Tailoring your CV to highlight your expertise in various legal systems and terminologies can be a daunting challenge for a paralegal seeking new opportunities. Our comprehensive guide provides step-by-step advice to help you accentuate your skills and experience, ensuring your CV stands out to potential employers.
- Answer job requirements with your paralegal CV and experience;
- Curate your academic background and certificates, following industry-leading CV examples;
- Select from +10 niche skills to match the ideal candidate profile
- Write a more succinct experience section that consists of all the right details.
Do you need more specific insights into writing your paralegal CV? Our guides focus on unique insights for each individual role:
How to ensure your profile stands out with your paralegal CV format
It's sort of a Catch 22. You want your paralegal 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 paralegal 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 paralegal 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 paralegal CV
- Education history shows formal training. It is vital to establish your academic background, detailing institutions and qualifications relevant to a paralegal career.
- Legal experience highlights specific roles. Recruiters look for direct legal work experience, including internships, to gauge practical skills.
- Key skills demonstrate legal competencies. A section on specialised skills such as legal research, documentation drafting, and case management is essential.
- Professional certifications prove expertise. Including certifications like CP or RP credentials showcases your dedication to the paralegal profession.
- References validate your professional claims. Mentioning professional references allows potential employers to verify your work ethic and capabilities.
What recruiters value on your CV:
- Highlight your understanding of legal terminologies, procedures, and documentation by detailing your experience with drafting pleadings, briefs, and other legal documents, ensuring to mention any specific areas of law you have worked in.
- Demonstrate your organisational skills by listing your experience managing case files, coordinating appointments, and handling correspondence, as these are crucial for maintaining efficiency in legal settings.
- Showcase your research abilities by mentioning your proficiency in legal research platforms and databases, and give examples of complex legal issues you've successfully navigated.
- Include any experience with case management software and legal technologies, as paralegals need to be adept with tools that aid in streamlining legal processes and improving client communication.
- Provide evidence of your ability to maintain confidentiality and your understanding of ethical considerations when working on sensitive cases, as these are fundamental qualities of a trustworthy paralegal.
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Tips and tricks on writing a job-winning paralegal CV header
The CV header is the space which most recruiters would be referring most often to, in the beginning and end of your application. That is as the CV header includes your contact details, but also a headline and a professional photo. When writing your CV header:
- Double-check your contact details for spelling errors or if you've missed any digits. Also, ensure you've provided your personal details, and not your current work email or telephone number;
- Include your location in the form of the city and country you live in. If you want to be more detailed, you can list your full address to show proximity to your potential work place;
- Don't include your CV photo, if you're applying for roles in the UK or US, as this may bias initial recruiters' assessments;
- Write a professional headline that either integrates the job title, some relevant industry keywords, or your most noteworthy achievement.
In the next part of our guide, we'll provide you with professional CVs that showcase some of the best practices when it comes to writing your headline.
Examples of good CV headlines for paralegal:
- Legal Assistant | Property Law Specialist | LLB (Hons) | 2+ Years of Conveyancing Experience
- Senior Paralegal | Commercial Litigation Expert | LPC Graduate | Managing Complex Cases | 10 Years' Practice
- Paralegal | Family Law Advocate | Certificate in Legal Practice | Mediation & Negotiation Skills | 5 Years
- Junior Paralegal | Criminal Defence Focus | GDL Holder | Case Preparation and Research | 1 Year Experience
- Paralegal Officer | Intellectual Property Enthusiast | CILEx Level 6 | Trademarks & Patents | 4 Years
- Certified Paralegal | Employment Law Specialist | HR and Legal Compliance | 7+ Years in Tribunal Support
Opting between a paralegal CV summary or objective
Within the top one third of your paralegal CV, you have the opportunity to briefly summarise your best achievements or present your professional goals and dreams. Those two functions are met by either the CV summary or the objective.
- The summary is three-to-five sentences long and should narrate your best successes, while answering key requirements for the role. Select up to three skills which you can feature in your summary. Always aim to present what the actual outcomes were of using your particular skill set. The summary is an excellent choice for more experienced professionals.
- The objective is more focused on showcasing your unique value as a candidate and defining your dreams and ambitions. Think about highlighting how this current opportunity would answer your career vision. Also, about how you could help your potential employers grow. The objective matches the needs of less experienced candidates, who need to prove their skill set and, in particular, their soft skills.
Still not sure about how to write your CV opening statement? Use some best industry examples as inspiration:
CV summaries for a paralegal job:
- With a robust 8-year background in family law at a leading London firm, I bring an extensive understanding of legal procedures, thorough research capabilities, and a proven track record in managing complex cases, which led to a 95% success rate in child custody disputes.
- Detail-oriented paralegal with 5 years of experience specializing in commercial law and intellectual property rights at a boutique Manchester firm; successfully supported litigation for over 50 cases and regularly managed patent filings, showcasing expertise in legal documentation and case preparation.
