Paralegal resume example
Paralegal resumes anchor on two things recruiters screen for: practice area (litigation, corporate, IP, real estate, immigration, family, estate planning) and the specific toolchain you're fluent in (Relativity, Clio, iManage, MyCase, ProLaw, Westlaw, LexisNexis). The narrower and more specific the practice area, the faster hiring partners calibrate your experience. Avoid 'supported attorneys' phrasing — every paralegal does that; what matters is the complexity and volume of the work.
How to write a strong paralegal resume
- 1State the practice area up top. 'Litigation Paralegal, Commercial Disputes' beats 'Paralegal'.
- 2Quantify document review: 'Reviewed 180k pages across 6 matters in Relativity; flagged 2,400 responsive docs for partner review'. Volume + tool + outcome.
- 3Specify billable-hour handling if you have experience — 2,000+ billable hours/year is a signal for law-firm roles.
- 4List research tools (Westlaw, LexisNexis) and document management systems (iManage, NetDocuments, Clio) explicitly — search systems filter on these.
- 5Certifications — ABA-approved paralegal programs, NALA CP/ACP, NFPA PACE — go in a dedicated block. Mention state notary public commission if you hold one.
Sample experience bullets for paralegals
Copy these as a starting point and adapt with your own numbers. Every bullet is written to read well in an ATS and on a recruiter skim.
- ▸Litigation paralegal on a $240M commercial dispute; reviewed 180k pages in Relativity across 4 productions, flagged 2,400 responsive docs, prepared 6 deposition binders.
- ▸Drafted and coordinated service of 14 complaints + 40+ subpoenas for a mid-size commercial litigation practice (2024); maintained a firm-wide tracking database.
- ▸Ran due diligence for 9 M&A transactions ranging $8-120M; organized virtual data rooms in iManage, prepared closing binders, coordinated signatures across 30+ parties.
- ▸NALA Certified Paralegal (CP) since 2022; commissioned Notary Public, State of California.
Recommended templates for paralegals
These templates pair well with the paralegal role — they're ATS-friendly, appropriate in tone, and highlight the sections that matter for this kind of job.
Need a matching cover letter?
We've written a companion paralegal cover letter example with role-specific tips, a sample letter, and matched templates in the same visual language as the resume templates above.
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