 15%.
Work Experience
International Legal Assistant
Hogan Lovells
09/2009-08/2012
- Orchestrated the logistics for a series of international arbitration cases, coordinating between parties in different time-zones and ensuring all legal procedures were followed.
- Assisted in reducing overhead costs by 10% through the implementation of a new documentation workflow, which streamlined the preparation of legal briefs and filings.
- Played a pivotal role in the research and compilation of evidence for a multi-million-pound fraud case, leading to the successful recovery of assets.
Work Experience
Litigation Legal Assistant
Norton Rose Fulbright
04/2012-03/2015
- Performed in-depth legal research that was integral to developing case strategies for high profile defamation cases, directly impacting case outcomes favourably.
- Managed legal documentation and records for over 200 clients, implementing a categorization system which improved file retrieval times by 40%.
- Collaborated with senior solicitors to create case presentations for trials, enhancing the persuasiveness of arguments and contributing to a 30% higher rate of successful case settlements.
Work Experience
Civil Litigation Legal Officer
CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP
07/2011-06/2014
- Conducted due diligence for upwards of 25 property transactions per year, ensuring all compliance checks were met, which resulted in a decrease in post-sale legal issues by 5%.
- Played a critical role in client relations, managing communications for 50+ clients involved in civil litigation, leading to increased client retention rates.
- Assisted with the creation and roll-out of a witness preparation program that enhanced the effectiveness of testimonies, contributing to more robust case positions.
How to ensure your legal assistant CV stands out when you have no experience
This part of our step-by-step guide will help you substitute your experience section by helping you spotlight your skill set. First off, your ability to land your first job will depend on the time you take to assess precisely how you match the job requirements. Whether that's via your relevant education and courses, skill set, or any potential extracurricular activities. Next:
- Systematise your CV so that it spotlights your most relevant experience (whether that's your education or volunteer work) towards the top;
- Focus recruiters' attention to your transferrable skill set and in particular how your personality would be the perfect fit for the role;
- Consider how your current background has helped you build your technological understanding - whether you've created projects in your free time or as part of your uni degree;
- Ensure you've expanded on your teamwork capabilities with any relevant internships, part-time roles, or projects you've participated in the past.
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
If you have experience in diverse fields, highlight how this has broadened your perspective and skill set, making you a more versatile candidate.
The CV skills' divide: between hard and soft skills
Of course, you may have read the job requirements plenty of times now, but it's key to note that there is a difference between technical and personal skills. Both are equally relevant to your job application. When writing about your skill set, ensure you've copy-pasted the precise skill from the job requirement. This would not only help you ensure you have the correct spelling, but also pass any Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessments.
- Hard skills show your technological capabilities. Or whether you'll be a good technical fit to the organisation. Ensure you've spotlighted your hard skills in various sections of your CV (e.g. skills section, projects, experience) by including the technology and what you've attained;
- Soft skills pinpoint your personality and people or communication skills, hinting at if you'll easily accomodate into the team or organisation. Quantify your soft skills in your CV achievements, strengths, summary/objective, and experience sections. Always support your soft skills with how they've helped you grow as a professional.
Top skills for your legal assistant CV:
HARD SKILLS
Legal Research
Legal Writing
Document Drafting
Litigation Support
Case Management
Regulatory Compliance
Contract Review
Court Filings
Time Management Software Proficiency
E-Discovery Tools Proficiency
SOFT SKILLS
Communication
Attention to Detail
Organisational Skills
Discretion
Teamwork
Problem-Solving
Adaptability
Time Management
Client Relations
Stress Management
PRO TIP
Use mini case studies or success stories in your CV to demonstrate how your skills have positively impacted previous roles or projects.
Further professional qualifications for your legal assistant CV: education and certificates
As you're nearing the end of your legal assistant CV, you may wonder what else will be relevant to the role. Recruiters are keen on understanding your academic background, as it teaches you an array of hard and soft skills. Create a dedicated education section that lists your:
- applicable higher education diplomas or ones that are at a postgraduate level;
- diploma, followed up with your higher education institution and start-graduation dates;
- extracurricular activities and honours, only if you deem that recruiters will find them impressive.
Follow a similar logic when presenting your certificates. Always select ones that will support your niche expertise and hint at what it's like to work with you. Balance both technical certification with soft skills courses to answer job requirements and company values. Wondering what the most sought out certificates are for the industry? Look no further:
PRO TIP
Use mini case studies or success stories in your CV to demonstrate how your skills have positively impacted previous roles or projects.
Recommended reads:
Key takeaways
What matters most in your legal assistant CV-writing process is for you to create a personalised application. One that matches the role and also showcases your unique qualities and talents.
- Use the format to supplement the actual content, to stand out, and to ensure your CV experience is easy to comprehend and follows a logic;
- Invest time in building a succinct CV top one third. One that includes a header (with your contact details and headline), a summary or an objective statement (select the one that best fits your experience), and - potentially - a dedicated skills section or achievements (to fit both hard skills and soft skills requirements);
- Prioritise your most relevant (and senior) experience closer to the top of your CV. Always ensure you're following the "power verb, skill, and achievement" format for your bullets;
- Integrate both your technical and communication background across different sections of your CV to meet the job requirements;
- List your relevant education and certificates to fill in gaps in your CV history and prove to recrutiers you have relevant technical know-how.