- Former HR manager with 10 years of experience, now transitioned to paralegal studies, eager to apply my outstanding negotiation and employee relations skills to the legal sector, with a focus on employment law and a personal commitment to advocating for fair workplace practices.
- A recent business administration graduate shifting to a legal career, I bring an analytical mindset, exemplary organizational skills, and a dedication to mastering the complexities of corporate law. My internship at a top-tier accounting firm equipped me with a solid foundation in regulatory compliance.
- Aspiring to develop my career in a legal support role, I am committed to learning and contributing to client satisfaction through meticulous research, document management, and developing a comprehensive understanding of legal frameworks within a fast-paced environment.
- Eager to embark on a paralegal career path, my objective is to leverage my strong analytical background from a recent Master's degree in Political Science and intern experience in legislative research to deliver high-quality legal assistance and support case management with accuracy and efficiency.
How to meet job requirements with your paralegal CV experience
We've now reached the essence of your actual CV - your experience section. This is the space where you can list your career roles and on-the-job successes. Many candidates tend to underestimate just how much time and effort they should put into writing this CV section. Your experience shouldn't be a random list of your responsibilities, but instead:
- Match the job description with your skills, values, and accomplishments;
- Start each bullet with a strong action verb, followed up with one key skill and your outcome of applying this skill;
- Spotlight parts of your career history that are relevant to the job you're applying for.
Before we move on, make sure to check out some professional CV experience sections.
Best practices for your CV's work experience section
- Conducted comprehensive legal research using databases such as LexisNexis and Westlaw, ensuring accurate and current information for case preparation.
- Assisted with the drafting and reviewing of legal documents including contracts, wills, and pleadings to ensure they meet statutory requirements.
- Coordinated and maintained schedules and deadlines for court appearances and filings, demonstrating exceptional organisational skills and attention to detail.
- Managed communication with clients, witnesses, and court officials, providing regular updates and ensuring clear and precise information exchange.
- Implemented an efficient filing system for both paper and electronic documents that improved retrieval time by 20%.
- Prepared trial bundles and evidence packs, meticulously ensuring that all critical information was readily accessible for barristers and solicitors.
- Contributed to client meetings by taking detailed notes that were essential for case strategy formulation and follow-up actions.
- Monitored changes in legislation and apprised the legal team, which proved essential in keeping practices current and avoiding compliance issues.
- Utilised legal case management software effectively, thereby enhancing team collaboration and the tracking of case progress.
- Streamlined the document management process utilizing advanced document management software, improving retrieval efficiency by 35% for critical legal files.
- Functioned as the lead paralegal on over 50 family law cases, contributing to successful outcomes in 92% of these cases through meticulous research and documentation.
- Facilitated the litigation process by preparing and filing over 100 legal documents monthly, ensuring compliance with court deadlines and protocol.
- Managed due diligence for over 20 corporate transactions, resulting in the smooth execution of mergers and acquisitions valued at over $200 million.
- Coordinated with a team of 5 paralegals to support litigation attorneys, providing comprehensive case preparation that led to a 20% increase in case efficiency.
- Initiated a client data protection protocol enhancing privacy compliance, significantly reducing the risk of data breaches in client-sensitive information.
- Developed and maintained a repository of legal research references and case files, improving the firm's response time for legal inquiries by 25%.
- Assisted in drafting and reviewing over 500 legal contracts and agreements, streamlining the review process by implementing a clause library.
- Played a pivotal role in preparing for trials by organizing evidence and creating a detailed database for easy access by litigation teams.
- Designed and implemented an automated billing system for legal services reducing billing errors by 15% and saving approximately 10 hours of manual work per week.
- Spearheaded the transition to electronic filing systems in compliance with federal court mandates, enhancing firm-wide operational efficiency.
- Conducted comprehensive legal research that contributed to a favorable ruling in a high-profile intellectual property case.
- Implemented a new tracking system for tort claims which increased the firm’s case-handling capacity by 20%.
- Worked closely with attorneys in the preparation of trial binders for over 30 cases, directly contributing to organized and more effective courtroom presentations.
- Negotiated with vendors for legal services, reducing annual costs by 10% without compromising on the quality of services.
- Coordinated the pro bono program, matching attorneys to cases, which resulted in a 40% increase in community service engagement.
- Efficiently oversaw a large-scale document review project for a class action lawsuit involving over 100,000 documents.
- Assisted in managing the case load for several junior attorneys simultaneously, aiding in a 30% increase in productivity for the legal team.
- Conducted extensive legal research using databases such as LexisNexis and Westlaw that provided crucial information for complex litigation cases.
- Implemented a case management system that improved the tracking of over 200 ongoing cases, enhancing team coordination and case progression.
