Paralegal resume summary examples
Entry level
Recent graduate of an ABA-approved paralegal certificate program with a bachelor's degree in political science and a 120-hour internship at a legal aid clinic. Drafted 30+ client intake memos and organized case files for 3 staff attorneys. Comfortable with Westlaw, Clio and PACER, and careful with deadlines and confidential information.
Experienced corporate
Corporate paralegal with 9 years of experience managing entity records for 300+ subsidiaries and supporting 40+ M&A and financing deals. Prepares closing checklists, signature packets and closing sets, runs UCC and lien searches and keeps annual reports filed on time in every state. Trusted by partners to run closings with little oversight.
Legal assistant moving up
Legal assistant with 4 years at a 20-attorney firm, now finishing a paralegal certificate program. Already handles calendaring for 3 attorneys, e-filing, discovery indexing and client communication. Ready to take on drafting, research and trial preparation as a litigation paralegal.
Need more ideas? See resume summary examples for every career stage.
Paralegal resume bullet points you can adapt
Strong bullets start with an action verb and end with a result. Swap in your own numbers.
- Supported 4 attorneys on 80+ active litigation matters from intake through trial.
- Docketed 1,500+ court and discovery deadlines a year with zero missed deadlines in 3 years.
- Drafted complaints, discovery requests and responses, subpoenas and deposition notices for attorney review.
- Cut first-draft turnaround for discovery responses from 3 days to 1 with a library of firm-approved templates.
- Managed document productions of up to 250,000 pages in Relativity, including Bates numbering, redactions and privilege logs.
- Prepared exhibit lists, trial binders and courtroom presentations for 6 trials and 9 arbitrations.
- Summarized 40+ deposition transcripts and 6,000+ pages of medical records a year.
- E-filed 400+ documents in state and federal courts through county e-filing systems and CM/ECF with no rejected filings.
- Researched case law and statutes in Westlaw and Lexis+ and prepared citation checks for 20+ briefs.
- Built financial disclosure spreadsheets from bank, tax and retirement records for 60+ family law clients.
- Ran conflict checks and opened 150+ new client files with complete intake and engagement records.
- Managed entity records and annual reports for 300+ subsidiaries with no late filings.
- Prepared closing checklists and signature packets for 40+ M&A and financing transactions.
- Trained 3 new legal assistants on the firm's docketing, filing and document naming procedures.
Best skills for a paralegal resume
| Hard skills | Soft skills |
|---|---|
| Legal research (Westlaw, Lexis+) | Attention to detail |
| Drafting pleadings and discovery | Organization |
| Docketing and calendaring | Deadline management |
| Federal and state e-filing (CM/ECF) | Discretion |
| E-discovery and document review platforms | Clear writing |
| Practice management software (Clio) | Teamwork with attorneys |
| Deposition and medical record summaries | Client communication |
| Trial preparation | |
| Privilege logs and Bates numbering | |
| Citation checking | |
| Client intake and conflict checks | |
| Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat |
Match these to the job posting before you apply. The ATS keyword checker shows which terms from a posting your resume is missing, and the skills guide covers how to list them.
Tips for writing a paralegal resume
List credentials and paralegal education clearly
Paralegal certification is usually voluntary, so a credential like NALA's Certified Paralegal (CP) or NFPA's PACE Registered Paralegal can set you apart. List it with the issuing organization, plus your paralegal certificate or degree and whether the program is ABA-approved. Some states, such as California, set education or experience rules for anyone using the paralegal title, so check your state's requirements.
Name your practice area and case volume
Litigation, corporate, family, real estate and immigration paralegals do very different work. Say which areas you know, how many attorneys you support and how many active matters you handle. A recruiter can then match you to the right team.
Show your deadline record
Missed deadlines can hurt a client's case, so attorneys value paralegals who never miss them. If you docket deadlines, give the volume and your record, such as '1,500+ deadlines a year with zero missed.' Mention the calendaring or docketing system you use.
List the software you use
Name your research, e-filing, e-discovery and practice management tools, such as Westlaw, Lexis+, PACER, CM/ECF, Relativity and Clio. These terms often appear in paralegal postings. Only list tools you can use on your own.
Describe your work as attorney-supervised
Paralegals cannot give legal advice or practice law, so describe your work accurately. Phrases like 'drafted for attorney review' and 'prepared for attorney signature' show you know the role. Avoid wording that suggests you represented or advised clients on your own.
Protect client confidentiality
Do not name clients or include details that could identify a case that is not public. Describe matters by type and size instead, such as 'commercial litigation matters up to $40 million.' This also shows a future employer you handle confidential information carefully.