- Contributed to a high-profile merger by preparing legal documents, conducting due diligence, and facilitating communication among various stakeholders.
- Successfully managed the witness preparation for over 10 federal court cases, which played a key role in the firm’s high trial success rate.
- Optimized legal research and streamlined case briefings for the attorneys, reducing preparation time by 15%.
- Managed communication with clients by providing updates and explaining legal proceedings, resulting in a 25% improvement in client satisfaction.
- Prepared and maintained trademark filings and registrations, overseeing a portfolio of over 500 trademarks.
- Automated routine legal documentation using specialized software, reducing manual drafting time by up to 50%.
- Co-authored an internal best practices handbook for the paralegal team, which became the standard reference for new employee training.
- Enhanced inter-departmental communication by implementing a shared calendar system for legal deadlines, leading to zero missed filing dates.
- Assisted with complex legal research for environmental law cases, contributing to several key wins in Federal and State courts.
- Coordinated discovery processes and managed inventory of evidence, empowering the legal team with ready access to pertinent case materials.
Lacking professional expertise: how to write your CV to highlight your best talents
Don't count on your lucky stars when you're applying for a role, where you happen to have less (or almost none) professional experience. Recruiters sometimes do hire inexperienced candidates if they're able to present their unique value from the get-go. So, instead of opting for the traditional, CV experience section:
- List any applicable expertise you happen to have - no matter if it's a part-time job, internship, or volunteer work. This would hint to recruiters that your profile is relevant;
- Focus your CV on your transferrable skills or talents you've obtained thanks to your whole life and work experience. In effect, you'll be spotlighting your value as a candidate;
- Separate more space for your applicable academic background and certificates to show you have the technical know-how;
- Ensure that within your objective, you've defined why you'll like the job and how you'll be the perfect match for it. Always ensure you've tailored your CV to individual applications.
Looking for more good examples for your first job? We'll show you how other candidates, with less professional experience, have created their job-winning CVs.
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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.
Mix and match hard and soft skills across your paralegal CV
Your skill set play an equally valid role as your experience to your application. That is because recruiters are looking for both:
- hard skills or your aptitude in applying particular technologies
- soft skills or your ability to work in a team using your personal skills, e.g. leadership, time management, etc.
Are you wondering how you should include both hard and soft skills across your paralegal CV? Use the:
- skills section to list between ten and twelve technologies that are part of the job requirement (and that you're capable to use);
- strengths and achievements section to detail how you've used particular hard and soft skills that led to great results for you at work;
- summary or objective to spotlight up to three skills that are crucial for the role and how they've helped you optimise your work processes.
One final note - when writing about the skills you have, make sure to match them exactly as they are written in the job ad. Take this precautionary measure to ensure your CV passes the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessment.
Top skills for your paralegal CV:
Legal research
Document drafting
Litigation support
Case management
Regulatory compliance
Legal writing
Contract review
Intellectual property law
E-discovery
Legal software proficiency
Attention to detail
Communication
Time management
Analytical thinking
Problem-solving
Client confidentiality
Adaptability
Teamwork
Organisational
Stress management
PRO TIP
Order your skills based on the relevance to the role you're applying for, ensuring the most pertinent skills catch the employer's attention first.
CV education and certificates: your academic background as proof of your skill set
A common misconception about your paralegal CV education is that you only need it, if you have less professional experience. That is completely false. The CV education section serves to back up your technical (and sometimes personal) capabilities, fill in gaps in your work history, and show you have the initial industry background and know-how. When creating your education section:
- List your degrees in the reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent (and relevant) ones first;
- Include your degree and university names, start and graduation dates. It's optional to also denote you received a "First-Class Honours" for diplomas that are more relevant to the role;
- Curate your relevant university coursework, projects, or thesis work if you happen to have less professional expertise and need to integrate more job keywords and skills.
Your professional qualifications don't need to stop at your academic background. It's advisable to also select up to three of your most noteworthy (and relevant) industry certificates and feature them in a dedicated section. Once more, include the certificate name, the institution that issued it out, and the date you obtained it on. You could feature both hard skills and soft skills certificates, as in the examples below:
PRO TIP
If you have received professional endorsements or recommendations for certain skills, especially on platforms like LinkedIn, mention these to add credibility.
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Key takeaways
Your successful job application depends on how you well you have aligned your paralegal CV to the job description and portrayed your best skills and traits. Make sure to:
- Select your CV format, so that it ensures your experience is easy to read and understand;
- Include your professional contact details and a link to your portfolio, so that recruiters can easily get in touch with you and preview your work;
- Write a CV summary if you happen to have more relevant professional experience. Meanwhile, use the objective to showcase your career dreams and ambitions;
- In your CV experience section bullets, back up your individual skills and responsibilities with tangible achievements;
- Have a healthy balance between hard and soft skills to answer the job requirements and hint at your unique professional value.
